Airline Fat Tax - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes

pebitpeb · 11-24-2007, 06:54 AM

Ok, yes I also think an airline is a business and their goal is the profit made from selling seats and space. However in the world, one important factor is missing and that is we are all individuals whether we weigh 500lbs or 120lbs When someone who is heavier (most of us Americans are considered overweight by normal standards around the world), is belittled or discriminated against publicly in an airport ticket line or boarding area this is not good business conduct. If these airlines who want to make sure there is comfort for everyone on board bigger or smaller, their should be seating that accomodates all persons at reasonable costs. Another good business practice is to do it as a rule or regulation so that individuals can read and make the decision prior to being singled out infront of 100's of people in an airport. Compassion is a beautiful quality in people and this is missing in some of the businesses(businesses are people) that are all to happy to accept our $$$. Come on now lets get real, selling is selling and making profit is making profit and then there is down right unthoughtful unkindness, if they want this to be the practice of their companies, make it a rule company wide, not just for a select few that are singled out my particular employees who take it upon themselves to pass judgement over the size of another human being.

Zenomia · 11-24-2007, 08:14 AM

IMHO:
One cranky, nasty employee does not a company make. In the situation described, I can attest that there are many employee's who make it a personal goal to be rude, nasty and downright out of character than normal humans...however, they don't necessarily represent the company they work for. You tell me, how many of you had a bad day at work, and did or said something that was rude, or completely out of character for you. Situations like this happen, people are human. I am not excusing the womans rude behavior...for it was rude, just that there are other reasons for people acting like that...not necessarily that SW has some standing order to be rude and nasty to Fat people. Holding the behavior of one individual against an entire company to me, is silly. I don't know about you guys, but I am not infallible...I have made mistakes and said things to people on the job when I have not been at my best...and at those times I didn't represent anything more than a PMSy bitch. JMO

paige52 · 11-25-2007, 07:16 AM

http://www.southwest.com/travel_cent...uidelines.html

and honestly have you ever sat next to a fat person on a plane? with so little room that you have to hold your shoulder slighty to the left and within the hour have sharp cramps because they spill over the arm rest into your space...a space that you paid for?

When i flew SW I paid for two seats so I could sit comfortably and nbot impose myself on others. I was fat, fat enough to make other people uncomfortable so I took personal responsiblity for my fatness. If the plane had even 1 empty seat on it, SW fully refunded my 2nd fare that I paid for, without my even having to request it. In some cases when i checked in the gare agent woudl inform me the flight wasn't full and give me a credit before I even got on the plane.

Yes it was inconvient but I liked to fly as comfortable as the next person and being fat that wsa only possible if I had two seats. Why should the airline be held responsible for my choice in life to be obese and plan to travel?

I think its rude and inconsiderate of obese persons...or persons of size as SW calls them to think they can fit in the tiny seats offered and expect others to accomadate tehir size at the cost of their own comfort when we all pay to ride the airplane.

Now that I'm no longer fat, I dread sitting next to a person that is spilling over into my space.....I respect tha airline for protecting the rights of their customers that are not "of Size"....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chia

I agree that companies are allowed to have policies that protect their customers. My reasoning for why I feel I was discriminated by Southwest was the methodology they used to enact that policy. If it were such a big deal why can't they post on their website "If you can't fit into a 19 inch wide seat, you will need to buy a second ticket." where you could assess the situation from the privacy of one's own home?

Also, they have those little sizer things to gauge carry on bags, couldn't they have an area of mock airline seats at the check in area (as in before going through security) where the person who checks your luggage can see if you purchased one or two seats and quietly ask if you were aware of the size policy?

We all can debate the merit of this being a source of discrimination or not, but discrimination DOES exist in our society against fat/over-weight/obese people. Studies show that the obese are employed less often given their qualifications and, on average earn less than their "normal weight" counter parts.

I'm just saying . . .

paige52 · 11-25-2007, 07:21 AM

concerning the rude gate agent...

Write a letter to the airlines, explain the situation and they will respond.

fisher1000 · 11-25-2007, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paige52

Why should the airline be held responsible for my choice in life to be obese and plan to travel?

