Pooh sized passengers to pay more on SWA

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Not a bad idea nuthut, but, the ticket would cost me a lot more than I pay now. LOL

 

[inkkognito]

I could care less what others do, as long as it does not impact my own comfort. I wouldn't say I'm pooh-sized (yet), but I'm no skinny-minny either! But thankfully I can fit into an airline seat with no problem...if I couldn't and I needed to buy two seats, then I would do it (perhaps with a bit of grumbling, but not too much). But I am a very compulsive planner who gets my seat assignments way in advance, and I do not feel that I should have to give up the seats I chose 9 months ahead of time because of someone else's weight or for any other reason. Thankfully I have never been in the situation where I was asked to, so I've never had to seem like a "bad person" (that only holds true when hubby and I have seats next to each other...ATA has sometimes assigned us the window and aisle, and then I generally switch to the middle if someone is assigned there...whether they're pooh-sized or not, I'm sure they wouldn't enjoy spending the flight with us yakking across them!). We normally request a middle and window seat and put the arm rest up between us, but I would refuse to put the arm rest up if a stranger were next to me. It's not my responsibility to ensure their comfort, and I would not feel comfortable being in such proximity to a stranger. I paid for a seat, not part of a seat, and I would insist on getting what I paid for, just as I would in any other circumstance.
Just my two cents.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[peg2001]

I guess I see both sides to this issue. I have seen no one disagree that it is not right for a large person to share a seat with a stranger. Sharing with a loved one sounds like a common and simple solution, when possible.

Failing this, leaving the adjacent seat empty is really the only way to go for the safety and comfort of the large person and the other paying customers. It comes down to whether the large person should have to pay extra for this space or whether the airline should "eat it" as a cost of doing business with the public, many of which are too large for the standard coach seat.

My opinion, and I certainly respect any and all who would disagree, is that the airline should absorb the cost of the unpaid seat even though this would mean passing the cost along to ALL the passengers in the form of slightly higher ticket costs. This seems to me to be the most compassionate of solutions.

 

[travelgoddess]

I agree with you Peg.
Whats next, I don't want to sit next to an ugly person?
Or a stinky person
Or a person with a baby

We need to learn to be a little more compassionate to each other

It seems weird hearing all these negative things coming from
people on a Disney Board.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by peg2001
My opinion, and I certainly respect any and all who would disagree, is that the airline should absorb the cost of the unpaid seat even though this would mean passing the cost along to ALL the passengers in the form of slightly higher ticket costs. This seems to me to be the most compassionate of solutions.

I do not want to have to pay higher airfares for the small percentage of fliers who need more space.

The sad fact is that while a minimal number of people suffer from medical conditions which cause obesity, the majority of obese persons are in that state due to poor diet and lack of excercise.
For the very few people who can not fit into an airline seat with the armrest down because of a medically induced weight problem, they have my sincere sympathy. But of all the "Pooh sized" people out there, how many can honestly say that they are medically unable to lose any weight?

That is the choice that they make for themselves, and they need to learn to accept the consequences of their choices, or change their lifestyle.

Frankly I have more sympathy for the 6'4" guy who has to turn into a contortionist to fit into a seat.

If the airline makes ALL the seats larger, and gives ALL the seats more legroom, I don't mind slightly higher airfares. But I do mind paying extra so someone can get a second seat for free.

Anne

 

[hulabird]

I agree with TravelGoddess, there is so much negative, mean spirited comments at times on these boards, COMPASSION is the key word, the airlines should absorb the cost, I agree, and no one should be judging people on "lack of exercise" or anything else, how cruel. I just ignore the people on this board that make rude comments. I am not heavy, but I have friends who are and yes, maybe they don't exercise or diet properly but no one is perfect.. but God, and I would rather treat a person, big or tall, fat or skinny, black or white or whatever, as God would, and not with mean comments, or discriminatory opinions.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by hulabird
I agree with TravelGoddess, there is so much negative, mean spirited comments at times on these boards, COMPASSION is the key word, the airlines should absorb the cost, I agree, and no one should be judging people on "lack of exercise" or anything else, how cruel. I just ignore the people on this board that make rude comments. I am not heavy, but I have friends who are and yes, maybe they don't exercise or diet properly but no one is perfect.. but God, and I would rather treat a person, big or tall, fat or skinny, black or white or whatever, as God would, and not with mean comments, or discriminatory opinions.

