Airlines under fire for making large passengers buy two tickets

Associated Press ^ | 6-19-02 | DAVID KOENIG, AP Business Writer

[Criminal Number 18F]

Let me get this straight. There are lobbies for obese people... great whining victim groups. And they are cheesed off... not because they are obese, a preventable, self-inflicted and deadly condition, but because airlines aren't making seats bigger as fast as they are eating themselves into the next seat over.

And... the villian of the piece is not the Incredible Bulk who blobs over onto his hapless neighbour, but said squished neighbour for being "insenstitive" enough not to suffer in silence. The last time I sat next to The Bulk I had to listen to a bunch of whining about how The Incredible Bulk couldn't, just couldn't, lose weight because of his "slow metabolism." Followed by, "You gonna eat them pretzels?"

I guess we are supposed to be upset at the "greedy" airlines which ought, say the protesters, to transport a 550 lb. human side of beef that splays across multiple seats for the same cost as someone who is somewhere within hailing distance of FAA standard weight (170 lb.) and fits in a single seat.

There was at least one mishap (Air Canada IIRC) where one of these great bags of suet lodged firmly in the emergency escape, to the fatal detriment of himself and all behind. But hey, they have a right to sprawl in the emergency exit aisle... or it's discrimination. Waaaaahh.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F (the discriminating)

[PBRSTREETGANG]

...if I fly with Kate Moss and she squeezes into my seat that we need only pay one fare?!

For me that would be one fare and the fees for a divorce lawyer.

[Freedom4US]

I've flown a fair bit, and once in first class. The Seinfeld episode is very realistic in a lot of ways. I was upgraded for some reason and I tried to act nonchalant, but I found it difficult not to get a S#$%-eating grin on my face every few minutes.

Persons of Mass ought to be careful here, since the simplest answer and very 'doable' would simply be to start charging per-pound.

"Step right on the scale Mr. Heveymann. No, you can't take your shoes off....

[Criminal Number 18F]

If they did that they would be the most popular airline and get more money, but no airline seems to get that.....

Airlines have tried that, and they lose their shirts. Passengers always buy on price alone, and never buy on service. Even those that say they will... there are a few hardy exceptions, but they are just enough to keep two or three of the first class seats filled (most first class travellers are on some kind of upgrade programme).

Cattle-call travel is what the market wants.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Diddle E. Squat]

So how long until we start seeing medical exemptions?(Thyroid problems are legit, for example.)

Anyone remember when that human pig was able to harang her way into a ride for her 'therapy' pig(actual oinker) in the cabin on a Philly-Seattle flight?

[Diddle E. Squat]

Since a TRUE free market solution would advocate pricing by the pound, wonder if Walter Williams will start advocating such.

As a side benefit, it would also give short people a reason to live.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

LOL!

[Right_in_Virginia]

"Southwest Airlines is under fire for its policy of charging overweight passengers for two tickets if they spill over into their neighbor's seat .

Hey...I deny myself carb-laden foods and will even on occasion work out. As a result, I fit nicely into one airline seat.

If they don't charge someone spilling over into my seat for two seats...giving us both some breathing room....do I get a rebate?

[Zon]

"It's just discriminatory and it's mean-spirited," said Morgan Downey, executive director of the American Obesity Association. "This is singling out a group that's been very heavily stigmatized rather than making some accommodations in their cabins."

They already do. It's called first class and the seats are wider. Yet you call it discriminatory and mean-spirited. With an attitude like that you're not worth the bother. If you don't like it, don't fly. I'm sorry Mr. Downey, you'll have to find another airline to fly on because we don't want you and your abusive attitude on our plane.

[Myrddin]

My last trip to Germany was booked on 4 different aircraft. I was excited about the Chicago to Frankfurt segment. It was booked on a 747. I hadn't been on a 747 in all my travels. The excitement changed to depression when I sat down in my assigned seat. I had a 300 lb German male on each side. Both were charter members of the "bath a month" club who seemed to be auditioning for membership in the "bath a year" club. Both slopped over the edges of the seat and arm rests. I spent 9 hours with my elbows resting on my navel while being asphyxiated between those two obese stink bombs.

[TransOxus]

Good for them. Its amazing how many grossly overweight people exist out there. Even worse are seeing overweight kids. Parents used to force their kids into activities which kept them healthy and slim and were appalled by sedentary behaviour. Growing children have growing cells until they are in their 20s. When they are fat in youth, the fat grows into them, is not easily lost, and they eventually suffer are prone to greater health disorders. Those who are slim as kids and put on pleasantly plump weights later on as adults don't suffer health problems in general like those cradle to grave doughnut fatsoes.

It is said putting on a pound every year after 20 to the age 50 is fine if you started at average weight for one's size. Or 50 pounds extra from the slim 20's weight. Anything over is Invasion of the Thunderthighs generating global warming by friction of the thighs, higher energy use and environmental abuse to feed and transport lardasses, eventual polar shifting of the Earth's mantle because of weight imbalance by fatties shifting the centre of gravity!!!!!??!!!!! Guess the fatsoes will counter by going metric!!!

[Have Ruck - Will Travel]

As someone who has lost close to 90lbs in the last year, I have been on both sides of this issue. I think that the airlines SHOULD make large passengers either buy an extra seat or pay to upgrade to First Class. When you are sitting in the Economy section (which I refer to as "flying cargo"), it is uncomfortable for both the fattie and those around him unless he spreads to two seats. And, when the flight is almost full, you can't do that without buying an extra seat.

The worst one I ever saw completely took up two seats and had to use that little seat belt strap (the one the flight attendants use for the safety briefing) as an extender to get strapped in. He had to sit in the row beside the door he entered the aircraft through, because he couldn't get down the isle even SIDEWAYS. I don't know of ANYONE who would want to sit beside that!

Take care,

Ruck

[RnMomof7]

So I wonder if you are forced to buy a second seat and the 1st one was a buy one get one free ticket if you will get the free ticket?

[CARepubGal]

Well, those pics on the fridge are a sure weight loss tool! :-) Uncontrollable gag reflexes and all!

[fightinJAG]

Also the policy is about as fair as it can be, considering the person is using two seats:

(1) the airline does not charge the last minute rate, and

(2) the large person gets a refund if the plane is not sold out (and, therefore, no one was subjected to the large person's largeness).

Makes sense to me.

[thucydides]

Perhaps, when the plane is full, Southwest should give the money to the passenger forced to sit next to the heavyweight.

[maximus@Nashville]

Can anyone tell what the standards are? I went to the Southwest Airlines website, and it did not say. The fill-in host on "The Rush Limbaugh Show" is quoting 44 inches at the waist. If that is true, I need to lose 4 inches before my vacation in July. (Which I had booked with Southwest) I have never had a problem fitting into a standard seat, never asked to even lift the armrest, much less take TWO seats!

The article mentions leaving it up to the ticket agents. Does this mean there is a sample seat at the gate and the agent is armed with "phelon gauges" to check the gap like you would on a spark plug?

[thucydides]

So far it seems purely a matter of gate agent discretion, probably triggered by passenger complaints. One wonders whether Southwest hasn't calculated they are better off causing the heavyweights to shun them rather than lose irate customers.