Canadian Airlines forced to give morbidly obese passengers free seat

[Mill]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: mugs

:laugh:

Reasonable seat width = capable of holding a 6' 200 lb male.

If you're taller than that, that's unfortunate; it doesn't make sense to add legroom to accommodate a small percentage of people. If you're fatter than that, buy a second seat or be uncomfortable (but please keep your rolls within the confines of your seat.

If you have a medical condition that makes you morbidly obese, that's a different story.

Sometimes I'll luck out and get an emergency row seat because they see that I'm tall.

Just check-in online early and most of the time you can get that. I always snag Exit rows on long Domestic or International Flights by doing that. A lot of the time -- if I cannot check-in online -- I will ask about an upgrade or exit row seat when I check-in. You would be shocked by how often they try to accommodate you.

Legroom is more of an issue to me than seat width.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
This is a design issue (designed for maximum profits) that discriminates against people.

What would you say is a reasonable seat width?

Whatever is comfortable and profitable. I fit just fine in a coach seat and so do most normal Americans.

Originally posted by: Skyclad1uhm1

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
This is a design issue (designed for maximum profits) that discriminates against people.

What would you say is a reasonable seat width?

Where a slightly larger than average person can sit comfortably. If the seats are suitable for over 95% of the world population it should be good enough.

What is the number?

34" 36" 38" ???

How big is an average chair you fuck-faced idiot?

wow take a pill dude and stop insulting people. personal attacks like that are vacation offenses.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: mugs

:laugh:

Reasonable seat width = capable of holding a 6' 200 lb male.

If you're taller than that, that's unfortunate; it doesn't make sense to add legroom to accommodate a small percentage of people. If you're fatter than that, buy a second seat or be uncomfortable (but please keep your rolls within the confines of your seat.

If you have a medical condition that makes you morbidly obese, that's a different story.

Sometimes I'll luck out and get an emergency row seat because they see that I'm tall.

I'm about 6'5", I once got a free upgrade to business class because I asked for leg space

 

[Steeplerot]

Ahh, fat people, the last un-pc frontier of the racist and hater.
Seems like the hate has been building, does it feel good to get it out on someone on would not get banned for slamming for being different?
-disclaimer I am fit myself but some people cannot help weight without dangerous surgery.

 

[Deliximus]

As a 'liberal' Canadian (as Winnar will put it), i think this is a bad decision. If you're fat due to self-indulgence with ice cream and KFC, then PAY for the extra seat ( i can settle with a discounted price, but free? no). If you hvae a medication condition, then that's fine but those are extremely RARE cases.

I guess someone IS right about fat people being the final non-pc frontier for politics. I loved the fact that the Japanese gov't started to measure citizens' waist sizes to try to keep the people healthy and control gov't spending on health care. I go to Asia and I see a fattie perhaps 10-15 out of 100 people I pass by (if even). Then i drive down to the US Walmart and holy shit, i counted the first 20 people i saw to be overweight (signficantly) and then I see a hot chick LOL.

 

[Steeplerot]

I do not think American are more "overindulgent" then anyone else but it has a lot to do with the fact that everything eaten is packed with High Fructose Corn Syrup in the States.
this is partly because your market decides what you all eat regardless of the effect on public health, and people prefer sweet foods.
There is a good movie about this and what it ha done to the USAs waistlines. Called "King Corn".
http://www.kingcorn.net/

 

[Stunt]

I'd rather have morbidly obese people have two seats than try to squeeze into the seat next to me.
How many people would qualify for this? 0.01% and increases my seat cost by what $0.02...who cares!
I'm more concerned with having to see these people on the beach at my destination :laugh:

Besides I doubt anybody intentionally eats a ridiculous amount of food (at a cost) and turns themselves into an unattractive piece of crap for the airfare incentives

 

[ZzZGuy]

I am 100% against this.

The exception being a valid medical condition that you have NO control over. Being a self induced lard ass and too lazy to do anything about it, let this encourage them to get more healthy.

We have universal health care in Canada paid with taxpayer dollars, I'd rather see these "morbidly obese" individuals get a slapped with a Fat tax then get so much as a free pillow (nothing above exception). Basically anything of your own doing & well within your control resulting in a disease, sickness, disability or injury you should foot the bill for.

The only positive side of this is no more innocent passengers stuck sitting directly next to these people who spill out of their seat.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
This is a design issue (designed for maximum profits) that discriminates against people.

What would you say is a reasonable seat width?

No it is a gravity issue. There is a limit to how much weight a plane can carry. Airlines calculate costs based on how much it costs to move one seat one mile. If they are paying to move two seats with one person occupying both with their fat ass, it costs the airline.

You can't expect an airliner that can safely and comfortably accomodate a 172 seats on say a Boeing 727 and make a razor thin profit margin on a flight to suddenly make the seats twice as wide to accomodate an airplane full of obese people.

My take on it is... if there are empty seats, let the on the plane. But since the economy and high fuel prices have hurt airlines, they have reduced the number if flights to increase flight loads. If the plane is full and you have a choice between bumping a paying passenger or providing two seats to a double-wide... I say the double wide can find another way there.

 

[Craig234]

Originally posted by: TheRedUnderURBed
Ahh, fat people, the last un-pc frontier of the racist and hater.
Seems like the hate has been building, does it feel good to get it out on someone on would not get banned for slamming for being different?
-disclaimer I am fit myself but some people cannot help weight without dangerous surgery.

Thank you for redeeming this thread filled with hate, ignorance, prejudice, and idiocy.

I'm againt the decision; I think the people should pay for two seats.

For the disabled, I'd like to see accomodations made, but it's debatable whether the government or the business should pay for it. My first reaction is the government, since it's society wanting to protect the people with greater needs, but when I consider handicap-access laws that I agrere with, they make the business pay for the ramps or other modifications, and that seems reasonable, so on second thought I'm ok with the government requiring businesses to make reasonable accomodations.

On weight, I think it's more of a gray area. It may not be quite as involuntary as being paralyzed by a drunk driver, but clearly weight issues are a huge challenge for many.

And I think it's clear that many who have a healthier weight face far less challenge than many others in keeping their weight helathy, and do not understand others' situation.

It's hardly as if heavier people lack incentives, from their health to dating. The fact that they are not losing the weight with those incentives indicates the challenge involved.

But I generally think larger people should pay a fair higher price for things that cost more - larger clothes, more seat space.

It's the problems with the comments from most of the posters in this thread I think is the real problem, though. The level of degrading insulting going on is despicable.

 

[Steeplerot]

Originally posted by: Craig234


It's the problems with the comments from most of the posters in this thread I think is the real problem, though. The level of degrading insulting going on is despicable.

I see no need for the unnecessary bashing either. Seems some people have more serious issues then the one they are attacking for being overweight. Makes no sense other then they are probably just racists who are venting since they can get away with it when it comes to overweight people. (as I said before)

Regardless, it is a tasteless thread I cannot believe mods left up. Maybe they are repulsed by overweight people to. Do these people not have more important things in life to HATE over?
I pity them, such shallowness.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: TheRedUnderURBed

Originally posted by: Craig234


It's the problems with the comments from most of the posters in this thread I think is the real problem, though. The level of degrading insulting going on is despicable.

I see no need for the unnecessary bashing either. Seems some people have more serious issues then the one they are attacking for being overweight. Makes no sense other then they are probably just racists who are venting since they can get away with it when it comes to overweight people. (as I said before)

Regardless, it is a tasteless thread I cannot believe mods left up. Maybe they are repulsed by overweight people to. Do these people not have more important things in life to HATE over?
I pity them, such shallowness.

Or maybe, just maybe, instead of all being deep-seated hateful racists we are sickened by the whiny-baby mentality of many indolent adults.

You cannot believe the mods left it up because you have no idea how P&N works, except that you speak with a certain familiarity. Makes me wonder who you were before you were banned.

 

[Brainonska511]

Very few people are genetically fat. You have to have numerous genetic problems to be naturally fat. You can be genetically pre-disposed to gaining weight, but the weight you gain is your own fault (lack of exercise, imbalanced diet, too many calories, etc). If you're so fat that you need two seats on an airplane, you should have to pay more - maybe not double, but definitely more since you are taking up the space that an airline could have sold to another person.

The problem with that idea though is that how do you discern who is naturally fat (not their fault) from the lard-asses that ate nothing but McDonald's and sweets as they lived their sedentary lives? You can't easily do so without the release of medical records or more paperwork for the government to issue "naturally fat" cards to exempt people. So I guess the way the Canadian court sees it, airlines can't discriminate based on a persons size. I wonder what a US court would say on the issue - I remember a few years back, Southwest wanted to charge more for people big enough to overflow into a second seat.

 

[Steeplerot]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: TheRedUnderURBed

Originally posted by: Craig234


It's the problems with the comments from most of the posters in this thread I think is the real problem, though. The level of degrading insulting going on is despicable.

I see no need for the unnecessary bashing either. Seems some people have more serious issues then the one they are attacking for being overweight. Makes no sense other then they are probably just racists who are venting since they can get away with it when it comes to overweight people. (as I said before)

Regardless, it is a tasteless thread I cannot believe mods left up. Maybe they are repulsed by overweight people to. Do these people not have more important things in life to HATE over?
I pity them, such shallowness.

