United Airlines - Overweight passengers

Did anyone happen to see FNC's brief coverage of this story last night? I may not be citing it correctly, but I think that Megyn Kelly said that one airline (JetStar? JetAir?) forced a passenger to purchase a second seat, but the two seats weren't together!! Really? Is that helpful? Overall, I think this is a valid discussion and I can definitely see both sides, but in my opinion (and in fairness, I haven't read anything more about that particular airline's story so I don't know anymore than what I heard last night) that just sounds like an exercise in humiliating someone...

Did anyone happen to see FNC's brief coverage of this story last night? I may not be citing it correctly, but I think that Megyn Kelly said that one airline (JetStar? JetAir?) forced a passenger to purchase a second seat, but the two seats weren't together!! Really? Is that helpful? Overall, I think this is a valid discussion and I can definitely see both sides, but in my opinion (and in fairness, I haven't read anything more about that particular airline's story so I don't know anymore than what I heard last night) that just sounds like an exercise in humiliating someone...

that doesn't make sense. even if the seat the person purchased second wasn't assigned to be right next to the first one they purchased, airlines move folks from their seats all the time. see Dave's story above. if they computer assigned a seat number to the new purchase, then that's where the person would be moved to who used to be sitting next to the obese person.

Did anyone happen to see FNC's brief coverage of this story last night? I may not be citing it correctly, but I think that Megyn Kelly said that one airline (JetStar? JetAir?) forced a passenger to purchase a second seat, but the two seats weren't together!! Really? Is that helpful? Overall, I think this is a valid discussion and I can definitely see both sides, but in my opinion (and in fairness, I haven't read anything more about that particular airline's story so I don't know anymore than what I heard last night) that just sounds like an exercise in humiliating someone...

that doesn't make sense. even if the seat the person purchased second wasn't assigned to be right next to the first one they purchased, airlines move folks from their seats all the time. see Dave's story above. if they computer assigned a seat number to the new purchase, then that's where the person would be moved to who used to be sitting next to the obese person.

I didn't read anything more about the story so I'm not sure what the ulitmate outcome was. I'm sure the report was just to be sensational. I travel alot and agree the airlines move people around all the time. The report that I heard implied that the airline didn't (or that's what I read into it)...that the person had to purchase two seats and was not able to use both of them so two people were still inconvenienced and/or humiliated... (maybe the second seat purchased was a middle seat in the back of the plane and the other passenger wanted to stay in his/her aisle seat... I don't know :-)

Anyhow, I agree with alot of what you say, Lucky. And this is definitely a divisive topic. I just thought that was an interesting story. I'm to the point where I hate flying...it's so uncomfortable and inconvenient regardless of weight...

from what I understand from the news, if you get on board, and they discover you are not gonna fit, you get back off, go pay for a second ticket, then reboard. just another way airlines are gonna get delayed.

well that seems awefully humiliating!!!! "EXcuse me MAM you need to get off the plane and go buy another ticket before we can take off... dont worry we will all wait patiently here for you till you get back...."
:noway:

I don't feel bad about them being humiliated. perhaps that will give them the motivation they need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

.... "but some people are overweight because of their glands"..... "it's not their fault"......"we should treat everyone with respect (regardless of their decision not to respect themselves)"....these are excuses that fat people tell themselves to deal with the continued decision to stay fat. I used to tell myself this kind of crap all the time. even had a doctor test my thyroid to see if it was "not my fault". Know what? It WAS my fault. every food decision I made contributed to the state I was in. It was something I CHOSE. and I had to suffer the consequences of my actions to decide to do something about it.

i disagree with this ... humiliating them isnt gonna make them want to lose weight ... and i think its SOOOOOOO easy to judge others and stuff but once your their in that spacific situation... not so easy....

from what I understand from the news, if you get on board, and they discover you are not gonna fit, you get back off, go pay for a second ticket, then reboard. just another way airlines are gonna get delayed.

well that seems awefully humiliating!!!! "EXcuse me MAM you need to get off the plane and go buy another ticket before we can take off... dont worry we will all wait patiently here for you till you get back...."
:noway:

I don't feel bad about them being humiliated. perhaps that will give them the motivation they need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

.... "but some people are overweight because of their glands"..... "it's not their fault"......"we should treat everyone with respect (regardless of their decision not to respect themselves)"....these are excuses that fat people tell themselves to deal with the continued decision to stay fat. I used to tell myself this kind of crap all the time. even had a doctor test my thyroid to see if it was "not my fault". Know what? It WAS my fault. every food decision I made contributed to the state I was in. It was something I CHOSE. and I had to suffer the consequences of my actions to decide to do something about it.

