GadgetFreak

I forgot to add, welcome to Flyertalk!

horseymen

This makes me wonder if you can use the companion pass trick on yourself?

horseymen

I don't disagree with you - that's why I recommended Spirit Airlines - but just the idea that people can afford 2 seats or a first class seat with a flip of the wrist - it's not that cut and dry. Someone above referred to it like supersizing your meal. If supersizing your seat cost 79 cents, I think we'd all do it!

But in most flights, that's a $300-$500 dollar supersize, conservatively speaking.

Laylla

Article on Fox news today:
http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2013/0...ntcmp=features
I don't see how this would ever work. It could never be enforced. You can't weigh everyone at the airport. I think the current model is OK - bags are charged for at a standard weight (or overweight bag charges are added) and people are charged one fare for each seat they need (1 or 2).

slawecki

i think this falls into the came category as lap children. just because i'm oversized, or have a child, i should be treated special.

i'm very old and very grumpy. I should also be treated special(i am actually amazed at politness now bestowed upon me since i started looking so very old)(not a joke)

Laylla

What I meant with the supersize meal reference was that someone who weighs 400 lbs has already accepted the financial consequences of their weight in all other areas. For example:
If person A weighs 150 and eats 2000 calories a day, and person B weighs 400 and eats 5000 calories a day, I am sure that person B's grocery bill is at least double. My grocery bill is about $500 a month for my husband and I, so about $250 per person. I weigh 125 and he weighs 195. If we ate twice the calories then our bill would be $250 more per person. Even eating out it is different. I never order french fries - only a sandwich when at a fast food place. If I was at a fancy place I would order the small portion of prime rib - not the big one.

Here's another example using clothing from the Lands End online catalog:
Regular size chinos $35 http://www.landsend.com/pp/womens-st...223150_-1.html
Plus size chinos $59 http://www.landsend.com/pp/womens-fi...227768_57.html

I rent compact cars which would be too small for a 400 lb person, and they are cheaper than the midsize.

Bigger costs more, I could go on all day with examples. The airline industry has only recently gotten on board with this.

If you are Ok with paying more for clothes, groceries, and a lot of other stuff, you have to accept that you might pay more to fly.

Laylla

I'm not intending to beat anyone up for being overweight, I was actually trying to make it easier to mentally accept paying 2 fares.

horseymen

I understand your idea - but as far as I know - airlines are the only people that don't really have much of an accommodation set up.

When I go to movies, I am not asked to pay for two seats. I've never been to a 100% full movie, granted, but they have handicapped seats that are basically two individual seats next to each other with a space in the middle for a folding chair if needed.

When I go to sporting events/concerts - I don't have to buy two tickets - in fact, I get handicapped seating which is usually really nice and super comfortable!

My clothes may be a bit more, I may eat more than the average human - and when I get a supersized plate, there may be less to take home. Buffets charge me the same.

Certainly not abdicating responsibility - but in so many "similar" types of things (as similar as one can get!) - you are not charged double.. and I'm okay with paying more if they'd have seats that would be better for big/tall customers - because the seats they do are generally more than 2x coach!

So it's just different, and a bitter pill to swallow since everyone else practically accommodates you and goes out of their way to do so.

But certainly, every logical reason (from passenger weight for fuel to the convenience of people next to you to airplane profitability) supports what they do.

This is why I feel like Spirit gives you the best value to accommodate you at a fair and reasonable setting. I feel like the skies have opened up with the 20-30 places Spirit now flies to out of DFW! Used to just be LAX/FLL!

horseymen

I understand your idea - but as far as I know - airlines are the only people that don't really have much of an accommodation set up.

When I go to movies, I am not asked to pay for two seats. I've never been to a 100% full movie, granted, but they have handicapped seats that are basically two individual seats next to each other with a space in the middle for a folding chair if needed.

When I go to sporting events/concerts - I don't have to buy two tickets - in fact, I get handicapped seating which is usually really nice and super comfortable!

My clothes may be a bit more, I may eat more than the average human - and when I get a supersized plate, there may be less to take home. Buffets charge me the same.

Certainly not abdicating responsibility - but in so many "similar" types of things (as similar as one can get!) - you are not charged double.. and I'm okay with paying more if they'd have seats that would be better for big/tall customers - because the seats they do are generally more than 2x coach!

