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FAA To Large Fliers: Leave Seatbelt Extenders Home

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CaptJax

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Mar 3, 2006
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By Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

Published: 8/13/2012 7:33:02 PM

If you're a large passenger and you've been bringing your own seat belt extender to buckle yourself in on flights, the government has an order for you: Stop it.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a reminder to the airlines at the end of last month that their extenders — which add 25 inches to the length of a regular seat belt by being buckled to the ones on planes — are the only ones to be used.

But that's making some people who use or sell the extenders unhappy.

Peggy Howell, spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, says airlines often run short of extenders on a flight.

That, she says, can add to the embarrassment or frustration large passengers already face when they fly, such as being required to pay for two seats in some instances, she says. "Sometimes the airline doesn't have very many of them," Howell says. "Sometimes it's embarrassing to ask someone."

Many companies have long sold extenders for about $50 to $80. But the FAA said in its notice that it's concerned they may not be inspected and maintained as well as those the airlines use.

The agency said they "should not be used," even ones marketed as "FAA-approved" or "FAA-safe."

Bill Fabrey, proprietor at Amplestuff.com, which has been selling extenders for 15 years, says he gets his extenders from the same manufacturer that the airlines use — and with an FAA certificate.

But the FAA says it's also concerned about the maintenance of personal belts, which can become stretched and less effective after a jolt.

"The maintenance issue is kind of silly," says Tim Barry, a former pilot who describes himself as a "fanatic" about safety and "also fat." "What do you maintain on a seat belt?"

In addition to potentially embarrassing large passengers, some of them say, the FAA's order risks slowing flight departures and inconveniencing other passengers, too.

Barry, who's president of Intelligent Technologies, which has sold thousands of extenders during the past decade to passengers, charter operators and small airlines through Extend-Its.com, recalls a flight out of Boston a few years ago when attendants feared running out of extenders.

If they had run out, he says, any passengers who weren't strapped in would have had to leave the plane.

"It was one of those freaky nights when they had a lot of big people on the plane," he says.
 
But how will the Delta Stews be able to commute to work????
 
I have to say that every time I finish a duty roster and go home for two weeks, it takes less time to get over jetlag than it takes from the fat people shock!
 
Quote: Peggy Howell, spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, says airlines often run short of extenders on a flight.

That, she says, can add to the embarrassment or frustration large passengers already face when they fly, such as being required to pay for two seats in some instances, she says. "Sometimes the airline doesn't have very many of them," Howell says. "Sometimes it's embarrassing to ask someone."

The embarrassment should come from lacking self control and taking no pride in personal appearance. Having an organization to accept obesity is dead wrong. Obesity kills as many as does smoking. Obese people can't live a normal life, can"t do things most people do, they have higher rates of illness and and joint pain and replacement, and this is what the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance endorses by their misguided charter. Lose the weight, throw away the belt extenders and start to live a full, active life in helping others instead of being a burden to others.
 
Sometimes the airline doesn't have very many of them," usually because "large passengers" have snuck them into thier handbag and walked off the plane with them.
At 70$ a pop FA's have too keep a watch on them and risk embarrassing "large Pax" even more when they have to ask for them back.
 
most that are sold on the net are stolen from most all the airlines If passengers are that large they should be charged for the belt as a fee instead of the airlines paying to replace them just saying
 
Many companies have long sold extenders for about $50 to $80. But the FAA said in its notice that it's concerned they may not be inspected and maintained as well as those the airlines use.

The agency said they "should not be used," even ones marketed as "FAA-approved" or "FAA-safe."
Doesn't this set a precedent for banning our personal TSO'd headsets since the operator doesn't have a maintenance program for them?

It's the law of unintended consequences...
 
Doesn't this set a precedent for banning our personal TSO'd headsets since the operator doesn't have a maintenance program for them?

It's the law of unintended consequences...


I lke where you are going with this. I cannot actively maintain my headset and it may get dropped from time to time. I think the airline is going to have to supply and maintain my headset.
 

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