Airline regrets kicking off an obese man AFTER learning he''s famous

[decodelighted]

Elledizzy,
I''ll assume you''ve never sat next to a child on a flight -- because they, VERY OFTEN get in one''s "physical space". As do several varieties of OBNOXIOUS ADULTS:

* the elbow-throwing laptop user
* the dotty elderly woman who keeps getting up to find things in the overhead compartment
* the broad-shouldered linebacker who slams against you with every breath
* the fidgeter who shakes your whole row with their tics
* the sloppy spiller who can''t keep their food or drinks or crumbs from winding up on your lap

GAH. I''m going to have to start driving cross country.

 

[princesss]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:49:21 AM
Author: decodelighted
Elledizzy,
I''ll assume you''ve never sat next to a child on a flight -- because they, VERY OFTEN get in one''s ''physical space''. As do several varieties of OBNOXIOUS ADULTS:

* the elbow-throwing laptop user
* the dotty elderly woman who keeps getting up to find things in the overhead compartment
* the broad-shouldered linebacker who slams against you with every breath
* the fidgeter who shakes your whole row with their tics
* the sloppy spiller who can''t keep their food or drinks or crumbs from winding up on your lap

GAH. I''m going to have to start driving cross country.

Deco, as soon as you figure out how to drive to Europe, let me know. I hate flying.

 

[dragonfly411]

oh goodness lololol


I do agree that the idea sounds good elle, just wondering how they''d work out the minor details. I could see possibly setting aside 15-20 seats that are for the larger? But then again, they need the set guidelines for how large is larger....

 

[kenny]

I'm starting to think they should just drug us and then pile 2000 of us, unconscious, into a cargo plane.
Flying would be cheap.

Humans are so fussy.

 

[princesss]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:50:52 AM
Author: dragonfly411
oh goodness lololol


I do agree that the idea sounds good elle, just wondering how they''d work out the minor details. I could see possibly setting aside 15-20 seats that are for the larger? But then again, they need the set guidelines for how large is larger....

According to the link Deco provided, I''m "larger" - at least, larger enough to need more room.

But then, I do generally end up having to pay more/use more miles (which is paying more, since I''ve had to fly them a lot to accumulate said miles) for "Economy Plus" - same width seats, but way more leg room. So a few airlines have gotten part way there. They realize that being tall means being uncomfortable, and they can charge people more to be comfortable. There just needs to be a similar section for people willing to pay for wider seats - something between economy and business.

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:49:21 AM
Author: decodelighted
Elledizzy,
I'll assume you've never sat next to a child on a flight -- because they, VERY OFTEN get in one's 'physical space'. As do several varieties of OBNOXIOUS ADULTS:

* the elbow-throwing laptop user
* the dotty elderly woman who keeps getting up to find things in the overhead compartment
* the broad-shouldered linebacker who slams against you with every breath
* the fidgeter who shakes your whole row with their tics
* the sloppy spiller who can't keep their food or drinks or crumbs from winding up on your lap

GAH. I'm going to have to start driving cross country.

I guess I've gotten lucky on planes! I'm a personal space freak so as long as you're not physically touching me, I can usually deal.

I'm not sure how you could even begin to deal with those types of situations, though - its not physically measurable. Its subjective at that point... so where do you draw the line?

 

[Lauren8211]

kenny - you''re onto something.

If they started offering valium, we''d all be happy.

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:53:58 AM
Author: princesss

Date: 2/17/2010 11:50:52 AM
Author: dragonfly411
oh goodness lololol


I do agree that the idea sounds good elle, just wondering how they''d work out the minor details. I could see possibly setting aside 15-20 seats that are for the larger? But then again, they need the set guidelines for how large is larger....

According to the link Deco provided, I''m ''larger'' - at least, larger enough to need more room.

But then, I do generally end up having to pay more/use more miles (which is paying more, since I''ve had to fly them a lot to accumulate said miles) for ''Economy Plus'' - same width seats, but way more leg room. So a few airlines have gotten part way there. They realize that being tall means being uncomfortable, and they can charge people more to be comfortable. There just needs to be a similar section for people willing to pay for wider seats - something between economy and business.

