Fliers up in arms over wide passengers
Question:
> Southwest’s policy is to charge for an extra seat only if the plane is > full, Stewart said.
This doesn’t make sense. If the plane was full, what magical seat was she supposed to pay for? joan — Joan McGalliard, UK http://www.mcgalliard.org
Response:
> "> > Overweight people have the same rights as everyone else. In fact, they > pay less for airline seats than normal people do, pound for pound. >> No one wants to be overweight. > I think your ticket price should be a multiple of your weight plus any > baggage you may have brought…When I ship a 5 pound item through the mail > it costs less than a 50 pound item…
That may be the dieting incentive I need, not that I am 120+kg!
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > arranged some electrons, so they looked like this : > … > … "> > … > Overweight people have the same rights as everyone else. In fact, they > … > pay less for airline seats than normal people do, pound for pound. > … > > … >> No one wants to be overweight. > … > … I think your ticket price should be a multiple of your weight plus any > … baggage you may have brought…When I ship a 5 pound item through the mail > … it costs less than a 50 pound item… > I like the idea. If anything, it will be an incentive to lose weight. > But keep the luggage out of it – it won’t be using your seat.
It does reduce what freight the plane can carry too tho. Those that want to cart all their possessions around with them should pay for doing that.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > arranged some electrons, so they looked like this : > … … > … > However, the problem came at a tough time for cash-strapped airlines > trying > … > to shrink costs. > … … > … > "Planes are more packed and there are fewer (available) seats," said > Funk. > … > Many of the airlines are downsizing seats, she said. > … > … Sounds like the problem isn’t with the passengers but with the airlines > … downsizing seats to cut costs. Ultimately this method isn’t going to > … work for much longer because there is a limit to how small you can make > … a seat and still put passengers in it. Perhaps they can start shipping > … people as baggage. > Or make larger seats and increase their prices…
Or charge the hippos for two seats.
Response:
> Fliers up in arms over wide passengers > Kirstie Alley should make an excellent poster girl > and advocate for the rights of overweight people. > No one wants to be overweight.
Lie, quite a few do. > If they are they should not be punished for being so.
They are anyway. In spades when they are morbidly obese, punished by atrocious health and early death, well deserved. > Anyway who says they are overweight.
Anyone with a clue. Which obviously rules you out, hippo. > If what the statistics say is true more than 50% of the population > is larger and heavier. Then they are the majority and the norm.
More than 50% arent morbidly obsese, fool. > In that case all public transport must fit their size.
The morbidly obese are welcome to pay for two seats and the less obscenely obese are welcome to fly first class and to pay for that too. > The smaller size people are the minority and therefore below norm.
Pathetic, really.
Response:
>"> > Overweight people have the same rights as everyone else. In fact, they > pay less for airline seats than normal people do, pound for pound. >> No one wants to be overweight. >I think your ticket price should be a multiple of your weight plus any >baggage you may have brought…When I ship a 5 pound item through the mail >it costs less than a 50 pound item…
Yes, there have been very skinny people who have put themselves into a box and attempted to ship themselves somewhere else …….
Response:
> A 127Kg (279.4lbs) woman is most certainly obese. She’s in denial. > I’m sure she’s a nice person otherwise – but still enormous.
Maybe she’s 7-foot-something tall? 
— Dave Fossett Saitama, Japan
Response:
"> > Overweight people have the same rights as everyone else. In fact, they > pay less for airline seats than normal people do, pound for pound. > No one wants to be overweight.
I think your ticket price should be a multiple of your weight plus any baggage you may have brought…When I ship a 5 pound item through the mail it costs less than a 50 pound item…
Response:
<snip> > … > Or make larger seats and increase their prices… > … > … They do – it’s called "First Class". > Not in the entire airplane.
Depends on the airline…
Response:
> "But he kept dozing and when he slept, his elbow kept hitting my chest."
I’d pick his fat arm up and throw it back onto him. He’d probably wake up (who cares?) and if he asked I’d tell him what happened. I suspect women might find this approach too confrontational, though. > "I am overweight, but I’m not obese," said Thompson, 127kg.
Mentioning her weight is not enough. At 280 pounds, even if she is tall, she would still be fat. If she is short, she would be grossly obese. No woman should weigh that much. > "I guess I’m just a fat, black woman
Oh sure, play the race card. It is totally irrelevant that she is black. The only relevant fact is that she is obese. Pete
Response:
Magda writes: > Not in the entire airplane.
