You've got to love the U.K. press, telling it like it is--
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006590159,00.html

2-seats fatty sues airline

December 21, 2006

A 26-STONE man is suing Air France for £5,000 after being “humiliated” by staff who weighed him, measured his waist and charged him for two seats.

French writer Jean-Jacques Jauffret, 41, paid an extra £400 to fly home from New Delhi, India.

He told a court in Bobigny, near Paris: “I felt ashamed and belittled when check-in workers asked me to step out of the queue to be weighed.”

But Air France lawyer Fernand Garnault said: “This man can barely balance on his chair in this courtroom, so how is he expected to squash into a small single seat on a plane?

“The plane was full and it would not have been fair on other passengers to allow him to take a second seat for free.” The case continues.

 

I have had countless miserable long distance flights both coach and first class due to overweight people cramming up my seating area. It's only fair that they are forced to take two seats and pay for both of them.

 

Seriously, I see no problem charging fat people more.

 

I agree. But that isn't "P.C." these days.

Hey I'm checking out some of your work on JP dude...Wait, what's your usename? Do you have any photos up?

 

Oh man. Now he will probably sue the newspaper for calling him a fatty.

 

just did the conversion on that. 26 'stones' equals 364 pounds. yikes! he needs to get out behind his writer's desk and move.

 

With people becoming increasingly larger, perhaps it's time for the airlines to pursue a different philosophy selling their seats. Perhaps 10 percent of the seats on any given flight could be small, providing plenty of room for children and smaller adults, 70 percent of the seats medium or average size, and the remaining 20 percent large seats to accomodate larger passengers. It would then be the option of the passenger to purchase size appropriate seats at the time they buy their tickets. The smallest seats could sell for a little less than the average seats and of course the larger seats would cost a little more but not as much as buying two seats. The airlines would not lose any seats as the little extra room needed for the large seats would be offset by the space gained by downsizing the smaller seats. This concept should fly legally using the rationale that it costs more to transport a large person than it does a smaller one. After all, shipping companies charge more for hauling 100 pounds across the country than they do 85 pounds. I think heavier people wouldn't mind buying a larger seat as they would be more comfortable and they could avoid any embarassing scenes at the airport. Current airline seats are just too small for anybody larger than 5"10" and 180 pounds, which includes many of us. This problem will not go away for the airlines because Americans continue to expand their weight and girth.

 

Calcapt, that's the most sensible solution that I've heard yet! And probably exactly why the airlines won't do it. It's too logical!

 

Or people could get off their asses and loose a few pounds. I've put on a few recently so I'll include myself but I'm not uncomfortable in a coach seat and I don't need a belt extender. If I do ever get to that point, please do the favor of shooting me.

I think people have sued the US carriers a number of times. If I recall Southwest has actually let it go to court rather than settling and won a number of times.

 

If you eat 2 happy meals, you pay for 2 happy meals....

I think if your fat @$$ uses two seats the same should apply. As for the idea of making different sized seats (small, medium, and large) most of america has gotten too cheap and will chose what is the cheapest, reguardless of comfort. Ever seen the person trying to get on with thier <2 year old "lap child" who is going off to kindergarten tomorrow?