While many of us do have a choice as to what we put in our mouths, there are those who didn't "choose" to be obese. (Chemical imbalance, hormone issues, genetics, etc.) There are also psychological elements here. I know I certainly didn't "choose" to be obese, but other factors (not excuses) came together to make me what I am. Even with the surgery and the weight loss, I'm still dealing with the emotional and psychological issues that got me there in the first place. Being demeaned, humiliated, and devalued for who I am does not help those issues.

I agree that these businesses are in it for the money, but common decency does go a long way. No one, regardless of choice or life situation, wants to be humiliated in public, but it's just one more example of how humiliating fat people is the last acceptable form of prejudice.

With a population whose collective waists are expanding, the airlines will eventually have to accommodate them with a seat that is larger than 17 inches across. Other companies do quite well embracing differences in our society, why shouldn't airlines do the same? If they are running a business and want to make money, then they will have to cater to their customers a little better. Regardless of seat size, though, customer service goes a long way with me. I could deal with the policy if it was a little more inclusive of other folks who may cause discomfort on a plane and therefore should pay more: screaming kids, those who smell, etc.

And I also feel that each employee IS a representative of their company-bad day or not. There's the old adage: "Wrong me once, shame on you, wrong me twice, shame on me." As customer service goes, one chance is all you get with me. I'm not going to shame myself by putting myself in a similar situation. I've got my own crap to deal with, I don't need anybody else's problems on top of that.

I meant to put in just my two cents...but this is more like $35. Sorry for the diatribe, but stuff like this just heats me up!

-Mike

Chia · 11-25-2007, 09:50 AM

paige52,

The event I was describing happened 4 years ago. At the time, they did not have that on their website. Also, in the experience I was describing, I did NOT need two seats because I fit in one. My weight distribution is atypical and I carry most of it in front. For a woman, especially an obese woman, my hips were narrow. I definitely needed a seat belt extender, but I did not need two seats.

I didn't mean to start a war on whether on not fat people have the right to fly or whether or not people of size should HAVE to buy two seats on the chance that someone else may sit next to them and the larger person's obesity could be so offensive or encroaching as to bother the "normal" person. My only point was that I thought that my one anecdotal experience was offensive and that given I didn't need two seats, I felt that a simple "sorry" would have been nice from the gate agent.

Southwest has the right to have their policies and I have the right not to fly with them. There are several options (as all airlines remind us) for when we are flying and I choose to forward my flying dollars to United. In the 4 years since the Southwest incident, I have flown American and United and never have I once been asked whether or not I fit into a seat even when I did gain weight. However, just to reiterate, I have NEVER needed two seats and I have always been able to be seated, with the arms down, in one seat.

Chia~

Vim&Vigour · 11-25-2007, 10:10 AM

My input is not related to airline fat/tax. I read in the British press last week that the New Zealand government does not employ obese immigrants, however qualified they may be: the reason being that ultimately the obese immigrant individual will end up needing precious national healthcare resources and be a burden on the national economy. New Zealand is striving to maintain health, quality of life and is taking drastic measures to set a warning and an example...
Good thread!
Cheers!

JenBear7 · 11-26-2007, 11:23 AM

Hey.. maybe there will be an average weight.. say 150 (just to give a nice round number).. and for every 10 pounds over you pay a certain amount.. BUT for every 10 pounds under.. THEY pay YOU a certain amount.. (since you are taking the burden off them, making the plane lighter, and in essence.. saving them fuel!)...

I thought once I was going to have to pay for 2 seats... it was awful, but I would have done it if necessary. After that, I never flew... now, I am probably still pushing the limits, but am pretty sure I could fit in a seat more comfortably than the last time I flew...

HOWEVER... after all that.. I TRULY believe that with the percentage of larger people in this country, airlines, movie theaters, arenas, restaraunts, etc... should have to put seats in to accomodate all consumers. I know I used to hate to go places, because I was always afraid of not fitting, or breaking a chair. I dont wish that on anyone, and even if I get to a size 0.. I will feel the same waY!