Overweight man sues Air France over seat row

[jeffrey]

Full story here.
My question is.... Ok, I'm fat. I weigh more then the man in question. But seeing that these airlines are so weight concuss, should not my wife, who weighs only about 120 lbs, be given a discount? And should not anybody suffering from anorexia be allowed to fly free???

 

[ChrisP]

And should not anybody suffering from anorexia be allowed to fly free???

As long as they don't request any special meals, I don't see why not.



"Did he just say that?"

"Yes... yes he did"

"Well I never!"

"No, you never ever will"

 

[jonny]

When people fly, they are paying for a seat on the plane. If they take up more than one seat, they should have to pay for more than one seat. I think it's pretty simple.

 

[jeffrey]

When people fly, they are paying for a seat on the plane. If they take up more than one seat, they should have to pay for more than one seat. I think it's pretty simple.

So, if someone is anorexic and only takes up half a seat, should that person only pay half a fare?

 

[FatMan]

When people fly, they are paying for a seat on the plane. If they take up more than one seat, they should have to pay for more than one seat. I think it's pretty simple.

Completely agree. It isn't bias to make somebody pay for the space they take up.

And to the question on if they should give a discount to those who weigh less - technically they do. Babies under a certain size can ride in their parents arms.

 

[jonny]

So, if someone is anorexic and only takes up half a seat, should that person only pay half a fare?

Only if they are willing to share the seat with someone else.

 

[Booko]

When people fly, they are paying for a seat on the plane. If they take up more than one seat, they should have to pay for more than one seat. I think it's pretty simple.

The thing is, in the article it said the man had flown on Air France many times, and never been asked before. That's kind of curious.

And I can't think of any excuse for the humiliating things that were said to him, or measuring his waistline in public.

A good friend of mine is morbidly obese, and she just always upgrades to first class, where the seats are bigger. It's cheaper than 2 seats in coach, and she prefers the better service.

 

[jeffrey]

When people fly, they are paying for a seat on the plane. If they take up more than one seat, they should have to pay for more than one seat. I think it's pretty simple.

Or, lets say my wife agrees to sit on my lap, can she ride free? We are only taking up one seat, is that not fair also?

 

[FatMan]

And I can't think of any excuse for ..... measuring his waistline in public.

That just a sensitivity issue. Do people get upset or embarrassed when their luggage is measured or weighed??

Technically - the rules are spelled out. It's hard for me to side with the guy who is overweight because frankly, I've sat in rows like that and have had to endure being crunched for multiple hours.

 

[jonny]

Or, lets say my wife agrees to sit on my lap, can she ride free? We are only taking up one seat, is that not fair also?

It might be fair, but I think that there are probably some regulations about that (the seatbelt thing would cause an issue, for instance). It's not really in the best interest of the airlines either. Charging overweight people who take up more than one seat is in the best interest of the airline.

 

[jonny]

The thing is, in the article it said the man had flown on Air France many times, and never been asked before. That's kind of curious.

And I can't think of any excuse for the humiliating things that were said to him, or measuring his waistline in public.

A good friend of mine is morbidly obese, and she just always upgrades to first class, where the seats are bigger. It's cheaper than 2 seats in coach, and she prefers the better service.

My understanding is that the airlines usually only enforce the rule if the plane is full. I didn't read the article, but humiliating him in public is unacceptable. He should have been taken aside in private and dealt with.

 

[jonny]

It's hard for me to side with the guy who is overweight because frankly, I've sat in rows like that and have had to endure being crunched for multiple hours.

That's why it's in the best interest of the airline to have them pay for two seats. It keeps the other passengers, who shouldn't have to deal with the problem, from having to deal with the problem.

 

[PureX]

No one has mentioned that over the years the airlines have been installing smaller and smaller seats so as to fit more of them in a plane. Meanwhile, the general public (even the French) have been getting bigger. Not just heavier, but taller and more broad.

Once again corporate greed rears it's ugly head, and the consumer has to pay for it. I think everyone on the plane should have put up a ruckus in the passenger's defense, until the airline was humiliated, instead of the passenger. But for some reason, we (the public) never do that. Instead, we'll stand there and watch our fellow passenger be humiliated when we all know they've been installing smaller seats in their planes. Sad, sad, sad.

 

[Booko]

That just a sensitivity issue. Do people get upset or embarrassed when their luggage is measured or weighed??

