Comments on: Overweight at SFO. (Unique photo)

By: Dannyol

Dannyol — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:44:12 +0000

The compensated passenger was satisfied or he wouldn’t have accepted the offer. End of story. Attendents solved the problem in short order without creating an “incident”. Bravo.

This situation should never have reached to actually seating the obese man. Why didn’t agents deal with the problem at checkin?

By: Airport News

Airport News — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:15:39 +0000

This picture sturred up a whole ‘should oeverweight passengers pay for two seats’ debate in Europe. The pverwhelming response was ‘yes’.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:25:19 +0000

I have say I am not a large person am actually very much the opposite and yes I would have been annoyed had this gentleman been sat beside me. However the responsibility should lie with the passenger and the Airlines I am sure he was very embarrassed and maybe financially he couldn’t afford 2 seats however the Airline should have upon seeing this gentleman realize that he couldn’t fit safely in a seat not to mention blocking the whole Isle . I know most Airlines have guidelines for this situation and Saftey should be first and this gentleman poses a saftey hazzard so I don’t think it would be a discrimination case at all. I also don’t think it was fair to ask the other passenger to give up his seat so this man could fit even though the man was compansated. They should have maybe asked the large gentleman to take another flight where they could give him an extra seat without the inconvenience to someone else . I also don’t think that the FA should have taken this photo and passed it around at this gentleman expense .

By: CT119

CT119 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:12:47 +0000

I’ve been stuck/sandwiched between overweight people on several occasions. No fun!

I think the FA should be disciplined for taking the pic and distributing it, the overweight passenger should pay for two seats since he used two, and that his neighbor had a choice (get off, get paid for the inconvenience, and get on different flight, or stay on and suffer). As far as weighing customers and forcing them to purchase business or first class tickets…that’s not going to fly, and would probably be viewed as discrimination. Besides someone that size would not fit in a business or first class seat either. So then what? force an overweight person to hire a private jet? Equal rights or action suit.

By: Maryanne

Maryanne — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:12:50 +0000

Chris, I am going to have to disagree with this one…the flight attendant *knowingly* took a photo of a passenger,sent it to whomever (who knows what the caption was), _knowing_ it would eventually go viral. I say the FA should be disciplined for their actions, as we all know their job is safety and NOT looking for the next YouTube or internet sensation…

By: Michael A

Michael A — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:58:22 +0000

This is something the FAA really needs to address.

The seat is NOT designed to handle the forces involved with the mass of an oversized passenger, putting other passengers, not just the oversize traveller at risk. The risk occurs at any time of the flight from take-off, mid-air turbulance through landing.

The FAA needs to stipulate a weight above which a traveler must purchase either a business or first class seat, or two coach class seats. (The issue of whether premium economy class seat on and international flight suffices for this also needs to be addressed by the FAA – I think they should be treated the same as economy class.)

The airlines should be able to weigh passengers – they already weigh our luggage.

By: zikalasa

zikalasa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:45:55 +0000

after just arriving from a 2 hr flight sitting next to an individual from another country that doesnt bathe, I agree with Les: If the airlines restrict baggage size and weight as well as charging for checked bags, there should be a passenger size & weight limit starting at 300 lbs. OR, they HAVE to buy TWO seats.
(Can there be charge for oderifous people as well?)

By: Double D

Double D — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:33:23 +0000

I agree with Les. This is becoming more and more ridiculous. I fly often, and while I’ve never sat next to anyone this size, I am from time to time sat next to someone too large for their seat. The airline doesn’t suffer, it’s their loyal customers that have to sit next to these lard butts and be cramped in next to them. The large passenger should have been charged for two seats. All this political correctness for fat people’s rights is ridiculous.

By: Les

Les — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:29:23 +0000

Sorry, but the dude should have been charged double for his ticket and the airlines should NOT have paid-off the other passenger.

If the airlines restrict baggage size and weight, there should be a passenger size & weight limit starting at 300 lbs. OR, they have to buy TWO seats.