Woman told she's too big to fly

WOAI ^ | 07/21/2010 | Reported by: Janet Kwak

[Responsibility2nd]

 

Woman told she's too big to fly

 

 

 

SAN ANTONIO -- Mary Louise Lozano says she was humiliated after Southwest Airlines told her she was too big to fly.

"I felt like there wasn't a big enough rock for me to crawl under," says Lozano. On July 8th, she was supposed to fly to Baltimore - a gift from her brother she hasn't seen in four years. However, when she got to the gate, she was told she'd have to purchase an extra ticket because she wouldn't fit into a seat.

"It was judgmental," adds Lozano, who weights 298 pounds. "It was based on their judgment. People were hearing everything that was going on, parading me around. I wouldn't call that discreet.

Southwest Airlines wouldn’t comment specifically on Mary’s case, but say that all their passenger size-related guidelines are found online. Representatives with the airline say passengers must fit into a 17-inch seat with the armrests down, or buy another ticket for extra space. If the plane isn’t full, you can get that extra money back. However, when News 4 WOAI asked how staff members determine who can fit to fly, they said it’s based on visual assessments – what their employees see.

Southwest refunded Mary’s ticket, and her brother is now flying to San Antonio instead.

“Even though I’m very big, I feel very little,” Lozano adds. “I feel damaged or something. I don’t want to take a bus or a plane, I wont’ take a train, I don’t feel like I can travel in any vehicle except my car.”

Here’s a list of passenger size guidelines for airlines at San Antonio International Airport:

Aeromexico CLICK HERE

Airtran: CLICK HERE

American: CLICK HERE

Continental: CLICK HERE

Delta: CLICK HERE

Frontier: CLICK HERE

Skywest: CLICK HERE

Southwest: CLICK HERE

United: CLICK HERE

US Airways: CLICK HERE

[Responsibility2nd]

There's a poll to FReep at the link.

Do you think it’s fair to require large customers to buy two airline seats?

[San Jacinto]

"I felt like there wasn't a big enough rock for me to crawl under," says Lozano

Obviously.

[TornadoAlley3]

guilty.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Holy Cow !

[Pearls Before Swine]

"I felt like there wasn't a big enough rock for me to crawl under,"

There probably wasn't.

That said, 300 pounds is probably borderline.

[dead]

Woman told she's too big to fly

That's what they told Dumbo too.

[Grunthor]

“Woman told she’s too big to fly”

Nope. Fat *ss just didn’t want to pay for the actual space she was going to require.

(note, I am fat and would pay the extra $$ if required.)

[earlJam]

Pilot: Nothing to worry about. I think we can make it. But get her in the middle aisle QUICK!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

From Southwest website:

The armrest is the definitive gauge for a Customer of size. It serves as the boundary between seats and measures 17 inches in width.

An armrest that is 17 inches wide? I don't think so.

[Constitution Day]

“Even though I’m very big, I feel very little,” Lozano adds. “I feel damaged or something. I don’t want to take a bus or a plane, I won't take a train, I don’t feel like I can travel in any vehicle except my car.”

I have a solution! Just tuck in your arms and legs and you can roll yourself to your destination, Weeble Wobble.

[Grunthor]

“It was judgmental,” adds Lozano, who weights 298 pounds. “It was based on their judgment.”

No, fat *ss, it was based on physics.

[Oberon]

Do you think it’s fair to require large customers to buy two airline seats?

If she takes up two seats, by golly she should pay for two seats. Is the airline supposed to give up one ticket's worth of seating capacity just because Porko Woman's feelings are hurt?

Next time she should take the train.

[ConservaTexan]

BMW

[Constitution Day]

Oh LMAO!!

[driftdiver]

Having been the neighbor of some big people on airplanes I’d say it is fair.

Its not fair to other passengers to have sweaty folds of fat lopped over into their seat. The answer may be to make bigger seats, which would make everyone happy.

[Jemian]

Yes, I do. At her size, she cannot fit into standard airline seats. It is a physical impossibility. An airline ticket buys space on the plane. If you require more space, you must pay for it. Airline travel is not a necessity.

[libertarian27]

"I felt like there wasn't a big enough rock for me to crawl under," says Lozano

Obviously.

HA!!!Even rocks are against her.

They should put seats next to the ticket counter - if you can't fit you need to buy another ticket - maybe by the pound or inch.

[frithguild]

That said, 300 pounds is probably borderline.

Maybe she is 4'9"?

[RexBeach]

I feel sorry for her.

But how do one place a 300 pound body in a 17-inch wide seat?

Wow. That’s a mighty tight fit.

[Wombat Ark]

Depends on how that 300 pounds is distributed. Maybe the airlines need a testing seat, like the devices for checking the size of your carry-on luggage. Of course, that would hardly be “discreet.”