Man forced to stand on 7 hr. flight due to obese neighbor.

[Audley Strange]

Damn Civil Rights Act keeping companies from discriminating

not at all. They discriminated against one customer for the benefit of another. (Perhaps the cabin crew were on a cut of the food and drink consumed by the passengers?)

[Drewish]

Damn Civil Rights Act keeping companies from discriminating

not at all. They discriminated against one customer for the benefit of another. (Perhaps the cabin crew were on a cut of the food and drink consumed by the passengers?)

Letting 400+ pound people on the plain isn't discriminating. They're treating them equally to all other passengers. I'm saying that they should be discriminating against them, but there are possible legal issues with doing so. If there were an airline that banned people weighing over 300 pounds form flying with them, I'd fly with them exclusively.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Is it discriminatory to make them pay for two seats?

[Azathoth]

It could be easily sorted by a narrow gate at check in. If you don't fit through you have to buy another seat

[Gawdzilla Sama]

It could be easily sorted by a narrow gate at check in. If you don't fit through you have to buy another seat

Or the fact that if you occupy more than one seat you have to pay more than one fare could be clearly stated when purchasing a ticket.

[Audley Strange]

Is it discriminatory to make them pay for two seats?

Perhaps if we are considering obese people "disabled" the airlines should have a responsibility to provide a few "extra room" seats for the obese, if they declare they are so and if they are all sold out they have to get on the next available flight and turn them away if they have not declared so. You know like mothers with prams are on buses? There is only so much alloted room. The only problem I could see with that is some obese person thinking they are Rosa Parks and bitching they should be allowed to sit anywhere.

[Drewish]

Is it discriminatory to make them pay for two seats?

Yes, but it's also a very good idea from a business (and I would also argue a moral) perspective.

[Schneibster]

Is it discriminatory to make them pay for two seats?

Good question.

I had to sit next to a college nosetackle on a flight from Paris to San Francisco. I am not a small guy either but this dude was enormous. Luckily he was a nice guy and didn't have any hygiene problems. Poor guy. It must have been a bitch getting over there, too.

The plain fact of the matter is someone's gonna get screwed here. The overweight guy, the underweight guy, or the airline.

Back when people gave a shit about their companies and companies gave a shit about their image, the airline would have taken care of this. They don't do that anymore. Now they stand and watch to see whether you're gonna put up with it.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

So, what would the situation have been if the airplane had hit a pocket and bounced the standee around, killing him. Who would be at fault there?

[Audley Strange]

So, what would the situation have been if the airplane had hit a pocket and bounced the standee around, killing him. Who would be at fault there?

The airline failed to provide him with the seat he paid for. So it would be the airlines fault. I'm pretty sure there must be laws about making sure passengers on a plane are seated for safety reasons.

[Svartalf]

So, what would the situation have been if the airplane had hit a pocket and bounced the standee around, killing him. Who would be at fault there?

The airline, for not adequately providing for his safety. He SHOULD have been in his sit, and it was their fault no proper accomodations were made when it became apparent that the seating arrangements they had made were not practical.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Nobody thinks the fat guy would have liability for forcing the standee out of his seat?

[Tyrannical]

Fatties that don't fit in one seat are supposed to buy two seats.
If you need two seats, you have to pay for two seats.

[Audley Strange]

Nobody thinks the fat guy would have liability for forcing the standee out of his seat?

Certainly not me.

{edit to add} He would only have liability if it was a pulbic place or a place he owned. As both are customers and the plane is a private business, it comes under professional liability every time. Another one of my many talents was years in corporate insurance claims.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Nobody thinks the fat guy would have liability for forcing the standee out of his seat?

Certainly not me.

{edit to add} He would only have liability if it was a pulbic place or a place he owned. As both are customers and the plane is a private business, it comes under professional liability every time. Another one of my many talents was years in corporate insurance claims.

If he pushed the guy out in front of a bus, would he be liable? Yes. If he did it accidentally, maybe less so. But he deprived the guy of his seat, he should have some liability.