Posted on 06/17/2002 5:13:16 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
As a professional services executive for a software company, Steve McAllister travels a lot. The resident of the California foothills figures he's accumulated a couple million frequent flier miles and flown on Southwest Airlines at least 100 times.
But he never before experienced what happened a week ago. And he was hopping mad.
While buying a ticket for a Southwest flight from Sacramento to Burbank, Calif., he was told he'd need to buy an extra ticket.
The reason? He's what the airline calls "a person of size" - the PC term, evidently, for someone so large he may need more than one seat.
McAllister is, in fact, a big man - 6 feet 2 inches, 350 pounds. But the former college football player says he's never been accused of taking up more than a single seat on a flight.
"To be honest, I was really outraged," McAllister says of the request for double payment. Eventually, after some heated words, he was allowed to get a single ticket but only because the Southwest people were a little premature in enforcing a new policy.
As of June 26, large customers will have to pay the extra fare - but can seek reimbursement if it turns out the flight has unoccupied seats. In the past, ticket agents had the option of charging big people for an extra seat when a flight was fully booked. But they apparently didn't do it very often.
So how do the agents determine if a customer is likely to exceed his allotted space? It's a judgment call, says airlines spokeswoman Whitney Eichinger.
It is, she acknowledges, "a very delicate situation."
Got a 1st class-upgrade on the next flight, and 2 free flight coupons.
If that were the case, then you wouldn't mind deplaning after a couple or four hours of sitting on that seat and discovering you never left the first airport. After all, you were paying for space, right? And you got that space for several hours, so what's your complaint?
Of course that's silly. But my point is, you're not paying for space; you're paying to arrive at a destination. As long as you get to your destination, what's the problem?
Comfort? Take a long look at those seats. Are they really designed for comfort? Now take a long look at the back of your ticket. Is there any clause that guarantees you comfort?
The answer is no. Any comfort you experience is a bonus. Don't believe me? Go visit a lawyer and ask what your chance of success is if you sue the airline for being uncomfortable.
Same here, had the same experice many years ago at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Highly touted production and the tickets were not cheap. The guy in front of me was so huge he had to sit on the arm rests. Could barely see around him much less over his head.
Plus a second larger settlement because he was black.
In Thailand I buy round trip First Class tickets Bangkok to Australia for $1,025.00 and return Business/First to Los Angeles from around $1150.00 to 1535.00.
FReegards -- Brian
Fatty rolled over and skinny was dead."
There is a difference between being over weight and being FAT. That is NO reason why others who do not take up two seats should have to suffer because of the fat persons inability to either control their eating or excercise. And please don't give me any genetic or medical reasons stuff.
The government studies also say that it is because of overeating and lack of basic excercise that the huge-est (intended) majority of those fat people are fat. That is not my problem, nor anyone elses except the fat peoples problem.
If they want to eat like that and not maintain the body God gave them then they SHOULD pay for it, not the others who at least maintain themselves to some degree. Studies also show that a majority of Americans ma$turbate but I don't want them doing that partially on my seat on the plane either.
In the law of unintended consequences, they could start charging people by the pound... "Step right over here ma'am and we'll get a quick poundage for your ticket."
What about people with long legs (I'm one of them) who end up scrunched up and banging into the person's seat in front of them due to the lack of room? If the airlines can get away with making overweight passengers buy two seats, then the next thing they'll do is charge tall people for two seats (or maybe three, if they try to put their seat back). And unlike weight, you can't change your height!
BTW, Southwest Airlines, the airline in this article, does not have a first class section, or assigned seating, so this man would be unable to purchase a larger seat.
Won't happen if I can help it. I am terrified of flying. Have done so three times in my life and drank like a fish to numb myself of the experience.
Besides, a person of size bothers me way less than someone who hasn't taken a bath in a week or two. I think they should they forced to pay for a dozen seats.
Actually, it shouldn't be subjective. What we need are little yard sticks painted on the wall and a sign saying "You must be this thin" to pay a single fare. LOL
I hope the "people of size" sue the airlines for discrimination and demand wider seats to accomodate their bulk. It's humiliating to have to squeeze into those little narrow spaces because the airlines want to crowd as many people as they can on each flight. Heck, if they win, everyone wins!
Well, that's my point entirely. We're an oppressed population, I tellya. But that's all in the past - when Alaskanfan and me get our settlement from the "persons of size" we're gonna start our own airline...lotsa shoulder room, little butt space (Hillary need not apply). OK, I'll grant you, them's gonna be some funny-looking planes...we're workin' on it...we're workin' on it...
Then camps - yeah, camps. Camps for anyone who doesn't meet federal size specifications. Mandatory camps! Reveille at 0500, group calisthenics, gruel for breakfast - the Soviet Union had them and did they have a weight problem, I ask you? Huh? In the Gulag? Did they?
I rest my case.
No, comfort is not guaranteed, but some basics of comfort are assumed, mainly that you get some space to have as your own, hence the armrests.
So that I dislike someone coming over the armrest and touching me is not so outrageous after all.
No, we just have to pay about 25% more.
You might want to consult with an attorney first to see what your chances would be of succeeding, though.
I'm betting rudeness still isn't a good basis for a lawsuit, but maybe we've fallen so far that it is now.
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