For those of you interested in the story, see the link below:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/20122006/80-132/overweight-man-sues-air-france-seat-row.html
2006-12-20 00:31:34 · 30 answers · asked by swish 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
If this guy wants two pies, he pays for two pies.
If he needs two seats he should pay for two seats.
Simple!
(In response to a later comment, people are fat because they eat more than they need. Period.)
2006-12-20 00:37:49 · answer #1 · answered by Martin 5 · 10⤊ 3⤋
Some of these answers just go to show how mentally, morally, and logically stunted some people are. Why can't airlines, knowing that sooner or later they're going to have a passenger who is larger than average, have a couple of over-sized seats near the front of the planes to accommodate this kind of situation? Sure, charge extra for the seats. There's no reason the airlines should lose revenue over it...on the other hand, think what a great PR move it would be. The airline would probably make more money if people knew they were trying to accommodate everyone. BTW, some people are "fat" for reasons besides eating too many pies and not getting enough exercise. Hopefully, some of you people who responded here will experience that first hand someday. Maybe you'll be less arrogant when YOU can't fit into an airline seat.
2006-12-20 01:09:45 · answer #2 · answered by Spud55 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋
As an airline customer who has been assigned to a seat between to other passengers who were really "living LARGE!". I must respond.
I was issued a "seat" between two very large passengers (we are talking 350 pounds plus here ... massive!), both of these passengers "preboarded" (got to their seats before I was allowed on the aircraft) and had the armrests removed.
When the flight attendant showed me my seat, I actually laughed! there was less than 1 foot of unoccupied space between these "living large people". My butt is more than 1 foot wide ... there was no way I would fit with any comfort. I told the flight attendant that the seat was not acceptable, wound up holding the flight up and arguing with airline personnel for 20 minutes.
End result, when the flight attendant could not fit in "my space" comfortably ... I was fully comped on the next flight! YES! If I have to fly again, even though I will fit in one seat, I WILL book two and pay for both. I want enough room to breathe when I'm on a plane.
The extremely obese should pay for the extra seat, it just isn't fair for a "normal sized" person to have his/her space invaded by a "supersized" person for hours on end in flight. Use the space, pay for it! Maybe the airlines could help ... by seating oversized customers next to each other ... and having them split the cost of the unuseable seat.
2006-12-20 17:47:29 · answer #3 · answered by ornery and mean 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
He shouldn't have had his waist measured in public and that is probably what his suit is about, but I agree overweight (someone has to set the limit) passengers should pay more just as one has to pay for excess baggage.
There was a man on our plane recently who couldn't get the seat belt around his grotesque stomach, he was given an extension; then he complained when the food tray wouldn't extend around the same protuberance. Three seat backs had to be pushed forward for him to get his 400lb frame into a seat.
Question is, say there's an emergency, the plane has a mechanical problem and has to make an unscheduled landing. All passengers off post haste! What would the flight attendants do with this 400lb bag of lard?
2006-12-20 01:50:32 · answer #4 · answered by Rainman 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
If you have flown you know the seats in coach are small but the average person fits OK
I know that my trip to Europe was a hard flight its hard to sit in one place for 9 hours but if I had had even less room due to someone else I would have complained
I'm 5foot 3inches 160lb so I'm chubby but I only take up one seat and I think that if you inconvenience the other people on the plane well you need to buy 2 seats sorry.
Have you ever tried to fit 3 full grown ppl in the back seat of a Chevy cavalier? That stinks well imagine having to sit that way for 9 hours.
I understand how that could be offensive for the person who has to buy two tickets but I get offended that they don't care about anyone Else's comfort but thats my opinion.
oh and it was very wrong to do that in front of anyone he did deserve respect they should not have humiliated him or anyone
2006-12-20 04:13:48 · answer #5 · answered by what? 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think that the comments were rude, but they are hear-say. Actually they were the words of the lawyer and not Air France. As far as checking his size, they should have taken him in another room, but he would have probably said he was humiliated there also. And you have to concider safety factors of the other passengers the loss of money for a seat that no one wants to sit in because of being cramped or body odor if he sweats alot.
2006-12-20 06:45:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I'm sorry; but I do not believe the man was being mistreated. The policy of Air France is clearly stated, and this man needed to purchase another seat. This isn't simply about making money, there are other issues involved.
One of them is safety. A person of that size could only fit into a small seat with the help of a shoe-horn. If there is need for a quick exit, he's creating a hazzard for himself and others by his inability to get out of his seat quickly.
