Obesity and Airlines

[Cup Lion]

Paying Extra For Being Fat

 

As summer vacations begin, some passengers on Southwest Airlines will be pulled aside and, because of their weight, asked to buy a second ticket. This controversial policy pits the commercial interests of the airline against the dignity of overweight fliers and raises the issue of whether anti-discrimination laws should be applied to obese people. For Southwest, a plane ticket is like real estate: You get only the space you pay for. (Passengers must buy an extra ticket if their girth prevents them from lowering the armrest that divides the seats. If the flight is not full, they qualify for a refund.) Southwest representative Ashley Rogers says the airline instituted the policy because of complaints from adjoining passengers. We want to give everybody the room they need, she says. People should be able to breathe a little without their neighbor encroaching. But in Canada, a new government policy prevents airlines from charging extra for passengers who are considered disabled by their obesity. The policy will cost Air Canada $7.3 million a year. As our nations collective girth increases, the debate about the rights of overweight people is also playing out in the courts. A Michigan law protects overweight people from job discrimination; Massachusetts is considering similar legislation. And overweight people claim that a federal law preventing airlines from discriminating against people with disabilities should apply to them, too. So far, their lawsuits have been unsuccessful.

 

 

 

I found this article very interesting. It makes sense. I, for one, wouldn't want the seat I paid for to be taken up by another person. What do you think? Is it ethically right to make them pay for two seats? Or should a law be passed that prevents airlines from discriminating against obese people? Is it even descrimination?

 

 

 

Dicuss. :thumbup:

[bloodyhatchetbear]

To be honest, I think people who do consider it a form of disability to get off their duffs and lose the weight.

 

 

 

The reason I say this is because my older brother is a perfect example of this: 5'5", 500lbs, and is now on disability because he as leg problems due to his size. If more people lost the weight to get to a healthier size (I don't mean super-model skinny, but maybe under 250) then these issues would never come up.

[dsavi]

Why not, should maybe give them a reason to start losing weight.

 

 

 

*Runs from bricks being thrown*

[Lenin64]

Good idea. Think about this; assume a whole bunch of seriously overwieght people get on a plane, each taking up one seat. How much can a passenger plane actually carry? I know, highly unrealistic that any amount of people would make it unable to take off, but still, more weight=more fuel used.

[Agunimon979]

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Paying Extra For Being Fat

 

As summer vacations begin, some passengers on Southwest Airlines will be pulled aside and, because of their weight, asked to buy a second ticket. This controversial policy pits the commercial interests of the airline against the dignity of overweight fliers and raises the issue of whether anti-discrimination laws should be applied to obese people. For Southwest, a plane ticket is like real estate: You get only the space you pay for. (Passengers must buy an extra ticket if their girth prevents them from lowering the armrest that divides the seats. If the flight is not full, they qualify for a refund.) Southwest representative Ashley Rogers says the airline instituted the policy because of complaints from adjoining passengers. We want to give everybody the room they need, she says. People should be able to breathe a little without their neighbor encroaching. But in Canada, a new government policy prevents airlines from charging extra for passengers who are considered disabled by their obesity. The policy will cost Air Canada $7.3 million a year. As our nations collective girth increases, the debate about the rights of overweight people is also playing out in the courts. A Michigan law protects overweight people from job discrimination; Massachusetts is considering similar legislation. And overweight people claim that a federal law preventing airlines from discriminating against people with disabilities should apply to them, too. So far, their lawsuits have been unsuccessful.

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How about these obese people stop eating so much damn McDonalds and get up off the couch and lose some damn weight. If you're healthy enough to get the to airport and on the plane then you can go for a powerwalk for half an hour. Don't go blaming it on some disease.

 

 

 

Sorry if I offended anyone, but just remember, you will not get rich and rewarded for gaining three hundred pounds. People WILL penalize you.

 

 

 

And this new rule does seem fair.

[Cup Lion]

Why not, should maybe give them a reason to start losing weight.

 

 

 

*Runs from bricks being thrown*

 

To be honest, I agree with you, and the other posters. This makes perfect sense. The really key point the author makes is "a plane ticket is like real estate: You get only the space you pay for."

 

 

 

If obese people complain about this, they should do their best to lose their weight. I know that obesity can be in their genes, but weighing so much that you take up more than one seat in a plane is their own fault, because they likely have accepted the fact they are fat and don't do anything about it.

 

 

 

That is what I think.

[Da Pirates]

I support this, it generates revune for the company and encourages people to lose weight!

 

 

 

It is not discrimination because being fat is self inflicted.

[Lenticular_J]

Samuel L. Jackson in: Obese people on a plane. :P

 

 

 

I think this is perfectly fine. If you take up an extra seat, you should pay for it.

 

 

 

Just like me and my tail, I always have to pay extra for space.

[deloriagod]

Good idea. Think about this; assume a whole bunch of seriously overwieght people get on a plane, each taking up one seat. How much can a passenger plane actually carry? I know, highly unrealistic that any amount of people would make it unable to take off, but still, more weight=more fuel used.

