2 for 1 airline seats

[declansdad]

This has to be one of the dumbest decison I have ever heard. How in the world will this be enforced and why should an obese person get two seats for the price of one while everyone else pays for two? What about the tall person who has no leg room? Should something be done for them?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/canada_us_obesity

 

[DawnCt1]

This has to be one of the dumbest decison I have ever heard. How in the world will this be enforced and why should an obese person get two seats for the price of one while everyone else pays for two? What about the tall person who has no leg room? Should something be done for them?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/canada_us_obesity

I heard that on the news this morning. The airlines are in enough trouble, and now they have to give away a seat. I agree, it is just wrong and being "functionally disabled" shouldn't entitled someone to the use of someone else's property 'for free'. Long legs?? Bulkhead seats for everyone!

 

[Disneyadore]

I wonder how they will enforce this.

If they sold out all the seats and a big person needs ore demands two seats who will be the one that will miss the flight?

The person that needs two seats ore the one that is thinner ?
Mind you I’m not the thinnest person myself but I think this will cause a lot of problems.

 

[DawnCt1]

I wonder how they will enforce this.

If they sold out all the seats and a big person needs ore demands two seats who will be the one that will miss the flight?

The person that needs two seats ore the one that is thinner ?
Mind you I’m not the thinnest person myself but I think this will cause a lot of problems.

Good point. Will the obese person be required to ask for the second seat at the time of booking? Will the big person get the thinner persons seat if they bought the single ticket first or show up first?

 

[FergieTCat]

If someone needs two seats, they should buy two seats. No matter what the reason.

 

[liamsaunt]

It looks like this ruling was made by a Canadian court and only applies to flights that both originate and terminate in Canada. I can't see US airlines adopting this policy, especially with all of the financial trouble they are in at the moment.

 

[MushyMushy]

Wow, I think it's ridiculous myself. Now if they were to have to make the seats wider for everyone, I'd applaud that. Those seats are pretty darn tight, especially on an airline like SWA.

I'm also of the opinion that if someone is large enough to spill into the next seat (not just obese, but those with super long legs, very wide shoulders, etc), they should have to purchase two. Now, it would be *nice* if airlines did what SWA does and give you a refund if the flight isn't sold out, but they shouldn't be required to do that.

I just think this ruling is setting a very bad precedent.

 

[Northstar]

I see their point in that what you actually buy from the airline isn't a seat... it's safe transportation from point A to point B.

The airlines are the ones who choose how wide their seats will be. They don't want the regulations specifying that they must have wider seats, wheelchair-accessible washrooms, and similar types of adaptations that public buildings must have for accessibility. So, this regulation just says that if their seats aren't wide enough to accommodate a customer, they have to make a reasonable adaptation to accommodate that person.

If it costs them some money (because they have one less seat on that flight to sell), well, it costs many businesses money to accommodate people with disabilities. Part of the cost of doing business.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

I heard about this years ago - but what I heard was that the bigger person had to BUY two tickets if they..... spill into the other seat. All I can say is thank goodness I've lost almost 70lbs, and I don't have to wory about that every again!!!!

 

[CowboyCO]

I heard that on the news this morning. The airlines are in enough trouble, and now they have to give away a seat. I agree, it is just wrong and being "functionally disabled" shouldn't entitled someone to the use of someone else's property 'for free'. Long legs?? Bulkhead seats for everyone!

They are not "giving it away" . You will be paying for it.

 

[*Fantasia*]

oh... does this mean that i can pay for only a seat for two people. i'm pretty small and when my son turns 3, 4, 5,(he is in the smaller side, like me) i'm sure we can still fit in a seat. would they accomodate that request? i think that would be fair, right? i'm glad this is only happening in canada.

 

[FergieTCat]

oh... does this mean that i can pay for only a seat for two people. i'm pretty small and when my son turns 3, 4, 5,(he is in the smaller side, like me) i'm sure we can still fit in a seat. would they accomodate that request? i think that would be fair, right? i'm glad this is only happening in canada.

I don't think the airlines would let you share a seatbelt.

I'm large and I completely do not agree with this. Before I lost weight, I'd stay on my side of the armrest. Now that I've lost weight, it's much more comfortable. I've never expected the airlines to give me a seat I hadn't paid for.

