Airlines charging for two seats

[kradix]

I agree with charging extra if necessary. I do work with airlines and can see it from both sides. United has the stance that they won't charge you for the extra seat if there are 2 consecutive seats available for you to sit in in coach (other cabins don't have this problem). However if the plane is 100% full and you failed to notify the airline that you will require 2 seats for your size, United will either deny your boarding or will allow you to board and you'll take someone elses seat who will have to be displaced until a later flight (this is why you pick your seat assignments before going to the airport as having a ticket for a flight but not having a confirmed seat means you'll most likely be bumped in whatever situation). Airlines will accomodate but you have to tell them in advance. In my experience I've seen this practice at all major US airlines.

 

Also flying is not a right. Since alternatives exist such as driving or public transportation like Greyhound or trains, you are not entitled to such services as much as the other transportation methods listed. It also is not equal due to the safety issues involved. A person of large size might get injured in a coach seat if they cannot sit in the seat correctly for whatever reason (seat belt, body overhanging into other seats) and the airline doesn't want to be liable. Also note that it costs the airlines a significant amount of money to operate per square foot so the more space you take up and with more weight it costs much more. People complain about how the average ticket price to a place like Tokyo is just shy of $1600 on average but I'll mention that a 747 out of a place like JFK heading for NRT will burn 20 gallons of fuel a second for about 40 seconds of 100% power and will burn ~$4000 in fuel just to get the wheels off the ground from the piano keys. Overall it takes about 3 coach tickets just to get the plane airborne not counting other costs of course. :P

[jadorablack]

I really hate it how anorexia and being very skinny is so frowned upon in our culture, but the opposite extreme is okay. And by our culture, I'm not talking about the media, I'm talking about how if you called someone fat, it's extremely rude, but to so "oh you're so skinny" it perfectly fine. So yes, I think an obese person should have to pay for an extra seat. Being obese is a problem. Just like an anorexic's health is at risk, so is an obese' persons health.

[Cassia]

The fitting into airplane seat problem really doesn't, as the OP stated have a good solution. However, I think the best solution would be to make people who take up 2 seats pay for 2 seats. People who take on luggage that is too heavy have to pay extra too, to accomodate for the extra fuel, and taking up two seats when there is someone beside you isn't fair, because why should that person have to suffer because you are obese?

As for the 2nd story about the family with too many children, I agree with the airline for booting them off. They clearly violated the rules, because last time I checked, a 3 year old is NOT an adult. If they were allowed to board the plane, there would be too many kids running around without a seat.

[Poetrie]

If someone is obese enough to have to occupy more than a single person's seat, I would think that the matter of personal health would be a lot more compelling than taking offence over a pretty reasonable airline policy. After all, it would be more comfortable for both the obese person and the person in the neighbouring seat if more space was allocated. I guess ultimately, it would have to be dealt with in a very professional and objective manner as this is a matter of practicality rather than a personal discrimination.

 

As for poorly behaved toddlers, it is ultimately a question of parenting skills. As a parent, you have the responsibility to discipline your children so that they know how to behave in a public situation. To allow them to disrupt everyone with their tantrums and irritating behaviour is really a statement on your control over your kids. Children are young, yes, and thus, they should not be held fully accountable for their actions. On the other hand, the parents are intelligent and sentient adults and should bear full responsibility. Sadly, this happens not just on airlines, but I can imagine how tortuous it would be to have to sit through all that noise in an enclosed space. I fully agree with the way the airline handled the matter; these people should learn.

[Lady Kakata]

A wild pink kitten ate this post. Quick, catch it!

[passiflora]

As for poorly behaved toddlers, it is ultimately a question of parenting skills. As a parent, you have the responsibility to discipline your children so that they know how to behave in a public situation. To allow them to disrupt everyone with their tantrums and irritating behaviour is really a statement on your control over your kids. Children are young, yes, and thus, they should not be held fully accountable for their actions. On the other hand, the parents are intelligent and sentient adults and should bear full responsibility. Sadly, this happens not just on airlines, but I can imagine how tortuous it would be to have to sit through all that noise in an enclosed space. I fully agree with the way the airline handled the matter; these people should learn.

I don't think I've ever seen a tantrum on a flight, but I've never been on one without a crying infant. It's amazing how many people travel with babies! Sometimes my ears hurt when I'm flying and I take steps to equalize the pressure, like swallowing and chewing gum, so I can only imagine what it would be like for a tiny person who has no way to deal with that discomfort and has no way to communicate precisely what's wrong. I agree that parents should have a little more control when it come to toddlers -- but because it's a safety risk (as those articles explained), not because it's annoying.

 

 

 

As for the obesity issue, if someone is truly large enough that someone cannot sit comfortably in the seat next to them, I don't think the airlines have a choice. However, I'm not sure how it would be regulated during ticket sales -- do people just have to know and ask for two? Maybe they could have a few bigger seats on board that cost a little more since they take up more space (but not as expensive as first class). I've seen some discussion on the size of airline seats, but it seems to me like it would be easier to squeeze more seats in or safe space if you give people less legroom, rather than trying to squish in an extra seat across?

[Poetrie]

Safety risk is definitely a given, but I feel that being a general annoyance is a legitimate reason in itself to have action taken. I have been on planes where kids as old as 10 years old sitting behind you insist on kicking your chair throughout the flight while their parents watch impassively. On different occasions, they also start shrieking when attempting to get something or for reasons that are beyond discomfort from flying. I fully understand crying from physical discomfort but there are blatant displays of misbehaviour that are really all down to a lack of discipline. Having to sit through something like that for a 18 hours flight is enough for me to fantasize about morphing into a Purple People Eater.

[moni_rawr]

Towards the obese having to buy 2 seats to accomodate their size:

I've encountered an obese person sitting next to me once; thankfully I'm the size of a 12-year old boy, so it was not that uncomfortable when I ended up sharing part of my seat with them.

I did find it a bit weird and uncalled for though as one should not have to throw out their personal bubble just because they're on a plane, but I wasn't going to complain about it and embarrass the person.

We have to factor in how old the planes are along with when the design was made. Obesity was not such a hard-pressed subject back then, so they made the planes the most economical way (or so they thought) in order to fit a fair amount of passengers on the plane.

They have finally came out with a new design for the...Boeing 747 for international flights. The seats are a bit more spacious along with the plane being semi-loaded with more goodies. I just don't agree with having to change planes just to accomodate certain people. Plane rides are not necessarily supposed to be comfy...they're meant to get you to point B in a quick manner.

 

Handicap seats at the theater:

Unless they specifically ask if you would like to buy a handicap seat, you should be able to buy any seat due to the fact that it is the theater's fault for not having the seats handicap accessible.

 

 

Children on a plane:

I used to be a nanny, so I completely understand the child not wanting to sit down, tantrums, etc...but at the same time, the parent should have prepared for anything and everything to happen whilst on the plane. If their child is notorious for tantrums, maybe talk to their pediatrician to see if there's any medication the child can take to calm him/her. One family I nannied for would knock out their twin toddlers because they knew they were horrid when they were together in tight spots. And while I may not agree with medicating a child just to make the other passengers have an easier ride, if it's a last resort...use it. Nobody goes on a plane expecting rambunctious children, so the parents should keep them in mind.

 

As for the infants riding on an adult's lap...those parents were trying to find a loophole, failed, and complained because they expected the airlines to be like Burger King and flipped when they couldn't have it their way. They knew going on the plane that all the infants had to be sitting with an adult, and it's common knowledge that an adult is 18+.