The friendly skies are getting a bit less friendly for the obese. United Airlines just announced if an obese passenger is bumped off a full flight, he or she will now have to buy a second seat on another flight.
United says it made the changes after it got more than 700 complaints last year from passengers who said they had an uncomfortable flight because the person next to them “infringed on their seat.”
Under the new policy, if flight attendants cannot find two open seats for an obese passenger, he or she will be required to buy an additional ticket or upgrade to business class, where seats are larger. But if the plane is full, the passenger will be bumped from the flight and can choose to either buy a second ticket on the next available flight or cancel their flight and get a refund.
United Airlines defines an obese passenger as:
- unable to fit into a single seat in the ticketed cabin;
- unable to properly buckle the seatbelt using a single seatbelt extender; and/or
- unable to put the seat’s armrests down when seated.
Other airlines already have similar policies, including Continental, Delta, and Southwest.
What do you think? Should obese passengers have to buy two airline seats?
[Photo Credit: Arpingstone/Wikipedia]
it may not be popular but I have to agree. maybe the airlines can give them a discounted rate? But it really isnt fair to make others suffer. American’s really need to start taking care of themselves.
Karissa – I like the idea of a discounted rate, but I wonder if the airlines would go for it?
This one is tough as it pits compassion against a practical business concern. I wasn’t large enough to require two seats, but I was *very* uncomfortable in the one seat. And embarrassed that the people around me could see how uncomfortable I was and worried that I was making my ‘neighbors’ uncomfortable. Not pleasant at all, so my heart goes out to those who do require two seats. I can only imagine how embarrassing that must be.
From a purely business standpoint, if a person requires two seats, that’s one less seat the airline can sell. If that happens too frequently (and I suspect it is if they’re making policies around it), it impacts their profit, which is practically non-existent these days anyway. Too many hits to profit and jobs are affected, sometimes even entire communities.
In the end, I think the airlines are justified in charging obese passengers for the number of seats they occupy. I can only hope that the people involved are treated with dignity and respect.
Karissa’s comment has me wondering about the policies of airlines operating from other countries. Any ideas? Obesity isn’t limited to America, after all.
As a pilot, my concerns are with “weight and balance” safety on planes. That said, there is probably no good answer to this problem. Perhaps all large passengers need to have a separate section, or use business class. IE Pro-basketball players, etc.
Cammy – Thanks for the thoughtful answer. I hope you’re right – that they are treated with dignity and respect. I’m not sure about the policies of airlines operating from other countries – that is a good question.
I think Americans is now getting awarded of being so called richies of the world. They didn’t take care of themselves and adopt a lifestyle which has lead them to the obesity. Statistic also says more than 30% American are either obese or on the edge of obesity. It would be a better step for airlines to separate a portion on flight for obese passenger which has wider seats and 1.5 times higher fair. I hope that aviation industry which are managing domestic airlines within America might have thought for working towards it.
I have a couple of cousins, that are extremely over weight,and I would not want to be seated between them on an airplane.
No disrespect to any overweight person, but if you need two seats, you should pay. If I bring a toddler aboard and have to have a seat, I must pay for the toddler.
The airlines are fighting for their lives, and the jobs of many people, they need the profit from your seat, and if you take two seats, you should pay.
If you disagree, perhaps you should be seated with two other overweight persons in the same row, maybe you would change your mind.
Discrimination? NO..just plain old common since.
Absolutely it’s fair. When you consider that only 2% of the population is obese due to a medical condition such as a thyroid problem, you’re talking about encroaching on the comfort of another passenger because of a completely preventable issue. It’s a space issue, plain and simple.
I’m sure there will be lawsuits but I think non-obese people have a right to that small, limited space we are given.
If someone can’t put down the armrest, they should buy extra room. The only alternative would be for the airlines to provide wider room per seat (not likely)
Densepense – Interesting idea to include some wider seats – maybe use business class, as Dr. J also suggested?
Vision – Good point about having to pay for a seat for a toddler – it seems that it would be only fair to have the same rules for anyone who needs two seats.
Liza – And as Dr. Hubbard says, it is a small, limited space.
What a controversial subject but I agree with previous comments-if you need more than one seat to make a flight, of course you should have to pay for it.
I swear, whenever I fly without my husband, I almost always get stuck next to someone who is overflowing into my seat-since I am small I always feel like the person next to me just thinks it is fine since I have extra room in my seat but it makes me really uncomfortable.
They should have to buy the extra seat…or maybe a couple plane tickets to “The Biggest Loser” campus (love that show).
Sadly, Americans need to get take better care of themselves and maybe these new policies will make more people aware of that.
I guess you can’t buy and airline ticket anymore
you are buying a seat.
Get real.
dealerpt – good way to look at it!
First of all, there’s a differece between BIG and FAT. If you’re FAT you need to stop munching so much. All fAT individuals brought this problem on themselves, so pay up and fly business class, or if that don’t work, catch a boat. I believe, if you’re too big to fit into an economy class seat because you’re a Pro basketball player, or a football player, then we should give you a discount on business class seats simply becasue you do so much for all of us. I agree with the airlines about doing something to resolve this problem. I was on a flight where a female passenger couldn’t get inside the bathroom. This tells me, airlines also need a fat-person’s bathroom. Fat airline passengers should be charged a fee to use the fat-person’s bathroom. Not having a big enough bathroom on an airplane for fat people, can defenitely cause problems on a flight. Airlines might also consider not serving meals to fat people. The body will burn fat. So therefore, the airlines can save money and fatty can lose weight. Get my drift?
