A new debate is raging about overweight airline passengers. An American Airlines flight attendant allegedly took this photo, which sparked a firestorm:
Current airline policies vary in regards to overweight passengers—some suggest buying two seats, others don’t say anything for fear of discrimination lawsuits. Coming from a larger-than-average family, I feel for the guy. The prospect of having to pay double every time you fly is a daunting one. And if my 130-pound frame feels cramped in coach, I can only imagine his discomfort. But for me, what it comes down to is safety. In the event of an emergency landing, this passenger would likely find it difficult to exit quickly, delaying the safe evacuation of everyone behind him. He can’t be seated in the larger exit rows because federal law restricts them to able bodied passengers.
The second issue is one of convenience. The poor sap next to him paid for a full seat but likely ends up wedged into one-third of that space once the armrest is raised and his seatmate slaps on that seatbelt extender. So as much as I hate to place financial burdens on anyone in the current climate, it seems reasonable, as a commenter on this aviation blog suggests, to expect larger passengers to pay for an additional seat with the option of getting a refund for that seat in the event that the plane is not full. As obesity continues to rise, however, airlines will have to take additional measures to address larger passengers, which may mean adding rows with special seating to accommodate them (with accompanying higher fares) and adjusting the size of the emergency exits to reflect the passengers who might be using them.
I don’t agree with businesses discriminating against anyone — if it is something beyond their control, such as gender, race, age, etc. I don’t consider obesity to be something beyond someone’s control. And, as mentioned above, being obese could potentially be a safety concern and unfair to other passengers. And I just don’t find it discrimination to tell a person over a certain weight that they have to purchase two seats or pay extra. For most people, obesity is a choice that someone makes. Don’t think that I’m judging anyone for their choices — I’m not a liberal, and I don’t think anyone should be mandated to be healthy. If someone wants to stuff their face with Krispy Kremes and Big Macs every day, then that’s their perogative. They still need to realize, however, that that choice will have consequences. This could potentially be one of them. And it isn’t as if an overweight person couldn’t plan their way around it, either. If someone who was overweight knew they had to travel to visit family in a year, for example, they would have plenty of time to start dieting and exercising to try to lose some weight before they fly. It isn’t like obesity is a condition that someone cannot control.
What do you think? Should obese fliers have to pay more, or is it discrimination?
Rob Farrington says: Yes, it’s perhaps discrimination technically, but it’s justifiable discrimination.
People don’t have the right to expect to pay for only one seat when they’re effectively taking up two seats, nor do they have a right to expect the airlines to put their personal feelings above the safety of the passengers.
Chris in NC says: Hell yes, charge by the pound. That way it’s fair.
Cassy, My issue had been those airlines that have rules for this like Southwest are vague about their policies. For instance Southwest has some guidelines but then states it’s at the discretion of the gate agent. If an airline is going to have this policy it should be defined with physical measurements or proportions so that travelers can make arraignments before showing up at the airport. It is embarrassing to the traveler and places them in a tough position when the policies are not strictly defined. Beyond that it is the airlines choice to make their rules. Just be transparent about the rules and don’t leave them up to the whims of a gate agent. I think we have all experienced jerk gate agent at least once in our traveling lifetime.
liz says: Hell, yeah, charge by volume. I’m a relatively small person, 5’3″ and 130 lbs. and I would like to have a little more legroom so I do feel for larger people and think airlines need to provide more space for each flier. Even with the armrest down though, I often have people spilling over into my seat. Last time I flew, I was sharing part of my 6’1″ son’s seat which didn’t make him very happy. The guy next to me tried hard to stay in his seat but when he fell asleep, his arm would relax and I’d have his very large elbow in my lap.
Charge extra for stadium seats too. We have season tickets for football at a Big Ten University and a family of four very large people are next to us. My husband is also relatively small but we just spent our fall being crunched at football games. They blame it on those fixed seats with backs that you can rent that are permanently mounted on your seats which are on the other side of them. We’re getting them next year so our space will be staked out.
I’m no nanny-stater who wants to legislate how much or what people eat but they need to pay for their space. I live in a big house by choice and pay more for the privilege so it’s kind of the same thing — pay for what you occupy.
I have to pay fifty bucks if one of my bags is over fifty pounds, I don’t see a problem with charging passengers per pound either.
I’m 6’3″, 200 plus pounds, but I fit in one seat from side to side.
It is most unpleasant to be forced to fly next to someone spilling over their seat onto yours. Grossly obese people should have to buy two seats.
sonja says: I’m not terribly large (Aussie size 16), and even I had trouble with cattle-class seats. They need to be larger, no questions asked.
As to the rest: It is discriminatory. That can’t be argued, because a person is being forced into something they may not want to do simply because of one of their traits.
That said, I’m not 100% sure it’s entirely wrong of them to do it.
Justin says: If you want to be fat, that’s fine. Free country.
But don’t expect other people to go out of the way to accommodate you obesity. Once it starts to cause problems, expect to pay for the consequences. Don’t want to pay double on flights? Lose some weight.
mj says: The guy in the photo to illustrate the story is posing a safety hazard for other passengers both by blocking the aisle and also making it impossible for those seated next to him to exit. There is probably no way to safely accommodate someone of that size, short of making special seats.
While I understand that pretending not to notice is accepted as politeness, making someone that large pay for two seats would not really even address the problem. The problem is not really the comfort of other passengers.
Larry Sheldon says: I very rarely fly anymore–among the reasons I don’t is that the seats were too small for me when I was a normal weight–no that I’ve put on way more weight than I should have I would have trouble by myself.
With out that guy sitting (more or less) next to me.
I think the regs have been wrong for a long long time. Before they started sizing seats for a size zero teenager, I have thought that the passenger and his baggage should be weighted, and the price determined by the total.
