Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Another Too-Fat-To-Fly Controversy Hits Southwest Airlines
CBSNew York.com ^ | 05/18/11 | CBSNew York Staff

Posted on 05/19/2011 8:19:16 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 last
To: Lazamataz

Doin/ fine—I figure that every day I wake up, it’s a good day!


81 posted on 05/19/2011 11:59:29 AM PDT by basil (It's time to rid the country of "gun free zones" aka "Killing Fields")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: AngelesCrestHighway

I do think Southwest goes a little too far sometimes. Since the two of them could have sat together in a 3-seat aisle, they should have just been required to purchase the 3rd seat, not 4 seats.

It is funny how people just assume they should not have to pay for things they need, but that others should give them away for free.


82 posted on 05/19/2011 3:03:28 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LurkedLongEnough

I’ve wondered what the ball parks are doing these days with the bleacher-type seats, when a patron is so big they spill into the adjoining seats.


83 posted on 05/19/2011 3:05:42 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Above My Pay Grade

How would you make a slightly wider seat? The entire plane is the same width, and you can’t cut into the too-small aisle. (I’d hate to see her trying to get down the aisle while someone else was coming up).

You could make rows with only two seats each. Actually, they do — isn’t that first class?

I’m flying jetblue, and they had some seats that had more leg room (because you can do that, just take out a row of seats and reconfigure the rest). They charge $60 extra for them, and for $60 I’d stand up for the trip.

Seriously — I can’t imagine paying hundreds of dollars for a better seat on a 4-hour flight. If I was somewhere and they offered me a chair for $50, I’d certainly stand up (I have paid $10 for a chair before for an outdoor concert, but mostly so I’d have something to save my place and hold my stuff when I went to get food).

The one thing I think they SHOULD do is offer “1.5” seat options. They could make them provisional, and you could be bumped if a flight filled up and there were an odd number of “1.5” seats sold. Most even really fat people would fit in 1.5 seats, and they’d be stuck with other fat people.

Although I think I might be tempted, if I was flying with my wife, to pay for a 3rd seat just to be certain to have a row to ourselves — well, probably not, because as I said above, I’m pretty cheap.


84 posted on 05/19/2011 3:19:01 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: CharlesWayneCT

>>>How would you make a slightly wider seat? The entire plane is the same width, and you can’t cut into the too-small aisle. (I’d hate to see her trying to get down the aisle while someone else was coming up).

You could make rows with only two seats each. Actually, they do — isn’t that first class?<<<

Yes, they could have a few rows with fewer seats. None of the fancy meals, wine, slippers, etc. of first class, just slightly wider seats at a modest premium.

Your 1.5 seat idea has potential as well. How would the armrests work? Would they simply be lowered on both sides of the middle seat, or would the armrests be redesigned?

At any rate, people who don’t fit into standard seats do not have a “right” to only pay for one, but I also think it makes sense to come of with a win-win solution that benefits overweight flyers, normal sized flyers and the airlines. I’m confident the market will generate such a solution in time.


85 posted on 05/20/2011 7:21:38 AM PDT by Above My Pay Grade
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: Above My Pay Grade

You’d probably have to design an armrest into the middle of a seat, like they do in the back seat of cars.

You’d also have to come up with an alternative buckle arrangement to make it nice, although you could just have each passenger use the “appropriate” half of the middle buckle, it might be slightly uncomfortable that way, since you’d expect their behinds to be sitting on the seat belt a bit.


86 posted on 05/20/2011 1:54:41 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson