Effective today, United Airlines has a new official policy that affects “seatmates of size” and those passengers seated near them.
The airline’s policy — posted on United’s Web site — states that if a passenger cannot fit into a single seat, buckle their seatbelt with an additional seatbelt extension, or put the seat’s armrest down, the airline will ask that passenger to pay for an extra seat or stay behind.
If you follow the link and continue reading the story there is a poll. The question is should plus size passengers be required to pay for 2 seats?
The results were displayed after I voted:
Yes – 85.7%
No – 15.3%
United gets strict on ‘seatmates of size’ – News- msnbc.com
I have nothing against large people and they should have nothing against me for saying I want all the space I’ve payed for and no more, no less.
Janey – exactly! I think that’s how most of us feel.
The poll was gone when I got there, but I can go both ways on this as some people are large because of medical conditions beyond their control.
I just don’t know…
Dave – the poll is still there, it’s in the middle section of the article. About medical conditions, yes those exist I agree as are countless other medical conditions. But to ask a passenger not to be able to use the arm rest which he/she paid for to accommodate the obese person is that fair?
I once sat next to a hugely overweight woman on a plane. She had to ask for an extra seat belt extender-thingie.
I don’t think she extended over into my seat, though.
She and her husband were very nice, and I remember internally scolding myself for having mean thoughts when they first sat down.
But yeah.
If someone *does* take up more room than one seat, I guess they need to pay extra.
Cilicious – I’ve done my fair share of flying and have had seat mates such as you describe, obese but didn’t take up half of my seat. I’ve also had the opposite, it’s like they say internally…ahh thank god a small person, I won’t be cramped on this flight! And my flight has been miserable. Personally I don’t care what size you are, but my seat is mine, like Janey said.
In response to your response, I once sat on a flight from O’Hare to Anchorage Alaska next to a medium sized woman, cradling an infant the whole flight. Not only didn’t I get to see/use my armrest, but her elbows were in my chest.
Do they kick her off too? Under what grounds?
The more I think of it… the more I try to be tolerant. Maybe I’m getting old… *chuckle*
I rarely fly. Hate to. Just don’t like the chaos. Not worth it to me. I’d rather vacation in my own yard, I guess.
Brenda