Airline making heavyset flyers buy extra seat

[-..__...]

Southwest policy doesn't sit well with 300-pound dentist

Sunday, March 13, 2005
By Dan Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

All Murrysville dentist Michael Gigliotti wanted was a relatively cheap, last-minute flight from his mother's house in Florida to a natural-gas auction in Texas.

But a $552 bill for the late-February trip quickly went up when a late-boarding passenger complained he could not fit in the seat next to the 5-11, 300-pound Gigliotti. A supervisor from Southwest Airlines boarded the plane, crouched next to Gigliotti and said he would have to pay for a second seat on the return flight, claiming the dentist's large frame would not fit entirely in the 17-inch-wide space.

Gigliotti did not feel humiliation -- just rage.

Complete article

(Edited to fix link... forgot to remove the damn "http://" from the URL)

[progmom]

1. Holy fuck that is terrible.

Poor guy.

[German worker]

2. Sounds reasonable to me.

The portion of a ticket that covers fuel and development and construction should be allocated a weight basis.

[progmom]

8. really?

or maybe the airlines should stop making their seats so narrow so more reasonably sized people can fit in them.

:shrug:

[DS1]

13. 'German worker' was just dispatched to the Wermatch

;-)

That's one less little Eichmann around here, anyway.

[BiggJawn]

28. No, Valhalla, with the rest of the little nazis...

I thought his math was pretty fuzzy/freepy...

[Chrisduhfur]

34. What is your definition of reasonable size??

The seats seem large enough to me. I personally do not see any problem with charging for an extra seat if someone happens to takeup two seats.

It is only fair.

[progmom]

38. Do you guys travel in packs?

:shrug:

[JimmyJazz]

45. What a nice screen name - so far it seems appropriate.

Welcome to DU - enjoy your stay :hi:

[Modem Butterfly]

46. Read the fine print on your ticket

The "carry contract" only guarantees you a ride to your destination, not that you'll have x amount of space. If the airlines could get people to stand up for an entire flight they would.

[DS1]

3. Old news, this started last year, but I'm still not sure where I sit

on the matter.

And what if you can't buy an extra seat for your other asscheek that's not adjacent to the one you're already in?

[mcscajun]

15. Where I sit? Anywhere but on a Southwest Airlines plane

When this policy was announced last year, I swore Never to fly on them. Ever.

I'm a fat woman. I don't take up two seats. I'm not going to pay for two simply because airlines have been making great efforts to fit more and more passengers on the same plane.

Nor will I fly on any airline that is intent on humiliating their larger passengers.

[DemoTex]

4. Bad link?

I can't get it to work.

[northzax]

5. well before this gets locked

I feel both their pain. But guess what? you pay for one seat, if you are unable to fit into that seat, you are taking space away from someone else who has paid for their space.

by the way, for disclosure purposes, I am 6'5" so I have this problem on planes all the time. I am careful not to take up space from other people, it's just polite.

[DS1]

6. and besides, who wants to sit next to a Dentist?

:D

[northzax]

9. who's on his way to a natural gas auction

er, thanks doc, but I'll pass on the laughing gas this time...

[Zenlitened]

43. You know what you are? You're a raging anti-dentite!

Next you'll be saying they should have their own schools!

[DS1]

44. I'm not anti-dentite, I'm pro-British-smile

:D

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Sorry, commercial airplanes carry passengers not cargo

They sell tickets to PEOPLE. PEOPLE come in all different sizes and shapes.

IF anything, they should have a few larger sized seats available on flights for people who are large framed, overweight and tall.

[mcscajun]

12. A great idea! Not that the airlines will ever DO anything with it. n/t

.

[northzax]

25. right, and it's an average

the average person fits. Those of us who, for whatever reason are outside the norm, have to deal with it. I am taller than 99.5% of americans males, and 99.99% of females, why should the airlines accomodate me at the expense of those within the norm?

should ever seat be made to accomodate Shaq? There are airlines that have larger seats (Midwest Express, for one) and whenever possible, I patronize those airlines. But sometimes being squashed into coach is worth the cheap ticket to me.

And they do have larger seats avaliable on planes. It's called first class. if you want more room, pay for it. If you don't want to pay for it, take the room you get. I don't understand why I should get more space for the same amount of money that someone else paid, simply based on genetics. that's silly.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

32. I am a normal sized person and I am cramped in those seats

This policy is completely unreasonable.

Furthermore, Southwest does not have first class. Renders your point moot.

BTW..how many times have you OFFERED to pay for an additional seat?

[mcscajun]

14. I'm very careful, also.

I generally try to get a window seat, as I can scrunch my shoulder into the window area and not infringe on my seatmate, whom nine times out of ten I do not know.

Of course, nobody ever talks about the folks who recline Their seats as far as they can, cutting off what little leg room I had to begin with. I never recline my seat just because of that; I know I'll be infringing on the leg room of the person behind me.

The issue here IS lack of room for all passengers, not who's taking it up.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

17. I hate it when people recline their seats too.

I never recline my seat for the very same reason. If I ever felt the need to recline my seat, I would ask the person behind me first if they are OK with it.

[-..__...]

19. Never get a window seat.... Never!

[pres2032]

20. one of the scariest Twilight Zone's ever!

:scared:

[mcscajun]

23. Ohmigod! That's Great!

Trust me...when I fly at night, I *do* Think about that episode. :)

Especially if it's Raining. :P

[northzax]

29. I have been known to apologise, in advance

to the people in front of me "I'm sorry, but I just wanted to let you know that my legs are so long that you cannot recline your seat."

and then I jam my knees into the back of the seat when they ignore me.

few people do.

[mcscajun]

33. An interesting tactic. I may try it on my next flight.

Whenever That Is.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

7. 8...7...6...5...4..3..2...

