United Airlines To Charge Obese Passengers Extra (WHAT DO YOU THINK: POLL)

United Airlines is cracking down on the wallets of overweight passengers.

The airline says passengers who are too large to fit into a single seat, buckle the seatbelt, or unable to put down the armrests, will be forced to buy a second ticket or upgrade to a premium class, where the seats are larger. If a flight is full and an obese passenger is unable to buy another seat, they will be bumped from the flight.

READ THE FULL UNITED POLICY

A United spokeswoman told the Chicago Tribune the airline decided to implement the policy after getting "more than 700 complaints last year from passengers 'who did not have a comfortable flight because the person next to them infringed on their seat,' said United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski."

WBBM Newsradio reported that United employees at O'Hare Airport have been told to "be extra vigilant beginning Wednesday for passengers they deem to be overweight."

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Comments

[Wetzelfam]

United's policy looks reasonable, but so does Southwest's and IT IS NOT. Readers should know that Southwest Airlines does not allow a passenger to purchase an extra seat for his own comfort. I'm obese, BMI 38, and was forced to give up the extra seat I had voluntarily purchased for a Southwest flight that turned out to be oversold. I was told I had violated Southwest's conditions of carriage in buying the seat to begin with. I could put the armrest down, so I was entitled to only one seat. "You cannot buy a extra seat for your own comfort. If everyone did that, our planes would be half empty," Customer Service told me. Armrest down = one seat. "If you still feel cramped, well, that's how flying is today." So don't jump to criticize the person who crowds you on a flight -- she may have tried to do the right thing but was humiliated instead.

[jazzyfizzle]

Wow- Thanks for sharing that. I will think twice about flying Southwest.

[Joe50]

This is rediculous. I am not the least bit overweight but I still feel cramped in these crappy seats. For all those who complained about the overweight people sitting next to them, get over yourself. I like what Jackeiro said about the screaming kids. Perhaps we should charge extra for anyone who farts as well. What about me! What about me! I suppose I shouldn't have to pay school taxes since I don't have any kids! I will be using another carrier.

[jazzyfizzle]

LOL!

[Brooke Wheeler]

Most of us are getting larger (I'll cite that number from the National Institutes of Health: 60% of Americans are overweight), but airplane seating has just gotten more oppressive. It doesn't compute. Even non-overweight people are crammed in.

I'm afraid our increasing mass ain't gonna go significantly in the other direction anytime soon (and it's not just Americans, my friends). So in 10 or 20 years I bet airplane seats are a bit bigger, and the prices accordingly higher.

But meanwhile, despite that fact that 60% of us are overweight, there's an amazing amount of fat-bashing going on, one of the last refuges for intolerance. Well, fine. Get your anger out now. You'll be fat someday, too. It's just a matter of time.

[ku8man4]

Life is not fair. We The People certainly agree on that! United offers several options for those seeking more comfort. It's a BUSINESS. I expect to be charged for personal service options. Late ticket purchase? Pay a fee. Luggage exceed the 50-65 pound threshold? Pay the fee. UAL is not a public utility, it's private enterprise transportation, meaning PROFIT motivated; even public utilities charge for direct usage. We The People, have options. Ask FedEx/UPS to ship 275 lbs for the price of 150 and see how quickly they'll laugh in your face. Airlines are not going to retrofit their aircraft with enhanced seating without charging passengers (all of us) for it. They are not going to weigh all of us prior to boarding due to logistics; security checkpoints are bad enough. Public opinion seems to support the seat surcharge for reasons of physics and economics, not discrimination. Hopefully, United's overweight passengers will follow the rules and pay the fee, like the rest of us when limits are exceeded, and avoid discomfort for themselves during check-in procedures. Otherwise, the airlines may eventually reserve the right to flip the script: YOU MUST BE THIS WEIGHT/WIDTH TO FLY. Those management types with a matrix/business model are just waiting to say "This is cost effective."

[jackiero]

I'm ok with this. As a person who just gained a bit of weight, I understand the need for my "normal" co-passengers to have their alloted space.

However, I have some demands of my own. First, any crying, screaming, talking, or undisciplined children will be thrown out of the plane, even if in midair. Tight spaces calls for "inside voices."

Second, if you chatter on excessively while in my vicinity while I am trying to sleep, read, or just not think, I will kill you. Common sense.

Third, if you wear cologne or perfume, bathe before you get on the plane. If I get a whiff and get a headache, and I always do, I will kill you.

