Canadian courts have ruled that out airlines must provide extra free space for severely disabled people and fat people. Disabled people 0k but fat people!!!
It is difficult to see how obese people fit among the severely disabled. It is not making light of the matter to ask why a team of Sumo wrestlers might be deserving of a free upgrade to to business class or two economy-class seats. In a society with more and more obese people, this seems a costly burden to impose on airlines. Just to be clear here, a fat person would have to pay for one seat, then get an extra seat free.
But how would the airlines determine when obesity is a disability? The rule used by Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is to give a free seat to people who are too big to lower their armrest.
Extra free seats for the severely disabled and fat people will cost Air Canada more than $7 million yearly.
Of course severely disabled people should get extra free space.
But fat people? In my book if a fat person needs an extra seat, he should pay for it.
What do you think?
If a fat person takes up two seats and that makes the airline full to capacity, I would say yes. But if a fat person is given an extra seat and the airline is not full, I would say no.
Have you ever had the misfortune to be seated next to an obese person in coach?
In those narrow seats?
My take is this: if I have to be seated next to a fat person, I’m the one who should get to fly free and the fat person should pay for it.
I agree with Peter. If there are available seats on a flight, then the person availing themselves of the extra space should be required to sit adjoining one of those seats.
And Neil, sumo wrestlers make enough money to afford first class tickets. I am confident that JAL will make room for them there. And not all sumotori are ginormous.
Obesity can be linked to medical conditions and can – notice PLEASE I noted CAN – be considered a disability. I have a relative who has obesity linked to clinical depression. If such a person would be able to provide medical certification of this then I see no reason for airlines to discriminate.
“Of course severely disabled people should get extra free space.”
I’m going to take issue with your use of “of course,” here.
What’s “of course” about it?
Do severely disable (or even moderately disabled) people want equality with the rest of us or not?
And no on fat people. I don’t care if there’s a medical reason or an emotional reason or simply an overeating reason. If there are so many fat people riding around on airplanes, let the airlines build the proper space for them. I am so f*%@ing tired of everyone in the world wanting their particular group to be equal-but-special, and wanting me to pay for their “special!”
I sort of agree with Chimera, providing exceptions for humanitarian reasons when the situation warrants it. The “exceptions” should be evaluated by a doctor or a qualified specialist. Have you noticed how little the “handicaped parking spaces” are rarely used while you circle the parking for an available space?