Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Obese passenger forces neighbor on US Airways flight to stand for 7 hours
Arthur Berkowitz, a passenger on US Airways Flight 901 from Anchorage to Philadelphia, had no other choice but to stand up during his seven hour flight. It seems the next seat over was occupied by a passenger so overweight that it was impossible for Berkowitz to stay in his seat. Now, Berkowitz is speaking out about the ordeal."I didn't fly from Alaska to Philadelphia on Flight 901," Berkowitz told consumer advocate Chris Elliott, "I stood."
The neighboring 400-pound man's body spilled over into Berkowitz's personal space so much that he was forced to stand for most of the 7 hour flight, and he couldn't use his seat belt during takeoff and landing.
"His size required both armrests to be raised up and allowed for his body to cover half of my seat." said Berkowitz.
US Airways apologized for the incident and said in a statement "Our intention is to offer the best travel experience possible. The details you have provided indicate that we have failed to meet our intentions." US Air offered Berkowitz a $200 voucher in compensation.
In a poll on Elliott's consumer watchdog site, 96% (over 17,000 votes) thought that US Airways did not offer Berkowitz enough compensation. We agree.
[Image credit: AP]
Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines, Airline Reviews, Travel Security
Reader Comments (Page 61 of 61)
Sam Nov 24th 2011 12:11PM
Excellent comment, exactly right.
D Nov 24th 2011 12:11PM
MY CAP'S OFF TO YOU. CHARGE PER POUND SEEMS APPROPRIATE. THEY CHARGE PER POUND FOR BEEF, WITH/WITHOUT FAT, DON'T THEY ? PERHAPS PAID TOILETS AREN'T FAR BEHIND FOR AIRPLANES.
Al Nov 25th 2011 2:56PM
Unfortunately I experienced a similar experience on a US Airways flight between Washington DC and Charlotte. I boarded the flight and had paid extra for the aisle seat; the center was occupied by a large black woman who had both arm rests raised to fit. She had pinned the poor man in the window seat in and was occupying half of my seat. I’m 6’3” and there was no physical way I would ever get into the seat. When I pointed the fact to the flight attendant she said I would just have to make it fit and then called the gate agent. He said if I could not fit in my assigned seat I would have to deplane. The US Air employees were more concerned with not confronting or imposing on the black woman. Fortunately for me a young woman that weighed about 90 pounds offered to swap seats and she barely fit. I filed a complaint with US Air’s customer service and sent a certified letter to the CEO which was never responded to or acknowledged. By the way before you all go off on the racial thing, I am a Native American.
Katie Nov 24th 2011 1:39PM
This did happn to me when I was younger an I was flying delta as an unacompanied minor. I only had like a quarter Of my seat. I think since I was an unaccompanied minor and the flight attendant had full responsibility of me I was moved uP to first class and had my own whole row.
Pattip Nov 24th 2011 2:04PM
US Air did not give the passenger enough compensation, should have offered him roundtrip First Class fligfht to anywhere. Airlines are getting worse by the day.
brkitdwn Nov 24th 2011 7:29PM
not our problem.. it's the obese person's problem, and they have made a choice to be obese! they don't buy mini beds, or chairs in their home, or a very small car to drive. they have to purchase what require!! if it requires a first class seat, or two seats, they need to do that, just like they make those provisions outside of flying. don't expect me to take your fat ass..
Hunter Nov 24th 2011 5:22PM
Well Gary king I do somewhat agree with you but flight attendants today get treated like shit by passengers and we just have to sit back and take it which is wrong bc 1 if TSA took to long that's not our fault 2 if there is a delay it's ATC and I do feel sorry for the gentalman that he had to go thru that but by law we can not alow passengers to sit in our jumpseat and as the other flight attendant said out hands are tied until the passenger says something in a full flight but if there is a open seat I offer for them the choice to move but what I have noticed is you give them the chance to move and they say no I am ok then they bitch the whole flight well it was there choice to stay there so they should not complain or move
Gavin Nov 25th 2011 1:30PM
I heard about this incident yesterday but I only had the chance to read it and reply to it today...
At first I thought "Man stands for 7 hours on Plane" what could it be? A new way of mistreating passengers further perhaps? A half price ticket that was sold on the understanding that the passenger stand for a really long time? Nope, an overweight passenger infringing on the space of another paying passenger...
We can talk about this particular incident until we're blue in the face but it wont solve anything! Certain Airlines don't really care about passengers anyway, its all about profit...
Last year I flew from the UK to the US on USAirways, (if you fly as much as me which I'm sure most of you do? You want an aisle or a window and no'one sitting in the middle, a free drink and something to eat, be on-time and have no turbulence, that's it, just comfort really) anyway, I saw a passenger jump from her middle seat and grab a free row, thus sparked everyone else to jump up and swap seats, now I have no problem with this after take off, but just before the doors closed a family with young children did an Indiana Jones style jump thru the closing door..
They were supposed to have the whole row to themselves but the other passengers ignored them, when an attendant turned up they forced the family to split up and sit between strangers, I stood up outraged and told the father to stand his ground, he'd paid for his family to sit together!
The attendant turned on me telling me I was out of order for delaying take off, I was angry but the Airline got its way, now who's right and who's wrong??
The other passengers wanting comfort? The airline that wants to avoid penalties for not taking off on time? The Father that doesn't stand up for his rights?
The answer? No'one is looking at the big picture, no'one treats people the way they themselves want to be treated! And everyones right in their own mind. We've lost human connection, compassion and consideration...
Its sad really...
In response to this particular situation, just give the guy standing up a better compensation give the bigger gentleman a free companion pass for a year to use for the seat next to him and everyone reading this some tolerance, isn't that what your country was founded on?
