Obese have right to 2 airline seats: Canada court

Oh my god. No it does not make me a better person than someone with a higher percentage. I never said that. You have gotten very good at putting words in my mouth.

My percentage does, however, make me less of a health risk than that of someone with say, 35% body fat.

And im sorry, but this isnt 'fat people bashing' Im friends with as many fat people as I am skinny people. I just refuse to pay for someone elses bad habits on a plane. A plane ride is a luxury. If you cant afford to compensate for your fatness on a plane, dont fly.


And Velma, I'll respond to your ridiculous what if. If airlines decided to make all the seats only fit 5' tall women, then I'd be forced to buy another seat. I'd make sure I had enough for two seats before I plan a trip. But thankfully we dont live in a world of what ifs.

the obese have the right to work their fat asses out...its not hard, low cal diets mixed with exercise and cardio do the body wonders!

reply to post by Duzey

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Hence we have all stated on this thread, that if the person has a medical issue, then they shouldnt have to pay for the seat. But if there is no medical issue, then it is health/diet/fitness related. And the person can change that. If the woman you are talking about has lost 80lbs, thats great! Awesome! But if she hasnt lost enough where she needs two seats, then why should I pay extra for that? If she keeps it up, she'll be using one seat in no time, and she will feel the same.


We all get not to judge a book by a cover, but in this case, circumstances are a little different.

The bigger picture here is rising obesity rates in the developed world

Correct me if i`m wrong , but is it not obesity levels that are sky-rocketing as opposed numbers of people disabled(*war veterans the exception )
Disabled people are accommodated , it is the increase of morbidly obese passengers that is straining the system.
This is a symptom of our consumerist age.

Many 1st world countries are facing an epidemic of diabetes etc if more is not done to avert it.

reply to post by Duzey

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I think that's great that this lady is working hard.

I'm in the same boat as a lot of people.... I'm a little fat, fat enough to start worrying about my health.

I'm talking about these 300-500lb behemoths that want special treatment. they should have made the same smart decision as the person you were talking about 200lbs ago.

should I start suing all the hot chicks out there that want nothing to do with because I'm 30 lbs away from having a six-pack.

Calvin Klien wont hire me for their next underwear campaign... I'll sue for discrimination.

I quit taking my shirt off at public pools, but I have no problem sitting in a movie theater or airline seat.

If you suffer from these symptoms like I do, you maybe be suffering from a disease called being lazy and letting yourself go.

reply to post by UmbraSumus

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Obesity isn't just a problem in developed countries. Its on the rise in developing countries too. Sorry but again I don't have a source.

I am a depressed overworked skinny guy. Where do I fit in? Wheres my rights WAHHHHH WAHHHHH gimme freebies nobody understands my pain wahhh.

Fat people hurt the economy and the environment.

reply to post by bknapple32

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No offense, but we're not in the US. The obesity rate isn't as high here and there's a lot less of us. You might have one obese person every couple flights, it's not like they are going to be flying at half capacity. All of these companies just dropped their fuel surcharges so I don't think the small amount of passengers this actually applies to is going to lead them to increase prices again.

reply to post by Duzey

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duzey, point taken. And if it doesnt cost extra money, thats a big argument that has now been taken care of. but where do you stop? What about the 6'8'' person who wants a free seat to stretch out his enormous legs???


And another note.... if it came to America, I doubt that the rest of us wouldn't have to pay.

reply to post by bknapple32

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I'd appreciate it if tall people got an extra seat to stretch out with. Then I'd never again have to fly with bony knees poking in my back.

I can't even imagine this happening in the US.

So if I have a big piece of carry on luggage, can I demand a second free seat to set it on?

After all, who's to say I don't have something in there that's really important? Maybe it's full of medical equipment or something? By the logic of some people here, it would be "discriminatory" for the airlines to make me prove that I need that second seat for my luggage, and it would also be discrimination for them to charge me for that extra seat I'm putting it on.

