Thin flier: Southwest booted me for overweight teen

[Palmtree Pilot]

I fly back and forth between Korea and the US. Sitting in the terminals in Korea, you can count 50 people before you see someone overweight (and it's usually a tubby American tourist). In the States, you go 50 people before you see someone isn't waddling.

I'm definitely going with Nurture over Nature on this one. [/END RANT]

This is mostly true by my observations also, BUT I have also started noticing something else. The large cities all over the Asia that have adopted the Western way of life are loaded with fat asians. Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong are the ones that come to mind first. China's large cities are loaded with KFC, McDonald's, Burger Kings and Starbucks on every other corner. Most of those places use sugar as a main ingredient.

PtP

 

[Whine Lover]

That would never have happened at UsAirways.

An East guy would have...then the West guy should have/would have but then the Wicked Witch of The East and the broom...the water, then the melting...and Doug Parker..and, and, and,.....

 

[waveflyer]

Hamburger-
can you tell me what prednisone is and list the diseases it is prescribed to treat?

Insecurity takes a lot of forms...

 

[glasspilot1]

With all the time we spend in airports we get to observe lots of people. One basic thing I have noticed is how pax occupy their time waiting for their flights. Skinny to normal people use the time to read a book or paper or work on their computers. Obese people stuff their face. Just watch the gate areas next time you're at the airport!

 

[Benjamin Dover]

So let me get this straight... The fat guy bought two seats (in advance), to ensure he was in compliance with Southwest's "size" policy. The skinny bi-atch walked up at the last minute and paid extra to stand-by for an earlier flight. The flight went full (every seat paid for) and she's upset that she didn't get on. Would she have been calling the media to whine if the "spare" seat had been a young couple with a baby in a car seat (that they paid for)?

I say way to go Southwest!!! (no sarcasm intended...). You guys that are slamming SW crack me up. The guy knew he was "oversized" and did the right thing -- bought 2 seats. I can see being upset had she been bumped because he spilled into a second seat without paying for it. But, he paid for the second seat. Plain and simple. It was his. Period.

As for the weight loss thing, it is all, 100%, absolutely, totally lifestyle. Period. The genetics argument is crap. It is a cop-out. My parents are heavy. I was heavy (388 to be exact). Now, I ain't heavy (172-175 to be exact, and kept it off for the last 2 years). I eat healthy and get my lazy rear end to the gym for a 3-4 mile run 3 days a week. As someone said, it is simple -- more calories in than out, you gain weight. More calories out than in, you lose weight. It can be done. It just takes work, discipline, and a good support network (and no fast-food or soda -- diet or regular, as those are the death of American society).

Dude,

Too many Jagerbombs? "Let me get this straight?" Um, yeah,

The large "dude" did not buy two seats. This "dude" was a 14 year old UM.

The thin lady who got bumped was not a non-rev, she was a paying customer who paid more $ due to the fare difference to standby for the flight. She was on the plane in her seat before large UM boarded. UM showed up last minute and agents decided to board the UM and remove said thin standby pax so as not to embarras UM.

So, much misinformation here. "Standby" does not always mean "nonrev". COS (customer of size) does not always mean they bought two seats. In fact, rarely does it mean this.

Probably a good call by agent. I'm sure they refunded the fare diff. they just charged the standby thin lady for and put her back on original flight, and avoided issue with 14 year old who has many more issues to deal with I am sure.

But, this became a news story for one reason - the inconvenienced displaced passenger made it one.

Say what you want about diet and genetics, but how about some basic empathy, espcecially for a young teen in a difficult situation? That's the sad part about this story.

 

[Hamburger]

Hamburger-
can you tell me what prednisone is and list the diseases it is prescribed to treat?

Insecurity takes a lot of forms...

This stuff?

Didn't see anything in there about it being able to alter the fundamental laws of conservation of mass.

Thinking people should take responsibility for the consequences of their actions and not having time to listen to all sorts of excuses why 'it's not their fault' makes me insecure? Please.

Being Overweight is OPTIONAL. That's all there is to it. How about you tell me about one overweight person on the entire planet that is not able to lose weight if they want to.

 

[scoreboardII]

I heard that everything was fine until the thin Biatch called the kid fat to her face and made her cry. Thats when thin biatch was removed from the aircraft. Not because she couldn't sit in the seat.

 

[waveflyer]

Yeah it absolutley does. Why are you concerned about what other people are doing wrong instead of what YOU are?

Why would you argue for your right to look down on anyone for anything as innocuous as being overweight- think they don't know?
it's an easy target and it says a lot about someone if they judge them. You're 'trying' to make yourself feel better- maybe you should concentrate on that- find out why overweight people bother you and stop making excuses for your lack of empathy.

