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Australian man sues American Airlines for $100,000 after getting crushed by two obese[tr]
Daily Mail ^ | May 5, 2017 | Sinead Maclaughlin

Posted on 05/05/2017 11:36:31 AM PDT by kevcol

A man is suing American Airlines for $100,000 after he was crushed by two obese passengers during a 14-hour flight and left with permanent back and neck injuries.

Michael Anthony Taylor, 67, claims airline staff refused to let him change seats on the flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, despite his desperate pleas to move.

The Wollongong man says he was forced to crouch, kneel, brace and stand throughout the lengthy flight, which also aggravated his existing condition of curvature of the spine.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine; Society
KEYWORDS: airlines; americanairlines; australia; obesity
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To: Drew68

I get your point, and you’re right it does make my point sound funny. I get your point. So, I’ll be clear.

However, the airlines staffs’ manner of seeking someone who would trade seats, could have been to provide an alternate seat for one of the two obese passengers that had made a “human sandwich” out of the seat between them.


41 posted on 05/05/2017 12:52:35 PM PDT by Wuli
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To: kevcol

Coach from Sydney to LA is a very long, very uncomfortable flight under the best of circumstances. I’d be sitting in the flight attendant’s chair back in the galley or make ‘em turn the plane around (by refusing to move from the FA’s seat).


42 posted on 05/05/2017 12:53:05 PM PDT by jagusafr
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To: COBOL2Java

I’m not offended. Thanks. I get the humor too.


43 posted on 05/05/2017 12:53:19 PM PDT by Wuli
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To: PlateOfShrimp
Stop making fun of fat people - They have enough on their plates as it is!

LOL! I see what you did there...

44 posted on 05/05/2017 1:09:13 PM PDT by Albion Wilde ("We will be one people, under one God, saluting one American flag." --Donald Trump)
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To: kschockeynut87
Bitch at the airlines. You have to be size 2 and under 5 feet tall to fit in those seats. And heaven forbid if the passenger in front of you reclines his/her seat. I took a flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Dusseldorf. I was so pissed at the guy in front of me. He reclined his seat and his head was 4 inches from my face. Then at the end of the flight he got up out of his seat. He was over six feet tall. He literally had to fold himself out of the seat. I felt so sorry for him. FYI, he didn't go to the bathroom once during the flight even though he had an aisle seat. Very sad.
45 posted on 05/05/2017 1:20:44 PM PDT by Chgogal (I will NOT submit, therefore, Jihadists hate me.)
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To: Chgogal

Stating the obvious on oversized passengers only.

Airlines trying to fit humans into spaces designed for Hobbits is another matter.

But you are correct ... until there is a financial backlash substantial enough to impact their bottom line.... airlines will NOT change their practices.


46 posted on 05/05/2017 1:38:45 PM PDT by kschockeynut87 (I regret that I have but one life to give for my GOD, my family and my country.)
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To: kschockeynut87

That’s why I always... ALWAYS pick an aisle seat. The last time I was stuck in the middle between to chunky guys. I kept my elbows tucked in so close to my body to avoid touching them.


47 posted on 05/05/2017 1:39:35 PM PDT by nikos1121 (Rudy Guiuliani for Head of FBI)
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To: sodpoodle

“The airlines will be glad to improve their plane seating and stop overbooking - but it will come with a huge increase in fares. Only business passengers will pay them.”

The best alternative is for all airlines running international service to adopt “coach plus” seating that provides passengers with seats that give about 40% more overall space than the standard steerage seats. One of those seats is substantially equivalent to a domestic U.S. first class seat and costs about 80% more than a steerage seat, a price well worth paying.

Unfortunately, I do not know of a single U.S. carrier that offers such seating. However, British Airways, Air
France, and Luftansa do provide that class. From my experience, the lowest BA prices for basic coach, coach plus, and business class for an Atlanta to London round trip are, in order: $1,200, $2,000, and $4,000. The coach plus is really a good deal.


48 posted on 05/05/2017 1:45:42 PM PDT by libstripper (nd)
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To: nikos1121
I sat next to a guy like that on a one hour flight. Not cool.

