I like the new policy.


Since 1980, Southwest Airlines has maintained a policy, for purposes of Customer safety and comfort, of requiring a Customer to purchase a second seat if the Customer needs extra space for a large or fragile item, such as a musical instrument, or if the Customer's girth is larger than one aircraft seat. Below are a few points to help clarify our policy:


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Customers who reserve and purchase a discounted, advance purchase fare will be charged the same fare for the second seat, even if the advance purchase requirements are not met at the time of the second seat purchase. A Customer who is holding an unrestricted walk up fare will be charged the appropriate discounted Child's Fare for the second seat.
Once travel has been completed, if the flight is not full, the Customer can request a full refund for the second seat by contacting Southwest Airlines' Customer Relations Department.
This policy was designed to accommodate Customers needing extra space, regardless of the reason (e.g., personal comfort, artwork, child safety seats, large or fragile musical instruments).
The policy is intended to promote the safety and comfort of all Customers onboard and to ensure that no Customers are deprived a portion of the space they have purchased.

http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/a...ional_seat.html

http://www.washtimes.com/business/20020619-692750.htm

 

A friend of mine once said, "All things being equal, fat people use more soap." I guess SW Airlines figured it out. And yes, I'm about 30lbs overweight.

 

personally, i hate the idea of making overweight people suffer any more for being overweight but...

let's call a spade a spade. it isn't fair to the rest of us if this policy isn't implemented.

as someone who travels a lot, i've experienced "the middle seat" between a few large people. it absolutely sucks.

 

I say good! Weight can be controlled by most people if they really wanted to. I feel sorry for the others who have no control, but that is the hand you were dealt.

 

I saw a news clip on TV of this last night. Really obese people protesting this and struggling mightily to get in airline seats. I thought it was pretty funny.

 

I've been the victim of sitting next to some pretty large people. It's definitely extremely uncomfortable. On Southwest, it's even worse since most of their flights are so full and seating is not assigned. It'll definitely make it more comfprtable for the rest of us.

 

Well as a large (6'3, 240, 36" inseam) person who isn't obese, I think this stinks. What's next, pay by the pound. I'm expecting to be next.

You may not have noticed (but I sure did) that aircraft seats have been getting narrower and closer together for the last 15 years. But obviously Southwest is counting on the narrow-mindedness of those who have the luck to be born average. And no one here has dissappointed them.

 

A fact is a fact. A large person is going to take up more space. If a big person spills over into my seat, that person should buy it. I buy a full seat and deserve to be comfortable in it. I don't want to spend a four hour flight squished because of the widebody next to me. If you're fat, buy business or first class. Maybe fly another airline that feels more comforable pandering to the special needs of the large bodied.

I don't think being average-sized leads to a condition of narrow-mindedness. Perhaps that narrow-mindedness is perpetuated by large people whining about being big and discriminated against because they are not accommodated.

By the way, my "average" size is maintained by four workouts per week from two to five hours each. I park in the farthest parking space and walk six flights of stairs two to four times a day. Yeah, my ass is small because of my genes. Whatever.

 

Clearly not nice to say it but I, for one am glad. Having racked up over 1,000,000 frequent flyer miles for work I've been the victim of some rather large, sticky overflowing neighbors. I hit the gym 3 or 4 times a week (mostly so I can eat more hehe) and I'm not a big guy to start with. Why should I and my other non-obese travellers be subjected to the discomfort of someone spilling over into our seats?

Thankfully I get priority seating due to all those miles and generally don't have to worry about the "middle seat" problem but hey...

I think it's only fair that you pay for what you use. If this policy gets overturned then why not a "size-challenged" section where the ticket price is the same but obese folks have to sit next to each other?!?

lig

 

Not only is it narrow-minded it's kinda moronic. Essentially, you've all decided that the passenger, not the airline is responsible for your comfort.

You paid the airline, not the fat guy. If the airline chooses to crowd the seats so 20% of Americans don't fit, it is the airline's fault.

BTW, I stopped flying Southwest several years ago because of leg length. Since they don't assign seats I can't reserve an exit row seat. How many days should I go to the gym to solve that problem?