Cheers G
MIGUEL MONTANO Nov 25th 2011 7:39AM
This man should have been upgraded to First Class or offered AT LEAST $1,000 for the inconvenience of having to stand up for (I guess?) 7 hours on that flight! ANC-PHL is almost as long as flying to Europe on PHL-ZRH !
Frustrated and disgusted Nov 25th 2011 9:37AM
I'm sorry I have read several comments in several different news feeds concerning this story. I had no intention of commenting but I just cannot believe how many people are defending the overweight person. He paid for one seat why should he be entitled to take up the other gentleman's seat???? Maybe seats should be larger on plans, yes people should be more kind in their remarks but that should not absolve overweight people from vein considerate also if you have been on a plane before you know you won't fit into the existing seats NO ONE wants to share their seats with a stranger no one wants to be squeezed put of their purchased seat. Consideration and kindness should work both ways.
John R Nov 25th 2011 4:56PM
The first person who needs to be fired is the Captain of that flight. By allowing this to happen and ending up with not one but two passengers violating Federal Air Regulations, he (she?) is not fit to command an airplane for hire while under FAA control. The next person in line is the First Officer for not standing up to the Captain and refusing to fly on that airplane. Following this "august" crew into the hall of shame has to be the company dispatcher who did not step in and refuse to sign off on clearance for the flight to operate. (Note that for a domestic/flag carrier such as USAirways, the captain and dispatcher must agree on the operation of the flight or it does not operate. The captain does not have sole authority to overrride the dispatcher under Federal Air Regulations.) Finally, the flight attendants must take responsibility for not stepping in in the cabin. The flight attedant jump seat could have held the overweight passenger, allowing both Mr.Berkowitz and the flight attendant two safe seats for takeoff, landing and for Mr. Berkowitz to sit for his long flight. This so typical of our airline industry to charge fee after fee, raise fares and show complete disregard for the key to their survival - the paying passenger. The sad part of this story, is that neither the cockpit crew nor the dispatcher will ever hear anything bad about this, because US Airways is notorious for covering any of their failures.
Sally Nov 25th 2011 6:41PM
1. The passenger who stood the entire flight should have complained right off the bat and this situation would have been avoided. Complaining after the fact is pointless. 2. Talk to the airline CEOs about making flying more comfortable because us flight attendants have no authority in anything. The CEOs and upper management make all the money that comes from stuffing as many seats as possible on each flight. The
gate Agent decides who needs to purchase two seats or not. It's not just flying where nobody cares anymore its almost ALL aspects of customer service!
Seke Nov 25th 2011 5:59PM
All airlines need to treat all passengers with equal respect. You buy a seat you expect that seat and space. You cant fit you buy two seats. Why is it the victim's name is released and not the perpetrator? Because we dont want to insult fat people or violate their rights. The rest of us has rights too and the airline needs to repect them and have guts to enforce the rules of respect and equality. The victim was predjudiced against in favor of the perpetrator. That is wrong and there are absolutes in life.
Kim Nov 28th 2011 10:17AM
Have any of you actually flown lately.. The seats and the area of space that you get keeps getting smaller and smaller. Do you realize that someone who weighs 250lbs could also be 5' tall and not fit in the seat. Do you realize that someone who is 400lbs and 6'4 could easily buckle their seat and fit within the 2 sides. They really need to say what they have developed the seats for.. anyone who is over 5'7 will have their knees jammed into the seat in front of them, anyone with a butt that is larger than a ruler (12"), will touch the sides of the seat, anyone with a belly larger than hmm 50" will want a seat extender, anyone with shoulders that are wider than 50" will touch and be in the other persons space. They also should restrict the seats from leaning back.. because once the person in front of you decides to do that, even more of your space is taken away. Do I think they guy deserves more than 200.00 for allegediedly standing during the flight, absolutiely NOT. If there was a issue with his seat he should have immediately complained about the issues. I highly doubt that he was ALLOWed to stand during the entire flight. Well were at it, should we also charge the passenger who thinks they need to use the facilities several times during the flight who needs to disturb his fellow passengers to get up several times???
Robin Dec 3rd 2011 9:34AM
UNITE AIR LINES SUCKS) Not sure how much he weigted but he was over 400lb. Two years ago, I was forced to stand from LAX to Gorgia, I ended being the one to stand the whole time on United. The flight attendents told me I needed to go to my set, when I brought to there attacing, they said they understood. I was not offered a seat, I stood 99% of the flight. I tryed to sit in my set again and was unable the guy that was in the isale seat was not just leaning on me ( a bad shoulder I have as well other disablity) but over the seat on the isale. When the attendents brought out there carts for drinks he had to go over into my seat. I paid for my seat and didnt even get to use it. I stood in the back of the plane where the attendents hang out. AT one time a another passager offered me there set for some of the time but I couldnt due to they didnt pay for there set to have me use it. When I brought to any of there attachen It was like not there problem. When I wrote to conplain again I was treated like it wasnt there problem got a (I'm sorry) WOW! No compentstion for the inconvertence. I wasnt offered my money back or another flight to replace the one that was taken from me. It still bothers me when I think of it, being treated as I was, It bothered me for a long time ( a few months) after I got home when I go to bed my mind would start thinking of how I was treated and it ate at me for some time. United , take the money and run and dont look back. That is how I feel, Ive not flyed with them since. Its sad that now days bunniness dont care, there all money hungry companys. To them I was only one person so it dont matter, but in reality just how many others have done what I done to cause a sean and have the flight land or me arrested. I pray theres not a next time but if there is I will make a sean and if it come to being arrested I will. And it wil cause others to have there flights messed up as well. UNITED AIR LINES SUCKS .
Robin Dec 3rd 2011 9:33AM
Unite I am sorry I said your company sucks, it was DELTA that I fly from LAX to Goriga.. and stook 99% of the flight.