While I do agree that for most of us it is inaction that has brought us to the size we are, there are underlying factors that make it more difficult for some to make any changes. I can't help taking your tone and way of stating that a little personally. Don't get me wrong, I respect your opinion and think it is great you hold yourself accountable for the path that brought you to where you are, but it still comes across harsh for me. I guess I am still a little sensitive regarding that. :ohwell:

I myself have a thyroid that basically wasn't working at all and a rare autoimune disorder that causes painful swelling making it hard to move at times. While I don't use these as excuses for why I haven't lost until now, it does play into what does and what doesn't work for me. Until I went on thyroid medication it was painful to be awake, I was literally a walking zombie. I went for easy food because I barely had the energy to get through a day of work nevermind prepare a meal. I didn't eat any more than any other person, or any differently than my coworkers, but the way my body treated what went in was very different than them and that does take a while to get your head around and make the right changes.

I have a very dear friend that suffers from depression and OCD. The medications she is on made her pack on the pounds even though she hadn't changed anything she was doing. She went from a very fit and active 125lbs to over 300 in a few years. Now with severe back pain she struggles to even shower in the morning. While in some ways everything can come down to choice, not everyone has a constant baseline to base those choices on or a consistant cause effect relationship that make the choices easier or the outcomes more predictable.

Believe it or not after what I have said above, I do believe that those that are too big to fit into 1 seat on a plane should be charged for 2 or given the option to pay for first/business class (I am referring to size, not weight). It is for their comfort and for those that would have to share a seat with them otherwise. I just find it hard to get my head around the having to get off the plane to pay for the extra seat. If the flight is full then how are they going to get the second seat they paid for? It should definately be something that is checked before boarding in my opinion.

from what I understand from the news, if you get on board, and they discover you are not gonna fit, you get back off, go pay for a second ticket, then reboard. just another way airlines are gonna get delayed.

well that seems awefully humiliating!!!! "EXcuse me MAM you need to get off the plane and go buy another ticket before we can take off... dont worry we will all wait patiently here for you till you get back...."
:noway:

I don't feel bad about them being humiliated. perhaps that will give them the motivation they need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

.... "but some people are overweight because of their glands"..... "it's not their fault"......"we should treat everyone with respect (regardless of their decision not to respect themselves)"....these are excuses that fat people tell themselves to deal with the continued decision to stay fat. I used to tell myself this kind of crap all the time. even had a doctor test my thyroid to see if it was "not my fault". Know what? It WAS my fault. every food decision I made contributed to the state I was in. It was something I CHOSE. and I had to suffer the consequences of my actions to decide to do something about it.

i disagree with this ... humiliating them isnt gonna make them want to lose weight ... and i think its SOOOOOOO easy to judge others and stuff but once your their in that spacific situation... not so easy....

I'm judging myself by the exact same standards. every post I have created references MY OWN decisions that led me to obesity. I'm not sitting in judgment of others, I'm identifying what I know to be true from my own situation. you don't get fat by accident, you don't just wake up one day and get shocked to see you are unexplainedly morbidly obese. while there are stories shared here of folks who became large through other means, those are the exceptions. the vast majority of the very large are that way by their own making. many,many poor decisions over time created the situation. and I don't believe in sacrificing the rights/safety/comfort of many to accommodate the desires of those who have done it to themselves.

you need a big chair on an airplane? buy your ticket in first class. still not big enough? then you should pay for what you are getting, which is more than one space.

some have said I am being harsh, but I see it as being factual. If I sugar coat the facts (most obesity is self inflicted) then how does that do any good? We know the truth, we just aren't proud of the truth. I am obese. I got that way because I continually made poor decisions. When I started making better decisions, my situation improved. This is available to every person who has become obese. Pretending that it's not their fault, and acting like we should tiptoe around it is NOT helping anyone.

