What about "mentally disabled" people who have imaginary friends?

How many seats will they be allowed?

Too funny.


Edit: Next time I order a ticket, I'm telling the airline that I'm fat so that there will be 2 seats for me to choose from.

*Soon there will be a another lawsuit as the airlines will no doubt start telling people they 'aren't fat enough' to require 2 seats.

[edit on 22-11-2008 by TruthTellist]

It wouldn't be too much to expect an airline to put away say 6 seats for the vertically and horizontally challenged, disabled etc.

If those are taken, then these people could be put on a short list for the next available flight with special designated seats.

It's not like EVERY flight is loaded with morbidly obese people.

Another suggestion would also be to make public exactly the load/height/width limit of their seats. Put the actual figure on their tickets and websites so people would know before flying.

Example....maximum load limit 100kgs....maximum height limit 6'.....
(I have no idea what the actual figures would be , I'm just guessing here)

Rather than prove that a personal is disabled due to their weight to receive a free second seat, maybe the REASON why they have to fly should be accessed as to whether it is a NECESSARY flight....e.g to go to a funeral, for a family birth or wedding..etc

Anything else would be considered a LUXURY trip and therefore the person can either go on the list for a special seat, buy a second seat at their own expense or decide not to travel until they meet the weight restrictions.

I can see the 2 for 1 seat deal only encouraging more air travel by morbidly obese people.

So, I think it should only be extended to NECESSARY flights only with documented proof. That at least would discourage frivilous flights and would also help with morale. You would then know that the morbidly obese person with the free 2nd seat had an URGENT reason to fly and is not just going on some jaunt to Bahamas.

Obesity can be a disability like any other.

Would we mock someone for needing a little extra room to store their wheelchair? No, we wouldn't. Most of us would keep our mouths closed and feel sorry for them. So why mock the overweight person?

Oh.. because it was their decision through possible laziness that led them to be overweight. Right? If that's your belief, then truly look into it a little further because it's not always that simple. Granted, there are certain people who are overweight and it is attributed directly to their choices in life. But there are those that are a victim of their size.

If that same man in a wheel chair that we feel sorry for was only in that chair because he fell and broke his back while trying to beat his wife, would you still feel sorry? Would you still be happy to offer some extra space? I doubt it.

We make assumptions and base our decisions on that, no matter how flawed the logic may be.

Assumptions and judgments are tough to overcome, but at the very least we can be aware of it.

For all those 6ft+ people out there complaining about not being able to fit in the seats, when booking your seats mention your height and request a seat in the front row. It is generally airline policy to allow the vertically gifted front seats at no extra charge as long as their not already booked.

I'm just going to go ahead and say it. If the persons wheelchair had to occupy A SEAT, then yes they should pay for it. Are you freaking kidding me with all this. There is no debate, 2xseats=2xprice. Airlines are trying (poorly) to run a business. Should car manufacturers have to install double seats for a fat person's car? NO! We cannot accommodate every little freaking thing. If you don't like it start a fats only airline. Then tell me you don't think they should be charged more. If 10 obese people book the same flight the airline is now out 10 passengers ticket prices. They operate on fairly slim (pun intended) margins anyway. You guys need to calm down before you have a heart attack.

It happened to myself. Some girl volleyball team had one fat chick (the mascot i guess) and she took the last extra seat in an overbooked flight just in front of me. Needless to say I was pissed the first few seconds but then thought that she probably was very ashamed by it so didn't bother to make something of it.

There are bigger problems on the horizon that need attention, getting some large people to pay twice doesn't solve the problem. Good education and parenting goes a long way...

Originally posted by LostNemesis
I think this is fair, and hope the fat-bashers do not flock to this thread...

I'm sorry, you think it's fair someone should get two seats for the price of one because they made a very bad lifestyle choice? This isn't fair at all, the company should be able to run it's business as it wishes. Having fat people take up 2 seats is just going to cost the airline money, and why should it pay for someone who has made a bad choice in their life?

Don't get me wrong, some people can't help being fat as they have a medical condition and in that case i would support this policy. However you're talking less than 5% of all the obese people have a condition that causes their obesity.

I'm tired of pandering to the obese, i'm not a fat basher i just hate that society is being forced to pay for people who have made a choice in their life.

There is a difference between having policies or legislation in place , to accommodate the disabled , but redesigning society to accommodate a preventable obesity epidemic is another thing entirely.

A smoker is not treated the same as a non-smoker if they should ever need a heart/ lung transplant , .........we have to take responsibility for choices in life , it isn`t always the airlines/governments etc etc etc problem.

The solution is for persons practicing the disease of addiction to food OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS.

Addiction to drugs Narcotics Anonymous.
Addiction to alcohol Alcoholics Anonymous.
Addiction to sex Sexaholics Anonymous.
Addiction to money, Gamblers Anonymous or Workaholics Anonymous.

The movie SEVEN offers a very accurate perspective.
Gluttony, avarice, sloth, lust, pride, envy, wrath.
Temperance in all things, I say.

Morbid endogenous obesity is a disease of eating compulsively.
Just like work, alcohol, drugs sex can become very addictive and compulsive. Treat the disease and reverse the damage.

We then need to sue Wal Mart as their aisles are not wide enough for two obese people to pass each other safely.

[edit on 22-11-2008 by fmcanarney]

Wait, how fat is fat enough to get two seats? Has that been answered? How are they going to determine this? And before or after the person gets to the airport. It would be rather humiliating having someone measure your side flaps in the security line. 'Sir, you appear too fat for one seat, hold still while I measure your girth.' Somehow I don't think that is going to go over too well with the larger folks out there. Could the airlines just have like 4 fat seats in the back of the plane that were wider and the same price? If no overweight people were booked on a light, give them to the normal people.

In times of famine and food shortages , obesity was regarded as attractive , as it denoted wealth . Today , in times of plenty it is the slender shape that is regarded as beautiful.
The zeitgeist shifts.

What kind of society do we want to live in ?

Last time I flew,and I mean the LAST time EVER, I had a similar overflow body next to me situation.I pretended to have fleas and she demanded I move.I shrugged and mumbled something about them's good eatin'.She eventually left me alone.Works well,but it was hard to keep from laughing at her attempts at pulling away from contact with me and my little friends.I worry about the fact that these body types cannot be restrained due to girth and like a big bowling balloon,would be lethal to others in an otherwise survivable emergency,like a runway overshoot crash.Imagine being crushed by one of these,not two hundred pounders,but twice that.And the thought of trying to talk someone into remaining in their seat to avoid impeding the safe exit of others?In an emergency?Putting others first?That is the gist of this whole issue,to me.And the muscle guy can get out of the way for you to pass to use the restroom,he's used to exercise.And he can lean one way or another to accomodate.Jabba cannot.You should fast weekly,I do.Sometimes by choice.Most fatt people eat high fructose corn syrup and that one ingredient is mostly to blame for weight that will not come off without SERIOUS effort for a long time.It's not that which goes into a man's mouth that corrupts,but what comes out.Not so for fatters.