Obese air passenger in economy seat has picture taken

[Millz]

This is just unbelievable. For people of that size they need to have larger areas to put them because its a hazard because he's blocking the aisle.

Can you imagine having to sit next to someone who's that size?

Thoughts?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...ure-taken.html

An image of an obese passenger squeezed into an economy airline seat has reopened a debate about how airlines deal with growing numbers of oversized passengers.

The picture, posted on an aviation blog, was reportedly taken by a flight attendant to illustrate to airline managers the difficulty of dealing with passengers who cannot fit into seats.

It is unclear if the man was aware his picture was being taken or whether the flight, on US carrier American Airlines, took off with the passenger spilling out of his seat.

Airlines already offer extended seatbelts to larger passengers to comply with safety rules but a number of carriers now insist obese customers buy an extra seat.

US domestic no-frills airline Southwest has a “customer of size” policy that insists passengers who cannot lower both armrests buy a second ticket which is reimbursed if the flight is not full.

 

[EllyDicious]

oh wow. it's actually frustrating and uncomfortable..for both parties.....for the obese person as well as for the other one sitting next to him.
i've never had that "chance" but i don't know what i would do.
for now the best solution is [as said] buying an extra seat but then again, if most of the passengers happen to be obese, there won't be seats for the others.

 

[DinoFlintstone]

I wonder if that's some kind of publicity stunt? Surely the airline are 'not' dumb enough to have someone half on half off a seat, thus blocking the aisle for the drinks trolley and for people wishing to pass.
Surely they'd put at the back or in an 'A' or 'B' seat? Also, I doubt there is a seatbelt his size, therefore I hope they have extensions.

Finally, I hope the man knows he's in the photo, otherwise the air-crew should be done for misconduct.

 

[Jeanie]

When you're buying an airline ticket, you're paying for space. If you take up more space than the average passenger, you should have to pay more. It's not discrimination, it's business.

 

[Merc]

When you're buying an airline ticket, you're paying for space. If you take up more space than the average passenger, you should have to pay more. It's not discrimination, it's business.

I have a question (In an attempt to challenge your logic, not to be offensive or anything).

Should women get paid during maternity leave?

 

[Pugz]

I don't think obese is the word for the guy i was sitting next to once, he was big but he fitted into his seat o.o.

Some airports charge extra if your luggage weighs over a certain amount, it wouldn't surprise me if they started weighing the over weight/obese passengers too; not only would they have to buy an extra seat but also pay for the extra weight too :-/

 

[Jeanie]

I have a question (In an attempt to challenge your logic, not to be offensive or anything).

Should women get paid during maternity leave?

That's a good question for another thread, actually. Honestly, though, I think the logic here is apples to oranges. Airlines are providing a transportation service, much like the US Postal Service or FedEx. The shipping companies' rates are based on size, why should airlines be any different just because they are transporting people rather than goods? You have to pay more for extra baggage, why not for extra girth?

 

[icegoat63]

I have a question (In an attempt to challenge your logic, not to be offensive or anything).

Should women get paid during maternity leave?

I dont really find that equatable. That'd be like challenging Disability or Workmans Comp.

In this situation I agree with Jeanie... You're paying for space, its a business. A seat cost him just as much money as it would cost me... how come he is able to take up all of his seat, plus some aisle plus my arm rest?

Also... if they were to have XL seats... who's to say that standard Coach Fliers wouldn't just take 'em up for the extra luxury? I know I would, hell same price I get twice the seat... You got yourself a deal! Then if they refuse to sell it to me we just open up a lawsuit right... They are discriminating against standard sized people

It'd be like the Handicap toilet! Its more comfortable, has a bigger stall, has handrails for better grip! I'm not handicapped and I use that stall over any other stall if I'm in a public restroom.

 

[Merc]

That's a good question for another thread, actually. Honestly, though, I think the logic here is apples to oranges. Airlines are providing a transportation service, much like the US Postal Service or FedEx. The shipping companies' rates are based on size, why should airlines be any different just because they are transporting people rather than goods? You have to pay more for extra baggage, why not for extra girth?

What I figured is that people want obese people to pay for something that was their own doing (99% of the time) being their weight. Okay, I can agree with that. They are bigger, they should pay for more space, makes sense. However, then I was thinking of parallels and one of the things I thought of is that a fair amount of people support women being paid during maternity leave. Thing is, their pregnancy is their own doing, even if it was unplanned, it's their 'fault' (not to make it sound like a bad thing).

Thus, aren't the obese and women on some same level in this sort of discussion? I think they can be appropriate parallels. Both include people incapacitated by their own choices looking for equal treatment when it's clear there probably shouldn't be.

 

[Malificus]

When you're buying an airline ticket, you're paying for space. If you take up more space than the average passenger, you should have to pay more. It's not discrimination, it's business.

more to the point, if you're so big, you either take up a second seat, or the aisle, then you should be paying for it. The aisle is not some sort of leeway for people who are too big for a single seat.

as to pugz's comment, why should someone have to pay for extra weight, if they're already paying double cost in order to have a second seat? If a 400 pound man takes two seats that would otherwise be filled by someone weighing something like 150-200 pounds, then he's paying for his extra weight already.