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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 5 of 19)
Jerry Nowacki Feb 10th 2009 8:28AM
Corpulent people have made personal choices to eat beyond normal limits and therefore they GROW to abnormal limits. Dis-ease is mostly a manifestation of the emotional instability.
Choice and free will are part of an individual human right. Our Addicted to Food bretheren(typically carb junkies)should not burden others who have made more intelligent choices and remain within normal parametets congruent with appropriate physical size. Therefore, the BIG PEOPLE should pay for what they use.
Michele Feb 9th 2009 9:15PM
The last few times I flew with Southwest airline, and thankfully the flights were not filled up. I am overweight, and was lucky enough to be able to get a seat all by myself, and not be uncomfortable and not make anyone else feel squeezed in either. I love that airline, they were always good to me. And for the record, some people just don't let themselves go as said in these blogs, some people go through awful things in their lives and over eating etc, is just part of their illness or problems, you wouldn't say that if a person had a drinking or smoking problem, or whatever. Everyone has their vices, for some, it's food, so stop judging others, I am sure those who said such harsh words, smoke, drink, overspend, etc etc the list goes on. NO ONE IS PERFECT ~~~~~
Yavanna Feb 9th 2009 9:19PM
Here, here! Well said!
Kel Watts Feb 10th 2009 12:01AM
I guess no one remembers that the airlines have reduced the size of the seats. Sure we've gotten bigger, BUT the seat have also gotten smaller. If you want to see what they used to be like find and on DASH 8 regional commuter airplane. You will be surprised!
scorpbrian10 Feb 9th 2009 9:18PM
she was huge and needed 2 seats. the stewardess can easily rearrange the passengers to give her two seats on the same side of the aisle. wow that was hard! use your heads people, common sense goes a long way.
Alice Feb 9th 2009 9:20PM
Make some of the damn seats bigger. Thats discrimination. NO ONE person should have to pay for two seats on a plane. They are customers just like all the skinny people. Make seats that are accessable to them. AND No im not obese. 5'7 145lbs. That is blatant discrimination. And what a nasty world we live in that you asses think your shit dont stink and fat people should pay more!!!
Mike Feb 9th 2009 9:31PM
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure weight equals fuel consumption. Price per pound is fair; luggage and person.
Yavanna Feb 9th 2009 9:35PM
Okay, now we've heard from the twelve year old...
Next?
Susan Feb 9th 2009 9:27PM
How about a plus size section of seats? The air lines can charge extra for the seats and everyone can be comfortable. Some overweight passengers probably would like not making their seat buddies uncomfortable.
Queenie Feb 10th 2009 8:12AM
Good Suggestion on a plus size area for Big/Tall! I am big, not so big I can't fit in the seat - but I would love the option of purchasing more room! I am sure others would too. I just flew from STL to ATL and the person beside me was very skinny, but he was 6'5. He was more uncomfortable than I was because he could barely get his legs in the allotted area and when the person in front of us reclined, they were all over hime And I agree, the seats are shrinking! There are some airline seats that are just fine for me and then there are some that you are squished no matter how big/small you are - depends on the airline and plane type.
za1 Feb 9th 2009 9:27PM
Here's an idea; since all ppl arent the same and all seats are; make a fat section; 2 or 3 huge seats!! ,...
Davida Feb 9th 2009 9:27PM
let me add my 2 cents to this insanity. for the woman who was eight months pregnant: maybe you should have gotten two seats. one for you and one for your unborn child. does this sound ridiculous? i hope so because so does everyone else. why is it assumed that people who are obese WANT to be obese? while i'm not obese, i'm tall. the airlines have been shrinking their seats for years and continuing to charge to the consumer more money. we've got bigger problems with the airlines (no pun intened) instead of worrying about whether the airlines should charge for extra pounds. remember, in this country a size 12 is overweight!!
