United To Charge Heavier Passengers Twice To Fly (Fat Tax)

wbbm ^ | Apr 15, 2009 | Bob Roberts

[tlb]

Airline Says Overweight Travelers Will Need To Buy Extra Seats Or Be Denied Entry To Planes.

Chicago-based United has instructed its customer service representatives at O'Hare International Airport ticket counters and gates to be extra vigilant beginning Wednesday for passengers they deem to be overweight. Those unable to comfortably fasten a safety belt with one extension or sit comfortably with armrests down will be denied boarding unless they purchase an extra seat, even if they can be placed elsewhere in the aircraft next to an empty seat.

If no empty seat exists, the passenger will be forced to take a later flight.

[tlb]

I approve. Discouraging unattractive people from flying and sitting next to me is long overdue.

[rabscuttle385]

Well, now we know what the topic is of Meg’s next column.

[Labyrinthos]

No problem from my prospective as long as this is not a government mandate.

[Bainbridge]

Fine, this is perfectly reasonable.
All kinds of people will scream about
it, but that is to be expected.

[edcoil]

Smelly ones too, lets not forget the smelly ones that forgot what a shower is for.

[econjack]

I agree. There's nothing worse that seeing a 400lb person coming down the isle as you pray their seat isn't next to you, only to have them reach down, lift up the armrest that defines your space and plop that huge ass on the seat, pinching your thigh with their butt cheeks. My luck is such that most appear to belong to a religion that doesn't approve of bathing, either.

[a fool in paradise]

Can we double-charge the Hollywood liberals who said they would move out of this country if GW Bush was elected anytime they are passing through customs? I mean, they never DID stay away those 8 years.

[George from New England]

And what gauge do we have to measure the odor on?

Hey, take a vote of the five closest passengers to the odor emitter. Five rather than four to auto tie break.

[a fool in paradise]

How much to we get to charge for crying babies and stinky hippies on flights?

[Travis T. OJustice]

I approve. Discouraging unattractive people from flying and sitting next to me is long overdue.

I know many skinny people, and I know many heavy people. Appearance wise, they are about euqally distributed as to who is "attractive" and not, but I'd have to say the majority of those with unattractive attitudes towards others are skinny. I'd rather squish a little than sit next to a jerk.

[jalisco555]

Those unable to comfortably fasten a safety belt with one extension or sit comfortably with armrests down will be denied boarding unless they purchase an extra seat, even if they can be placed elsewhere in the aircraft next to an empty seat.

Someone who can't fasten a seatbelt even with an extension has a serious, serious problem.

[Nea Wood]

Good for them! I’ll go out of my way to choose United from now on.

[ColdWater]

A 250# person with 50# free checked baggage plus 25# carryon = 275#.

My wife can barely carryon 15#. That makes her total about 190# but she pays the same.

[jiggyboy]

I wonder when they’ll start charging me because my shoulders extend well into the seats on either side of me. It’s not that I’m a giant; it’s that their seats are like 15 inches wide.

[lwd]

I can’t say I disagree with this. If you can’t fit into one seat and take up two, then you should have to pay for it or fly first class. Why should the person sitting next to the fatty have to suffer and be denied their fair share of space?

[jalisco555]

There's nothing worse that seeing a 400lb person coming down the isle as you pray their seat isn't next to you,

Yes there is, being in the middle seat between two of them, as has happened to me.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Airline Says Overweight Travelers Will Need To Buy Extra Seats Or Be Denied Entry To Planes.....

Bout time!.....

[Not A Snowbird]

I fit nicely into the middle seat without elbowing anyone. I should get a discount, right?

[nuconvert]

Hope this causes United to go bankrupt. They have the nastiest flight attendents in the sky.

[Never on my watch]

My wife would kill me if I made the same calculation of her traveling weight in a public forum.

I wish you well. :)