Or maybe, just maybe, instead of all being deep-seated hateful racists we are sickened by the whiny-baby mentality of many indolent adults.

You cannot believe the mods left it up because you have no idea how P&N works, except that you speak with a certain familiarity. Makes me wonder who you were before you were banned.

People do not go crazy with hateful speech like this normally, either there are quite a few mentally unbalanced types in here or some serious drama queens.
Do you really care that much what someone else does with their bodies to hate so?
You all seriously need a hobby if the way someone else is bothers you so much when it is none of your concern.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: sandorski
So few people are that size that it won't really change anything. So I don't see what the controversy is about.

Principles.

To Hell with "Principles" in this case. Some things are too minor to make big issues out of.

It is not principles, it is economics. And when you are talking about airlines you are talking about HUGE amounts of money.

768 million people flew in the US last year. Let's say that only .1% of passengers needed the extra seat that still amounts to 768,000 people. And at $100 a seat that amounts to $76.8 million in lost revenue for the airlines.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: TheRedUnderURBed
People do not go crazy with hateful speech like this normally, either there are quite a few mentally unbalanced types in here or some serious drama queens.

Make a thread that says Bush is really a nice guy and then learn how many unbalanced types we have.

 

[retrospooty]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Originally posted by: sandorski

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: sandorski
So few people are that size that it won't really change anything. So I don't see what the controversy is about.

Principles.

To Hell with "Principles" in this case. Some things are too minor to make big issues out of.

It is not principles, it is economics. And when you are talking about airlines you are talking about HUGE amounts of money.

768 million people flew in the US last year. Let's say that only .1% of passengers needed the extra seat that still amounts to 768,000 people. And at $100 a seat that amounts to $76.8 million in lost revenue for the airlines.

Ack! I hate to agree with Projo on anything... But in this case... I do.

Aside from anything else, these airlines own thier planes and should charge by the seat if they want to. If someone it too fat, whether by poor lifestyle choice, or by illness makes not difference. 2 seats is 2 seats and they should be charged for it. Dont like it? DONT FLY ON THAT AIRLINE.

What if someone was so fat they couldnt fit themselves, thier family and thier luggage into one taxi to get to the Airport and they had to put all of thier luggage into a second taxi. Does the taxi company only have the right to charge for one taxi because the guy is fat? Thats rediculous.

 

[dennilfloss]

There's a finite amount of resources on a plane. If you weigh as much as two average people, you should pay more. If you need two seats, you should pay for two seats.

 

[retrospooty]

Originally posted by: dennilfloss
There's a finite amount of resources on a plane. If you weigh as much as two average people, you should pay more. If you need two seats, you should pay for two seats.

Not just that, its more. The airlines have the right to charge you more if you weigh more, and charge you double for two seats...

When cost is figured for flights, it basically takes X amount of jet fuel to carry Y lbs of cargo. More weight costs the airline more money. Simple as that.

 

[Deliximus]

that would be awesome if they apply a Fat Tax. More income for the gov't to support the health care system! FST+GST+PST.

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: retrospooty

Originally posted by: dennilfloss
There's a finite amount of resources on a plane. If you weigh as much as two average people, you should pay more. If you need two seats, you should pay for two seats.

Not just that, its more. The airlines have the right to charge you more if you weigh more, and charge you double for two seats...

When cost is figured for flights, it basically takes X amount of jet fuel to carry Y lbs of cargo. More weight costs the airline more money. Simple as that.

For example a Boeing 727 can carry 40-50,000 pounds of people and cargo. Airlines do not calculate actual weight but they assign a standard 185 pounds per person in the winter time. So let's say you have a 400 pound person that takes up two seats. That extra 215 pounds on that person would not cost the airlines a whole lot to fly from point A to point B in the grand scheme of things. However, the airline has to give up a revenue generating passenger in order to accommodate that obese person. So that extra few dollars to fly that extra 200 pounds (which may not matter if you have a large number of anorexic people on board) is eclipsed by the lost ticket fare for that free seat.

 

[cyclohexane]

Originally posted by: bbdub333

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
This is a design issue (designed for maximum profits) that discriminates against people.

What would you say is a reasonable seat width?

Whatever is comfortable and profitable. I fit just fine in a coach seat and so do most normal Americans.

Originally posted by: Skyclad1uhm1

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
This is a design issue (designed for maximum profits) that discriminates against people.

What would you say is a reasonable seat width?

Where a slightly larger than average person can sit comfortably. If the seats are suitable for over 95% of the world population it should be good enough.

What is the number?

34" 36" 38" ???

How big is an average chair you fuck-faced idiot?

This is fucking hilarious. A 38" seat would be like a couch.