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well we arent arguing luggage is a person we are saying if they want 2 seats, then have them pay for 2 seats. if they get a seat for free then why cant i and use it for my comfort and convienience?
 
Not entirely ridiculous. Professional musicians with valuable and large instruments sometimes pay for two seats; one for them and one for their viola, for instance.
But this still isn't a person. I travel with my surfboard sometimes and pay for the privilege. If someone is too big to fit in an airline seat and has to pay two tickets it could preclude them from traveling by air at all. I don't see that as fair.

If a business decides that it is willing to help out people who are overweight by giving them another seat I have no problems with it at all. It's no skin of my nose and I can't see why it should be for anyone else. I guess people get riled up easily by obese people and the perception that people are getting something for free.
 
well we arent arguing luggage is a person we are saying if they want 2 seats, then have them pay for 2 seats.
Obese people need another seat if they can't fit in regular seats. It's not about just wanting as in having extra space to put your luggage. It's a massive difference. If they can't have two seats they'd likely to be precluded from flying altogether. That's not fair at all.
 
But this still isn't a person. I travel with my surfboard sometimes and pay for the privilege. If someone is too big to fit in an airline seat and has to pay two tickets it could preclude them from traveling by air at all. I don't see that as fair.

If a business decides that it is willing to help out people who are overweight by giving them another seat I have no problems with it at all. It's no skin of my nose and I can't see why it should be for anyone else. I guess people get riled up easily by obese people and the perception that people are getting something for free.

well they are getting something for free:rolleyes:

my last flight didnt even have enough room for me to bring on my CARRYON for example. they had to then check it and when i landed had to wait an hr to get my carry on bag from the lugagge carrousel

i fly with no checked bags exactly because of that inconvenience and if i could get an additional seat to not have to go through that for "free" i would gladly do so
 
If someone is too big to fit in an airline seat and has to pay two tickets it could preclude them from traveling by air at all. I don't see that as fair.


Perhaps not. Business isn't fair. Airlines have extremely tight margins. I'm not sure that airlines should be compelled by law to take losses on certain passengers.

But this isn't something I feel strongly about either way, so I'll leave it to you guys. Just quit bickering. ;)
 
Perhaps not. Business isn't fair. Airlines have extremely tight margins. I'm not sure that airlines should be compelled by law to take losses on certain passengers.
But this is only because people are overweight that it is an issue. Airlines take losses on disabled passengers who take up lost of space with wheelchairs and walking aids. I don't think many people would be complaining here.

It's fair game to have a go at people who are obese and i just don't think it is very cool. They're just normal people.
 
Obese people need another seat if they can't fit in regular seats. It's not about just wanting as in having extra space to put your luggage. It's a massive difference. If they can't have two seats they'd likely to be precluded from flying altogether. That's not fair at all.

no this is about them getting an extra seat for free. why must you be "obese" to get a free seat

why not say charge them say 150% of the price of a single seat for that priveledge of taking up 2 seats?
 
no this is about them getting an extra seat for free. why must you be "obese" to get a free seat

why not say charge them say 150% of the price of a single seat for that priveledge of taking up 2 seats?
Why not charge people with wheelchairs 150% of the price as they take up the space of 2 seats? They're getting extra space for free....
 
well they are getting something for free:rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

No they're not. .Andy's right – people get in a state about this perceived idea that someone's getting something free. They're not – an obese person is as comfortable in two seats as an average person is in one, so that's equivalent. The obese person wouldn't have room for extra luggage, and neither would you. See? Equal. It's not a free seat, because they're in the same position as you.

That's like whinging that someone in a wheelchair gets to park nearer a building, or that someone in a wheelchair gets extra legroom on a train from the wheelchair space.

Obese people don't choose to be obese to swindle airlines and the all-American taxpayer out of cash, you know.
 
If a business decides that it is willing to help out people who are overweight by giving them another seat I have no problems with it at all. It's no skin of my nose and I can't see why it should be for anyone else. I guess people get riled up easily by obese people and the perception that people are getting something for free.

But that's not the case here. Companies are being forced to give up seats to obese people. IMO obesity is a choice about 90% of the time. Thus you must suffer the consequences of those actions.
 
Obese people need another seat if they can't fit in regular seats. It's not about just wanting as in having extra space to put your luggage. It's a massive difference. If they can't have two seats they'd likely to be precluded from flying altogether. That's not fair at all.

What about the poor personthat is over 6'6" having to sit there with their knees in their throat.
Are the airlines gonna be required to remove the seat infront of that person?
 
It's fair game to have a go at people who are obese and i just don't think it is very cool.


That's true too. That and ageism still seem acceptable forms of overt discrimination.

