Passenger of Size

Aug 20, 2002
3,270
306
www.usaviation.com
OAKLAND - He wasn't even supposed to be there that day.

Filmmaker Kevin Smith, fresh from delivering a speech at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, unleashed his fury on Southwest Airlines after the pilot on Smith's flight from Oakland to Burbank ejected him for being "too fat to fly" Saturday evening.........
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A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines wrote an apology on the company's Twitter account following the Twitter-lashing unleashed by Smith Saturday evening.
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http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ktxl-...0,5181078.story
 
I'm sure the people who would have had to sit next to this COS appreciate the crews decision. This gentlman had bought 2 seats for the next flight, and then tried to get on an earlier flight. He knew and took advantage of the situation for his own benefit. Bad form sir, bad form.
 
In this period of political correctness, NAAFA, National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance is calling on it's members to boycott SWA. I hope they do, there is nothing worse than sitting next to someone who takes up their entire seat and then either take my seat or someone else's. In my aging, I've put on 10 extra pounds and instead of whining and complaining that people need to accommodate me and allow me to take other's space, I'm trying to lose the weight, I'm trying to be healthyr and feel better about myself. There are talk shows that feature once obese people, smiling, excitied and happy they lost weight and not too many shows where they people come on the air and show how much lard they shove in their mouths and go, "oh me, have pity on me and accept me for what I've become." Isn't there a deadly sin concerning this?
 
Here's my problem with Mr. Smith's publicity-seeking rantings. It's from another story posted on CNN's website

Kevin Smith: 'I'm never going on Southwest again'

Smith did purchase two seats for the flight to Burbank, but he was allowed to board an earlier flight as a standby passenger, and only one seat was available on that flight.

The extra seat is not a necessity, he said, but a luxury because "Southwest flights are cheap."

"I'm flying on the welfare airline, food-stamp airline," he said. "So I think I can indulge myself with two seats, and I can afford to do it."

So he basically is admitting that he buys that second seat for comfort.

What a deal. Let's say I'm on a flight that's booked with 130 passengers. Not full, but there's a pretty good chance someone will be sitting in the seat next to me. Why not just lie and say I'm fat, purchase the second seat, put the seat reserved document in the seat next to me, thus preventing anyone else from sitting there. Then after the flight is over, I can get refunded for that second seat, since there were technically other empty seats on the flight. (Just not the seat next to me.) And even if the flight winds up being totally full and I don't get a refund, I've still been able to purchase two seats for way less than the price of a first class ticket on another airline. It's all about my comfort right?

Funny thing about that, though. That is against WN's policy.

From the last sentence of the last paragraph of section 15G of the Contract of Carriage which is on the website to download.


G. Additional Seat Purchase. The purchase of more than one seat for use by a single passenger is required in the following circumstances:

(1) To accommodate a Customer of size who encroaches on an adjacent seat area and/or is unable to sit in a single seat with the armrests lowered;

(2) To transport a Customer who, because of his or her particular disability, would be unable to travel without the purchase of additional space on the aircraft; or

(3) When necessary to transport large musical instruments or electronic audio/video, medical, or other sensitive equipment unsuitable for carriage as checked baggage, as specified in Article 46.F.

It is the passenge's responsibility to notify Carrier of a unique seating need. In accordance with Article 10.F., Carrier may refuse to transport individuals who are unable or unwilling to comply with Carrier's seating requirements.

Except as specified above, purchase of more than one seat for use by a single passenger is otherwise prohibited.

So when it's convenient for him to be a Customer of Size, he says he is, so he can buy two seats (Poor Man's First Class.) When it's not convenient - like wanting to standby for an earlier flight, all of a sudden he's not a Customer of Size any more.

I'm sorry, but Mr. Smith can't have it both ways.
 
:down: For most obese people,its not an overactive thyroid,its an overactive fork.The united states has the worst case of obese people I have seen.The many cities in europe I have visited,the local population is in much better shape with many young and old riding bycycles,walking,and eating smaller food portions.Fast food is hard to find in europe and it is responsible for the fat epidemic in the usa.