We''re about the same size, princesss, and I always upgrade to exit row when possible.

The seats ARE too small, I agree. But I do fit in my own seat, just uncomfortably so.

 

[princesss]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:58:20 AM
Author: elledizzy5

Date: 2/17/2010 11:53:58 AM
Author: princesss

Date: 2/17/2010 11:50:52 AM
Author: dragonfly411
oh goodness lololol


I do agree that the idea sounds good elle, just wondering how they''d work out the minor details. I could see possibly setting aside 15-20 seats that are for the larger? But then again, they need the set guidelines for how large is larger....

According to the link Deco provided, I''m ''larger'' - at least, larger enough to need more room.

But then, I do generally end up having to pay more/use more miles (which is paying more, since I''ve had to fly them a lot to accumulate said miles) for ''Economy Plus'' - same width seats, but way more leg room. So a few airlines have gotten part way there. They realize that being tall means being uncomfortable, and they can charge people more to be comfortable. There just needs to be a similar section for people willing to pay for wider seats - something between economy and business.

We''re about the same size, princesss, and I always upgrade to exit row when possible.

The seats ARE too small, I agree. But I do fit in my own seat, just uncomfortably so.

Yeah, economy plus isn''t comfortable (my love handles do not like those arm rests!), but I''ll take leg room over width any day. But there are people with the opposite problem, who would pay more for width and to heck with the leg room.

I just think it''s funny that airlines HAVE this principle in place, just not for extra width. I guess it''s all what people are willing to pay for/put up with. I''m the witch who doesn''t mind telling parents to please keep their child from resting their feet on my lap, thank you very much, or telling somebody to put down the armrest because I dont'' want to cuddle for 18 hours.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:55:06 AM
Author: elledizzy5
I''m a personal space freak so as long as you''re not physically touching me, I can usually deal.

Then maybe YOU should fly first class - so you''re guaranteed not to have to touch other people. There is no implied guarantee of "not touching" on planes or any other form of transportation. And many other countries have different tolerances of "physical space" boundaries.

 

[Lauren8211]

Date: 2/17/2010 12:03:52 PM
Author: decodelighted

Date: 2/17/2010 11:55:06 AM
Author: elledizzy5
I''m a personal space freak so as long as you''re not physically touching me, I can usually deal.

Then maybe YOU should fly first class - so you''re guaranteed not to have to touch other people. There is no implied guarantee of ''not touching'' on planes or any other form of transportation. And many other countries have different tolerances of ''physical space'' boundaries.

I''d love to!

Although I dont think there is any sort of guarantee up there either.

Crumb throwers/twitchers/molesters can still fly in first.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:55:06 AM
Author: elledizzy5

Date: 2/17/2010 11:49:21 AM
Author: decodelighted
Elledizzy,
I''ll assume you''ve never sat next to a child on a flight -- because they, VERY OFTEN get in one''s ''physical space''. As do several varieties of OBNOXIOUS ADULTS:

* the elbow-throwing laptop user
* the dotty elderly woman who keeps getting up to find things in the overhead compartment
* the broad-shouldered linebacker who slams against you with every breath
* the fidgeter who shakes your whole row with their tics
* the sloppy spiller who can''t keep their food or drinks or crumbs from winding up on your lap

GAH. I''m going to have to start driving cross country.

I guess I''ve gotten lucky on planes! I''m a personal space freak so as long as you''re not physically touching me, I can usually deal.

I''m not sure how you could even begin to deal with those types of situations, though - its not physically measurable. Its subjective at that point... so where do you draw the line?

Deco, I''ve sat next to all of these people. I''ve been lucky in that in all my years of flying (over a half million miles), I''ve only sat next to a couple of people who truly took over my space.

The difference is that I''m not shy anymore. The elbow throwing laptop user? I''ll put an elbow in his path and remind him that he''s in my space. The business male flyer who takes all the armrests? I''ll nudge for my space, or ask that he give me some.

There are people that I cannot be rude to, because they cannot help it. The fidgeter perhaps. And definitely the overweight person who is completely in my space. That''s what so frustrating...they can''t help it and I can''t exactly ask them back into their own space. The elderly woman or sloppy spiller, while annoying, aren''t in your way the ENTIRE flight.