[auntAgonist]

10. I think that more

than just 'obese' people are going to get caught in this.

direct quote from the article...

"16 inches measured from arm rest to arm rest -- narrower than an average-size computer keyboard and a tighter fit than the typical office chair or general-admission movie seat."


That's NOT a lot of space.

[mcscajun]

16. They've also reduced the leg room to fit another row of seats (or two)

onto the same planes.

This is the 'price' we pay for 'cheap airfares'.

If people ever get back to the idea that flying is a luxury, airlines could reduce the number of seats, raise the airfares, and folks could fly in relative comfort, regardless of height or girth.

Until that impossible time, all we can do is choose wisely, or bitch.

[Coastie for Truth]

18. My mom got "DVT" on a flight from from the West Coast to Pittsburgh

"DVT" = Deep Vein Thrombosis

So, should she have sued the airline? (I told her to - hospitalized for a week).

Between the security screening, the reduced schedules, the cattle car mentality, Lotus Notes/MS Outlook, Fax, WebEx, and WebCam -- my flying is down by 90%.

[mcscajun]

24. Avoid DVT -- Exercise In Your Seat -- Get Up Whenever You Can.

When I flew on KLM to Amsterdam last November, I found that they actually run a video periodically during the flight that illustrates a number of exercises you can do in your seat. I participated (as did many other passengers) and found it very helpful. I wish more airlines would use this video.

Excerpt from an article on exercise to prevent DVT:

When you're on a plane or in a car for an extended period of time, you may find it difficult to actually get up and move around. Cramped conditions don't make it any easier either. Nonetheless, exercise is something that you can't forget or overlook, particularly when you are forced to remain relatively stationary.

If at all possible, the best thing you can do is just get up! When you're on a plane or train, walk along the aisles when there isn't heavy traffic and when you won't run into a food cart. If you're in the car this is even easier; stop for some gas or a quick snack and this will help give your veins that extra break that they need.

If you simply just can't get around, you'll still want to avoid DVT symptoms. In this case, rock your foot upward so it stretches your calf and then hold it for several seconds, then rock it the other way (as if you were pointing your toes) and again hold for several seconds. Specialized rocking foot stools are also available that will aid you in completing these exercises.





http://restlesslegsyndrome.articleinsider.com/69409_dvt_exercise.html

[northzax]

27. I found, on many trans-atlantic and pacific flights in coach

the best solution for me was to drink a litre of water every hour. this means that every hour or two you have to get up and pee, and keeps you hydrated.

you can't sleep for 6 hours straight and develop clots with a litre of pee in your bladder, after all.

[mcscajun]

31. (Chuckle) Yeah, I try to keep well hydrated also...but not That Much.

I can't ever sleep on transatlantic flights (or any other flights, for that matter). I need to be Horizontal to sleep. ::sigh::

[Bouncy Ball]

21. I'm not obese, but I can't stand how crammed in I feel in airline

seats. I get claustrophobic. Feel like I can't move. If it's like that for someone who's just 20-30 pounds overweight at the most, then I can only imagine how uncomfortable people are who are heavier than that.

[LynneSin]

22. Hell, amusement parks even have seats for hefty guests

When I was at Hershey Park last, I noticed that several of their coasters had rows setup to accomdate larger passengers. If a fricking amusement park can create this accomadation, I don't see the problem with the airline dedicating 1-2 rows on their plane to larger customers - add a few inches to their seats to make everyone happy

[gollygee]

26. The seats aren't even big enough for average sized people

if they made seats of a reasonable size this wouldn't be such a problem.

[LiberallyInclined]

30. it's about time- i wish all airlines would do this.

fat people who need one seat per buttcheek should pay for the extra seat.

[auntAgonist]

35. Most folks I know are very uncomfortable on

airplane seats ..

can YOU fit comfortably into 16 inches measured from arm rest to arm rest -- narrower than an average-size computer keyboard and a tighter fit than the typical office chair or general-admission movie seat?

What do you do with your elbows ? How do you comfortably eat. .. .

this isnt' a size issue. It's an issue of the airlines squeezing more people into an airplane and making more money imo.

[LiberallyInclined]

41. i'm 6'2", and weigh 240lbs, and i don't have trouble fitting in a seat

in coach. i generally put my elbows on the armrests- although i had an unspoken "war" over the armrest with a guy sitting next to me on a flight to hawaii- for the first two hours of the flight, we had our forearms pressed together, neither of us giving up even a milimeter of our half of the tiny armrest.

[moggie]

36. "Gigliotti did not feel humiliation -- just rage"

Not true! He also felt hunger.

[Bunny]

37. How very clever!

:eyes:

[auntAgonist]

39. hunger?

This I gotta hear.

[progmom]

42. well that's really lovely

:eyes:

[sleipnir]

40. Not the best approach, but....

I'm sick of having to sit next to highly obese people and have their body kind of crumple around my seat.

Flying is not a right, and the airline has the ability to tax or charge customers who do not fit a certain profile any amount they want. It's not illegal in the US to discriminate based on weight. Perhaps it should be, but not in this case.

Guess what, the airlines have to use extra fuel to fly overweight passengers and their luggage. I see no reason why they shouldn't give an extra charge for the flight. Though, I have a much more reasonable approach:

"If an overweight passenger boards a full plane, they must pay for a second seat or wait for a less full plane. At which point, if a less full plane is available later in the day, they can fly with only a nominal charge to cover the few gallons of extra fuel."

Note: The airlines already charge you if your luggage is over the weight they require and you have paid for with your ticket. You have to pay extra if you want to bring 120 lb suitcase.

[EstimatedProphet]

47. Locking

No fat threads