United to start charging obese for two seats

[jeffrey]

Starting today, United Airlines may bump severely overweight passengers from sold-out flights.

Passengers who are too large to fit comfortably in single coach seat will be required to buy a second ticket or upgrade to business class, where seats are larger, if United's flight attendants can't find two open seats for them.

Chicago-based United says that it decided to adopt the tougher policy after receiving more than 700 complaints last year from passengers "who did not have a comfortable flight because the person next to them infringed on their seat," said United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski...

United obese: United Airlines to make large, heavy fliers pay for two seats -- chicagotribune.com

[disneysteve]

I heard this as well. I think it makes perfect sense and I''m surprised they haven't done it much earlier. Airline seats aren't all that wide. If you are large enough to occupy two seats, you should pay for two seats. The problem is I wonder how they will handle this at the time of boarding. If you are obese and bought one ticket, what are they going to say when the plane is loading and the poor guy who has the seat next to you can't sit down? It is going to be an awkward situation to deal with. Does anyone know how they have been handling those cases up until now?

[geojen]

From personal experience, it's been tough nuggies for the person whose seat is infringed upon.

I agree, this policy only makes sense. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people are going to be offended by this. Why, I don't know. But it seems Americans are easily offended these days.

[GREENBACK]

This smells like a discrimination lawsuit in the making for United. I like the policy but in this sue happy world I'll bet it won't take 6 mos. for someone to file suit.

[geojen]

I thought other airlines already had this policy in place. What interests me is how do they decide who needs to buy an extra seat. Is someone going to be responsible for sizing people up at the ticket counter?

[red92s]

I'm all for these policies, but agree they might be tough to put into practice.

Say a larger guy buys a single ticket for a flight that is frequently full. He boards the plane and can't get the seat belt closed with the extender-thingy they provide. According to the policy, he would need to buy a second seat. Being a full flight, there are no second seats.

What now? Boot him from the flight and put him on the next one and hope that one isn't full also? Let him slide and tell him to buy two tickets in advance next time (yeah, right)? Request a waist measurement when buying tickets online? Upgrade him to business and strip the free upgrade from someone who is a very frequent flier?

[disneysteve]

Say a larger guy buys a single ticket for a flight that is frequently full. He boards the plane and can't get the seat belt closed with the extender-thingy they provide. According to the policy, he would need to buy a second seat. Being a full flight, there are no second seats.

What now? Boot him from the flight and put him on the next one and hope that one isn't full also?

That's what it sounds like the policy will be. If you can't fit in your seat and a 2nd seat isn't available, you will be bumped off the flight.

[zakity]

From personal experience, it's been tough nuggies for the person whose seat is infringed upon.

Yeah, I had the arm thingy down and a larger couple sat down beside me (three seat "row"), he put the arm thingy up and then they preceded to squish themselves in.

And, they put the "gentleman" next to me. Which, I thought was highly inappropriate since I am female. I mean, geesh, the only males I want to be that close to had better be a child, a nephew, or my husband.

I know I am overweight, but my fat butt still fits in the seat. I shouldn't have to share my seat which I paid for just because someone else is a larger size.

[red92s]

That's what it sounds like the policy will be. If you can't fit in your seat and a 2nd seat isn't available, you will be bumped off the flight.

Seems fair, provided it is enforced consistently.

Another issue I see arising is this: If there are open seats on the plane, you are still going to make them pay for the second seat? If there isn't someone trying to buy a ticket at the counter 90 minutes before the flight, those empty seats are essentially worthless.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I wonder what percentage of passengers do not fit in the seat.

Even those with a male athletic build might not fit, if you ask me. Sure they can easily buckle the seatbelt with no extender and they can put up the arm rests, but their shoulders can be sticking out into the seats beside them. In addition, a passenger who is tall may be forced to angle their legs out to the foot space of their neighbors.

[kork13]

That's what it sounds like the policy will be. If you can't fit in your seat and a 2nd seat isn't available, you will be bumped off the flight.

Alternately, if I were the little guy beside someone who couldn't fit, I'd normally be willing to offer up my seat to the person if the airline provided some sort of voucher and a seat on the next flight. But again, seems like a hard policy to enforce consistently.

[GREENBACK]

It's a shame that we as americans have come to this. I would personally be embarassed if I were the obese person in question. I know obese people flying isn't new but I guess it's way more common now.

[kork13]

It's a shame that we as americans have come to this. I would personally be embarassed if I were the obese person in question. I know obese people flying isn't new but I guess it's way more common now.

Back home in Guam, my mother/brother once flew on Air Nauru to Sydney--it services the south-west Pacific. There are some pretty hefty people out there (not necessarily obese, just big), and from my brother's description, their standard seat was about the size of an American first-class seat.

Here in the US, they've actually shrunk the size of seats (and leg-room too) over the last couple decades in order to cram more people onto the aircraft (more passengers per flight = more money per flight). I'm one of the smaller-framed guys, and even I sometimes feel like the seats are uncomfortably narrow. I don't understand how larger people can even stand a long flight.

I see the biggest problem here as being the confrontations that will almost assuredly arise out of this. Big guy can't get in the seat, stewardess kindly explains the policy, and the guy refuses to accept it. It becomes a scene, people get angry and annoyed, and in the end, air marshals end up having to escort said man off the plane. First call he makes is to a lawyer. It's ridiculous, but it's going to happen, and happen soon--guaranteed.

[poundwise]

I'd rather see a mandatory shower and deodorant rule.

[disneysteve]

Here in the US, they've actually shrunk the size of seats (and leg-room too) over the last couple decades in order to cram more people onto the aircraft (more passengers per flight = more money per flight).

Not only that, but they've also reduced the number of planes flying which has increased the occupancy rate of the flights leaving fewer empty seats.