Same here, for a couple hours. Sandwiched between two fat guys, with their fat encroaching into my space everywhere. I made it a point to flare out my elbows to poke into their bellys from the sides, so they could share in my misery. Stupid airlines are making the seating space smaller and tighter, and not accommodating wide people. But it impacts regular and thin people as well, up against the fatties. They should have more handicapped seating and make it available to fat people, instead of cramming them in against normals.

49 posted on 05/05/2017 1:48:04 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: libstripper

I was supposed to spend June in Hamburg.
Canceled because I did not want the aggravation of flying.
Looking for a ‘freighter cruise’.


50 posted on 05/05/2017 1:55:35 PM PDT by glasseye
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To: glasseye

AFAIK Luftansa runs a number of nonstop flights from Hamburg to major U.S. cities, at least some with coach plus service. If you’re going again, check it out. At least, you won’t have a cattle car experience while on the plane.

Oh, BTW, if you make the mistake I made of taking BA and changing planes at Heathrow before going on to a European destination, you’ll have the additional torture of having to go through customs AND security even if your luggage is checked through to your destination.


51 posted on 05/05/2017 2:05:53 PM PDT by libstripper (nd)
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To: kevcol

When you can, fly Norwegian Air. Top Notch service and transatlantic flights on the great the Boeing Dreamliner. I won’t fly any other airline.


52 posted on 05/05/2017 2:07:39 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: kevcol

If 4 people of between 350 and 500 pounds book on the same flight they should be sat on a row of four seats


53 posted on 05/05/2017 2:09:51 PM PDT by arthurus
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To: kevcol

That man looks a lot like a stewardess I remember on a long United flight. Except for the hair. Hers was in a chignon. She shuffled sideways pushing the cart in the aisle. Fortunately there was no emergency requiring someone to get past her.


54 posted on 05/05/2017 2:14:59 PM PDT by ThanhPhero
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To: COBOL2Java

Airlines? Accommodating?
...........................................
Yes, there is one, Norwegian Airlines. Fly transatlantic to Europe and within Europe only on Norwegian where they treat you well. They are not Europe’s best airline for nothing. They value their customers. Fly the Dreamliner transatlantic. Good fares too.


55 posted on 05/05/2017 2:15:25 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: glasseye

If you caan fly out of New York or Fort Lauderdale or Orlando in Fla., you can fly Norwegian and enjoy flying again.


56 posted on 05/05/2017 2:17:27 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: Uncle Miltie

I have always believed that tickets should be sold on a per pound basis. Total the passenger and all his baggage. Sales and get the seats filled reduced prices should also be on a per pound basis. that way the airlines could justify putting in seats of different widths. Obese people could occasionally be given a break in Fat Specials.


57 posted on 05/05/2017 2:23:09 PM PDT by ThanhPhero
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To: nikos1121

That is my one fear when I buy my tickets to Viet Nam. 16 hours beside one of those or between two of them. I have never had to sit beside one but I have seen the misery inflicted by and the insufferable self righteousness of the Eaters squeezing out their neighbors.


58 posted on 05/05/2017 2:26:25 PM PDT by ThanhPhero
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To: poinq

Within the USA I always drive and I am almost 6 feet and 150 pounds. actually, I don’t like to fly, anyway and wouldn’t but Neither Greyhound or Amtrak goes to Sai Gon and Mersk would set me back way too many days.


59 posted on 05/05/2017 2:30:04 PM PDT by ThanhPhero
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To: P-Marlowe

If all the seats were wide enough to accommodate the Wide-Americans they would necessarily raise the ticket prices a lot. I have seen an airplane with, I think 6 such seats. It may have been JAL. I think that is a good idea, too, and whether the A/L wants to sell them at the regular rate or not is their decision. The problem is that on an American plane such seats would probably cause “offense” to the differently-weighted citizens who would then sue for being insulted by being assigned that more comfortable seat as if the A/L thought they needed it.


60 posted on 05/05/2017 2:39:24 PM PDT by ThanhPhero
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