OT: overweight-man-kicked-off-southwest-flight

[123.Shawn T.W.]

Looks more like first use to be IIRC ...

Would be good if they offered a row or two of wider than normal seats, and another row or two of seats with more space front to back for tall people ... And charge a little more ...

The big planes have areas in the middle of 4-5 seats wide ... They could easily remove one, and allow more space side to side ... Or take three out and replace with two wide ones ... They don't really need to add the amenities of the higher rated areas. Just charge a bit more for the convience of sitting comfortable for the trip.

[Kiralynx]

I am agreeing with everything you are stating except, that being obese does not increase your chance at getting diseases. For whatever reason you are obese it does not matter, it DOES
increase your risk of many diseases. I will read the book your talking about. Please send me the exact title and author so I can better inform myself.

Beyond a Shadow of a Diet: The Therapist's Guide to Treating Compulsive Eating Disorders
Ellen Frankel, Judith Matz

The authors note that “The official policy is that all large people can and should lose weight. Health and medical professionals who promote this view assume that any excess weight over a narrow ‘ideal’ is unhealthy, dangerous, and expensive. They believe that weight loss is always desirable and healthy for persons over this ideal, no matter how it is accomplished, and that all large persons can successfully lose at least 10-15 per cent of their weight and maintain it. These assumptions are not supported by research.”

Also please dont take this as a personal attack, its not. I do empathize with your struggle as I have had weight issues my whole life.

I do not. It's merely that it has taken me 37 years to go from whimpering, "Yes, doctor, whatever you say, doctor, I am clearly a no-good slob, doctor..." to "Your behavior towards me is unacceptable in a medical professional, doctor."

[Todzo]

Also please dont take this as a personal attack, its not. I do empathize with your struggle as I have had weight issues my whole life.

I do not. It's merely that it has taken me 37 years to go from whimpering, "Yes, doctor, whatever you say, doctor, I am clearly a no-good slob, doctor..." to "Your behavior towards me is unacceptable in a medical professional, doctor."

Somewhere in this series (see: http://uwtv.org/browse/health-and-medicine/?s=obesity ) one of the authors relates (I think he was selling surgery) that diet and exercise has the total effect upon us humans of enabling 5% of us to keep off 5% of our body weight for five years.
So diet and exercise apparently have been proven ineffective to help with weight.
So not only is your doctor being unprofessional by being abusive, he is also incompetent.

[NightSky]

OK, since overweight people deserve more respect than they are getting, then the question I have regarding this thread is:

Is sitting on top of other people and squishing them a good way to remedy this?
(Because that is what happened to my sister on her flight to visit us, and she wasn't happy about it.)

[Todzo]

OK, since overweight people deserve more respect than they are getting, then the question I have regarding this thread is:

Is sitting on top of other people and squishing them a good way to remedy this?
(Because that is what happened to my sister on her flight to visit us, and she wasn't happy about it.)

In an airplane space is limited.

A given airplane can carry a limited amount of weight, as well, every pound takes more fuel to move from point to point.

So let us pay by space taken and fuel burned. I think that is fair, and removes experiences such as your sister had.

[jdm2857]

I agree with Shawn. Seats that are wider and/or have more leg room should be available in
coach and their prices should reflect only the increased space they occupy. It would not be
unreasonable to require large people to purchase such seats.

One should not have to pay for other luxuries (lay-flat beds, superior foods and drinks, etc.)
in order to have enough space to be reasonably comfortable.

Does anyone know of an airline that has tried this approach before deciding that the flying
public will not pay more for more space?

[Kiralynx]

I Haven't flown in over ten years ... And don't plan to until the TSA is gone, and I can carry my thermos of water from home on, along with my gun!

But ... Here is my question ... Is business class just Economy with more room?

If so it seems like the solution ... I never could see paying for first class ... But is business that much more than economy?

I haven't flown in almost six years, since a TSA employee smacked my hand for reaching to keep her from handling my food with gloves that had just been handling bins.

There is a trip I want to take... and just checked the price difference between Economy and Business / Business First. Business is US $1100 more than Economy. And there's no Business Class on one leg of the journey -- it's from New Orleans to Houston to Calgary, Alberta. The New Orleans to Houston leg is on one of the small jets, an Embraer.

[Kiralynx]

OK, since overweight people deserve more respect than they are getting, then the question I have regarding this thread is:

Is sitting on top of other people and squishing them a good way to remedy this?
(Because that is what happened to my sister on her flight to visit us, and she wasn't happy about it.)

Actually, no... and thank you very much, I'd rather not do so. Which is why my skinny husband with the wide shoulders and I travel together. I usually get the window seat, and lean against the outside of the plane. I also raise the armrest between us so that if I need a little more space for the hips, I have it. At the same time, my leaning sideways gives my husband room for his shoulders. We can't do anything about leg room for his long legs.

