Airline Asks 300-Pound Woman To Buy Two Seats Woman Headed To Orlando To Visit Dying Brother

Local6.Com ^ | July 3, 2002 | Jackie London

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

A 300-pound woman said that she was discrimated against when a Southwest Airlines counter worker required her to buy two tickets to fly to Orlando because of her weight, according to Local 6 News.

New York resident Maria Corea and her 9-year-old son were scheduled to leave Albany, N.Y., Tuesday to reportedly see their dying brother, according to Local 6 News.

However, when Corea approached the counter, she was told that she needed purchased two tickets.

"So they call me to the counter and tell me that I have (to buy) another ticket because my weight," Corea said. Corea said that she did not have the money to purchase another ticket and canceled the trip, according to the report.

She said that she would rather fly on another airline.

Southwest Airlines reportedly began enforcing the little-known policy June 26 that requires two tickets for what the company calls "people of size."

Company officials said its ticket agents always had the option of charging larger passengers for two seats.

Earlier this month, Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart denied any change in Southwest policy. He said larger passengers have always been charged for two seats if they couldn't fit comfortably in one.

[FreePaul]

Ever sat next to a fat assed slob who lifted up the arm rest so he/she could sit on you? I'm overweight but not to the extent that I can't fit in an airline seat. If I ever encroach on another passenger's seat I hope that the airline and the passenger both charge me for the extra space.

[RAT Patrol]

While I agree with both of your points on letting the Company decide the policy and the market dictate if it's acceptable or not, I still have the right to speak my mind and I think the policy is rude.

[tell me]

You're missing the point. If you have to buy two seats it's because your butt, thighs, arms etc will spread over into the second seat. There will be no empty seat to contemplate.

[bearwoman]

I'm with you Free Fire Zone. I've been in the middle seat flying out of Phoenix in August between "two persons of size". It was the MOST unpleasant flight I have ever had. I confess I am 5'2" and about 100 lbs, but the seats in coach barely fit me! It's insane to put 200-300 lb folks in them! My brother is over 300 lbs and he flies first class on all flights. Claims Alaska has the biggest seats...

[zoyd]

While I agree with both of your points on letting the Company decide the policy and the market dictate if it's acceptable or not, I still have the right to speak my mind and I think the policy is rude.

Ok, fair enough. I thought you might go the route of "Well, I hope she sues, and I hope she wins... there ought to be a law..."

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Seriously though, I'm 6'4 and fill the seat, because I'm a big guy, not fat as in taking up two seats. They make their profits on a passenger per seat basis. Let capitalism rule. If they enforce the rule, I'll tolerate everything else to prevent someone's elbows, hips, stomach roll, thighs, calf muscles, and other asundry body parts from intruding on my high quality meal that they now serve.

[Rodney King]

The people on this thread who don't like this are obviously fat themselves, and want something for nothing.

"If I drink two sodas, I pay for two sodas. If I eat two Big Mac's, I pay for it. But If I take two airline seats...well, uh... I should only pay for one."

[Pylot]

SamAdams76,

The arm rest folds up. A morbidly obese person taking two seats would fold the arm rest up and occupy both seats.

They would take up the middle seat and an aisle or a window seat.

This is a simple matter of physics, period. Mass has weight and takes up space. If you have enough mass to take up two seats, you should pay for two seats.

Where is the consideration for the person who pays full fare for a ticket and is then involuntarily required to share that space with a fat person?

All of you who would give my space to a fat person don't fly for a living. If you were forced to share your $500 or $700 or $1000 space you might feel differently. I hope each one of you who would so freely give my space to a fat person has the experience of sitting on a four or five hour flight next to a really fat person who sweats on you and makes you uncomfortable and leaves you smelling like fat BO and soap. Let us know if your opinion changes.

I don't personally care what people do with or to themselves. Being fat can be a medical condition, however it is well known that if you stop eating it tends to cure the fat problem. No person gets fat just breathing air and drinking water. So fat people simply eat too much. OK, so eat! But everything comes with a price and a consequence.

[not-an-ostrich]

And do well enough not to be subsidized by taxpayers.

[Paleo Conservative]

All owners of large suv should pay twice the fuel tax. Where do we stop?

Owners of SUV's do pay more fuel tax, because they use more fuel.

[Rodney King]

No one one this thread has a fat friend or family member? I just think embarassing people with a problem is rude.

Is it not rude when some lard-ass takes up half the seat that I paid for with his/her stinky fat rolls?

[Jorge]

I just think it is wrong. Are they also charging more for tall people? They should charge less for skinny people too.

Being tall doesn't cause a person to intrude into another passenger's seat so there's no reason to charge them more.
And being skinny doesn't free up more seats for other passengers so there is no reason to charge them less.

A "person of size" who over flows into another paying passenger's seat is a different story. They are causing others to have to sacrifice their own space to accomodate them. That is unfair.

[RAT Patrol]

Don't you have trouble with the leg room? I just think they should provide tall people with enough leg room. 6'4" is not so unreasonably tall that you shouldn't expect to be comfortable. But, yes, the market should settle the issue, not the courts. Still, I just predict a lot of fat jokes and finger pointing. Unless they actually measure and weigh people I think it is going to be a mess arguing over who actually fits in a seat and who doesn't. I just have some sympathy for fat people who are already laughed at too much.

[Cynderbean]

"I demand a full seat"

I bet you do ;)

[RAT Patrol]

Well, I agree that it is unfair to the person next to them. I think it is the responsibility of the service provider to accomodate, personally. If you offer a service then do it adequately for everyone. It might be different if they weren't so stingy with their seat measurements in the first place.

[RJL]

However, when Corea approached the counter, she was told that she needed purchased two tickets.

It's only fair that any airline that does this must have firm well known rules on who, what weight/height, will have to buy two seats. To tell someone minutes before their flight leaves that they can't use the travel arrangements they have in place just isn't right.

[Paleo Conservative]

Ok, fair enough. I thought you might go the route of "Well, I hope she sues, and I hope she wins... there ought to be a law..."

Why should there be a law?

[Rodney King]

To tell someone minutes before their flight leaves that they can't use the travel arrangements they have in place just isn't right.

Well, that is a good point. When you buy a ticket they should ask if you overflow in to the next seat. They should tell you then if you need to buy another. If you lie, of course, too bad for you.

[Jorge]

It might be different if they weren't so stingy with their seat measurements in the first place.

You have point. I'm only 5'9" and 160lbs and find the seats on some planes very tight.
If they didn't try to cram people in like sardines they might reduce these problems.
Of course we can't expect them to build every seat to accomodate 300 lb people. If that was the case, all our airfares would go up.