On airplane now, large woman spilling onto me!

[pjrose]

from the blog link http://www.kenlietiggeman.com/
"...The problem I have with Southwest is not that they may want me to purchase two seats. It’s that sometimes they want that, and other times they don’t. I don’t know about you, but I fly a lot. And paying double because a gate agent may or may not have something against overweight people is not realistic…nor should it be necessary. ..."

Seems to me sometimes she has been allowed to bypass their rules, making it less costly $$$, and other times not. She is asking the airline employees to always follow their rules and make it known.

I don't see it related to whether a "gate agent may [have] something against overweight people..." - it's whether the gate agent is following policy.

I think their policy makes sense, two seats, but if the plane has extra room they'll refund the second. Sounds pretty fair to me.

We're only four posts away from the AI 2010 thread in front of us, with 479. Not that that's our goal, just FYI

PM

 

[Passepartout]

Strikes me that the inconsistent enforcement of the 'two seat rule' is a lot like the 'random inspection' button one pushes entering Mexico, or being subject to random inspection by TSA upon boarding any flight. When you get by without additional inconvenience or expense, you just feel lucky. Those who should be subject to the 'buy two seats' rule know it. This is no mystery. They should simply feel lucky when the flight doesn't cost them double and be quiet about it.

A lot like cruising past a parked cop with his radar out the window at 70 in a 55. Sometimes you just get lucky even when caught dead to rights.

Jim

 

[Ken555]

We're only four posts away from the AI 2010 thread in front of us, with 479. Not that that's our goal, just FYI

Oh, really?

 

[ampaholic]

Oh, really?

not anymore

 

[Tia]

I did not read SWA rules, just her blog where it sounded as if some gate agents let her on with no second ticket? Even if they were going to refund the cost later if flight was not full from what their rules apparently are.

The SWA rule is "Buy the 2 seats and IF plane is not full, "passenger of size" can request a FULL REFUND of the cost of the 2nd seat." Where does it say the employees should enforce the size rule at the gate consistantly? If "BB" doesn't comply, SWA may deny boarding to her to protect the other passengers from an unpleasant (and possibly unsafe) trip while she is practing being cheap.

Kevin Smith learned that lesson with just ONE bump off SWA => he also lost alot of weight after that.

 

[Rose Pink]

Strikes me that the inconsistent enforcement of the 'two seat rule' is a lot like the 'random inspection' button one pushes entering Mexico, or being subject to random inspection by TSA upon boarding any flight. When you get by without additional inconvenience or expense, you just feel lucky. Those who should be subject to the 'buy two seats' rule know it. This is no mystery. They should simply feel lucky when the flight doesn't cost them double and be quiet about it.

A lot like cruising past a parked cop with his radar out the window at 70 in a 55. Sometimes you just get lucky even when caught dead to rights.

Jim

Consider the like button activated.
I simply do not understand this woman's attitude.
I think she is miffed about being humiliated at the gate which would not have happened if she had bought the two tickets that she knew was policy. She tried to get away with something and got nabbed.

 

[geekette]

Also, she wishes the gate agent would use more discretion when pointing out her size in front of the other passengers.

Don't the other passengers already know that she is a Large Lady?

 

[vacationhopeful]

Don't the other passengers already know that she is a Large Lady?

What is clear is, she is a Passenger of Size. Don't think the 17 inch seat or the person(s) seated next to a Passenger of Size care about anything else.

 

[ScoopKona]

What is clear is, she is a Passenger of Size. Don't think the 17 inch seat or the person(s) seated next to a Passenger of Size care about anything else.

Passenger of size, indeed. Pfft.

She's morbidly obese. She's losing weight. And that's great. Good for her. I hope she sticks with it. But she's morbidly obese. Not "of size."

I'm very tall. I'm not "of size" either. Call me "of size" and I'll correct you.

We should quit beating around the bush and say what we mean. "Morbidly obese" is the correct, accurate, medical description for someone with her body mass. If morbidly obese people take offense at the term, they should take a little more exercise and eat healthier food.

I refuse to be an enabler for America's obesity crisis.

I don't think they should even receive a refund. They used two seats. They should pay for two seats -- even if the airplane isn't full. Refunding the extra ticket is akin to the healthy subsidizing the unhealthy -- which we do anyway though our insurance payments and property taxes.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I was polite and did reference her only once as BB in a prior post. :ignore:

 

[vacationhopeful]

Passenger of size, indeed. Pfft...

Passenger of Size is the term used in documents by Southwest Airlines. I would phrase it closer to your terms in face to face communications with others in a social setting involving wine.

 

[Timeshare Von]

After being away for more then two weeks, I'm surprised to see this thread still going.

 

[ampaholic]

After being away for more then two weeks, I'm surprised to see this thread still going.

Yep it just keep going and going and going ....

 

[Passepartout]

And now THIS- Overweight passengers seatbelts won't hold them

As if it isn't enough to have porky beside us paying the same as us, NOW, it's shown that their seats and seat belts won't hold them in a crash!