I will say though, I will suffer being crowded anytime over the guy that has bad BO. Nothing like dry heaving an entire flight. Thank God that only happened once to me.

 

[monarch64]

Deco, your categories are hilarious.

Some of these responses have got me thinking I''ve been pretty lucky as far as passengers I''ve been seated next to when flying! I can''t think of any really negative experiences. I stay quiet and don''t initiate conversation but typically find myself having really pleasant conversations with the person next to me every time I fly. I used to have a really really huge fear of flying but I''ve learned to make the best of it (ok, so xanax and wine are helpful) and I don''t mind flying that much anymore.

 

[kenny]

CNN has a new story exploring this topic.

Partial Snip:

"It''s embarrassing -- airlines don''t want to touch this with a 20-foot pole," said Rick Seaney, CEO of Farecompare.com, an airfare comparison shopping site. "[But] this is only going to get worse."

It is interesting to read how various airlines are handling this sensitive issue.

Story

 

[divergrrl]

My hubby flies constantly for work and he''s a big guy. 6''1", 210lbs...and all legs & broad shoulders (oooh lucky me

) but he hasn''t fit in an airplane seat properly in years.

He''s so kind & generous when he flies to other flyers, be it a crying/unruly child (even before he became a dad), the chatty cathys, the obese, etc. He once sat in the same row as a man with an 8 year old child who was freaking out and the other passengers were being really rude about it.

Turns out the kid has some major autism & dad was flying him to some specialists. There was nothing that could be done about the kid''s actions, my husband told the dad he was doing a great job and to ignore everyone else.

I''ve flown with both my kids, and while my son is enamored with the whole airplane thing (he''s a gear head) and has been a flawless flier since he was 19 months old, my 2 year old daughter is the Exorcist. I''ve tried drugging her with near - toxic doses of Benadryl, paying for her own seat so I can strap her unruly ass into her carseat, and only booking bulkhead so she doesn''t kick anyone and can play on the floor when the seatbelt light goes off.

Unfortunately, I am *that* parent with *that* screaming, thrashing child.

She now no longer travels. We don''t go see our relatives because I can''t hack flying with her. Planning a massive road trip in JUne.

But I think planes are a lot smaller. In 1997 when I was a scrawny little thing, me & one of my skinny minny friends flew to St Thomas. Holy cow the seats were tight. We both about died, on the long leg there. On the way home we sweet talked our way into first class just to have some room for our behinds. Seriously.....it was pinching on both of us, and we are both small people.

Due to hubby''s biz flying status, we get free first class upgrades all the time now, so when I fly alone, I never go coach if I can swing it. And the few times I have, its been awful. I''m still a smallish person and its way too tight. I mean, c''mon if a 5''5" woman doesn''t have head & legroom....SERIOUSLY? How do tall people cope ?


I just try to be understanding of other people. Sometimes folks are just large. Sometimes they encroach on our space. We all encroach on people at some point. Its public transportation, not private, so you have to deal with the public. If you can''t stand other people and their individuality, book a private charter.

My aforementioned friend used to be a Corporate Flight Attendant, you can book a Gulfstream V with Peterson Aviation for $5500.00 an hour.

If you can''t afford that, well then welcome to the world of tolerating your neighbor.

 

[TravelingGal]

Diver, I''m in love with your hubby. And he bought you a Kindle, to boot!

 

[AGBF]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:06:24 AM
Author: decodelighted

I've worked for the airlines business and traveled a lot and let me tell you, seats and space has gotten smaller in the last twenty years. It's not all about people getting fat. Almost no one who is a journalist has mentioned this, yet considering if they've traveled and over 35, they have to know.


'Customers of Size' policies are actually an enormous PR victory for airlines, making customers believe that their lack of personal space is due to the fatness of their seatmates and not to the actions of companies that consistently provide one of the worst services in existence (would we tolerate anywhere else the indignity and discomfort we pay through the nose for in the air?). This works because America's fat-phobia is so entrenched that even when airlines shrink seats, overbook flights, and generally dicks us around in every way, plenty of people will still say 'perhaps one should be penalized for being overweight'

deco-

Thank you for posting this. This is what I was saying. The problem is not fat people. The problem is greedy airlines. But people are ready to blame the victims of the greedy airlines, particularly if they are part of a group that everyone likes to make fun of.