Then the airline could parcel out seats amnd baggage space to accommodate the travelers they have argreed to carry.
What is almost funny is when 1,000 pounds of passenger in three packages shows up for the same steeerage row,.
Scott says: Ronald Reagan argued against passing Medicare because he saw it as the first step to the government taking over healthcare. And once that happens, he argued, the government will not only ration healthcare by telling doctors where they can practice, who and what can or can’t be treated, and so forth, but it would not be long before the government began regulating every aspect of your health, including diet. Smart man, that Reagan.
They’re already toying with a soda tax. Other foods the government deems unhealthy will also be taxed. Fat people like the guy in that photo will be fined for being overweight. Waistlines are already regulated in Japan. Those who don’t measure up are counseled and otherwise shamed into losing weight. I bet within 5 years of the government takeover of healthcare a similar policy in the U.S. will emerge.
http://www.nationalledger.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=26&num=21070
So, in the coming socialist utopia, where Big Brother decides how much you can weigh and what you can eat, whether fattys should buy one seat or two will be a moot point. Fattys will either be regulated out of existence, or if they are fat they will pay a very heavy price. I have no doubt that guy will be required to pay for two seats. But it won’t be because of a policy by the airline. It will be a government penalty for being fat.
lazlo says: I don’t think charging more for big folks is nanny state stuff; provided they make seating available for those with girth issues.
I like a hot shower. I pay for the privilege. Nobody oversees my gas bill. If you want to be as big as a house, pay for it.
Most planes were built back before we banished smoking (illustrated by the ash trays in the seat arms) so its a measure of our expansion how we fit into seats made for 1960’s America. Letting a guy as big as the guy in the picture on that plane is unsafe. He not only blocks the isle, he probably wouldn’t fit out the emergency door. But on the bright side, if the plane went down on a deserted island this guy would feed about ten people for a month.
Rob Farrington says: Lazlo, personally I prefer my meat to be lean.
But needs must, I suppose *does that Hannibal Lector thing with his teeth*, although he might be more edible along with some fava beans and a nice Chianti…
Scott, exactly the same thing is happening over here on Airstrip One (formerly known as the UK) – the government is paying fake charities to lobby them about controlling through regulation and taxation how much fatty food we eat, whether or not we smoke, and how many (pulled completely out of thin air) alcohol units it’s acceptable for us to drink. It’s getting so bad here that although naturally a Conservative Party voter, I’m now tempted to join the UK’s Libertarian Party.
Mark says: Whooooooaaaa nellie, he’s a biggun’! Make that guy pay for an extra seat. Cut the compassion BS.
One question though, “How did double-wide walk down that narrow aisle?
I think the FAA should pick a method of determining ‘obesity’ and enforce it among the airlines. I think they’d have two choices: will will the passenger fit in a coach seat, or to use a BMI calculator as seen here: http://www.freebmicalculator.net/ . Problem with the calculator is it’s going to label folks obese who would fit fine in a coach seat – like myself, even back when I was 350 pounds (at 6’2″. I’m down to 250 pounds now and I still am considered obese by the calculator, though you wouldn’t say I am to look at me). A positive for using the calculator is that the ticket agent can say, ‘Well, it’s company policy and this is what the machine says…’.
Obese fliers (my wife included) should pay more! For obvious reasons, I cannot discourse any further on this.
[Here is an airline that gets the idea: flyderrie-air.com . Alas, it is a fictional airline.]
Larry Sheldon says: It occurs to me that the solution is as simple as the “Your Bag Must Fit Here” gauge at check-in.
Or the “You Must Be This Tall” ……
There are a handful of people who have health issues and have to take up more room, such as those with PCOS and pregnant women. As genetics obviously have not changed over a generation but our waistlines have, it’s obvious that most people who have obesity problems have some measure of control over the situation.
To me, it’s not a nanny-state thing; the airlines, not the government, would be regulating this. It’s a basic free-market issue: a company should give its customers what they pay for. I’ve had the misfortune of spending flights in awkward, contorted positions because the person next to me physically could not fit in a seat. Politeness isn’t going to make the seats bigger or make people healthier; having people pay more, though, will actually help one, if not both, of those situations.
lazlo says: Rob, think of the candles we could make! We could play backgammon all night for months!
As someone that was previously close to that size (but not quite as big as that guy) and who did NOT fit in one coach seat, I can say that if you don’t fit, you should definitely be required to pay for a second seat. I flew several times while larger and hated it. It was so uncomfortable that I drove from San Diego to SF twice for conferences because I wanted to avoid flying.
When I did fly, I made sure to check the airline for their rules first. I actually thought that Southwest had the best overall rules (possibly gate attendant issues aside). At the time, you were required to buy a special 2nd ticket. You’d get a reserved ticket/print-out to put on the seat (yeah, it was embarrassing, but duh.. so was being that fat) and if the flight wasn’t full, you could call them up and get that 2nd ticket refunded. I could swear the old Airline shows on Bravo (or whatever) that followed SW people around continually showed them following the same guidelines: Either the seat arm goes all the way down, or you buy another seat.
A group of us flew to Houston then Austin once on Delta. Their policy sucked. They basically ignored size or fitting into seats completely, and I had our dept secretary check up front. On the way to Texas my boss and I were wedged together. For the flight home, I went out of my way to upgrade to 1st class (which, surprisingly really didn’t cost much because the flight wasn’t booked up) which was a lot more comfortable. I still had to ask for the extender belt though, that sucked.
Chris in NC says: Dang, can you imagine what his carbon buttprint must be? Wow.
Mummy Barka says: I don’t care if they’re obese or if they have a parasitic twin.
You take up two seats, you pay for two seats.
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