It's simple. Two Seats, Two Fares.

Some of the people on the other side of the argument argue that it should be One Person, One Fare. But you are not occupying a "person" when you get on a plane.

You are occupying a "seat." And if you're occupying multiple seats, you need to pay for all of them.

Should tall people have to pay for two seats? Well, if they're draping their legs over the head rest and sitting them in the seat in front of them, then yes. If not, then you're comparing apples and oranges for the sake of trying to support the ridiculous argument that people should get to take up seats that they didn't pay for.

If a person willingly disables themself from eating, why should more sensible and responsible people and the airlines pick up the cost of their extra seat ticket?



People have to pay for overweight baggage...what's the difference?

So all of you who use the argument that people are fat because they are lazy, irresponsible (and my favorite) environmentally unfriendly, do you also support having people who are very muscular or very tall paying for two seats?

Are you willing to say that ANYONE for ANY REASON who infringes on another's space, whether it be due to height, weight, pregnancy, or disability should have to pay for the extra space?

I keep hearing you bash fat people, but you haven't addressed the other people who take up too much space.

reply to post by VelmaLu

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Yes.

If you're in two seats, you buy two seats. Whether it's your legs, fat, muscle, or unborn child causing you to take up the extra space... you're still taking it up.

You're wrong. Body fat percentage has nothing to do with health risk. It has been proven that people who are 40 pounds overweight, but physically active have fewer health risks than someone underweight and inactive.

Fat, in and of itself, is not a predictor of health. Thinness does not mean healthy.

Get your facts straight. Just hate fat people because they are different and stop labeling them as unhealthy.

reply to post by VelmaLu

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Im moving on. You have a lot to learn here on ATS. Making up arguments to points that havent even been risen will get you nowhere here.

I dont hate fat people despite what you say.


And sir, ma'am, whatever. If you dont know the difference between someone who is fat and someone who is genetically tall, then you have no place in a debate. We have said many times already. If it is a medical condition, fine, the airline should pay. But if it isnt, then you are fair game. A person does not diet or exercise to get taller.

reply to post by VelmaLu

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And sorry, but I couldn't let this one go. Someone who is 40 lbs overweight, IS NOT TAKING UP TWO SEATS.


We are talking about the people who are 200+ lbs overweight. Get the facts straight.

reply to post by bknapple32

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thanks from all of us on this thread.

some people on this thread want to beat a dead horse....

and some people want to eat one.




[edit on 21-11-2008 by wrathchild]

And you have a lot to learn -- especially about debating. People take drugs to grow taller, people have surgery to get taller. Should they have to prove that they were just genetically predisposed to tallness?

There is no difference for seating in someone who is fat because they overeat, someone who is hefty because they are on steroids, and someone who is overly large because of lifting weights. The result is the same -- they take up more space. A tall person takes up more space. So does a wheelchair, a pregnant woman, and many people from certain racial groups.

What you want to do is make value judgements as to how they got that way and those who do not measure up to your self-imposed standard of virtue should be discriminated against. You believe that people should be punished because they do not have the same values that you do.

Thank God for karma.

A star for wratchchild.

It's hard to have a constructive debate with somebody, when the only thing they will respond to is the words they put in your mouth. If anyone else can come up with a good, honest reason not to pay for seats you take up, I'd like to hear it.

Boohooing about how "It's not their fault" isn't one of those reasons. Regardless of whose fault it is, they're still taking up two seats.

Of course, on the other hand.... shouldn't it be the airline's right to make up the policies anyways? And if somebody doesn't like them, wouldn't they just fly another airline? What happened to the idea of a free market?

Some restaurants make you pay for each meal you order. Others are an all-you-can-eat buffet. You don't see governments stepping in and saying all restaurants should switch to buffets because large people require more food.

I know the free market argument can support either side of the debate. I'm just wondering how others perceive that concept here.