Also there are the rights of other flyers to consider. Whoever is forced to sit near this man is going to have his/her space invaded bu this man. There's NO WAY he's going to take up only his seat space. Other people have rights too.
I think he's just trying to get money, and force everyone to accomodate him. I say he should get nothing.
2006-12-20 00:43:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
The same type case was actually heard here in the United States a few years ago, and the courts ruled in favor of the airline. The case was more about her suing the airline for discrimination because the seats were too small and it forces her to have to buy two seats. She lost he case. I do however thing that someone who is tall might have a better case, because airlines put rows so close together that they almost force people who are around 6'7" or taller to have to buy a first class seat. A person can somewhat controll their weight, but can not control their height. I think that would be a pretty good law suit.
2006-12-20 02:45:31 · answer #8 · answered by On Time 3 · 3⤊ 3⤋
NO. I am fed up with ALL fat people claiming they dont eat much when in fact a lot do. I think it may be fairer to say that all medically obese people (you have to be a lot overweight to be classed as that) should pay extra if they need two seats etc.Before anybody accuses me of being biased, if overweight people dont eat too much why does stomach stapling etc work? it works because it reduces both the amount of food consumed & the calories. If more weight on a plane means it needs more fuel for the journey which equals extra cost to passengers then it seems fair to charge more. ALTERNATIVELY why not offer reductions/refunds to those who are within normal weight range?
Kehkohjon- I notice you seem to be "formerly" many things, formerly over weight perhaps?
2006-12-20 00:55:01 · answer #9 · answered by la.bruja0805 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Nope he was not treated unfairly. If he took up two seats then he should pay for two seats. Air France is in the business of selling individual seats, but buffet seating. The man would better serve himself by focusing on losing the weight VS going after a company for just doing what they do.
2006-12-20 00:37:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
A lot of slim people are the first ones to pass judgment in an unfavorable way. I wonder how these same judgmental individuals would react if that happened to their mothers or sisters or grandmothers...?
There's NO need to humiliate anyone anywhere!
The problem at most airports today is that the "terrorist threat" has given them a wee bit of leeway to call security for the smallest perceived infraction or whenever someone refuses to be dealt with in a rude and disrespectful manner, the employees use their "ace up their sleeve" and call for security... and they've simply lost tract of their manners and of their training which calls for courteousness and diplomacy; they are just plain rude and disrespectful.
What I am appalled more over is the airlines that allow this abuse and disrespect of any paying customer. I am further appalled that no one else had the testicular fortitude to stand up and file reports on the part of the overweight gentleman for the humiliating episode he was made to endure.
No one grows up wishing to be homeless. No one grows up wishing to be disabled. No one grows up wishing to be unemployed. NO ONE grows up wishing to be overweight!
It is very easy to point a finger of blame by the ignorant fools that have no idea of what it is like to be overweight and unable to lose weight in spite of diets and exercises. They think it's all a matter of eating less or getting on diets... if it WERE that easy, there wouldn't be so many obese people in America AND Europe (and in Asian countries, too) suffering from weight-related health issues. It goes beyond psychology and it has more to do with physiology and oftentimes with genetics. There is no ONE cause and there is no one way of losing weight and staying slim.
What many do not realize is that those seats are uncomfortable for even those of us that are not overweight... they are now made smaller than they were during the 50s and 60s and 70s... the overweight issue is just an excuse to get more money from someone else, particularly when there may be extra empty seats and no one is being inconvenienced. While traveling with my then 3-year old daughter, I was told that she could NOT sit in any of the empty seats because I had not paid for another seat. The other stewardess heard this and moved me to First Class where my little girl was put in yet another empty seat; the second stewardess saw me writing the name of the first stewardess and heard me as I asked the lady next to me for her name because I was getting ready to file a formal complaint. I made the report anyway and was rewarded with a full refund and a letter of apology.
The issue is not whether the person is or is not overweight; the issue is the humiliation, disrespect and rudeness that should not be tolerated anywhere or anyplace by anyone! Would anyone his/her their mother or father treated as this portly gentleman was treated?
Many people THINK that going on a diet is the answer to everything... if that were the case, those with rude and disrespectful replies here should be put on a diet and given a soap and hot water enema just for their asinine remarks!
Remember, the question here is whether it was fair for that gentleman to be embarrassed by Air France employees... THAT is the question, not whether or not the gentleman is overweight.
2006-12-20 00:57:59 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