I am not a piece of luggage. And yes, LOTS of people who are fat, and especially women, get hell every day for it, and to add this additional thing is unnecessary and unkind (to put it mildly).

Technically - the rules are spelled out. It's hard for me to side with the guy who is overweight because frankly, I've sat in rows like that and have had to endure being crunched for multiple hours.

I don't have a hard time with their policy, for the reason you state. It's the couple of other things in the story that bother me more.

Personally, I've had more difficulty with suits who pay no attention to where their elbows are, and think they should get all the armrests and part of my space as well. Well, I happen to have a sizeable bosom, and even when I was rail thin I couldn't hardly put my elbows against my ribcage. Now I'm 45 pounds overweight, there ain't no hope. I need as much elbow room as barrel-chested men do, and there's enough if we share. I always get a window or aisle seat, and then I'm guaranteed at least one armrest, which is enough.

So I see exactly what you're saying about being crunched.

 

[Buttercup]

That just a sensitivity issue. Do people get upset or embarrassed when their luggage is measured or weighed??

Sensitivity issue? If someone tried to measure my waist in pubic, I'd deck 'em! Measuring someone is completely disrespectful done in private or public.

 

[jacquie4000]

When people fly, they are paying for a seat on the plane. If they take up more than one seat, they should have to pay for more than one seat. I think it's pretty simple.
___________________________

I agree

Or, lets say my wife agrees to sit on my lap, can she ride free? We are only taking up one seat, is that not fair also?

Well of course not for safety reasons.

And although babies ride for free, It makes sense to purchase them a ticket, put them in their car seat and strap them in. It is safer and I am sure at one point the Airlines will make this a rule as well.

 

[jeffrey]

That just a sensitivity issue. Do people get upset or embarrassed when their luggage is measured or weighed??

Technically - the rules are spelled out. It's hard for me to side with the guy who is overweight because frankly, I've sat in rows like that and have had to endure being crunched for multiple hours.

I'm 6'3" and weigh 400 lbs. The last time I flew, I put my kids on each side of me. You talk about it being uncomfortable for you, what about us? Do you think I enjoy sitting there, sucking up as much as i can, trying my best to be as little as possible, not moving, breathing a little as I can, just to make your trip more comfortable? All the time having to put up with the jokes and the snears from others like yourself, just because the airlines cannot make the seats jut a tad bit wider, so they can cram a few more people on the plane and make a few more dollars.... Guess that is why it has been 20 years since I stepped on an airplane. I would rather walk then put up with the ridicule that "Christians" put you through.

 

[FatMan]

I would rather walk then put up with the ridicule that "Christians" put you through.

In what sense is this an issue of Christianity?? It is an issue of comfort. I don't have ridicule for those who are larger. It isn't their fault that the airlines have small seats, I just happen to agree that if someone is too large to fit in a seat that they have to purchase two.

I also don't see how the airlines can measure somebody in private seeing that they can pat me down and search me in the same area. Keep in mind, that most people aren't going to poke fun at somebody because they got measured.

 

[FatMan]

No one has mentioned that over the years the airlines have been installing smaller and smaller seats so as to fit more of them in a plane. Meanwhile, the general public (even the French) have been getting bigger. Not just heavier, but taller and more broad.

Once again corporate greed rears it's ugly head, and the consumer has to pay for it. I think everyone on the plane should have put up a ruckus in the passenger's defense, until the airline was humiliated, instead of the passenger. But for some reason, we (the public) never do that. Instead, we'll stand there and watch our fellow passenger be humiliated when we all know they've been installing smaller seats in their planes. Sad, sad, sad.

The way I look at it is that blaming corporate greed is just a lazy way of not tackling the issue.

You want larger seats? start an airline. Guess what, with the costs of an airline these days, you will lose money. Don't want small seats - take alternate forms of transportation. Sure, it will take you days longer to do, but there are always alternatives available.

Corporate greed is bad - but look at the financial situation of the airline industry. It isn't greed at work, it's merely survival.

 

[michel]

It might be fair, but I think that there are probably some regulations about that (the seatbelt thing would cause an issue, for instance). It's not really in the best interest of the airlines either. Charging overweight people who take up more than one seat is in the best interest of the airline.

I guess there is some sense in that - after all, if a musician wants to take his musical instrument (Guitar, Cello, whatever) into the cabin, he has to pay for an extra seat.

With global warming, fuel has got to be kept to a minimum on all flights......the heavier the plane, the more fuel it uses.

However, the way they treated the guy was abhorrent.