Southwest Airlines Will Charge Large Fliers Extra Fare (Double Fare for Obese Starting June 26)

The Washington Times ^ | June 19, 2002 | Marie Baudette

[codebreaker]

Southwest Airlines will start charging larger passengers for two seats on its 2,800 daily flights starting June 26.

The airline which operates out of 58 U.S. cities and is the largest carrier at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, will begin charging 'persons of size' for two seats if they think they may not fit comfortably into one.

[NeoCaveman]

I'm not fat, I'm big boned.

[peteram]

Jet Blue - wider seats

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I always sit in the very back on Southwest, most people don't want to sit in seats that dont recline and so you ususally get an extra seat.

Yep, it's a good tradeoff, a seat that doesn't recline for not being squeezed three to a row. Of course, you have to figure in the chance that your flight is going to smell like a port-a-potty. LOL.

[AmericanInTokyo]

They will get an immediate protest from the "Nihon Osumo Kyokai"

The Japan Sumo Wrestling Federation.

[YourAdHere]

"Person of size" is such a meaningless term. We are all "of size." Some are small, some are average, and some are large. The PC police need to work on this one.

[AmericanInTokyo]

How about "P.O.L's"? 'Persons of Lard'? Works for me....

[bird humming]

I LOVE Southwest!! They almost never follow the Big Boys when fares go up... SWA maintains. Now, they are showing their independent streak again. Good on 'em! Bet the other airlines will play it safe & wait to see what happens in court...

[maxwell]

BWAAAAHAHAHAHA!!! I still got tears running down my cheeks, dude... "Persons of size"...

[justshutupandtakeit]

Or Persons by the Yard.

[codebreaker]

And Jet Blue has in seat satellite TV!

I was talking to one of the Southwest employees and she said Jet Blue was started by former Southwest employees, competition is good indeed...

[Maceman]

The FAA defines a standard passenger as 170 pounds.

170 lbs is a ridiculously low number for a lot of men. I am 6'1", and do not have a heavy frame. Currently I weigh in at 211. Four years ago, when I was really into a rigorous diet and exercise routine (4 times a week for 2-1/2 hrs each session), I got down to 195. At that point, people started telling me that I looked like a late-stage AIDS victim (even my own mother).

I think if I ever got down to 170, I would probably be rushed to the emergency room and fed intravenously.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Much ado about nothing. All they have to do is purchase a 'Friends Fly Free' fare, and that gets them back to the original price.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

What ever happened to Rickidozan ?

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL! So PC, huh?......

[MeekOneGOP]

Let the rumble begin! LOL!

One Ticket for Puerta Villarta
Ya'll got Diet Coke on that flight?

[thucydides]

My late father used to refer to "persons of size" as "lard asses." Perhaps that is too direct. How about "gravitationally challenged?"

[Nathan Jr.]

All they have to do is purchase a 'Friends Fly Free' fare.

ROTFLMAO!!

[Argh]

Hey, righto, your mistress is going somewhere on Southwest Airlines! Did you know about this?

[Angelique]

This cannot be true. I fly southwest all the time, and their hosts have the WORST bad breath.