Posted on 02/23/2010 7:41:06 AM PST by AngelesCrestHighway
As Americans get larger and airplane space comes at a greater premium, it's not difficult to see where friction ensues. The issue was brought to light again Feb. 13, when movie director Kevin Smith was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Burbank, Calif., for failing to fit comfortably into a seat. According to Southwest, Smith originally bought two tickets — "as he's been known to do when traveling on Southwest" (Smith disputed this on his Twitter account) — but decided to fly standby on an earlier flight. After the director received a seat, it was determined that "Mr. Smith needed more than one seat to complete his flight," and he was asked to leave the plane, the airline said. It offered him a $100 voucher for a future flight.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
P.S.
But I would say keep the same size seats so they know what it feels like to sit next to a fat person.
A while back I thought I would be smart and booked my seat at a wing exit to get the extra leg room! Turns out the fatties were already on to that and I had to sit between two of them!
Kinda like being the baloney in a fat sandwich?.....
Oh Gads!!!!
I would have run off the aircraft and asked for my money back.
There is no excuse for letting blimps on the flight to everyone’s discomfort.
Obesity might have been a contributing factor to Aaliyah's death in a plane crash. The plane was overloaded by hundreds of pounds. Her body guards on the flight were obese as well. So, your point is well taken.
I can fly a small plane and thats a very important issue.
Be very aware of the size of fellow passengers on any small commuter aircraft, if it looks like the weight distribution is off then decline to fly.
I generally enjoy the give and take on FreeRepublic but for some reason overweight people bring out really mean spirited and hateful comments from posters.
The airline industry has for years been making seating spaces smaller at the same time the general populations have been getting larger. Rather than adjust for their customers the way furniture makers and automakers have they ridicule them. For you that do not know (except for small planes) weight is seldom an issue (other than in a possible savings of fuel). Their goal is to cram as many bodies as they can into a fixed space.
Compared to the average American of the 1900 we are all larger. It has only been in recent history that “skinny” was considered healthy. Getting big (and fat) was and is nature’s way of preparing for times of shortages.
I can guarantee most of the posters are with the mean spirited comments are young. Hey I got news for you, as you get older you are going to gain weight. One of these days you will be forced to be public humiliated so the airlines can earn an extra buck. Just remember when it happens you were all for it at the time.
Karma is a bit*h. I hope you remember how intolerant you were when a skinny kid taunts you for being old and fat.
No, just make they sit in regular seats next to each other so they can “feel the love” the rest of us get when they spill over into the seats next to them.
You have no idea what you’re talking about. All of the hog fat gluttons, as you no doubt think of them, have thyroid problems - yea, that’s it...and space aliens sneak into their rooms at night while they are sleeping and force them to eat ice cream.
You are sure right about stadiums. The newer the stadium the smaller the seats. Fatties or those with long legs should avoid San Antonio AT&T Center. I am neither obese or tall and I was miserable at the rodeo last week end.
I agree and I am not over weight. I also think there are a lot of mean spirited and hateful comments being directed at posters regarding a lot of other topics. Debating the issues and or offering comments relative to cause and effect is occurring less often, while personal attacks and "jokes" are on the rise.
And when a fat man and a jet engine meet...the fat man’s still going to lose.
What I know is this. I weigh 175 pounds. If my luggage weighs 51 pounds I pay $50 for the 1 pound. My luggage and I weigh 225 pounds total.
Mr. Broadsides weighs 275 pounds. His luggage weighs 49 pounds. He pays nothing for having overweight luggage. He and his luggage weigh 324 pounds total.
How is this fair?
People aren’t fat because they are old; they are fat because they eat too much and move too little. I’m AARP age and work to stay fit. If they don’t want to be disciplined, don’t think that we need to be nice about rejecting their efforts to socialize the cost of their failure to manage their weight.
Even worse, medical equipment makers are having to make equipment for “out-sized” patients.
Some severely obese patients get their MRIs and X-Rays at the local zoo.
And, I’ve even seen an advertisement for an OB-GYN table for the obese.
Yuck!!!
It isn’t “fair”. What you have is an effort by airline executives to avoid getting negative PR by making the obese bear the cost of their behavior.
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