These associations condoning acceptance of obese people are doing a great harm to this growing segment of the population.Its sad to see very young children obese being raised by obese parents.They dont stand a chance of living a normal life.

On a flight I took,a very large man sat next to me and asked if he could put up the armrest. I said no as in a short time he would ooze over to my space.

Obesity kills thousands in this country every year and it is preventable.

:down:
 
I'm sure the people who would have had to sit next to this COS appreciate the crews decision. This gentlman had bought 2 seats for the next flight, and then tried to get on an earlier flight. He knew and took advantage of the situation for his own benefit. Bad form sir, bad form.

Took advantage, HOW? Didnt the agents let him down, let him sit down in the seat, which he says the ARMRESTS went down. He did the responsible thing, he BOUGHT TWO SEATS, but tried to "stand by" for another flight. Why did the agents let him board?
 
Here's my problem with Mr. Smith's publicity-seeking rantings. It's from another story posted on CNN's website

Kevin Smith: 'I'm never going on Southwest again'



So he basically is admitting that he buys that second seat for comfort.

What a deal. Let's say I'm on a flight that's booked with 130 passengers. Not full, but there's a pretty good chance someone will be sitting in the seat next to me. Why not just lie and say I'm fat, purchase the second seat, put the seat reserved document in the seat next to me, thus preventing anyone else from sitting there. Then after the flight is over, I can get refunded for that second seat, since there were technically other empty seats on the flight. (Just not the seat next to me.) And even if the flight winds up being totally full and I don't get a refund, I've still been able to purchase two seats for way less than the price of a first class ticket on another airline. It's all about my comfort right?

Funny thing about that, though. That is against WN's policy.

From the last sentence of the last paragraph of section 15G of the Contract of Carriage which is on the website to download.




So when it's convenient for him to be a Customer of Size, he says he is, so he can buy two seats (Poor Man's First Class.) When it's not convenient - like wanting to standby for an earlier flight, all of a sudden he's not a Customer of Size any more.

I'm sorry, but Mr. Smith can't have it both ways.


No more calls, we have a winner.
 
In this period of political correctness, NAAFA, National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance is calling on it's members to boycott SWA. I hope they do, there is nothing worse than sitting next to someone who takes up their entire seat and then either take my seat or someone else's. In my aging, I've put on 10 extra pounds and instead of whining and complaining that people need to accommodate me and allow me to take other's space, I'm trying to lose the weight, I'm trying to be healthyr and feel better about myself. There are talk shows that feature once obese people, smiling, excitied and happy they lost weight and not too many shows where they people come on the air and show how much lard they shove in their mouths and go, "oh me, have pity on me and accept me for what I've become." Isn't there a deadly sin concerning this?

I'm four square behind WN on this issue. WHY? Because unless you've lived in a cave without contact with the outside world then you're well aware of WN's clear & consise policy regarding Customers of Size.

As to NAAFA, a few years back, '05 maybe, they had a convention in SFO and I was staying at the Westin with the conventioneers. Now I'm not unsympathetic to their plight, but Good God Almighty I'm 6'2" 245 and I need to lose 40 pounds. Well gentle posters I was the thinnest guy or gal at the pool or the breakfast buffet and I don't even need a seat belt extender.

So second day I get up early and decide to go plop in the hot tub. Minding my own bidness and these 2 ladies come up to avail themselves of the hot tub. No big deal right? These two get in and seated and the tub overflows and about 3 inches of water spills across the deck. Now mind you this was an 8 person hot tub and there were 2 other people in the tub and the skinniest was me @ 245. I'm very proud of me as I didn't even snicker. I was a good Politically Correct gentleman.

But you have no idea how badly I wanted to have a bullhorn at Breakfast and say "STEP AWAY FROM THE BUFFET", PUT DOWN THE FORK AND BACK AWAY SLOWLY HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD" I actually felt sad for the members as they are shortening their lives.