Posted on 12/04/2011 11:26:12 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
At nearly seven hours, US Airways flight 901 is one of the longest domestic nonstop airline flights. And Arthur Berkowitz knows how long it takes to get from Anchorage to Philadelphia down to the minute. That’s because he says he had to stand for most of the flight when he returned to Philly last July.
Why would anyone stand for that long? Because he says a morbidly obese passenger seated next to him was spilling into his personal space, making it impossibly to sit in his assigned seat, and the flight was completely full.
“I didn’t fly from Alaska to Philadelphia on flight 901,” he says. “I stood.”
Telling an airline passenger who can’t fit into a seat to stand is pretty unusual. But it happens. The question is, what should the airline do about it?
Before answering, let’s review some of the specifics of Berkowitz’s complaint. He boarded the flight on July 29, and was grateful to find an empty middle seat next to him. But that gratitude turned to horror when the airline sent a late-boarding passenger who weighed more than 400 pounds to the seat. It was the last empty one on the plane.
“His size required both armrests to be raised up and allowed for his body to cover half of my seat,” he says.
Berkowitz immediately notified the flight attendants about the passenger. He recalls,
They were sympathetic, but could not do anything. No other seats existed on plane. They would not permit me to sit in their jump seats, and fully acknowledged the mistake by their gate agent, in allowing this individual on plane without requiring him to purchase and occupy two seats.
That wasn’t just a comfort issue, according to Berkowitz. It was also a safety problem.
“It did not allow me to use my seatbelt during takeoff and landing as well as required me to stand in the aisle and galley area for most of the seven-hour plus flight,” he says.
After he returned, he wrote a brief, polite email to the airline, asking it to refund his fare or for a voucher for the full amount. He also reported the incident to authorities, citing his safety concerns.
US Airways responded with an email that described his travel experience as “regrettable” and apologizing for the “difficulties” he encountered.
“Our intention is to offer the best travel experience possible,” it added. “The details you have provided indicate that we have failed to meet our intentions.”
The airline offered a $200 voucher for Berkowitz’s trouble. It didn’t address any of his safety issues.
He wasn’t happy with that, so he contacted me. I reviewed his case and agreed with him that US Airways might want to take another look at his complaint. I mean, leaving a passenger with no alternative but to stand for almost seven hours — if that’s true, then this might be one of those rare cases when a full refund is in order.
I contacted US Airways on his behalf. A representative told me US Airways had made its last, best offer. It didn’t say anything about the safety concerns this case raises.
Berkowitz says the airline is missing the point. It is glossing over the safety problems created by allowing overweight passengers to buy one seat.
“The $200 is inappropriate,” he adds. “I paid in excess of $800 for the ticket.”
I’d just Occupy the Lavatory for the remainder of the flight.
The unfortunate passenger should be refunded the total amount for the inconvenience as well as the safety threat. The other passenger should have either payed for two seats or boarded the next available flight.
Don’t let the fat folks on the plane or make the fat folks buy three seats.
Another point to mention is the article references the passenger who could not stay in his own seat surrendering it to his neighbor, "Mr. Moore", yet it was "Mr. Moore" who could not stay in his own seat.
Can anorexics get a 2-for-1 discount?
If he had been my fellow-passenger I would have offered the use of my own seat by turns; maybe half-an-hour at a stretch. But the bottom line is that anyone who can’t fit into a single seat needs to pay for two.
They shouldn’t discriminate against people who are overweight. They’re humans as the rest of us. There is no difference between his dollar and the thin mans. By the same token, if he’s going to take up two or three seats, he should pay for it.
“They shouldn’t discriminate against people who are overweight. They’re humans as the rest of us.”
We have all been there. We board a plane and we take our seat and then watch fellow passengers as they walk down the aisle looking for their seat. When you see some Fat Slob making its way towards you, you hope that they will not be seated next to you and you breath a sigh of relief when they go past your row.
I say, keep the fat slobs off the plane all together as they make all the people on the plane uncomfortable and fearful that they will be seated next to them.
Cargo, perhaps?
Why can’t fat people go in the cargo hold where other bulky stuff goes.
You do realize that more than half of the population of the United States could be considered overweight or obese, right? Since there are about 500,000 FReepers and Lurkers, you just insulted about a quarter of a million people, not to mention anyone who drifts in here from Google, Yahoo or somewhere else. Since you’re on a roll, how about regaling us with your favorite Pollock, ni***r or retard joke?
““The $200 is inappropriate,” he adds. “I paid in excess of $800 for the ticket.”
Sue the fat ass that assumed it was entitled to ooze over
onto someone else’s seat. Why did he have to give up his
seat to the full figured lardball that was encroaching on
his bought and paid for space. The F/A knew it needed 2
seats and was probably proud of the fact that it got on
the plane for the price of one seat and had no problem
making someone else stand the whole flight.
The obese passenger should have been the one to stand. It’s not Berkowicz who created the problem.
“You do realize that more than half of the population of the United States could be considered overweight or obese, right? Since there are about 500,000 FReepers and Lurkers, you just insulted about a quarter of a million people...”
Not in my neighborhood or my town. And the ones that are overweight sure the heck don’t weigh 400 pounds like the fat guy this flight.
And I bet that half the members of FR don’t weigh anything close to 400 pounds.
Just make them pay for what they use and if they are too fat to fit in one seat, make them buy three seats.
BTW-Obesity is a choice.
be glad you don’t have one of the ‘standing tickets’ on the 2-day train trips in china.
yes, that’s right... 2 days... on a train... standing
Where do you live? Beverly Hills? Aspen? Berkeley?
What I dont understand is this
the fat guy had the arm rest up so he could spill over into the next seat....
The poor regular size guy had to sit squished for the take off...
Ive never been in a plane in my nearly 50 years of flying places that the flight attendants didnt insist on the arm rests being down for take off...
Thats a big safety concern right there...
I am a very, VERY reasonable and accomodating person when in public.
That said, what on earth are we arguing about here?
A passenger was forced to stand for seven hours on a flight and was not given a full refund for the ticket on arrival. That’s insane. It’s the least the airline should do to make it right.
If that is all the passenger wants, the airline is lucky.
Imagine how ugly the situation would have gotten if the displaced passenger was a 90 year old woman who physically cannot stand for 7 hours, and neither can the obese passenger!!! Then what? The answer is someone else, like me, would have to elect to stand for seven hours. And while I would GLADLY do it to help out the 90 year old woman I would make sure the flight attendants understood I’d be expending a refund ready at the desk when we land...
Beacuse whoever ends up standing paid $800 for a seat that was not there!
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