There aren’t enough first-class customers to fill the airplane. — Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
Response:
> arranged some electrons, so they looked like this : > … Sounds like the problem isn’t with the passengers but with the airlines > … downsizing seats to cut costs. Ultimately this method isn’t going to > … work for much longer because there is a limit to how small you can make > … a seat and still put passengers in it. Perhaps they can start shipping > … people as baggage. > Or make larger seats and increase their prices…
They do – it’s called "First Class". — This signature left blank.
Response:
|>"I am overweight, but I’m not obese," said Thompson, 127kg. No, not obese. Grossly obese. In US terms that’s 280 lbs. I’m a 6′ tall male and was obese at 117kg(257); I’m still overweight at 95kg(209). Among her myriad medical problems (many of which haven’t yet been diagnosed) the most serious one is denial. Unless, as Miguel implied, she’s a starter in a ladies pro basketball team. Cheers, Alan
Response:
Anthony Matonak writes: > Sounds like the problem isn’t with the passengers but with the airlines > downsizing seats to cut costs.
No, the problem is with fat passengers. Normal people can still fit into the seats. — Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
Response:
Rod Speed writes: > Or its just another lard arsed hippo attempting to blame anyone > but themselves.
Those are the ones who become and remain extremely fat. — Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
Response:
PaPaPeng writes: > Kirstie Alley should make an excellent poster girl and advocate for > the rights of overweight people.
Overweight people have the same rights as everyone else. In fact, they pay less for airline seats than normal people do, pound for pound. > No one wants to be overweight.
But some people aren’t bothered enough by their own obesity to stop overeating, and that’s their own fault. > If they are they should not be punished for being so.
Requiring them to meet the same restrictions as everyone else isn’t punishment. If they find the restrictions inconvenient, they can lose weight. > Anyway who says they are overweight.
I’d say that 127 kg is obese for a woman unless she’s three metres tall. > If what the statistics say is true more than 50% of the population is > larger and heavier.
Fat, you mean. > Then they are the majority and the norm.
That doesn’t make obesity a good thing. > In that case all public transport must fit their size.
Why? > The smaller size people are the minority and therefore below norm.
Normal weight isn’t small. — Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.
Response:
>Fliers up in arms over wide passengers
Kirstie Alley should make an excellent poster girl and advocate for the rights of overweight people. No one wants to be overweight. If they are they should not be punished for being so. Anyway who says they are overweight. If what the statistics say is true more than 50% of the population is larger and heavier. Then they are the majority and the norm. In that case all public transport must fit their size. The smaller size people are the minority and therefore below norm.
Response:
> > However, the problem came at a tough time for cash-strapped airlines trying > to shrink costs. > … > "Planes are more packed and there are fewer (available) seats," said Funk. > Many of the airlines are downsizing seats, she said. > Sounds like the problem isn’t with the passengers but with the airlines > downsizing seats to cut costs. Ultimately this method isn’t going to > work for much longer because there is a limit to how small you can make > a seat and still put passengers in it. Perhaps they can start shipping > people as baggage.
Yes pitch may be less, but please explain how seat width has reduced. A 737 or A320 etc has always had 6 seats across. unless you know of any in a 4-3 config. oh bugger perhaps I’ve given the airlines some ideas now.
Response:
> A 127Kg (279.4lbs) woman is most certainly obese. She’s in denial. > I’m sure she’s a nice person otherwise – but still enormous.
Yes indeed. I considered myself obscenely overweight at 110kg, so this woman is a massive 17kg heavier, and she’s probably a lot shorter too. This all adds up to morbid obesity.
Response:
> … > However, the problem came at a tough time for cash-strapped airlines trying > to shrink costs. > … > "Planes are more packed and there are fewer (available) seats," said Funk. > Many of the airlines are downsizing seats, she said. > Sounds like the problem isn’t with the passengers but with the airlines > downsizing seats to cut costs.
Or its just another lard arsed hippo attempting to blame anyone but themselves. > Ultimately this method isn’t going to work for much longer because there is a > limit to how small you can make a seat and still put passengers in it.
Mindless silly stuff, as always from fools like you. > Perhaps they can start shipping people as baggage.
They already do, stupid.
Response:
>> "I am overweight, but I’m not obese," said Thompson, 127kg. > A 127Kg (279.4lbs) woman is most certainly obese. She’s in denial.
The article failed to mention that she’s nine and a half feet tall. miguel — Hit The Road! Photos from 35 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu Latest photos: Malaysia, Israel, Palestine, Austria, Thailand
Response:
… > However, the problem came at a tough time for cash-strapped airlines trying > to shrink costs. … > "Planes are more packed and there are fewer (available) seats," said Funk. > Many of the airlines are downsizing seats, she said.