We need to band together and make the airline take notice. Until we act together we will get absolutely nowhere and we will all be stuck in tiny seats with no leg room; arm room; or body room. We need a Ralph Nader to lead a cohesive mass movement against the airlines and it has to hit them in the pocketbook.

Maybe Kevin Smith would be interested in getting involved...and maybe he has better things to do!

I hope someone out there gives a darn about battling the airlines on this issue!

Ya done good, deco! You struck a blow for humans!

Deb/AGBF

 

[meresal]

Date: 2/18/2010 5:00:15 PM
Author: AGBF
deco-

Thank you for posting this. This is what I was saying. The problem is not fat people. The problem is greedy airlines. But people are ready to blsme the victim of the greedy airlines, particularly if they are part of a group that everyone likes to make fun of.

We need to band together and make the airline take notice. Until we act together we will get absolutely nowhere and we will all be stuck in tiny seats with no leg room; arm room; or body room. We need a Ralph Nader to lead a cohesive mass movement against the airlines and it has to hit them in the pocketbook.

Maybe kevin Smith would be interested in getting involved...and maybe he has better things to do!

I hope someone out there gives a darn about battling the airlines on this issue!

Ya done good, deco! You struck a blow for humans!

Deb/AGBF

Should we do this while we are all boycotting gas stations for an hour on *random day*, in order to drive down the price of gas?

I don''t mean to be snarky, just of the opinion that it is never going to happen. There is no other way to travel 3000 miles in 6 hours, and until there is, the airlines can do whatever they want.

It''s a fabulous idea, and it would be great to have all the leg room we need, but the problem just isn''t "bad" enough to cause a public uproar. IMO, As long as there are still people that are happy when they don''t have to sit next to the "Kevin Smith''s" of the world, the airlines still have a leg to stand on.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 2/18/2010 5:08:43 PM
Author: meresal

I don't mean to be snarky, just of the opinion that it is never going to happen. There is no other way to travel 3000 miles in 6 hours, and until there is, the airlines can do whatever they want.

I thought you were a capitalist! If you were you would have caught on to my plan (proposed earlier in the thread) to reward the airline that made bigger seats! That's how capitalism works!

AGBF

 

[movie zombie]

greedy airlines.
greedy gas company.
greedy landlord.
greedy bankers.
greedy wall street.
greedy employers.
greedy employees.
greedy politicians.
greedy pharmaceuticals.
greedy doctors.
greedy unions.
greedy water companies.
greedy retailers.
greedy industrial agricultural complex.
greedy ...and the list goes on.

this is capitalism. it is our chosen economic system. would you rather the government started an airline? on your tax dollars? actually, i''d prefer it over many other things that my tax dollars do and have paid for but that''s another topic for another day.

the airline has a capitalistic right to make a profit. the shareholders have a capitalistic right to make a profit on their investment. it seems to me that a lot of frustration is getting laid out in this thread that has nothing to do with an overweight passenger being removed from a flight.

mz

 

[honey22]

Date: 2/15/2010 2:14:25 PM
Author: kenny

Date: 2/15/2010 2:02:49 PM

Author: princesss

akmiss I''m sure she thought she was well within her rights to wear her perfume, and thought you and your kid were rude for saying something. (Not saying either party is right here, just that it''s no fun from either end!)

I must respectfully disagree.

Please don''t wear fragrances when in public transportation.


An elevator ride is one thing, but a long flight is quite another.

Ditto!! I have a really really sensitive nose, and can smell perfume a mile away. Less is more people! You don''t need to bath in the stuff before getting on public transport, it''s rude and offensive. While I am up on my soapbox, I think the same logic should go for the gym, nothing worse than when you start to warm up and start breathing deeper, and all you can smell is the stench of cheap, nasty perfume. Who wears perfume to the gym anyway?!?!!