Too Fat? Southwest Airlines Forces Hefty Frequent Flier to Buy Two Seats

Breitbart.tv ^ | 09/16/07

[MotleyGirl70]

“And the lady stops and says, ‘Sir, you need to have another ticket.’ And I said what for and she said, ‘because of your size.' I hate to admit it but I was in tears.”

VIDEO

[RockinRight]

Exactly. At least for me, I find the “unmentionables” to be quite cramped and squished in airline seats.

[RockinRight]

I weigh less than that. I don’t spill over in the other seat, but it’s not exactly comfortable either.

[trisham]

I think the seats on most airlines are small, but what really bothers me about them is the lack of leg and arm/shoulder room. I confess I am inclined to be clautrophobic.

Still, I have no problem with an airline charging someone who needs two seats, for two seats.

[RockinRight]

Arm room is a biggie. If I’m in the middle seat I usually have to cross my arms in my lap or I enroach on other passengers’ space. Not the most comfortable position to be in for 3 hours.

[Freee-dame]

I believe that happened because I happen to be 5' 1" and weigh 104 lbs so they assumed I did NOT NEED a whole seat to myself.

This sounds very much like ...to each according to his needs and from each according to his abilities....scary stuff.

My experience on a cross country flight next to an overflowing woman included very strong perfume.

[trisham]

Exactly. It’s tiring.

[RockinRight]

And I’m not a particularly big guy. I’m a bit chubby but I’m short, with short limbs, and in no way near the guy in this article - he’s about 2 of me.

[from occupied ga]

A couple of years ago some extra large economy size parked his lard a$$ next to me - he required a seat belt extender to give you and idea of how big he was. He then asked me if I could raise the arm rest. I told him no that was the only thing that kept him from totally spilling over into my seat as opposed to partially filling it. He got really pissed at me - tough sh..

I'm with SW on this one.

[trisham]

I’m only 5’6”, but in length more legs than upper body. The leg space is painfully inadequate, especially since an old skiing injury can cause my knee to “lock up”. My husband is wide across the shoulders and arms, so he occupies part of my arm space. It’s rough. I usually try to get the aisle seat.

[bk1000]

“So what should be the tipping point?”

You know that steel rack they have to test your carry on bag for size? Why not another one to see if you fit in your allotted space? “Well, just back ‘er up right over here...”

[Sonny M]

What's your point?

The took advantage of an oppurtunity to sell a unsold ticket by use of force to someone who already had a ticket, for circumstances that did not require him to purchase an additonal ticket.

In other words, they saw a fat guy, and decided to force him to buy another ticket, when they knew dang well, that they would have extra seats.

[Sonny M]

I do believe that is their line of work. They sell seating. So if you need more than one buy two. No problem!

Thats akin to selling a guy a toaster, then not letting him leave the store and forcing him to by a warranty.

Their policy has to do with the inconvenience (if not pain) passengers suffer through when seated next to someone who should have purchased 2 seats.

In his case, they had unsold seats, he had already bought a ticket, he wasn't going to inconvenece anyone, they forced him to buy another ticket anyway.

[Sonny M]

Should they be obligated to fly my extra/overweight luggage for free if they have room in baggage ?

Using that logic, the could force every single passenger regardless of size to purchase the unused seats on the plane, not to recently, I was lucky when on a flight, the row I was sitting in was vacant, should the airlne have charged me for getting a vacant (except me) row?

[Sonny M]

There could have been standby fliers who would have taken the seat, or not boarded if the fat guy opted for it.

considering it was ready to board, any standby's would have already been on.

[azhenfud]

Soon will come the time when one pays for a ticket based on how much they weigh.

[Sonny M]

Really? Southwest usually flies packed. That’s the whole idea.

Based on what he, and southwest, they had an unused ticket, which they forced him to buy, so its safe to say it wasn't packed if they had unsold tickets.

[Sonny M]

I have a suggestion for larger people...I mean those who are not necessarily tall though they could do this for the leg room, but those who are obese...consider first class where the seats are larger and there is more room and fewer people. If they are going to have to pay more anyway, they deserve to be comfortable and so do we.

I actually agree with the buying of 2 tickets for fat folks, but not if there are vacancies on the plane, if the plane is sold out, then bump them, and make them buy 2 tickets, but if you have unused seats, then he would not be an inconvenience to anyone else.

FWIW, I could actually care less about him being a fatty, or requiring 2 seats, there is a more important issue and slippery slope that I'm more concerned about, and the potential for abuse that I see creeping in.

[LibWhacker]

"Online" by Brad Paisley

I work down at The Pizza Pit
And I drive an old Hyundai
I still live with my mom and dad
I'm five foot three and overweight
I'm a sci: fi fanatic, mild asthmatic
Never been to second base
But there's a whole 'nother me
That you need to see
Go check out Myspace.

'Cause online I'm out in Hollywood
I'm six foot five and I look damn good
I drive a Maserati, I'm a black belt in karate
And I love a good glass of wine
It turns girls on that I'm mysterious
I tell 'em I don't want nothing serious
'Cause even on a slow day I can have a three-way chat
With two women at one time.

I'm so much cooler online
I'm so much cooler online.

I get home I kiss my mom
And she fixes me a snack
I head down to my basement bedroom
And fire up my Mac
In real life the only time
I've ever been to L.A.
Was when I got the chance with the marching band
To play tuba in the Rose Parade.

But online I live in Malibu
I pose for Calvin Klein
I've been in GQ
I'm single and I'm rich
And I got a set of six-pack abs that would blow your mind
It turns girls on that I'm mysterious
I tell 'em I don't want nothing serious
'Cause even on a slow day I can have a three-way chat
With two women at one time.

I'm so much cooler online
Yeah, I'm cooler online.

When you've got my kind of stats
It's hard to get a date
Let alone a real girlfriend
But I grow another foot and lose a bunch of weight
Every time I log in.

Online I'm out in Hollywood
I'm six foot five and I look damn good
Even on a slow day I can have a three-way chat
With two women at one time.

I'm so much cooler online
Yeah, I'm cooler online
I'm so much cooler online
Yeah, I'm cooler online.

[longtermmemmory]

you bring up an excellent point.

there are fat people who seek out the emergency exit seats over the wing. I have no confidence such a fat person will be able to pull the hatch open and also sqeeeze out or even allow others to squeeze past.

Perhaps we should be asking how the heck did these peopel come to exist? These are not plesantly plump or the 30 lb extra these people are HUGE in order to cause this kind of concern.

[HIDEK6]

You assume that the fat guy has a right to the extra seat. You also assume that the airline has a duty to give the fat guy the extra seat.

I maintain that a tired skinny guy who wants to stretch out and sleep has just as much right to the extra seat.