Sounds like the problem isn’t with the passengers but with the airlines downsizing seats to cut costs. Ultimately this method isn’t going to work for much longer because there is a limit to how small you can make a seat and still put passengers in it. Perhaps they can start shipping people as baggage. Anthony
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Fliers up in arms over wide passengers >By Ken Dermota >Thompson is one of four overweight persons who sued Southwest Airlines over >its policy of asking passengers who cannot fit into a seat to pay for a >second one. >"I am overweight, but I’m not obese," said Thompson, 127kg. >She runs a cosmetics business in Exeter, New Hampshire. >A 127Kg (279.4lbs) woman is most certainly obese. She’s in denial. >I’m sure she’s a nice person otherwise – but still enormous.
If she is 5′ 10" or under, she is MORBIDLY obese. According to the fat acceptors, she only needs to proclaim herself beautiful and fit, then her life will be perfect.
Response:
>Fliers up in arms over wide passengers >By Ken Dermota >Thompson is one of four overweight persons who sued Southwest Airlines over >its policy of asking passengers who cannot fit into a seat to pay for a >second one. >"I am overweight, but I’m not obese," said Thompson, 127kg. >She runs a cosmetics business in Exeter, New Hampshire.
A 127Kg (279.4lbs) woman is most certainly obese. She’s in denial. I’m sure she’s a nice person otherwise – but still enormous.
Response:
Fliers up in arms over wide passengers By Ken Dermota Washington – Yara Zubalskyj had a bum foot when she took her seat next to an obese man on a recent Lufthansa flight from Washington. But in Frankfurt, six hours later, other things hurt, too. "He tried to keep in his seat, said Zubalskyj, 58. "But he kept dozing and when he slept, his elbow kept hitting my chest." Zubalskyj is one of a growing number of travellers crowded by wide-body passengers who cannot fit into the standard, 43cm airline seat. One-third of Americans are not just fat but obese, due to junk food diets and lack of exercise, according to official US statistics. The waistline problem is growing. Airlines are caught in the squeeze, by passenger "air rage" and at least four lawsuits in the United States – all by overweight travelers. Zubalskyj said she may become the first to sue an airline on behalf of the slim. "I think they should be sued – by people who are not obese who do not deserve to be hit," she said. ‘I guess I’m just a fat, black woman’ What hurt Zubalskyj most, however, was her pride. Lufthansa’s flight crew suggested she move. She protested that she had reserved a so-called bulkhead seat to accommodate her foot. The only empty seat with foot room was in first class. Lufthansa denied her an upgrade. Lufthansa officials in Germany refused to return her phone calls, and only when she was back home did she receive an offer of $400 (about R2 500), she said. "I found it to be very insulting and demeaning," she said. That was also Nadine Thompson’s experience – but for different reasons. "I wanted to cry but couldn’t," Thompson said. Thompson is one of four overweight persons who sued Southwest Airlines over its policy of asking passengers who cannot fit into a seat to pay for a second one. "I am overweight, but I’m not obese," said Thompson, 127kg. She runs a cosmetics business in Exeter, New Hampshire. Thompson said she liked Southwest so much that she was a frequent flier – until she was escorted from a flight by two armed sheriffs after refusing to buy a second ticket. "I had my armrest down, seat belt fastened," Thompson said, when a manager boarded the plane and told her that for the comfort and safety of herself and other passengers, she would have to buy a second ticket. "I guess I’m just a fat, black woman and I guess I’m not allowed to fly this airline," Thompson said she told the sheriff. Thompson said the airline apologised, but too late. Her discrimination suit goes to trial in February 2006. "It’s not discrimination in any shape, form or fashion," said Southwest spokesperson Ed Stewart. "We have a customer size policy," he said. "It’s the same policy as every other airline." So why is Southwest getting sued? "We had an internal memo that had it enforced around the country," Stewart said. He said other airlines drop the problem into the customers’ lap, so to speak. "This may come as a surprise, but the person in the other seat may not want to be sat on," said Stewart. He pointed out that Southwest had won the other three suits. Southwest’s policy is to charge for an extra seat only if the plane is full, Stewart said. Luckily, Stewart said, less than half of one percent of passengers are affected. However, the problem came at a tough time for cash-strapped airlines trying to shrink costs. "As Americans are getting larger, seats are getting smaller," said Pat Funk, vice president of the Consumer Rights Travel Centre, a nonprofit group which tracks fliers’ rights. "Planes are more packed and there are fewer (available) seats," said Funk. Many of the airlines are downsizing seats, she said. Seat width, now measured in hundredths of an inch, cannot shrink much, but the space from front to back does. Funk, who travels a lot, once weighed 200 pounds. She said she trimmed down, in large measure, to fit into airline seats. "It’s claustrophobic," she said. "I would be just as unhappy as the Lufthansa lady," she said.