However, it wouldn't occur to me to lift the armrest and encroach on a total stranger. That's just plain rude.

If the airlines would provide wider seats with a better pitch (distance between), my husband and I would gladly buy them, provided they weren't stupidly priced out of reach.

Unless I'm traveling overseas, I don't care about "lie flat beds" and they can keep their fancy food because I'll bring my own safe food, thanks.

[gomer]

How about charging a base rate plus by the pound or killo?

[123.Shawn T.W.]

How about charging a base rate plus by the pound or killo?

Even if they do that ... Say a 350 pound person wants to fly ... And pays the extra weight charge ... Do you still expect them to cram into a 16" wide seat?

Or do they get to sit uncomfortablely in the middle of two?

Why not make seats that the client fits into?

My Mother was a large big boned farm girl ... 6' and 215 pounds ... She was mostly muscle with padding in all the right places! Planes did not fit her very well!

When she flew it was always with my Dad ... He was a little guy of 5'10 and 150 pounds ... They had to "share the space" as has been mentioned above.


I'm 6'1 and 200 with extra wide shoulders, and traveled all over the world in the past (mostly Europe or Korea) ... Usually with my 5' tall wife ... We always tried to get a set of seats on the outside of the plane which was only two seats ... My wife could have the window like Chubby, and I got the aisle ... And I didn't have to climb over anybody with my hourly trips to the "restroom" tiny closet!

We now just go places I can drive to ... I'm a truck driver and like to drive! I can pack my gun, and my dog (I won't leave her at a kennel) and we can take my plug in cooler with my food, yes I have packed a lunch, but tired of the TSA and their power trip! We can come and go on our schedule, and sleep in a real bed when we decide is the time ... I never could sleep well in a room with 300-500 other people!

[BlackSpinner]

I agree with Shawn. Seats that are wider and/or have more leg room should be available in
coach and their prices should reflect only the increased space they occupy. It would not be
unreasonable to require large people to purchase such seats.

One should not have to pay for other luxuries (lay-flat beds, superior foods and drinks, etc.)
in order to have enough space to be reasonably comfortable.

Does anyone know of an airline that has tried this approach before deciding that the flying
public will not pay more for more space?

They are available but people refuse to buy them. As an employee of a major airline I sat in many of those seats because they were not sold while large people whined in the back about small seats. It is much cheaper to whine then it is to buy a seat that fits you.

[123.Shawn T.W.]

Blackspinner,

Theses larger seats you mention ... We're they regular coach seats but just larger, or were they the fancier (w/extra amenities) type seats mentioned before like business or first class?

I found back 10-15 years ago that the foreign airlines tended to have nicer seats and amenities, compared to their American counter parts, for the same money. We liked Swiss Air, and Korean Airlines ... Don't know what the current situation is like.

[Kiralynx]

They are available but people refuse to buy them. As an employee of a major airline I sat in many of those seats because they were not sold while large people whined in the back about small seats. It is much cheaper to whine then it is to buy a seat that fits you.

And so... how do you FIND the larger seat? Airlines have so many different names for seats and so many different fare structures that it's well-nigh impossible for a passenger to figure out what the <bleep> they are looking for!

Or are we expected to call the airline and ask for help so that they can not only charge us for the bigger seat, but can charge us an assistance fee, too? Where is the information on the size of the seat and the pitch and what fare class provides it? Also, since the airlines are quite prepared to nickle and dime us to death, since I can't eat their snacks and beverages and food, I should get a discount on my fare -- it's only, so to speak, FAIR. Maybe, since I'm not eating their food, I should even get a free upgrade to the larger seat!

[123.Shawn T.W.]

And so... how do you FIND the larger seat? Airlines have so many different names for seats and so many different fare structures that it's well-nigh impossible for a passenger to figure out what the <bleep> they are looking for!

Anybody got an answer?

[BlackSpinner]

They are available but people refuse to buy them. As an employee of a major airline I sat in many of those seats because they were not sold while large people whined in the back about small seats. It is much cheaper to whine then it is to buy a seat that fits you.

And so... how do you FIND the larger seat? Airlines have so many different names for seats and so many different fare structures that it's well-nigh impossible for a passenger to figure out what the <bleep> they are looking for!

Or are we expected to call the airline and ask for help so that they can not only charge us for the bigger seat, but can charge us an assistance fee, too? Where is the information on the size of the seat and the pitch and what fare class provides it? Also, since the airlines are quite prepared to nickle and dime us to death, since I can't eat their snacks and beverages and food, I should get a discount on my fare -- it's only, so to speak, FAIR. Maybe, since I'm not eating their food, I should even get a free upgrade to the larger seat!

Yes you pay for services rendered.