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SWA under fire for obesity policy

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Do you think "people of size" should buy 2 tickets?

  • Yes

    Votes: 128 96.2%
  • No

    Votes: 5 3.8%

  • Total voters
    133

flydog

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2001
Posts
542
Southwest under fire for making 'people of size' buy two tickets

By DAVID KOENIG
Associated Press
Posted June 20 2002, 7:04 AM EDT

DALLAS -- Southwest Airlines is under fire for its policy of charging overweight passengers for two tickets if they spill over into their neighbor's seat.

The airline said it is trying to provide a comfortable flight for travelers seated next to large passengers.

``We sell seats, and if you consume more than one seat, you have to buy more than one seat,'' said Beth Harbin, a Southwest spokeswoman.

Advocates for the obese are outraged.

``It's just discriminatory and it's mean-spirited,'' said Morgan Downey, executive director of the American Obesity Association. ``This is singling out a group that's been very heavily stigmatized rather than making some accommodations in their cabins.''

Downey, whose group has not received specific complaints about the airline's policy, said Southwest and other carriers should make wider seats because Americans are getting larger; the Centers for Disease Control estimates that more than one-fourth of Americans are obese.

Southwest, whose seats are 18¾ inches wide, does not weigh or measure passengers. Ticket agents can ``make a judgment call'' and ask an obese person whether he or she usually takes up more than one seat, Harbin said. If the answer is yes, the person is asked to buy two seats.

The second seat costs the same as the original fare, unless the passenger is a walk-up customer paying the highest price. In that case, the second ticket is discounted, Harbin said. The passenger can get a refund later if the flight is not sold out, the airline spokeswoman said.

Southwest said there is nothing new in its handling of obese passengers. Harbin said the carrier has followed the same policy since 1980, although employees were reminded of the policy as the carrier began switching this week to a new automated boarding pass instead of its old, familiar plastic passes.

Several other carriers have similar policies, including Houston-based Continental and Fort Worth-based American, which requires purchase of a second seat for customers who ``protrude extensively into an adjacent seat.'' Northwest Airlines allows the passenger to buy the second seat at the same price paid for the first seat rather than a more expensive last-minute rate.

``That's a compromise, and we're coming quite a ways with that. It's a very difficult issue,'' said Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch.

Delta does not require obese passengers to buy a second ticket and tries to handle complaints by moving passengers to empty seats or other flights, a spokeswoman said. United also does not require purchase of a second ticket, a spokesman said.

Southwest said its double-ticket policy on obese passengers was prompted by complaints from other travelers. Harbin, the airline spokeswoman, said nine out of 10 letters to customer service come from passengers who were crowded by large neighbors.

The airlines said they don't know how many times an obese passenger is required to buy two tickets, but they consider it rare.

Downey said his group was considering legal action or asking Congress to prohibit the two-ticket policy. ___
 
As I can somewhat sympathize with those few who will need to pay for a second seat (based on the airlines regulations) because I find my self stuffed into coach seats and I only weight about 210 lbs. If I wanted to be more comfy on a flight and wanted to stretch out I would expect to PAY for that EXTRA seat I want to USE. Its called first class. And as a paying customer in coach, I don't want someones elbow laying in my lap.

Only real problem with this whole thing is when was the last time you bought two tickets and the ticket agent at the gate tells you ther are not TWO seats togther even though you bought the tickets together 2 months prior?

I can see the arguement at the gate now:

Ticket agent: "Sir (ma'am) I am sorry but I will have to charge you for two seats but I'm gonna have to split you up. "

p.s. I know.,I know, SWA doesn't have First Class....
 
The svelt people are totally missing the upside here, two seats means two (2) bags of peanuts. Go baby.
 
Obesity is a severe disability. Other disabled people may require someone to care for them if they were to fly, also requiring two seats. It can also be seen as a courtesy service provided to the average traveler. How else would they remedy this problem, add larger seats in the 737's to an amount that reflects the percentage of obese citizens of the United States?
 
Goffer said:
Obesity is a severe disability. Other disabled people may require someone to care for them if they were to fly, also requiring two seats. It can also be seen as a courtesy service provided to the average traveler. How else would they remedy this problem, add larger seats in the 737's to an amount that reflects the percentage of obese citizens of the United States?

So about half the seats then eh?
 
At my airline, and pleanty of others, we can't carry HAZMAT. This means we can't carry pax that require the continuous use of oxygen. Are we discriminating against them? No. The line has to be drawn somewhere. You do your best to accomodate everyone, but there is only so much you can do.
 
I can see it now... An airline seat next to the ticket counter with rigid armrests. If you fit, you fly with one ticket. Otherwise you buy two. Talk about humiliating! I'm all for it, but I just can't see it put into practice without obese people crying discrimination and suing the crap out of everyone involved.
 
Well if we do that we've got to make fares half-price for anorexics, right? It's the same argument, isn't it?
 
I personally agree with SW's decision. Proportionately challenged people should be charged extra when they spill into my seating area. I have been wedged between Big (in seat 8a) and Bigger (in seat 8c) too many times. This makes for a very uncomfortable flight.

Bravo Southwest. Hopefully the other airlines follow suit.
 

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