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Jetstar charges passengers by the pound
The debate has gone on for years. Larger people have had to deal with shrinking plane seats. We all complain, with the svelte arguing that the not-so-trim should have to purchase an extra seat. I have to be honest, here. I believe that you should pay for what you consume. If you take two seats pay for them. Apparently, low-cost Australian airline Jetstar agrees, with much more zeal than I would have ever imagined. For some, airfare must be purchased by the pound ... and I'm not talking about the British currency.
Samantha Scafe, a 350 pound transgender passenger on Jetstar, was forced to pay for a second seat "for other people's comfort" after twice being assured that this would not be necessary. Jetstar later apologized for the debacle, saying that it doesn't provide overweight customers with "two-for-one deals."
Obviously, she's filing a lawsuit over this.
Now, let's give Jetstar credit for follow-through. Not only do they offend a passenger, but the two seats they gave her had a slight problem: they were separated by the aisle. If she occupied them, she'd have had the flight attendants all over her for not getting out of the way of the drink cart!
These women should've been charged for their "crimes"!
[Via news.com.au, Blackbook]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 19)
Dean Feb 9th 2009 2:51AM
It's about time an airline started charging airfare in this manner. I also feel that those of us who are not in the not-so-trim category, should be able to purchase extra seat space, should we so desire, for our comfort.
CelluliteQueen Feb 9th 2009 10:03PM
I am a fat person. THERE! I've SAID it! And it's really starting to tick me off that being FAT is now starting to become humiliating! The day they charge me by the pound, or by my size, is the day I start driving instead of flying. That is discriminating against me, just because I do NOT wish to become Anorexic or Bulemic, and I'm not that VAIN that my appearance is more important than enjoying my life, just as I am. If you get a minute, check out www. CelluliteQueen. com It's my web site... and you MUST have a sense of humor to choose to remain FAT in a thin world!
Beth Feb 9th 2009 10:10PM
Being an overweight person..I want to be comfortable so I do get a second seat..what is wrong with this is that the second seat was across the aisle. So..tell me how this helped anyone at all.
rob Feb 9th 2009 10:18PM
Ok cellulite... here's some steps to not have to buy a ticket for two seats.
1. Put down the twinkie next time you get the urge to stuff your hamhock filled belly.
2. Get off your lazy ass and walk.
3. After you lose quite a bit, go buy a ticket.
I've been stuck in the middle seat between two smelly cows before (and yes, most fat people really do stink although they don't realize it). It wasn't fun having them flop all over my little tiny space. One cow had to have TWO seat belt extentions!!! Can you imagine that?? And don't give me that thyroid shit, if you try hard enough or get on the right meds you can lose weight. If you don't want to do so, then have a wee bit of consideration and buy an extra seat!!!!
Tangi Feb 9th 2009 11:28PM
To Rob, you are so ignorant, everyone who is overweight is not overweight because they overeat, but yes most are. But many many people are overweight because of the medicine they must take. There are many medicines that cause obesity and Seroquel is one and steroids is another. So take your ignorant butt to what's called a library and do some reading because you just showed us how ignorant you are and that goes for the rest of you who speak that way.
Laci Feb 9th 2009 10:44PM
I think that people who are larger SHOULD pay for more than one seat. There is no reason, except for maybe thyroid problems, that they should be that big anyway. QUIT BEING LAZY AND WORK OUT AND DIET!Seriously I know that I am no size 2, I am a 10, but I work out and diet because I would be embarrassed to be any bigger than that. Its ridiculous how Americans have let themselves go. It kind of reminds me of Wall E, if anyone has seen it. Absolutely ridiculous. People who are of average weight should not have to suffer because of these peoples bad decisions.
Judy Feb 9th 2009 10:55PM
I'm sorry if large people take offense at having to pay for an extra seat, but the point is: If you USE a seat, you should pay for it, whether it's for another person, extra stuff or extra YOU. I pay for the one I use and many of you have probably had to give up most of the seat YOU PAID FOR, because the person (or people) beside you use most of it. And what about not getting to use ANY of your seat because the people on both sides take half each. It's a nightmare! And I have a great deal of sympathy for the airlines caught in the middle, too. GET REAL! This flight is surely not the first time you've taken up more room than you've paid for.
kAnDy Feb 10th 2009 1:34AM
i totally agree with ppl that say if you take up 2 seats you have 2 PAY for 2 seats. n dont say "oh, im offended!" thats just stupid. you know your dimensions and you feel like people should just deal with it and thats wrong. if you think we're being disrespectful you are so totally wrong, the disrespectful ones are you guys!! if you're obese and have consideration for other people's personal space its awesome and kudos for you, but if you think we should put up with your smell, sweat and wobbly bits all up against us then shame on you!! im not thin, im a size 14 and already feel big. but i can fix it and so can you. the seats arent shrinking either, its just us as americans that are getting bigger! and yes, i have seen wall-e and yes it is exactly what's gonna happen if we dont get fit and dont start feeding our kids healthy foods and push fast foods to bankruptcy!