Ellen Feb 9th 2009 9:34PM
No one here has discussed the fact that we pay the same price for an airline seat as a child who is half the weight of an adult. If we're going to make this about weight, then I should pay just a tiny bit for my twins who are 30 pounds each. My older daughter is just 60 pounds. I'm very overweight, and I've lived in fear of flying anywhere because of the hatred I see on these blogs, but the truth is that I could lift up an armrest and cuddle up with one of my kids whose bottom wouldn't come close to filling up a seat. Should I have to buy two seats? More to the point, for all of you people whose hearts are so filled with meanness and hatred for people who are overweight: Is there no one in your family who is overweight? What if your mother or sister or uncle or friend couldn't travel because they couldn't afford to pay for two seats? The airlines are, in fact, cramming more and more seats into planes. Yes, overweight people have a harder time fitting, but where should we draw the line? Should we say, "I don't want a guy with a cough sitting next to me -- he should pay for a second seat so that I don't get his germs." It's really easy to be mean on these blogs when you're anonymous, but everyone knows and loves someone out there who is overweight -- do you really want that person not to be able to fly?
za1 Feb 9th 2009 9:32PM
My brother had a head injury at early age & for some bizarre reason like really fat gurls. He was living with a 375 fatty & they went an amusement park & she was trying to ride a ride & the bars that hold you in wouldn't shut, they tested her on a computer & it said she was too FAT!!
Sean Feb 9th 2009 9:36PM
Will the airlines refund me for half the seat my son doesn't use. Since he's only 40 pounds? One commenter said it simply,
"Pay for what you use".
Or is that just for the over users.
Kathy Feb 9th 2009 9:50PM
This is crazy, charge a person for being overweight and needing to buy two seats, and THEN make that across two aisles? This IS a win-able lawsuit for the passenger.
As far a an 8 month pregant woman....I hope that you had a window seat as I would hate to trample over your unborn child as I exit the aircraft. Why on earth were you flying at 8 months? YOU should have to buy two seats as well.
Alison Feb 9th 2009 9:44PM
Bottom line -- when I pay for a seat, I expect to be able to sit in it. Not 3/4's of it, not 1/2 of it, but all of it. There are many reasons why someone may not fit in a coach seat - extra pounds, extra muscle, extra inches... It doesn't matter, I still expect to be able to sit in my seat. If you can't fit in a coach seat, buy two, buy a first class seat, drive, take a train, hitchhite, etc.
Grammydeer Feb 9th 2009 9:48PM
Bigotry knows no bounds be it the color of skin, religion, education, and yes, even weight. Being overweight is not a lifestyle choice any more than it is a lifestyle choice to be arthritic, or have lupus or gout or cancer. All of these "real" diseases and many more have medications that cause weight gain. So take a disease which causes extreme pain, so much so that it is hard to follow an overly enthusiastic exercise program, compound it with medications that have weight gain as a side effect and it isn't hard to put on weight you neither want nor need. Having inherited several physical conditions that require assorted medications that have added pounds, I can assure you that it is definitely not a lifestyle choice for me. Prior to the onset of these conditions, I was considered too thin to the point that as a five foot five inch seventeen year old, I weighed only ninety five pounds when I graduated from high school. Now I am considered overweight and you can bet that it is far from being a lifestyle choice.
As far as having to buy two seats, if need be for the sake of comfort for all passengers, it is reasonable. Maybe not fair cost-wise, but reasonable. Airline seats were downsized several years ago at a time Americans' butts were seriously beginning to upsize. Whenever possible, when required to fly, I upgrade to first class. It costs quite a bit but is much more comfortable with more butt and leg room. If I am going to pay, I might as well truly be comfortable. Additionally, it prevents me from "contaminating" those who actual have a severe phobia about overweight people. Really, it isn't contagious though many act as if it were. After all, bigotry has a lot to do with fear...the fear of someone who is different.
Don Winkler Feb 9th 2009 9:44PM
Get a Life loose Some Weight,ALL you Have to DOOO is close your Mouth,,,
me Feb 9th 2009 9:46PM
I agree that anyone taking up more than thier own seat should have to pay for 2 seats. I flew next to a large man that lifted up the arm rest without asking (I was in the window seat) and proceeded to use half my seat so I was, literally, crammed against the window the whole time..talk about uncomfortable!!
as to the comment about too many welfare mommies...maybe if the guys out there took some responsibility for the kids they fathered, instead of bailing and claiming, "that's not my problem"...there wouldn't be so many. not as easy for a women to bail. Society sees it as OK as normal for men to bail on thier kids, but when a women doesn't want the kid- she's made out as some kind of pariah...ridiculous double standard.