"be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle"- Plato

 

[waveflyer]

From your own site-
you really think this list of side effects wouldn't make most people gain weight?
What side effects can this medication cause?
Prednisone may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
headache
dizziness
difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
inappropriate happiness
extreme changes in mood
changes in personality
bulging eyes
acne
thin, fragile skin
red or purple blotches or lines under the skin
slowed healing of cuts and bruises
increased hair growth
changes in the way fat is spread around the body
extreme tiredness
weak muscles
irregular or absent menstrual periods
decreased sexual desire
heartburn
increased sweating
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
vision problems
eye pain, redness, or tearing
sore throat, fever, chills, cough, or other signs of infection
seizures
depression
loss of contact with reality
confusion
muscle twitching or tightening
shaking of the hands that you cannot control
numbness, burning, or tingling in the face, arms, legs, feet, or hands
upset stomach
vomiting
lightheadedness
irregular heartbeat
sudden weight gain
shortness of breath, especially during the night
dry, hacking cough
swelling or pain in the stomach
swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
difficulty breathing or swallowing
rash
hives
itching
Prednisone may slow growth and development in children. Your child's doctor will watch his or her growth carefully. Talk to your child's doctor about the risks of giving prednisone to your child.
Prednisone may increase the risk that you will develop osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking prednisone and about things that you can do to decrease the chance that you will develop osteoporosis.
Some patients who took prednisone or similar medications developed a type of cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking prednisone.
Prednisone may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

It's a steroid. Think about that.
IOW- you don't know anyone's personal struggles- you shouldn't assume and you shouldn't judge- if you actually cared - you'd accept them and lead by example and encourage occasionally.

 

[Ty Webb]

At least a quarter of the teens and adults in the Concourse are seriously overweight . . . I would bet that the majority of them have a health problem caused by obesity, not obesity caused by a health problem.

Prednisolone, by the way, is very helpful for reducing pain and inflammation from a herniated or ruptured disc. Usually, a 5-day treatment will resolve the inflammation, sometimes even after just a day or two.

 

[waveflyer]

Agreed Ty-
I'm a huge advocate for exercise- Productive healing exercise everyday- and live it everyday-
my point is against the contempt some have against overweight people-
I just don't get that. Would love to understand actually.

I don't make excuses- but I do look at things systemically- as processed and sugary foods have gotten cheaper through a complicit govt that chooses to ignore the science- people have gotten fatter- it's no mystery to me when healthy foods are 2-3 times as expensive as unhealthy food-
I'm sure I'll be called names- but I'm absolutely in favor of taxing the absolute hell out of unhealthy foods and using it to subsidize healthy food- people will always do what's in their own short term best interests- make it cheap and the long term will be a fitter more productive citizenry-

 

[Hamburger]

Yeah it absolutley does. Why are you concerned about what other people are doing wrong instead of what YOU are?

Here's the thing, mr. high and mighty............ I never said being overweight was 'wrong'. YOU are the one who just said that.

I merely said it was optional.

I couldn't care less how much you or anyone else weighs.

If an overweight person enjoys being overweight...great, good for them. If an overweight person doesn't like being overweight, it is entirely within their power to change that. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. Let's stop pretending that's not the case.

It's not overweight people that bother me. It's people who make up excuses instead of taking responsibility for the consequences of their own actions.

 

[Kalifornia]

I disagree that overweight/obese people don't affect others with their actions. Airline seats are a classic example as in this case. Trains, planes, automobiles, theater seats, etc. Someone extra hefty takes up extra room in confined spots and in dense areas that is a very real issue. Health care costs are on a never ending climb up and there's multiple reasons, but surely the un-healthly lifestyles is a big chunk of those rising costs. For the pilot profession, I'd put being super sized as a pilot in uniform walking in the terminal on par with walking with a wrinkled stained uniform - not looking professional. Brings the entire profession down a peg in general.

Not that it should lead to mean spirited condemnation. Just not a fan of the pretend it's not a serious correctable issue. Personally, I have had a couple times in my life where I became 10-15 pounds overweight, someone said something and I was very thankful for the motivation to slim right back down through hard work and effort.

 

[Ty Webb]

as processed and sugary foods have gotten cheaper through a complicit govt that chooses to ignore the science- people have gotten fatter- it's no mystery to me when healthy foods are 2-3 times as expensive as unhealthy food . . . . I'm absolutely in favor of taxing the absolute hell out of unhealthy foods and using it to subsidize healthy food--

Sign me up, too. I stopped eating "factory-made food" years ago.

 

[waveflyer]

Yeah- I know I'm coming across high and mighty- but to be honest, I struggle with it-
like Kali said- I'm not on the fence- I believe it's serious self abuse (ie - wrong)and 100% correctable- I just don't get getting mad at them for it- I've never met a fat person who wanted to be fat- and I think we have agreed to a lot of things food supply wise that is only making it harder to be healthy-
I also feel grateful that I have the financial means and time to cook and eat healthy- I've prioritized that- but I'm still grateful- I've had times where I had to eat Raman