So it's just different, and a bitter pill to swallow since everyone else practically accommodates you and goes out of their way to do so.

But certainly, every logical reason (from passenger weight for fuel to the convenience of people next to you to airplane profitability) supports what they do.

This is why I feel like Spirit gives you the best value to accommodate you at a fair and reasonable setting. I feel like the skies have opened up with the 20-30 places Spirit now flies to out of DFW! Used to just be LAX/FLL!

WillCAD

You're right that movies and sporting events don't charge you double for the larger handicapped seats. However - being overweight does not fit the legal (or common, to be honest) definition of "handicapped". If a truly handicapped person comes along, you are required by law to give up the handicapped seat for them in a theater or sports arena, or on a bus or train. Those accommodations were not meant for overweight or larger people, they were meant for handicapped people; us larger people may use them, but only when they are not needed by actual handicapped people. All of which makes this an invalid example.

The business model of a buffet does not charge anyone more or less; they feed you as much as you care to eat for a flat rate. It's not a valid example.

The valid example would be if you took up two seats instead of one, which in a sporting event or a theater with assigned seating would cause the same problem as it does on a plane - you're partially in a seat that someone else paid for. You can either get out of it or pay for two seats.

In clothing, you are not charged double, but you are charged MORE, typically anywhere from 5% to 20%, for big/tall clothing. Don't try to tell me you're not - I've paid that surcharge myself on every oversized shirt and pant I've bought since I was in high school. So again, not a valid example.

If a business chooses to go out of their way to accommodate me due to my larger size, I will be grateful and certainly patronize that business more. But they are under no legal, or ethical, obligation to do so, and I won't hold it against a business who does not, so long as they follow any applicable laws and are consistent and fair with their internal policies.

As for airline COS policy, I liked Southwest even before they started refunding the second seat fare for all COS's, but now that it's an across-the-board refund, even if the flight is overbooked, their policy is even better. Essentially, your second seat is free, you just have to pay for it up front to reserve it and you'll get your money back later.

djk7

As mentioned upthread, you no longer have to pay for the second seat on Southwest. You also don't need to pay extra for early bird or business select, passengers needing two seats can preboard fro free.

horseymen

The only thing I would disagree with you about is the sports/arena comment. If I have prepaid for a handicapped seat, they aren't going to make me give it up. I have season tickets for an NBA team in a handicapped area, and I am pretty certain I will never be asked to give them up for any reason.

MissRoseDarrensAngel

I am a plus sized woman, and have done my share of traveling. I've never had an issue with flying Delta, and I overheard someone ask for a seat belt extension on a flight recently, and the flight attendant gave it without hesitation & with courtesy. So I would recommend them.

Finkface

As a person with a disability, I have to question how you were able to buy a handicapped seat (and if it is ethically correct) when you don't meet the legal (or moral) criteria, as the poster above stated, of being handicapped? Not to belittle your situation or cast any sort of aspersions. My question merely comes from, if people of size are now able to claim seats and facilities designated as handicapped, where does that leave those of us who have medical disabilities that we have no option of overcoming? If all the handicapped seats in that NBA arena were taken by persons of size, then truly "handicapped" people would never be able to attend games. And it's not a matter of using them until they are needed by a true person with a disability - if it is a pre-sold seat in an arena, then that seat is now unavailable for me to buy. I don't have the luxury of squeezing myself into a too-small seat or even just being uncomfortable in a standard seat for the duration. No handicapped access = no access period.

I am sure the flaming will now begin (I look forward to your emails) and, as I said, I am not judging or belittling in any way. I am just saying that handicapped seats are meant for those with medical handicaps, not for persons of size based on size alone, absent any other medical disabilities. If businesses start allowing handicapped facilities to be claimed purely on the basis of size (height as well as weight - size is size), then those of us who are physically unable to fly, sit, move about without these facililities will no longer be able to do these things because of the increasing numbers of plus sized individuals. These facilities are meant for persons with disabilities, not for those whose size makes it less comfortable for them using the 'standard' facility. Maybe they aren't going to make you give up that handicapped seat if I came along as you said, but you are keeping those persons with true disabilities from even attending that event. If buying 2 seats would magically fix me, where do I sign up?

GadgetFreak

No flaming from me. I agree completely.