Um, I think I've got the good sense to bow out of this discussion at this point. :D
 
why must you be "obese" to get a free seat

Why does it bother you so much that someone larger than you (I assume) gets to travel in comfort for the same price as you? What exactly is it that you think you are missing out on?

The world is a very complicated place and all sorts of people subsidise all sorts of other people in all sorts of ways. It's called society...
 
And let's take another hypothetical.

If it were legal for my SO's guide dog to sit in the seat instead of on the floor next to her, would it be fair that she'd have to purchase an extra seat for her guide (yellow lab)?

Before anyone says that it's irrelevant, I already know and read extensively the ADA and Air Carrier Access Act, and know what is supposed to happen with service animals. Like I said, this is hypothetical, so I'd love to hear your opinions based on the debate so far.

BL.
 
Why does it bother you so much that someone larger than you (I assume) gets to travel in comfort for the same price as you? What exactly is it that you think you are missing out on?

A double quarter pounder with cheese super sized, 3 times a week.
 
Companies are being forced to give up seats to obese people.
That's equality for you. Better than some people being forced to pay more for their ticket based on their physiology and excluded from travel.

IMO obesity is a choice about 90% of the time.
Besides sumo wrestlers I think you'll find that nobody chooses to become obese. 90% is a pretty high number you made up for impact though ;)! What percentage of your 90% would be incredibly unhappy with their lot in life and are desperate to try and shed that weight? What percentage is due to diabetes/taking glucocorticoids for chronic disease? Should we get medical reviews to determine who is overweight by disease or by "choice" before letting them purchase a ticket? This is what I was getting at before - people just don't like the overweight. It brings out the sanctimony in everyone.

Thus you must suffer the consequences of those actions.
So people that become paraplegics due to, let's say the two biggest causes, car crashes (which are their fault) or aquatic accidents (which are their fault) should not be extended disability privileges as other paraplegics?
 
disabled and guide dogs are protected by laws

obesity is not

thats the difference

Besides sumo wrestlers I think you'll find that nobody chooses to become obese. 90% is a pretty high number you made up for impact though ;)! What percentage of your 90% would be incredibly unhappy with their lot in life and are desperate to try and shed that weight? What percentage is due to diabetes/taking glucocorticoids for chronic disease? Should we get medical reviews to determine who is overweight by disease or by "choice" before letting them purchase a ticket? This is what I was getting at before - people just don't like the overweight. It brings out the sanctimony in everyone.

lets see what causes diabetes and obesity.....sedentary lifestyle and diet are the biggest reasons. im not arguning that these people want to be obese but it is mostly self inflicted as a result of the way they live
 
Obese people need another seat if they can't fit in regular seats. It's not about just wanting as in having extra space to put your luggage. It's a massive difference. If they can't have two seats they'd likely to be precluded from flying altogether. That's not fair at all.
Who says that they cannot have two seats? They just need to pay for their seats like everyone else. If there's an empty seat, then who cares? If the flight is otherwise full, they're essentially refusing service to someone else because a larger person needs a two-for-one deal. Either way you spin it, you're refusing service to someone. The question is, do you want to get the revenue of two passengers or one?

For many smaller aircraft, which are already the most expensive to operate, losing just one seat's revenue can easily represent a 3% loss in yield. Do that two or three times on the same leg at it's a huge chunk. Nobody is suggesting the idea of prohibiting them from flying; they're just suggesting that they pay for what they use as it could be used to earn money.

Why not charge people with wheelchairs 150% of the price as they take up the space of 2 seats? They're getting extra space for free....
No they're not. They're getting a chair thrown in the back of the cargo hold assuming that there's available space. It requires pre-arrangement and often a fee.
 
disabled and guide dogs are protected by laws

obesity is not

thats the difference

But the question still stands, and like I said, I already know the laws. Question was, if the dog was allowed to be in the seat, should we have to pay for that seat?

BL.
 
Besides sumo wrestlers I think you'll find that nobody chooses to become obese. 90% is a pretty high number you made up for impact though ;)! What percentage of your 90% would be incredibly unhappy with their lot in life and are desperate to try and shed that weight? What percentage is due to diabetes/taking glucocorticoids for chronic disease? Should we get medical reviews to determine who is overweight by disease or by "choice" before letting them purchase a ticket? This is what I was getting at before - people just don't like the overweight. It brings out the sanctimony in everyone.
I would say 90% of people are obese because they consume a higher amount of calories than their body can burn. In such a case you need to 1) eat less calories 2) Burn more calories off via exercise etc. Both are choices. If you don't make the choice to do either, you pay the consequences. That's how I see it.
 
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