A US airline stopped a New Mexico family from boarding a plane because of their size.

The family was left in Indianapolis when Southwest Airlines’ staff told them some members had to buy two seats each.

Marty McLaughlin and his sister Andrea Kysar spent 30 hours travelling back to Albuquerque by bus instead.

The airline has refunded them for their return tickets and apologised to them on ABC News’ Good Morning America.

The airline’s new ‘customer of size’ policy means overweight passengers are charged for two tickets if they’d spill into their neighbour’s seat.

Mrs Kysar says they weren’t charged for two tickets when they travelled to Indianapolis for their mother’s memorial last week.

Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Beth Harbin said: “We should have required the purchase of the extra seats on the original flight as well. I think the agent was trying to work from her heart and work with them noting the circumstances but really it’s the consistency of the policy that’s the key here.”

A New Mexico man on a traffic summons ended up in jail for two days after dropping a marijuana joint in court.

Robin Loftin, 18, was charged with contempt of court and sentenced to jail for taking the illegal substance into Judge Walter Parr’s courtroom in Carlsbad.

According to court records, Loftin was in court on charges of driving with a suspended driver’s licence and failure to renew his vehicle registration.

After the judge entered the courtroom, Loftin removed the hat he was wearing and the marijuana joint fell from the hat onto the floor.

Parr immediately cited Loftin for contempt of court. The judge deferred the sentences on the traffic summons on the condition Loftin obeys all laws, clears his licence and renews his vehicle registration.