Woman sues Southwest over large passengers policy

[J.Otto]

...............

 

[CaptJax]

Airbus Pitches Wide Seats As PAXS Get Bigger

This may be a partial solution for our oversized paxs:/B]


Airbus pitches wide seats as U.S. fliers get bigger
By Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY

U.S. airlines seem to be on the a constant lookout for new add-on fees. Carry-on bags, reserved seats, help from an agent by phone – those are just some of the things that come with a charge at many U.S. carriers these days.

And, now, it appears that one of the world's biggest jetmakers is trying to aid airlines in their quest for new options for add-on fees.

Airbus is pitching several U.S. airlines on the idea of an A320 jet with aisle seats that are three inches wider than the plane's other seats.

That, Airbus says, would let carriers charge customers a premium for those wider seats.

"Airlines are improving their margins by charging for bags, window seats and food," Airbus COO John Leahy says in an interview with Bloomberg News. "But what most people really want is space, and that's what we can offer. Every economy-class aisle seat would be almost as wide as a first-class seat on competing aircraft."

By appealing to U.S. airlines that are continuously seeking new ways to boost revenue, Airbus also hopes the move could better position its A320 jets against Boeing's best-selling 737, which competes head-to-head with the A320.

Bloomberg News explains:

Adding two inches to one-third of the seats in an A320 would hand U.S. airlines a marketing tool that they could target at the obese population, which has swelled to more than one- third of U.S. adults, according to Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey. Airbus has sought to win more business with U.S. airlines and ween them off the 737, which remains the world's most widely flown commercial aircraft.

Airbus is able to consider such a ploy for its A320s because its cabins are slightly wider than those on the 737. Currently, a typical 3-by-3 seating configuration on an Airbus A320 allows for three 18-inch coach seats on either side of the aisle. Boeing's comparable 3-by-3 seating arrangement on its 737s comes with 17-inch seats in coach, according to Bloomberg.

As part of the proposal Airbus is floating to the U.S. airlines, it has designed an A320 prototype that would come with 20-inch aisle seats and 17-inch seats elsewhere in the cabin.

Leahy says the roomier seats could appeal – and possibly be sold – to a wide range of fliers, such a large passenger or a parent traveling with a child.

"This will become very popular soon in a very short time," he predicts to Bloomberg.

Stay tuned…

 

[Maria]

Then you'll be reading about lawsuits for airlines charging for the wide seats to people that have disabilities that make them extra-wide. Those diseases include mymouthisopenus, couchpotatoitis, lazyasses, the hereditary cantbeproperparentandsaynototvandmcdsliosis.

 

[ultrarunner]

This is pretty friggin self-explanatory if you know how to friggin READ! Geez!

http://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/extra_seat_policy_faq.html

 

[Captain X]

I'd feel bad if she were a midget or something beyond her control to ever fix.

She's fat. If life is that awful to you there is something you can do about it.

"But I have a glaaaaaaandular condition!"

Right. And if you quit shoveling mass quantities of crap in your mouth and got off your lazy ass, your metabolic system has a funny way of self-regulating.

Obesity is sad but society's handling obese people with kid gloves just pisses me off entirely.

But at least I know there is a certain (majority) percentage of the population I can outrun when the Zombie Apocalypse hits.

 

[redflyer65]

Speaking of the Ass sizer...


I've seen them bring the passenger down to the actual plane before boarding begins to 'size' them. One employee on each side to see if they fit. It's crazy, but it's the reality of the ass sizing.

 

[Downwind]

Start selling tickets by the pound. I'd bet you'd see a dramatic reduction in the number of lardos tromping through the terminal.

 

[waveflyer]

Start selling tickets by the pound. I'd bet you'd see a dramatic reduction in the number of lardos tromping through the terminal.

Not all pounds are equal

 

[COOPERVANE]

I wish this country had a policy of charging the litigant who sues, ALL of the court costs and costs of attorney for the defendant, after this gets tossed out of course.

 

[onewithwings]

This is America. Everyone here has a right to sit and eat themselves into the 300+ club if they wish.

Do they have the "right" to impose their size on others?

I applaud SWA for having the "cajones" to enforce this policy.

I see the ACLU getting a hold of this one....could get uglier.

 

[JimNtexas]

Is it even possible for one person to reserve two seats under one name in advance, on any airline?

 

[glasspilot1]

Then you'll be reading about lawsuits for airlines charging for the wide seats to people that have disabilities that make them extra-wide. Those diseases include mymouthisopenus, couchpotatoitis, lazyasses, the hereditary cantbeproperparentandsaynototvandmcdsliosis.

To expand on Maria's post a little: I was in the store the other day; gonna buy my Cheerios or Wheaties. A overweight young mother was with her overweight toddler; she got her Coco Puffs (chocolate cereal). That child is doomed to be obese her whole life......

 

[SWA Bubba]

Is it even possible for one person to reserve two seats under one name in advance, on any airline?

Absolutely; people do it all the time on Southwest. Some because they know (and will admit to themselves) that their body takes up more than one seat, and some for other reasons, e.g. they just don't want someone next to them, or they want to put their cello there, etc.

If a COS ("Customer of Size") buys two seats, and then the plane doesn't go out full, then they just get their money back for the second seat since it wasn't needed. If the plane IS full, we keep the money for the second seat, because we would have sold it to someone else.

I think most airlines have similar policies.

Bubba

 

[SWA Bubba]

Do they have the "right" to impose their size on others?

I applaud SWA for having the "cajones" to enforce this policy.

I see the ACLU getting a hold of this one....could get uglier.

Well, that's the way SWA sees it. Most airlines do the exact same thing; we've just made the news several times over it. It seems pretty simple to me: We sell seats on a plane from point A to point B. if you take up two seats, you have to buy two seats. It's the same as a restaurant selling 8-ounce steaks. If you're still hungry and want a second one, you have to buy it; you can't just say I deserve a second one for free because I'm bigger and have a bigger appetite. We (and the restaurant) sell what the average person needs. If you want more, or need more, then you BUY more.

Bubba

 

[JimNtexas]

Absolutely; people do it all the time on Southwest....
Bubba

Thanks, I had no idea that was possible. I'm not quite up to COS class, but I fill up my seat. Your tickets are cheap enough that I may buy two seats that next time I fly Southwest.