Maybe you don't understand. The airlines DO NOT ABSORB THE COST--THEY PASS IT ON TO THE REST OF THE PASSENGERS!!!

I do not want to pay for someone's extra ticket. End of story.

Anne

 

[KerriL]

Southwest is not the only airline that has this policy. All airlines do. Both my parents are severely obese and on occasions have had to buy an extra seat. Most of the time the lap belt extenders work fine.
K

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Anne,
I am with you on this one. Lets think about this one. First I get to loose part of my seat and now get to pay more for it. Ah, geez, what is wrong with this picture? I somehow don't think we are working with Harvard Business Graduates here.
I totally refuse to spend more on a ticket because I am a compassionate person or, medical reasons not included, because someone cannot or will not control what they eat. If you wish to eat until you are Pooh sized, then go for it, but, do not expect the airlines or others to pay for your seat. If you play plan on paying.
This is the "entitlement mentality" to the max. I am, indeed, compassionate, but, I am not STUPID.
I am sure G-d loves us all reagardless of anything, however, He has never said that we need to pick up the tab for other people's decisions.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I agree with you Peg.

Whats next, I don't want to sit next to an ugly person?

Or a stinky person

Well, actually, if you read the contract of carriage, they can prohibit someone who stinks, unless it is because of a medical condition. Frankly, would you really want to sit beside a person who stinks?

 

[travelgoddess]

So much for the "Disney Magic"
I think we should let this thread die, it is doing nothing but
dividing us all, it's very apparent we all have very strong feeling
about this subject. When someones physical size offends others
the way it does here, its very sad.

 

[hulabird]

travelgoddess....like I said, those are the ones u just need to ignore, I do.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

travelgoddess,
I have no problem with people who are large, small, or in between, I have a problem sharing my seat with complete strangers. I have a problem paying for this also, but, I also have a problem paying for something from which I derive no benefit.
If compassion is a benefit, I shall choose the way I donate.
I would far rather feed a homeless person or save a stray animal than subsidize someone's trip. If you choose to donate some of your hard earned money to pay for half a seat, you go right ahead, it is your money. I choose not to.
It is going to be very sad for a lot of people who feel as you do when the airlines are making people pay for the use of two seats, regardless of why. I could be a baby seat, someone that does not fit, someone with a large piece of art, etc. As I said, read the new rule before you judge others.

 

[Meagansmom]

All I can say is Congratulations Disneylvr - Keep going! You can do it.

 

[denisenh]

If there is one thing that I have learned on this DIS board, it is that if an opinion of any kind is different than mine it isn't necessarily wrong, its just different. No need to feel offended. Sometimes it is just hard to tell someones feelings by reading a post. The body language says so much and we don't have that advantage here.
I would share anything with a stranger if they needed it and I had it to share, sometimes even when I don't have it to share. That's just me. Some other people don't feel that way, but have other good qualities that I wish that I had. Like when I am tired, I am so crabby. Some people are always nice, even on one hour of sleep.
Besides, I have a feeling that SWA is going to do what they want no matter what I or we think anyway.

 

[PhotobearSam]

Can a MOD please close this thread...It seems to have no trip planning value anymore except now people seem to be getting personal.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>>> When someones physical size offends others
the way it does here, its very sad...

But it is not the person's size that offends others, it is the person's behavior.

It is reasonable to expect others to move so that a larger person can have two adjacent seats, but it is the duty and obligation of the larger person to not take someone else's (other than a standby's) seat even if it means getting off the plane.

Persons upset at a larger person's behavior are encouraged to speak up and it is then the flight crew's obligation to get involved and fix the situation. If each passenger doesn't have a seat to him/herself, the plane is oversold.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

denisenh, and Seashore,
Nicely put. I wish I could have said it as well.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

PhotobearSam,
From what I gather from the title of the thread, it had no planning purpose in the first place. In reality, it appears to be a misplaced debate board topic.

 

[PhotobearSam]

I don't read the original post as a debate...I see it as someone trying to infom us of a change that was made to a policy (or implementing an existing policy)

Well maybe it should be moved to the debate board.