kAnDy Feb 10th 2009 1:34AM
i totally agree with ppl that say if you take up 2 seats you have 2 PAY for 2 seats. n dont say "oh, im offended!" thats just stupid. you know your dimensions and you feel like people should just deal with it and thats wrong. if you think we're being disrespectful you are so totally wrong, the disrespectful ones are you guys!! if you're obese and have consideration for other people's personal space its awesome and kudos for you, but if you think we should put up with your smell, sweat and wobbly bits all up against us then shame on you!! im not thin, im a size 14 and already feel big. but i can fix it and so can you. the seats arent shrinking either, its just us as americans that are getting bigger! and yes, i have seen wall-e and yes it is exactly what's gonna happen if we dont get fit and dont start feeding our kids healthy foods and push fast foods to bankruptcy! lol
Mike Feb 10th 2009 7:36AM
Cellulite......as much as you wish not to be discriminated against because of your size, I wish not to be subjected to your body invading MY seat space on an airplane.
YOUR right to be large ENDS when it interferes with MY right not to have to be inconvenienced on an airplane because you chose to stay that way and expect the world to bend around YOU.
I had an ENTIRE vacation ruined due to back spasms brought on because on the flight down, I had someone your size sitting in the middle seat on a flying cigar tube, pushing me up against the fuselage for 3 hours! I spent the ENTIRE vacation in bed on muscle relaxers and pain killers because this large person didn't think enough about OTHER people to purchase two seats.
I didn't put the fork in her mouth....she did. I absolutely WILL not suffer any further due to the ignorance and selfish self-righteousness of the "larger" breed of humans.
wendy Feb 9th 2009 8:11PM
As someone that travels for work I think that overweight people should have to pay for a 2nd seat. I was 8 months pregnant and had to sit by a man that took up his seat and half of mine- he put the arm rest up and did not apoligise- I have never been so uncomfortable- I was totally ticked off with the flight attendants on my DELTA flight for not finding me another seat. YEA for this airline- anyone that disagrees with charging over weight people more has not had to "share" a seat with one!
ohduh Feb 9th 2009 8:32PM
uh, did you read the whole thing?? the seats were seperated by the aisle!! How is that a "yea" for the airline? They not only made the passenger pay extra but then it was for an unusable seat!
Person Feb 9th 2009 8:31PM
I agree with this too.
Just wondering though, why in the world were you flying when you were 8 months pregnant?
Christina Feb 9th 2009 9:18PM
If you are going to charge over weight people for an extra seat because they take up more than 1 seat then people who travel with infants on their laps should pay for a second seat too. The most uncomfortable trip I had was sitting next to a woman who had a toddler in her lap, and together they took up more than their fair share of my seat!
Annie Feb 9th 2009 9:38PM
You were 8 months pregnant, so how would you like it if the airlines charged you more for the additional weight that you must have had when you were 8 months pregnant?
chrimcyn Feb 9th 2009 9:52PM
Um, Wendy...were you SKINNY when you were 8 months pregnant? Do you realize the risk you took by flying in an advanced stage of pregnancy?And,if you had half a brain, the man NEXT to you had no other options but to take the seat assigned to him!Maybe HE didn't want to sit next to a balloon belly!!
wendy Feb 9th 2009 9:57PM
I fit in my seat just fine...for the record my doctor was fine with me flying. The point was not that I was pregnant even if I wasn't pregnant the man took up half of my seat! He lifted the arm rest sat down and made himself comfortable he weighed at least 350 lbs. He knew before he got on that plane that he was not going to fit in the seat. I am 5'4" and at 8 months pregnant I weighed only 140...so I am not a large person-and I agree people with toddlers should buy a seat for them- I always do! Just came back from the Caymans with my kids and they all had their own seats and they sat behind me so they could kick my seat not a strangers.
rob Feb 10th 2009 10:42PM
Who cares about prego?? As long as you aren't all over my side, there are no problems. A lot of people don't understand, I'm not a touchy feely kind of person. I don't like to touch strangers. I really hate it when touching a stranger creates a bond of sweat between any two part of our bodies. If you're fat and have a pot belly that's touching your tray, then there's no problem. However, if you're WIDE and flopping all over my side, get real excited and give a slight "moo" when they ask if you want extra peanuts, THEN there's a problem!!!
lunamorgan Feb 10th 2009 12:47AM
But Wendy, why didn't you pay for an extra seat for your baby and associated belly? You CHOSE to get pregnant, it was a decision. Don't you think that your large stomach might have caused the overweight person beside you some discomfort? You could have NOT gotten pregnant, so why didn't your either buy two seats or choose not the fly?
Do you see how your decisions effect other people as well but are biased toward yourself? Not every fat person have control over their metabolism, nor should they be required to. Similarly, you have the right to get pregnant, even if that makes you take up more space.
kathy Feb 10th 2009 4:38PM
Wendy, why in the world would you take the chance of flying being 8 months pregnant? What kind of a Dr would suggest such a thing. Instead of worrying about sitting next to a heavy person, you should worry about the distress you are causing the baby. Dumbass!