A Southwest passenger is suing the airline, claiming its “free-for-all” seating policy led to her being attacked by a fellow flyer. Livia Rombola was bound for Kansas City from New York City on Southwest flight 779 on June 17 when Leanna Perry, 32, shouted body-shaming profanities—and physically attacked her. As captured in a now-viral video, Perry called Rombola a “fat a-- b----,” pulled her hair and spit on her. “Yeah, I’m sorry, I didn’t want to sit next to a f---ing fat lady,” Perry said as her hands were being zip-tied by Southwest flight staff before she was removed from the aircraft by police. (She later pled not guilty to a series of charges associated with the incident.) Rombola filed a lawsuit against the airline—and Perry—in New York this week. According to The Independent, her suit claimed that the low-cost carrier’s unassigned seating policy was a “clear departure” from industry standards, which “expos[ed] passengers to the unnecessary issue of conflict.” Rombola also blamed Southwest for allowing Perry to board the plane despite, the suit alleges, being “visibly impaired and intoxicated.” Last month, the airline announced that it would implement assigned seating by January 2026. The Daily Beast has reached out to Southwest and Perry for comment.
Read it at The Independent
