Man Sues Airline For Being Seated Next To Obese Man

nbc7 ^

[chance33_98]

Man Sues Airline For Being Seated Next To Obese Man
Delta Spokesman Calls Man's Lawsuit Trivial

UPDATED: 12:27 p.m. EDT August 1, 2002

ASHLAND, Ohio -- An Ashland man is suing Delta Airlines because he was seated next to an obese man during a two-hour flight last November.

Philip Shafer said that Delta breached its contract to provide him with a full seat and reasonable comfort. Shafer claims he suffered embarrassment, severe discomfort, mental anguish and severe emotional distress from the flight.

"I think these large people have a responsibility to take control, either to get two seats, or talk to the airline," Shafer said. "The airline has a responsibility to take care of this problem. The last person who should be worried is the innocent passenger."

An attorney for Delta called the suit trivial and said that it is not a legitimate issue. The case is set to go to court in mid-September.

[chance33_98]

Did a search and did not see this posted yet, if it is please delete!

[Sacajaweau]

Let's delete it anyways.

It's garbage!!

[BibChr]

Now can the obese man sue for being seated next to a petty, self-righteous, whiney little pecksniff?

Dan

[stlrocket]

Apparently, his big butt seat mate was not aware of this new airline.

WHALE AIRLINES

[Black Agnes]

It was bound to happen. I have been seated between two 300+lb 'healthy' people in the middle seat on the last row of the plane for the red eye from SanFran to Newark. The one in the aisle seat promptly went to sleep and snored to wake the dead. I couldn't manage to wake him so I could even get up to tinkle. For 5 hrs. You could torture people this way. (and don't *think* the guy planning to sleep the whole trip would consider *not* sitting on the aisle..the aisle seat has more room...duh...)

[Black Agnes]

If this guy paid for a seat that the passenger next to him took up with his own girth, why shouldn't he sue? Is this Marxist airlines or something?

[BibChr]

Who says he "took up" the seat?

[ladtx]

...whiney little pecksniff?

Pecksniff? Down here in Texas we call 'em peckerwoods.

[white trash redneck]

I am astonished that this case is going to court so fast.

Now that the airlines are packing us in like sardines, imposing size restrictions on carry-ons, why shouldn't they impose a size test on the obese?

[demlosers]

An Ashland man is suing Delta Airlines because he was seated next to an obese man during a two-hour flight last November.

The fat man should sue McDonald for being fat and use this suit against him as justification.

[eno_]

Damn straight he should sue. The airline can choose to accomodate fat people as it sees fit, but if you pay for a full seat, you should get one. It is the airline's job to see that accomodating fat people does not take away from their obligation to deliver a full seat to someone less super-size.

[Ancesthntr]

Geez, I guess that can I sue Greyhound, Amtrak, several airlines and every single cab that I've ever been in for having to sit next to smelly people? How about annoying whiners? Annoying liberals (/oxymoron), etc.

Judges should throw these cases out immediately, and submit the names of the attorneys bringing these B$ claims to the respective state's bar disciplinary board.

[YOMO]

Shafer claims he suffered embarrassment, severe discomfort, mental anguish and severe emotional distress from the flight..................

About the only issue I can remotely agree with is severe discomfort, and that is only at best. The rest of the itemss are pure BS brought to court by a yet another lawyer trying to get rich. By the way the suit is only for $9500.

[Dog Gone]

I sat next to a fat guy at the stadium last month. I'm calling my attorney now.

[HELLRAISER II]

The problem with the airlines is that the seats are made for little whimpy 130 lb people. Now that's not an average size person, if your 200 lbs or more & the damn seat's to small.

[zandtar]

It is the airline's job to see that accomodating fat people does not take away from their obligation to deliver a full seat to someone less super-size.

First the airlines get sued for making fat people purchase two seats (which their lard-butts take up), then they're sued for allowing fat people to purchase one seat. I wish they'd make up their mind.

[steve in DC]

By the way the suit is only for $9500.

The value of this suit is not in the money, it is in the precedent. $9500 is nuisance value. One should ask why the airline isn't looking to settle, quickly and quietly.

Look for this case to be used by the airlines to justify the sort of position that SouthWest (? I think it was SouthWest) has taken regarding their requiring large clients buy two seats.

[NorthGA]

Another example of the normal guy/woman gets messed over. The airlines are caught between trying to make a buck and having to act like not-normal is normal. They have to treat fat people like normal, or fat people sue.

Most planes are so full these days that one can't even change seats to avoid such a situation.

I was once squeezed between the side of a plane and a very nice, but very huge man who spilled about 7 inches into my already-narrow seat. I had to sit like a parenthesis for several hours ( and my back hurt for two days.

[RobRoy]

>>First the airlines get sued for making fat people purchase two seats (which their lard-butts take up), then they're sued for allowing fat people to purchase one seat. I wish they'd make up their mind.<<

I think this guy is trying to offset the other side. When you look at how much he's suing for, he obviously is not doing it for the money. It seems he's trying to say to the lawsuits by the obese people, If you only want to pay for one seat, that's all you're gonna get, because if the airline lets your lard flop over into the verticle plane of the other seat, you are violating the space someone else paid for - and they will be justified in suing us.

This guy is kind of upping the stakes for both sides. Fighting back, if you will. And doing it where it will matter. I hope he succeeds.

[per loin]

Those people who insist upon carrying masses of fat on their bodies should be assigned space in the cargo section of airplanes, so that normal people can fully use the seats for which they have paid.