I did want to add that I do think that ANYONE who needs two seats should be expected to pay for two seats. It doesn't matter how someone is infringing on the space of another passenger (wide shoulders, etc.). If they need more space, they should pay for the extra space.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

They are not "giving it away" . You will be paying for it.

Yes, we'll all be paying for it through the higher fares the airlines will have to charge to make up for those seats they can't sell to another traveler.

I wonder what criteria they'll use to determine who is "disabled" enough by his/her obesity to deserve an extra seat. How many people will try to finagle an extra seat when they don't really need it?

I am sympathetic to those who have trouble fitting into an airline seat, but I don't think this is a good idea, either. I think charging half-price for the extra seat (like most airlines do for infants), would be a better idea.

 

[justhat]

Yes, we'll all be paying for it through the higher fares the airlines will have to charge to make up for those seats they can't sell to another traveler.

I wonder what criteria they'll use to determine who is "disabled" enough by his/her obesity to deserve an extra seat. How many people will try to finagle an extra seat when they don't really need it?

I am sympathetic to those who have trouble fitting into an airline seat, but I don't think this is a good idea, either. I think charging half-price for the extra seat (like most airlines do for infants), would be a better idea.

I agree with you. Not only will a bunch of people try to get an extra seat free, but we'll all pay through higher fares. Or at least the Canadians will.


Oh, but the half price seats for infants are gone now. We have always bought our kids seats on planes from their first flights at 2 months old and though we got the discount often when my daughter was a baby, with my son they were done away with on every airline we flew. Really kind of annoying, IMO, as I could have flown with him free, so since I was paying for something I didn't have to, 50% off would have been nice.

 

[Cool-Beans]

What about the tall person who has no leg room? Should something be done for them?

I vote, "yes."

Long legs?? Bulkhead seats for everyone!

Woo-hoo!

I actually go online exactly 24 hours before the flight leaves (when you can check yourself in) to grab me a bulkhead seat. It's like an ebay auction, I swear.

I think that IF the airline hasn't filled the plane that they should give two seats to the folks who can't fit into one. But if they can fill the plane with people who will pay, they should be able to do that. The folks with the big shoulders or fat or whatever can buy a bigger seat or two seats.

It would be nice if the planes had big seats with lots of leg room, but they don't. That's life in the big city, little beaver.

 

[minnie61650]

Yes, we'll all be paying for it through the higher fares the airlines will have to charge to make up for those seats they can't sell to another traveler.

I wonder what criteria they'll use to determine who is "disabled" enough by his/her obesity to deserve an extra seat. How many people will try to finagle an extra seat when they don't really need it?

I am sympathetic to those who have trouble fitting into an airline seat, but I don't think this is a good idea, either. I think charging half-price for the extra seat (like most airlines do for infants), would be a better idea.

I agree.
I think half price for the second seat (for thouse who would require two seats is a better solution.

JMHO

 

[MickeySP]

Did you see how much it actually cost per ticket to accomodate this rule?
44 cents - yep 44 cents. So who cares?

I am more concerned by decisions that affect me everyday - like the excuse that grocery prices were rising due to fuel costs, so now with most gas under 2.00 why aren't my groceries coming down?!?!?

I fly 4 times a year - I grocery shop everyweek.

BTW used to weigh 350lbs - now 147 and happily let "fat" people spill over - but I guess if you have walked a mile in their shoes you have an ounce of compassion.

 

[Charade]

I wonder what criteria they'll use to determine who is "disabled" enough by his/her obesity to deserve an extra seat. How many people will try to finagle an extra seat when they don't really need it?

I am sympathetic to those who have trouble fitting into an airline seat, but I don't think this is a good idea, either. I think charging half-price for the extra seat (like most airlines do for infants), would be a better idea.

They either have to ask up front (people lie) and/or have a sample seat (like they do at some roller coasters) for obese people to see if they fit or require two seats. How embarrassing would that be?

But, I've already been asked how much I weigh when traveling on very small commuter planes. They need to be able to balance the load.

Maybe the airlines should start charging by weight like freight companies do. Heck, if my trash hauler can charge a fuel surcharge, why can't the airlines charge a weight surcharge?

 

[Keli]

I said this on another thread and someone strongly disagreed with me but I believe airlines should have to make the seat as wide as the average citizen of their country.
That data isn't hard to come by, at least not in the US, and I've read that the average airline seat is narrower by a few inches than the average US citizen.
But I don't believe any airline should have to give a seat away free to an overly large person.