Obese have right to two airline seats for price of one

What do you think about this?

I sat next to an overweight (not obese) person on one of the last flights I took, and he had to place his entire arm and shoulder on top of me to fit in his seat. I was torn between being hugely uncomfortable, physically and personal space-wise, and feeling very sorry for him and how embarrassed he must have been.

I believe this ruling only applies to persons who are disabled and obese - not just obese.

If you're just obese, you have to pay for the number of seats you occupy.

If you find yourself next to someone who is crowding you, ask the flight attendant if there is another seat you could move to -- I've done it before and they are happy to help you if they can.

I think everyone should get a bigger chair.  The obese person can fill theirs up while I lounge about and wallow in the big chair's "extra" space.

"People who are "functionally disabled by obesity" deserve to have two seats for one fare."

I believe that means if their obesity is causing them to have problems functioning normally- so they wouldn't necessarily have to be in a wheelchair or have an oxygen tank to qualify. Makes me wonder how they determine whether someone qualifies.

I thought about asking the attendant, but I didn't want to embarrass this poor guy more, and the flight was only about a half hour.

Functionally disabled is the key point - not the cause of the disability

If you have a handicapped placard for your car, then you would qualify.

Of course, this is in Canada, not the U.S.  So it only applies to domestic flights in Canada.

but from a news article:

Marc Comeau, a spokesperson for the CTA, said the agency passed the regulation after careful consideration. Comeau said there is no blanket policy on what counts as “functionally disabled by obesity.” He also said that complaints by people who were charged an extra fare will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. Some complaints have already been dismissed, he said, because although the person was obese, they were not disabled.

This is tough...I've only sat beside an obese person on a flight once and since I'm small, I had enough space. However, he moved himself when there was two open seats together so he was obviously uncomfortable. I'm sure if I were like a 6 feet tall dude I would have moved if possible.

heh. we've seen this thread before.

Drama in three, two, one....

Drama!

Counterdrama!

Everything the previous poster says is incorrect and his logic is as full of holes as a swiss cheese.

Whine!

Counterdramatist has a lack of understanding of my personal experiences!

Suggests he understands, with no backup, but doesn't care. Suggests, in a borderline nearly-inflammatory manner, that the Dramatist do some homework first and stop suggesting such stupid suggestions.

The poster above me is qualified to speak on swiss cheese as his mind is eqaully porous.

I've always fit into airline seats comfortably, so I don't really want to judge someone who can't. If I spilled over, I imagine I'd be both humiliated that I was infringing on the other person's space, and trying to hold myself in as small as possible. For that reason I have never asked for a different seat on an airline if sat next to someone who was taking up some of my seat. I guess if I was flying on a five-hour or longer flight I might consider it, but I would feel really bad.

  I wonder if tall disabled people can claim that right.  It looks terribly uncomfortable to see a tall person with his/her knees cramped up.  with two seats they could stretch their legs out. 

It would be better for the airlines to go back to the larger, more comfortable seats they used to have before they got so greedy.

Well, I'd rather be sitting next to someone who's a little in my space than the creepy old drunk guy who keeps hitting on me.  But since most of my flights have been longhaul, I've never actually had the former.  (Flight attendants seem to be really good about rearranging the plane to give the people who need extra space the extra space they need - whenever possible.  If only they'd stop serving alcohol to people who've had enough...  )

I'm not sure what I feel about this! I can see both sides of the debate but why should someone get a seat for free because of their weight? 

I need to give this a little more thought!

andie,

Marc Comeau, a spokesperson for the CTA, said the agency passed the regulation after careful consideration. Comeau said there is no blanket policy on what counts as “functionally disabled by obesity.” He also said that complaints by people who were charged an extra fare will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. Some complaints have already been dismissed, he said, because although the person was obese, they were not disabled.

You don't get the seat just for being obese.  You also have to be disabled.

Hhmm OK, so do all disabled get a substantial discount when flying even if they only require one seat?

Original Post by andie-joe:

Hhmm OK, so do all disabled get a substantial discount when flying even if they only require one seat?

if they require two seats, they get two seats - even if the second seat is for someone to assist them

bottom line is that if a disabled person (of any weight) requires two seats, they get it and only have to pay for one seat

Original Post by susiecue:

Well, I'd rather be sitting next to someone who's a little in my space than the creepy old drunk guy who keeps hitting on me. 

 Yeah, to make matters worse, he was also constantly trying to start conversation while I was trying to catch a quick nap. Almost worse than the overlap, IMO.

nomo: I'm still not sure about what I think about that!

I need to give it more thought before I do my usual of open mouth and foot in it :)