All people come in all shapes and sizes. I think obese people should not pay more . Some only have big arms or big bottoms and aren’t obese, should they pay for an extra seat too? Airlines should provide accommodation for all sizes period. Talking about uncomfortable ,even with somebody that moves a lot or snores or talks a lot is annoying ,even if they are skinny, should they pay to be by themselves too ?
If people didnt pay for extra seats. the airlines would have to give everyone the second seat option…….”the guy next to me stinks”……”having a bad day” etc. then everyone could have their own Isle…..not very cost effective for the airline now is it, I think if you need or want an extra seat fork over the cash
Obese people should absolutely have to pay for an extra seat on all public transport. I had the misfortune of being sat on a train next to a morbidly obese man a few days ago, I had at most only half of my seat to sit on. Why should I give up half my seat so that he could have enough room for his obese body?
Pointman- Not all “Fat” people bring it on themselves. I am a tall naturally big boned (size 22) person and before my pregnancy my body fat percentage was completely normal and while plus size, I was completely healthy even though my BMI classified me as morbidly obese. During my pregnancy I gained weight due to being on bed rest from month three. In the six month since I have gained an additional 20 pounds due finding out I have lupis and having to take steriods (steriods cause weight gain, there is nothing you can do about it) every day. Having lupis also causes me to not be as active as I would like to be. While I am no where near a size that would cause me to have to buy a second seat I am painfully aware I am not as thin as I used to be and I look forward to a time when a medication is available that helps with my condition that does not cause weight gain, and allows me to be pain free and active again. There are many other conditions that cause weight gain, such as thyriod problems and people on certain chemos and anti-rejection drugs. By the way, professional basketball players do nothing but play a game to make money for themselves. I promise they are not spending one second doing anything for you. They also make so much money they can afford first class seat without discounts and often have thier travel paid for by sponsors and team owners. If they are flying coach its because they are cheap or just lost thier contract.
To the person who complained about toddlers, I have no clue what airline you fly on but every airline I have been on allows you to fly with you child “in arms” until they are two, which at that point they are no longer toddlers.
I wonder how many of us have had, or how many complaints the airlines have gotten due to children who are loud, unrully, rude, kicking the seat infront of them, or down right have no supervision due to lack of parenting. Maybe the airlines should start chargeing a loud, unrully, kicking the seat infront of them fee for children. I bet parents would start acting like it if they started getting a hundered dollar fine every time your child causes a disruption. Even more so if there was a three stikes and you and your child are banned from that airlines rule. I am not talking about babies who cry because thier ears hurt or they are hungry or over tired. I am talking about that family with three kids that are inevitably on a flight you are on and one child is screaming simply because he knows it annoys people. Another is kicking the seat infront of her and the third one is practically running up and down the isle. Both parents have taken a couple of valuim, chugged an acholic beverage and the Dad is listening to a game on his ipod, and the Mom is sleeping or reading a book and NO ONE is doing anything about thier brats. Better yet those people should be flat out kicked off and not let back on any plane until they take a parenting class or thier kids are all over 18.
I have one more beef that is worse than being stuck next to a person whos a bit over weight. There is always that 30 to 40 something year old that still thinks hes 22, getting on the plane, still drunk and or drinking, has not taken a shower and sits down and is either an absolute jerk to surrounding passangers and or stinks to high heaven. If airlines are charging people for two seats because of size, why don’t they charge people due to lack of personal hygine or being a genral asshole.If you stink, are drunk, or are an asshole, they should double your ticket price,if it all three you should be required to travel in a seat with its own air exchange and you should not be allowed to have alcohol or communication with other passangers. If we are going to start charging people because something about them annoys another person. Why not charge for ALL typical airplane annoyances.
Also let me correct a mis represeted fact. 30% of the American population is CONSIDERED obese. That is based on BMI and any doctor will tell you that is not a reliable indicator. Half of people who who are inicated to be obese based on BMI’s are actually very healthy and not overweight, just tall, or big boned.
Get real people, don’t judge least you be judged.
What a bunch of whiners. Want to hear from a fatty? Here I am.
I know I’m big, so I budget accordingly. I would rather get a first class ticket, with a comfier seat and finer treatment than be back in steerage any day.
We already tax cigarettes and alcohol more than other consumer goods, demonizing members of society by assigning them additional fees. Why not fat airline users? But lets take it a step further. Let’s just tack on some more fees for ALL those that are using a disproportionate amount of our scarce available resources.
Charge parents extra school taxes if their child gets poor grades. After all, if they are stupid, or special, they will be using more of the teacher’s time. Won’t they?
And if someone is shopping, and they have questions about the widget they want to buy, let’s have the store tack on some “research fees”, to keep it fair for the other shoppers that researched items online, and showed up knowing what they wanted.
And when Grandma and Grandpa get so old, they can’t support themselves, and end up in an old age care facility on Medicaid and Medicare, let’s track down any of their children, and make sure they get a bill. After all, why should I be put out paying higher taxes to support your family because you don’t want to take care of your parents when they get old.
We could extrapolate this to surreal lengths, if we want. So, stop hating fatties, and start acting like the tolerant, accepting adults we all know you should aspire too.
Aloha.
Do not think for even one minute that obese people would not “take care” of themselves if they could figure out the right formula without completely uprooting their lifestyles….most fat people I know have been on diets and exercise (including myself)- not consistently but not anything different than mostly ALL of the skinny people I know…..normal people who don’t even have the CAPACITY for gaining large amounts of weight cannot even imagine what it is like be humiliated and embarrassed and purposely segregated from clothing lines, movie theatres, amusement parks, and now airlines….I have to fly a very long distance coming up (unavoidable) and I am already nervous about fitting into their seats….I haven’t been on a plane – God forbid you skinny/normal weight people ever have to deal with size issues or addictions -