 

 

 

Acutally, depending on the size of the plain obese people can become a problem due to issues with balance. The last thing I want is for the wing to clip the ground on take off because a couple of fat people couldn't bother leaving their couch for the past few months. I completely support the airlines making people pay for extra tickets. I could understand how someone would get quite upset to be squished into half or even 1/4 of their seat during a 10 hour flight. I've never personally had this problem since I always travel with family and nobody in my family is big enough to cause susch problems.

[Carl]

Hmmm, in a way it can be considered fair depending on the actual situation.

 

 

 

I remember seeing the "Air Crash & Investigation" episode where it was indeed obese people that caused the airline to crash. If they take up an extra seat they must pay for it but if they're big and don't take up more than one seat they should be left alone. What could possibly be worse than airport officials weighing you infront of dozens of people? :shame:

 

 

 

 

 

But yes, being overweight and causing two seats to be taken up the same as two non-overweight people sitting in two seats, they Must be charged per seat.

[warri0r45]

Society should take a stand somewhere. The more we cater to the needs of obese people, the more they feel comfortable being fat and the less incentive they have to lose the weight.

 

 

 

Apart from that the airlines can charge money for their service however they want. Obviously charging per seat is the logical way to go because it covers cases like this with no loss of coin for the company.

[Astralinre]

What could possibly be worse than airport officials weighing you infront of dozens of people? :shame:

 

 

 

Airport officials subjecting you to a cavity search for having more than three ounces of toothpaste on your person. >_<

[Barihawk]

Ok, I consider myself overweight at 6'0" and 250 pounds (although to be honest people say I look great for that). I fly Southwest a lot and I have PLENTY of clearance in those seats.

 

 

 

Having sat next to fat people (I will not call them obese or "overweight" unless there's a 'moribdly' in there) on planes, I support this policy. I paid for my seat and when I can not get all of it to myself, I have a problem. It's only fair that they pay for two seats.

[deloriagod]

Ok, I consider myself overweight at 6'0" and 250 pounds (although to be honest people say I look great for that). I fly Southwest a lot and I have PLENTY of clearance in those seats.

 

 

 

Having sat next to fat people (I will not call them obese or "overweight" unless there's a 'moribdly' in there) on planes, I support this policy. I paid for my seat and when I can not get all of it to myself, I have a problem. It's only fair that they pay for two seats.

 

 

 

With the way people are going these days, I would say 6'0" 250lbs isn't that bad. We're talking people pushing 350+lbs and spilling into the seats next to them.

[dsavi]

Oh no, you said the "F-word"! :o It's called "horizontally challenged", if you say "Fat" someone might be offended! :roll:

 

 

 

Say it all you like, political correctness is not part of TIF. :thumbup:

[speedofsound]

Being obese is not always a choice. In fact, many obese people have it in their genes, or were fed the wrong things when they were too young to decide. For some, it's unavoidable. That being said, I do support this rule eventhough it's morally wrong (for me). I do not like the idea of completley humilating someone like that, especially humiliating someone over something they probably already feel bad about. Logically though, it makes sense. Depriving someone else of a seat they payed for because of a problem you have (even if it's not your fault) causes a lot of issues. If a person pays for the amount of space they need, it's no longer a issue.

[Astralinre]

Oh no, you said the "F-word"! :o It's called "horizontally challenged", if you say "Fat" someone might be offended! :roll:

 

 

 

Say it all you like, political correctness is not part of TIF. :thumbup:

 

 

 

Horizontally challenged? You bigot. How dare you use a term with such negative connotations.

 

 

 

They are simply nutritional overachievers.

[deloriagod]

Being obese is not always a choice. In fact, many obese people have it in their genes, or were fed the wrong things when they were too young to decide.

 

 

 

In some extreme cases, I can see how it's not the person's fault. But when they're adults (or even teens) they know damn well that exercise and a good diet will help them slim down and keep the weight off. For the majority of them, "it's in my genes" is nothing more than a reason to sit on the couch, order in a few pizzas, and consider alternative ways to get to the bathroom with less effort.

 

 

 

And even if they were fed poorly when they were kids, it's not that hard to figure out what's good for you to eat (look at the damn label ffs. Fat people aren't illiterate -at least not all of them) and to get up and exercise.

[speedofsound]

Your correct about that. My point was that people shouldn't assume that every obsese person is obese because they don't care about what they do.

[Yomyth105]

wow!

 

 

 

I think it would be a good idea to do that because they r paying for that one seat and if they take up too much room they must need to buy a second ticket for the space they r taking up.

 

 

 

It must seriously suck though if u r sitting in the middle between 2 obese ppl like 500lbs.

[hoffman44]

Samuel L. Jackson in: Obese people on a plane. :P

 

 

 

I think this is perfectly fine. If you take up an extra seat, you should pay for it.

 

 

 

Just like me and my tail, I always have to pay extra for space.

 

 

 

May I ask? :

[speedofsound]

...I think it was just a joke.

[hoffman44]

...I think it was just a joke.

 

 

 

You never know, I know people that regularly wear fake tails to school.

[baalboy5]

...I think it was just a joke.

 

 

 

You never know, I know people that regularly wear fake tails to school.

 

Wow

[hoffman44]

...I think it was just a joke.

 

 

 

You never know, I know people that regularly wear fake tails to school.

 

Wow

 

 

 

Whatever, I wear a collar to school almost everyday.