All the more reason to charge 'em double. Reinforced seats to protect the rest of us. Maybe put them all in first class in big seats so in a crash and the plane 'accordioning', us 'people of standard size' will have a soft cushion ahead of us in the plane!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47333720/ns/business-us_business/#.T6kaCcV52Ss

Jim

 

[Beefnot]

As if it isn't enough to have porky beside us paying the same as us, NOW, it's shown that their seats and seat belts won't hold them in a crash!

All the more reason to charge 'em double. Reinforced seats to protect the rest of us. Maybe put them all in first class in big seats so in a crash and the plane 'accordioning', us 'people of standard size' will have a soft cushion ahead of us in the plane!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47333720/ns/business-us_business/#.T6kaCcV52Ss

Jim

In a crash, the seatbelt will be the least of one's worries.

 

[Passepartout]

In a crash, the seatbelt will be the least of one's worries.

Perhaps not, but I still don't want some hippopotamus bouncing around the cabin during turbulence. Some sort of restraint and reinforced seats are needed. And by the article above, 42% of Americans will be obese in just a few years. I see it now- like in the early days of passenger travel- climb aboard the trusty DC-2 or Ford Trimotor with one seat on each side of the aisle.

Jim

 

[Tia]

“There is no regulation that says they have to test for heavier.” from the article linked below. Seems common sense, but until they are forced to or have proof guess they will avoid it! :annoyed:

As if it isn't enough to have porky beside us paying the same as us, NOW, it's shown that their seats and seat belts won't hold them in a crash!

All the more reason to charge 'em double. Reinforced seats to protect the rest of us. Maybe put them all in first class in big seats so in a crash and the plane 'accordioning', us 'people of standard size' will have a soft cushion ahead of us in the plane!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47333720/ns/business-us_business/#.T6kaCcV52Ss

Jim

 

[vacationhopeful]

Flying on American and Delta (6 different flight) in the past month, I forgot how Southwest is an equal opportunity airline for seat choices. Those First Class and Business Class seats look so nice and big and plush. With leg room and elbow room, too. Plus, those tabletop tray sections between the seats.

I had seats in the middle, window and aisle. I even TWICE had all 3 seats to myself, but 3 times, all 3 seats were occupied (full flights). Only once out of 4 times was the middle seat empty. The one bad flight was 3+ hours where I sat in a window seat and the woman infront of me smelled really BAD from purfume; told the flight male attendant that "she stank" and I was having reaction to her with trouble breathing. He did NOTHING, but said say the flight was full. The guy in the middle seat was VERY NICE TO ME - but could/would NOT comment to the flight attendant on my complaint as these 2 passengers were of the same race. It was so bad that my lips actually developed a chemical reaction rash after an hour.

Next time, I will get up immediately and bitched to all the flight attendants.

Oder can be just as bad as invading personal space on a flight.

 

[Tia]

Have a co worker who starts coughing with strong perfume/cologne near her . I hate it when I go to the gym and somebody is wearing too much cologne/perfume then gets on a machine next to me. Or even when there is a left over scent in the air after someone passes by...

...It was so bad that my lips actually developed a chemical reaction rash after an hour.

Next time, I will get up immediately and bitched to all the flight attendants.

Oder can be just as bad as invading personal space on a flight.

 

[Beefnot]

I had seats in the middle, window and aisle. I even TWICE had all 3 seats to myself, but 3 times, all 3 seats were occupied (full flights). Only once out of 4 times was the middle seat empty. The one bad flight was 3+ hours where I sat in a window seat and the woman infront of me smelled really BAD from purfume; told the flight male attendant that "she stank" and I was having reaction to her with trouble breathing. He did NOTHING, but said say the flight was full. The guy in the middle seat was VERY NICE TO ME - but could/would NOT comment to the flight attendant on my complaint as these 2 passengers were of the same race. It was so bad that my lips actually developed a chemical reaction rash after an hour.

Huh? He told you that? What did he say exactly?

 

[Passepartout]

It was so bad that my lips actually developed a chemical reaction rash after an hour.

I seem to be more sensitive to strong smells than others. My throat seems to clamp shut at the smell of smoke and strong perfume. But smelly is one thing... Corrosive is something else! I think I might have said something like, "Madam, I seem to be allergic to your perfume. Would you remove some of it for the comfort of others around you?"

Jim

 

[pjrose]

I seem to be more sensitive to strong smells than others. My throat seems to clamp shut at the smell of smoke and strong perfume. But smelly is one thing... Corrosive is something else! I think I might have said something like, "Madam, I seem to be allergic to your perfume. Would you remove some of it for the comfort of others around you?"

Jim

In the airplane's shower???

 

[vacationhopeful]

Huh? He told you that? What did he say exactly?

Lets see "do you smell anything?", answer "Uh?" with the downward looking eyes. "is that perfume really strong?", answer "Uh?" with downward eyes. Every other question, he replied with at least 15 words and follow up questions.

 

[Makai Guy]

Sorry folks, "hippopotomus" has pushed this over the edge. We're done here.