Southwest bumps petite woman from flight to accomodate obese teen..

[gkrykewy]

Awkward. Not sure there's a winning solution here, but since the teen arrived late, I think he probably should have had to wait for the next flight (and pay for two seats, if that's the policy).

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20011748-10391704.html

Southwest Airlines bumped stand-by passenger to accommodate heavy teen (bribriTO/Flickr Photo)
(CBS) A petite Sacramento woman was bumped from a Southwest Airlines flight to make room for an extra-large 14-year-old who required two seats.

The 5-foot-4, 110-pound woman, who was flying standby from Las Vegas to Sacramento, was buckled up and ready to go when the teen arrived late to the gate, reported the Sacramento Bee. She was surprised when flight attendants said she would have to deplane to make room for the teen.

When the woman - who did not give her name to the paper for fear of being perceived as insensitive - expressed irritation, airline employees began to "berate" her for complaining, she told the newspaper.

"We know this was awkward and we should have handled it better," said Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis, adding that normally the airline would ask for volunteers to give up their seats. In this case, however, flight attendants may have been rushing to make room for the kid in order to save him from embarrassment.

Southwest can't seem to win for losing. This is the same airline that made headlines recently when it booted chubby blogger Kevin Smith, 39, from his seat because he had to squeeze himself into it.

After the Smith incident, Southwest said his removal was for the "safety and comfort of all customers," maintaining that a large person could block passengers seated nearby from exiting quickly in the event of an emergency.

Southwest generally requires large passengers to buy two tickets. But in this case, the child's parents had purchased only one.

 

[Derby4me]

Sounds like Southwest admitted that they should have handled the situation differently. I respect them for that. However, she was flying standby but I understand her frustration after already boarding the plane.

On a side note, I don't really like how the article is making an issue that she is a petite woman who was bumped. She was bumped because she was flying standby, her weight had nothing to do with it. That is the chance you take when flying standby. Yes, the teen is overweight and required two seats, but would you really want to be an overweight teen? Probably not if you had the choice. Just seems like the author is trying to start an issue.

 

[LMO429]

I have a feeling they will talk about this story on the view tomorrow.

 

[AJRitz]

Sorry, the woman needs to be the assault in this situation. The kid was an unaccompanied minor, so the airline has extra responsibility keep him on schedule. The woman was flying standby. Just because she'd already boarded, that doesn't change that she was a standby passenger.

 

[mjaclyn]

I do think the parents or guardian of the teen should be made to pay for the second seat though...

 

[Disney Khi]

I think it's funny they refer to Kevin Smith as a "blogger" completely ignoring his Hollywood career.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have a feeling they will talk about this story on the view tomorrow.

Eh, they probably already did. This happened over the weekend, I think; there are threads on the Community and Transportation boards about it that are a couple of days old, and I first heard about it on talk radie around noon either Monday or Tuesday [the days all run together at my age ].

Some important information not mentioned in that article: the bumped passenger was placed on the very next flight to her destination arriving ultimately later than she would have than if she hadn't been bumped but still earlier than her original flight; and Southwest reimbursed her entire fare.

So she was slightly inconvenienced, she flew FREE, and she still found it necessary to go to the media.

Oh, yeah, I thought Kevin Smith's claim to fame being cited as "blogger" was hilarious, too!

 

[Cherinva]

That's the risk you take when you fly stand by...although inconvienient..Southwest was within their rights..and they took care of her..putting her on another flight and refunding her money.

 

[LMO429]

Eh, they probably already did. This happened over the weekend, I think; there are threads on the Community and Transportation boards about it that are a couple of days old, and I first heard about it on talk radie around noon either Monday or Tuesday [the days all run together at my age ].

Some important information not mentioned in that article: the bumped passenger was placed on the very next flight to her destination arriving ultimately later than she would have than if she hadn't been bumped but still earlier than her original flight; and Southwest reimbursed her entire fare.

So she was slightly inconvenienced, she flew FREE, and she still found it necessary to go to the media.

Oh, yeah, I thought Kevin Smith's claim to fame being cited as "blogger" was hilarious, too!

I didn't realize this was an older issue. I thought it just happened the day the op posted it. thank you for clarifying

 

[kaytieeldr]

I didn't realize this was an older issue. I thought it just happened the day the op posted it. thank you for clarifying

Yeah, I know you didn't . I hope you realize I wasn't calling you out - just letting you know it's probably already been discussed on "The View" and other television shows, and joked about on the late-night shows, so nobody's disappointed when they don't see anything about it on tv.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

It seems to have all worked out okay... I just don't know why the woman's weight was an issue at all.

 

[wishspirit]

Sorry, the woman needs to be the assault in this situation. The kid was an unaccompanied minor, so the airline has extra responsibility keep him on schedule. The woman was flying standby. Just because she'd already boarded, that doesn't change that she was a standby passenger.

I agree with this. Yes I can understand her frustration, but she took that risk by flying standby. Plus I think the cabin crew did the right thing for the teen not to be embarrassed and cause a bigger fuss.

Eh, they probably already did. This happened over the weekend, I think; there are threads on the Community and Transportation boards about it that are a couple of days old, and I first heard about it on talk radie around noon either Monday or Tuesday [the days all run together at my age ].

Some important information not mentioned in that article: the bumped passenger was placed on the very next flight to her destination arriving ultimately later than she would have than if she hadn't been bumped but still earlier than her original flight; and Southwest reimbursed her entire fare.

So she was slightly inconvenienced, she flew FREE, and she still found it necessary to go to the media.

Oh, yeah, I thought Kevin Smith's claim to fame being cited as "blogger" was hilarious, too!

Well then, it should be all's well that end's well. She flew for free (even though on standby), the teen got to wherever she was going and the flight wasn't late. As long as Southwest didn't mind reimbursing her- everyone wins!

 

[SrisonS]

I think it's funny they refer to Kevin Smith as a "blogger" completely ignoring his Hollywood career.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I almost thought it was a different Kevin Smith for a second there. But then I remembered his situation.