Get ready to pay fatties!!! Options

[dauss]

United gets strict on ‘seatmates of size’

Effective today, United Airlines has a new official policy that affects “seatmates of size” and those passengers seated near them.

The airline’s policy — posted on United's Web site — states that if a passenger cannot fit into a single seat, buckle their seatbelt with an additional seatbelt extension, or put the seat’s armrest down, the airline will ask that passenger to pay for an extra seat or stay behind.

Spokesperson Robin Urbanski Janikowski, meanwhile, said the airline will first attempt to take measures to avoid the extra charge. “If there is another seat on the airplane that is next to an empty seat, we will re-accommodate our guest in that seat and there is no charge,” she wrote in an e-mail message.

Until the company's posted policy reflects Urbanski Janikowski's message, passengers — large and small — should consider printing and carrying both the policy and the spokesperson's statements with them when they go to the airport.

The airline's policy applies to tickets purchased on or after March 4, 2009, for travel on or after today, April 15.

Citing “the comfort and well-being of all customers aboard United flights,” the policy states passengers meeting “one or more of these criteria” must either purchase a ticket for an additional seat or purchase an upgrade to a cabin with larger seats.

A customer who falls into any of these categories who decides not to upgrade or purchase a second seat may be denied boarding.

While Southwest and other airlines have had similar policies on their books for some time, not all airlines are as cut-and-dry about how they enforce those policies when a passenger needs some extra space.

American Airlines, for example, reserves the right to charge passengers for a second ticket, but does so only if it can find no other solution, such as re-seating the passenger next to an empty seat at no extra charge.

“If a flight is not full, our flight attendants may be able to change passenger seat assignments in order to more comfortably accommodate all passengers,” said American spokesperson Andrea Huguely.

Second seat, same fare?
According to United’s new policy, if it is determined that a passenger is required to purchase an additional seat, then “the fare for that seat will be the same as the fare paid for the original seat ... even if the additional ticket is purchased on the day of departure, when fares are normally higher.”

However, if there are no additional seats open or if an upgraded seat is not available, then the passenger will have to wait until the next flight or until a flight with adequate seating become available. If no seats are available or if a passenger decides not to fly, then United will refund the price of the ticket without penalties.

One upside of the new policy? Those purchasing a second seat will gain that extra baggage allowance. However, because carry-on baggage policies are determined by the Transportation Security Administration, not the airline, the per-passenger carry-on restrictions remain the same no matter how many seats a single passenger ends up occupying.

[Psykopath]

Good policy change.

[impala454]

Ok, I'll concede that it makes sense for the mega huge people to buy two seats if they can't fit into one. But read what the article says, the policy makes zero sense:

states that if a passenger cannot fit into a single seat, buckle their seatbelt with an additional seatbelt extension, or put the seat’s armrest down, the airline will ask that passenger to pay for an extra seat or stay behind.

the airline will first attempt to take measures to avoid the extra charge. “If there is another seat on the airplane that is next to an empty seat, we will re-accommodate our guest in that seat and there is no charge,”

So, if they have enough seats, they won't charge them, but if there's not enough seats, they will charge them for an extra seat? How in the hell are they going to charge the person for an extra seat they don't have? Or if they don't have enough seats they'll leave them behind (and give them their money back?). Ok. So in what possible situation does the passenger actually get charged for the extra seat??

[dauss]

So, if they have enough seats, they won't charge them, but if there's not enough seats, they will charge them for an extra seat? How in the hell are they going to charge the person for an extra seat they don't have? Or if they don't have enough seats they'll leave them behind (and give them their money back?). Ok. So in what possible situation does the passenger actually get charged for the extra seat??

Really? Reading comprehension doesn't seem to be your strong suit.

Let's say that Fatty is on a plane that coach class isn't full. Fatty needs to be relocated to another seat that is next to a vacant seat. This is free.
Let's say that Fatty is on a plane that coach class is full. Fatty will need to pay to upgrade to business or first class. If there are no other seats in business and/or first class then:
Fatty needs to get off the plane and wait for the next one with available seating and gets charged the extra seat if Fatty decides to take the next flight. If Fatty decides he doesn't want to fly, he can get a full refund.

Skip this part did we?

However, if there are no additional seats open or if an upgraded seat is not available, then the passenger will have to wait until the next flight or until a flight with adequate seating become available.

[chook]

That part does have a point. I had to sit next to a huge lady on the way back from Dallas Sunday. She was talking to me about how she had it bad the whole trip. I wanted to tell her I already gave you my end seat and its your fault your life is like that, but she was holding in her farts for me.

[impala454]

Really? Reading comprehension doesn't seem to be your strong suit.

/yawn. I can see some of you will ever grow up.

Let's say that Fatty is on a plane that coach class is full. Fatty will need to pay to upgrade to business or first class.

So, how is paying to upgrade to business or first class "buying an extra seat"?

If there are no other seats in business and/or first class then:
Fatty needs to get off the plane and wait for the next one with available seating and gets charged the extra seat if Fatty decides to take the next flight.

If there's enough available seats, they don't charge the person for an extra seat.

Skip this part did we?

No. Again, if there's enough seating, they claim they don't charge the person for an extra seat. Upgrades, ok, but that's not the same thing.

[impala454]

That part does have a point. I had to sit next to a huge lady on the way back from Dallas Sunday. She was talking to me about how she had it bad the whole trip. I wanted to tell her I already gave you my end seat and its your fault your life is like that, but she was holding in her farts for me.

yeah because skinny people don't fart

[chook]

yeah because skinny people don't fart

I just don't want to make Pompei angry!

[FORSAKENR320]

i understand what dauss is saying, but i agree more with impala. the article is either very poorly written, or the policy will be completely inaffective

[Oasis]

Who would have guessed, the same two people who have a problem with this are the same two dipshits discussing how good a sandwich called THE FATFUCK is

[FORSAKENR320]

i don't understand what this is supposed to benifit. is the problem because the fatties are throwing the plane overwieght? or is it because a fatbastard leaking over into your seat is upsetting the other passengers?

the latter seems the most likely complaint to be addressed by them, so how does paying the airline extra money benifit the upset passengers?

they should be offering discounts to those poor people that are stuck next to the Fat-Snacks

[FORSAKENR320]

Who would have guessed, the same two people who have a problem with this are the same two dipshits discussing how good a sandwich called THE FATFUCK is

i admit i'm a large guy. but i fit in one seat on an airplane just fine.

[pysex]

it's bad enough to have to fly anyway and you sure as hell don't want to be flattened up against an airplane window when Fats McRipple has expanded 8 inches over into your space

good policy....forces them to lose weight or take a bus!

[impala454]

Who would have guessed, the same two people who have a problem with this are the same two dipshits discussing how good a sandwich called THE FATFUCK is

I don't have a problem with it, just tryin to figure out how the hell someone would actually pay for an extra seat. The way their policy is written, it would never happen. Doesn't make sense.

[chook]

I don't have a problem with it, just tryin to figure out how the hell someone would actually pay for an extra seat. The way their policy is written, it would never happen. Doesn't make sense.

The way the policy is written, they would have to pay for a second seat on a full flight. This is impossible because there are no empty seats left, unless a better class is open. I think if there is another seat in a better class open, they should charge they guy for the second seat, and move his neighbor up to the better class.

If the plane is full, then this policy sucks, becuase there is no way i can think of something that would make sense in that case.