As obesity has become a widespread problem, airlines right now would watch the size of passengers in addition to that of their luggage.
I found it interesting and especially surprising that obesity can be linked to the environment so closely when I read the article “The Fat of the Air” in the latest AMC Outdoors magazine. It said “overweight American passengers had caused airlines to burn 350 million extra gallons of fuel in 2000.” As a result, it had an impact on the environment:
U.S.: Fat Fliers Swell Fuel Costs
Gov’t Study: Obese Passengers Pushing Up Cost of Flights
The article also mentioned that Southwest Airlines enforces “customer of size” and requests over-sized customers to buy extra seating, which won the company “protests rang out across the country.”
I personally haven’t figured out whether it is fair to ask a big person to purchase an extra seat, but I certainly do not enjoy the feeling of being sandwiched by two bulky bodies.
3 Responses to “Super-sizing effects”
2005-04-15 at 10.06 pm
I’m not the thinest.
on my flight to Vegas last Friday on US airways This poor guy a few rows behind me had to sit with this couple that toghether probably weighed 1000lbs.
They should have definitely had to buy an extra seat.
If that was me (the normal guy, not the fatties) I would have demanded a refund.
2005-04-18 at 4.07 pm
I saw this on TV news a couple years ago, but I don’t know if the airlines really do it or not. After all, it can be a form of discrimination.
Somehow I feel that I see more “super-size” people in the midwest than other areas, especially in my department. One secretary had a stomach surgery and lost more than 200 lbs.
2005-04-19 at 1.28 pm
Southwest does it, USAirways does not