Don't most people who take up two seats by two seats anyway? I've only been on two planes and I was thin then so I wasn't worried. I don't know what we are talking about here? Is it that there is no room between you? Which I don't think is a big deal. Or is it that there is no room for you to sit. lol I need a drawing.

I believe the major conflict is "overlap":flowerforyou:

Don't most people who take up two seats by two seats anyway? I've only been on two planes and I was thin then so I wasn't worried. I don't know what we are talking about here? Is it that there is no room between you? Which I don't think is a big deal. Or is it that there is no room for you to sit. lol I need a drawing.

I believe the major conflict is "overlap":flowerforyou:

Well put.

On my recent flight, the obese man's hips (et al) spread over into the aisle and the seat beside him.... where a skinny man was forced to scoot over towards his female companion in the window seat.

from what I understand from the news, if you get on board, and they discover you are not gonna fit, you get back off, go pay for a second ticket, then reboard. just another way airlines are gonna get delayed.

well that seems awefully humiliating!!!! "EXcuse me MAM you need to get off the plane and go buy another ticket before we can take off... dont worry we will all wait patiently here for you till you get back...."
:noway:

I don't feel bad about them being humiliated. perhaps that will give them the motivation they need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

.... "but some people are overweight because of their glands"..... "it's not their fault"......"we should treat everyone with respect (regardless of their decision not to respect themselves)"....these are excuses that fat people tell themselves to deal with the continued decision to stay fat. I used to tell myself this kind of crap all the time. even had a doctor test my thyroid to see if it was "not my fault". Know what? It WAS my fault. every food decision I made contributed to the state I was in. It was something I CHOSE. and I had to suffer the consequences of my actions to decide to do something about it.

i disagree with this ... humiliating them isnt gonna make them want to lose weight ... and i think its SOOOOOOO easy to judge others and stuff but once your their in that spacific situation... not so easy....

I'm judging myself by the exact same standards. every post I have created references MY OWN decisions that led me to obesity. I'm not sitting in judgment of others, I'm identifying what I know to be true from my own situation. you don't get fat by accident, you don't just wake up one day and get shocked to see you are unexplainedly morbidly obese. while there are stories shared here of folks who became large through other means, those are the exceptions. the vast majority of the very large are that way by their own making. many,many poor decisions over time created the situation. and I don't believe in sacrificing the rights/safety/comfort of many to accommodate the desires of those who have done it to themselves.

you need a big chair on an airplane? buy your ticket in first class. still not big enough? then you should pay for what you are getting, which is more than one space.

some have said I am being harsh, but I see it as being factual. If I sugar coat the facts (most obesity is self inflicted) then how does that do any good? We know the truth, we just aren't proud of the truth. I am obese. I got that way because I continually made poor decisions. When I started making better decisions, my situation improved. This is available to every person who has become obese. Pretending that it's not their fault, and acting like we should tiptoe around it is NOT helping anyone.

you can judge YOURSELF but you have no right to judge anyone else... wether its by the same standards or not...


and BTW i did say in my first post that obese people should pay for the extra ticket... its not the overall answer to what should happen on airlines that i am having issues with ...

Lucky,

I'm saying there ARE people who are in situations where they are medically obese and it is NOT their fault. Your blanket statement says 100% of the morbidly obese did it to themselves. This is not true. While it's true for 99%, it does not apply for all.

My uncle has multiple sclerosis. Has had it for 30 years. Is a quadriplegic. He is a diabetic on a very strict diet. He cannot control his weight. Between the meds and being paralyzed, he has become obese. He is an exception to your rule.... a rare exception.

I'm sorry to hear of your uncle. I also know someone suffering from MS, and it is an awful disease.


however...
if you take a look back at my posts, I never said 100%. I said the same thing you are saying... most obesity is self inflicted.

and whether it is self inflicted or not, the facts remain that a very large person takes up the space that someone else has paid for. that's not fair. pay for what you are getting. that has been my consistent point.