I flew on a small commuter plane once with a football team. All of them football players sat together in the rear of the plane. The pilot and co-pilot before takeoff had to rearrange the seating for everyone on the plane.

They had to scatter the large football players out over the area of the plane. They did this because while, with all the weight in the rear of the plane they could have taken off from the airport, they never would have been able to land due to weight/balance cause the nose of the plane would never be able to land nose first.
Cannot have obese seats in rear of plane, it makes the plane "tail heavy" and unable to land.

Needless to say we arrived safely at Salina Kansas.

Just like alcoholics or drug addicts need to treat their disease so do obese persons need to treat their disease.

I would love to see airlines charge ticket prices according to the weight of the passenges.

It would give a whole new meaning to a "reduced" fare.

Disability and or civil rights issues cannot continue to be defined in terms of "willful misconduct".

The five major manifestations of the disease of addiction in America today are alcohol, drugs, sex, food and money.

Alcohol, drugs and sex have taken big hits in the past twenty years, with MADD, tough drug laws, and STD. What does that leave for Americans to practice their addictions: FAT GAMBLERS.

Legislating special considerations and special privileges for people who do not practice temperance and moderation in their appetites, and classigying them "disabled" is just teaching others to play their own particular pet "disability" for special considerations.

"Willful Misconduct" disability and discrimination lawsuits remove personal responsibility from the equation.

Reminds me of the Flip Wilson line "The Devil made me do it!!!"

[edit on 22-11-2008 by fmcanarney]

I'm not sure how this works out to their best. It would seem they would want a wider seat instead of two regular size. I haven't been on a plane yet but, have been in a theater where someone sat on my hand but, my hand was on the armrest! I've also had the displeasure of sitting beside someone that was extremely muscular that couldn't put his arms all the way down and got jabbed in the eye by an elbow three times. Not good for the movies!

If this works out though I'm wondering how other things will as I've seen bigger people thrown off rides in amusement parks because they couldn't fit in the restraints and yelled at the operators about suing.

Originally posted by LostNemesis
You obviously do not know that there is more to being obese than laziness?

The only reason people get so fat is because they eat too much compared to the amount of energy they expend.

Stop making excuses.

Originally posted by LostNemesis
It's been said before, and people do not seem to get it. A depressed person does not have the energy needed to get up and jog around town everyday.

I was diagnosed with depression several years back, yet I still managed to get some exercise in, play Football (soccer) and to be honest, I lost weight.

Stop making excuses.

Originally posted by LostNemesis
An overworked person does not have the energy to cook a healthy meal at the end of the day.

Bollocks.

I work 12 hour shifts and still cook each and every meal I have, from scratch, using fresh ingredients. It's actually alot cheaper than junk food and healthier.

Stop making excuses.

Originally posted by LostNemesis
A few extra pounds can turn into depression, that causes so much weight to pile on.

As far as I know, many people are obese because they are simply depressed, and instead of having a friend to offer companionship, some turn to food for comfort, because people have turned their backs on them.

I've known a few people, myself included, that have had depression and none have "turned to food" or become fat. Just more excuses.

To get one seat for the price of two is discriminating against those of a slimmer frame or taller stature who cannot help the way they are built, whereas these fat beasts can do something about it, but many do not or find something else to blame their huge bulk on, never taking responsibility.

Originally posted by jibeho
I am 6'2" and weigh 230 pounds. I have a difficulty sitting in the seats the way they are arranged. But, can I sue the airlines because my knees always hit the seat in front of me. The only option I have is First Class or hope beg and pray for exit row. My brother is 6'5". and has it far worse than me. Perhaps he is "functionally disabled" by his height and should receive a free upgrade to first class.

Funny you mentioned this. There is a club on the Lufthansa airlines called Longen Menschen, or Long Men's club, when flying out of Holland. If you're a certain height you get a free upgrade and can kick out first class passengers if there are no seats available in coach.

I'm a 4' 9" adult, and no chairs or seats, unless they are old antiques, fit me. My feet hover above the floor every time I sit, and there is pressure on the backs of my thighs predisposing me to blood clots. I demand a comfy foot stool to rest my feet on when I fly, or sit in any public place.

Since I am short, I have a hard time reaching things. I can't tell you how many times an item has fallen from a high shelf in the grocery when I am struggling to reach it. I might just get beaned in the head one day and sue.

I have an INTP personality and I don't like sitting next to people. I should get at least two, or even three seats so that I can have a buffer zone between me and the next person, so I don't feel anxious and crowded.

Really, this kind of thing ticks me off. If you are handicapped, through no fault of your own, fine, but if you're morbidly obese, it's your fault. Period. I'm not exactly thin, and it's MY FAULT. I use public transportation and it's not uncommon to see see a grossly overweight person lapping over into the second seat, rendering it unusable by another PAYING customer. I pay for one, they pay for one and get two. Not fair.

Originally posted by Lookingup
If you are handicapped, through no fault of your own, fine, but if you're morbidly obese, it's your fault. Period.

So people who are handicapped (in a wheelchair, using a walker, etc.) should have to prove their disability wasn't their fault before they receive preferential treatment? You know, like the express lane at the post office, good parking spaces, first to board on the airplane, etc?

Most people who take steroids will have a frightening amount of weight gain through no fault of their own. I guess if they wear some sort of sign, like a letter on the chest of their clothes, then other people will know to feel compassion for them, but not the fat, lazy regular slob, right?

I guess we should just require that everyone with some form of disability carry papers certifying their handicap as being self-induced or not. That way, people who are crippled because they drove drunk can be punished for the rest of their lives. And better yet, we'll know who to despise because they brought it on themselves.

That's the ticket.

I am not overweight, but fairly large at 6'4" 240 lbs. I would just like to be able to get the exit row every time I fly. Since I won't waste the money on first class, anything but the exit row and I am crammed in a small seat with no leg room.

Edit: Jibeho I feel you and your brother's pain. It truly stinks on a long flight with no leg room.

[edit on 22-11-2008 by slated]