Too Fat to Fly

[devogue]

I would be fucking pissed off If I had paid a massive surcharge for a few extra KGs of luggage to find I was sat next to that blimp !

But what cost a seat beside a grumpy Scot?

[Seth]

I would be fucking pissed off If I had paid a massive surcharge for a few extra KGs of luggage to find I was sat next to that blimp !

I agree. That's why your ticket should be based on your total gross weight, you and luggage combined. At the ticket desk, you step on the scale with your carry on and checked luggage and a computer calculates the price of your surcharge/refund. You pay a base price online when booking, but with the caveat that you pay so much per pound over, and get a refund of so much per pound under a standard weight allocation.

Besides, for safety reasons, the pilot should know exactly how much his aircraft weighs at takeoff, not use the standard FAA "average person" figure (which when I was flying was 170 pounds) that they use these days. This isn't too much of a problem with airliners, but it's absolutely an issue for smaller commuter aircraft, where several accidents have been caused at least in part by overloading or improper center of gravity load distribution.

[MrJonno]

Fat people on planes are a pain, but not as bad as babies. Why or why do parents take screaming babies on planes to make my life a misery.

[maiforpeace]

Fat people on planes are a pain, but not as bad as babies. Why or why do parents take screaming babies on planes to make my life a misery.

All kinds of people on a plane are a pain...people who are sick and sneeze in your face, people who insist on talking to you even if you make it clear you don't want to, people who have really strong body odor.

I've sat next to an obese person in the past, and other than having a little more physical contact in the shoulder area, I found them to be very conscious about the space they take and even willing to lean to one side to make sure that they are sharing the armrest. Frankly, they don't bother me nearly as much as the crying babies do.

[Gallstones]

Charging for two seats seems a reasonable solution. Everybody would have enough space then.

[charlou]

I want a whole plane to myself so no-one bothers me ... except the nice attendant, to bring refreshments and foof my little neck pillow

[maiforpeace]

Charging for two seats seems a reasonable solution. Everybody would have enough space then.

It does, but for whatever reason this continues to be an issue. My feeling is that if the flight isn't full that the airline should be able to reassign the obese person to a seat that is next to an open seat.

In the past obese people have objected to having to pay for an extra seat, citing it as a form of discrimination. I do think the onus is on the obese person to ask for special accomodation ahead of time, versus arriving at the check in counter, and then get all upset and offended when the counter person tells them they need to pay for an extra seat or be assigned to another flight. I agree in this particular case the counter person for Southwest handled it badly, she should have called her manager and asked them to take care of it.

I can't demand a Kosher meal without asking for it ahead of time, it's only fair that a person who needs extra space ask for that ahead of time as well.

[Seth]

Fat people on planes are a pain, but not as bad as babies. Why or why do parents take screaming babies on planes to make my life a misery.

Because they're not allowed to ship them UPS to their destination, and you have no right not to be subjected to screaming babies in a public place. Go buy some earplugs.

[Feck]

Can we have smoking back on planes so they actually have to change the air ! .... I'd rather not catch drug resistant TB, you can all hate me for the infinitesimal risk to your health from my smoke but I sure beats coughing your lungs apart because the plane was used on a previous flight from america .

[laklak]

I think airlines should offer baby-free flights, I'd pay extra for it. Maybe fat-ass free flights too. Let the market decide.

Either that or put them in the cargo hold with the other animals.

[Seth]

In the past obese people have objected to having to pay for an extra seat, citing it as a form of discrimination.

It is discrimination. So what? Fatness is not a protected class and it's perfectly legal and in some cases appropriate to discriminate against fat people, particularly when they insist on others accommodating their obesity to the detriment of their individual rights.

There's nothing inherently wrong with discrimination, we all do it every single day. I, for example, discriminate against felons, drug dealers, drunks, pedophiles and assholes whenever I come across them, and I'm proud to do so.

The morality or ethics of discrimination depends on WHY you are discriminating.

[devogue]

Off topic, but I pissed myself laughing at this...

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

[Feck]

I don't mind babies or children on flights I would be nice not to be locked up with screaming kids ....but can I take a pocket full of valium and a bottle of vodka on the plane please , honestly I won't get air rage or nothing

[laklak]

Only if the bottle is under 3 fluid ounces.

[Feck]

Only if the bottle is under 3 fluid ounces.

Yeah that would work