Fourth, just because you have a tray table on the back of my chair, it does not mean you should open and shut it every 5 minutes. Same goes for a reclining seat. While I know you need to get comfortable, you in seat in my lap is unacceptable.

Fifth, as a person buying two seats, that entitles me to two carry-on pieces of luggage. I know it's tempting for "normal" size people to bring so-called carry-on pieces to avoid the $15/bag fee, my luggage goes in first. If there's not enough for yours, well too bad. There's only so much room on that plane, and if your bag is TOO BIG, then it sucks to be you.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Honorary Huffp(r)ick.
And I mean that kindly.
Right on.

[linton]

Way to go United, wait till all the obese kids around become adults.

[zlohcuc]

I am part of Uniteds Premier program and I constantly get solicited by them telling me what a special customer I am . trouble is their service is now so awful that I am looking for any reason to fly with other carriers.They could care less about their customers and this new policy is just an extension of their callous attitude toward everybody, obese included.Let,s not forget the recently imposed charges for checking luggage. I've seen no dispensation for passengers since the price of oil has plummeted since the inception of that charge. They have a right to run their business as they see fit and thankfully, most of us have alternatives for carriers.

[vandegrasse]

I say we have a cattle call policy for getting seats, since we're all being so civil. Ring a bell and it's every man for himself!

[vandegrasse]

I say we have a "run for the seats policy! like a stampede. I'll guarantee you the fat people would beat the anorexics any day.

[vandegrasse]

The yuppie anorexics are out in force. What's next! Give an anorexia discount, perhaps we could trade pound coupons for seats. What a stupid policy. But business is stupid. They force-feed through the media to get us to become super-sized then charge us for the privilege. This country makes me sick.

[frantaylor]

You will never hear this complaint on the train!

[AbbieHoffman2]

A train doesnt have to try to fly with a bunch of fattys in it. They also should charge these people for the extra fuel it takes ti leave the ground.

[OriginalScreenName]

well you can go f-yourself. I'm perfectly healthy at the weight I am 240 (17% bf). But because I was born a large person BMI will never call me anything other than obese because I'm supposed to be 170. Unless I lose bone, muscle, and water (things I shouldn't be losing) I will never be 170. I still have problems fitting in the UA seats, even though no doctor would call me obese.

Maybe airlines should be making their seats bigger since Americans are (even without being obese) getting bigger. And why should I have to pay more just because I was born this way. It's no different than you saying black people should pay more. Are we going to give little people discounts?

[frantaylor]

They should just charge by the pound. You and all your stuff.

That's what determines their cost, why should they not charge accordingly?

Air freight is traditionally paid for by the pound anyway.

[mizerello]

I got very heavy because of meds I was taking several years ago. I actually bought two seats on UA because I didn't want to cause someone else trouble and simply wanted to be able to relax. Because they consistently over book their flights, they then tried to force me into allowing someone to use my seat. They made me feel awful as they spent several minutes talking to me loudly about needing my extra seat. Everyone around me began to stare. They made me feel very bad about saying no and eventually the seat I had paid for was used by someone else. I ended up getting half of the money I paid for the seat back. While I understand the need for a policy, let's be honest about why they're doing it; I am now back to a healthy weight and still feel squeezed into the seats. I have a friend who's 5'8" and weighs about 150 pounds. She hates to fly because she ends up cramped up and in pain. In an effort to rake in more money, they've continued to put in more and more seats by making the seats smaller and placing more rows. As usual, American corporations proving just how fine they are--they could care less about anything but the glorious buck.

[AbbieHoffman2]

another long excuse for an eating disorder

[markm8128]

It is a medically proven fact based on huge amounts of empirical scientific evidence, that there are a variety of different reasons people are over-weigh­t...calori­c balance...how many callories you consume VS how many you burn...being only one of those reasons.

People who immediately assume obesity is due to life-style...are almost always ignorant of that medical research. They are very much in the same mode of thinking as the Bush followers who reject global warming, evolution, and other scientific facts...be­cause..."b­lah,blah,b­lah...I don't want to believe it."

[vandegrasse]

Instead of bitching at each other, we should be bitching at the airlines for not providing sufficient seat space for average sized people. THat's how the powerful work. Get them griping at one another and they won't notice how tightly packed in they are! We Americans are a pathetic bunch.

[vandegrasse]

If they decent sized seats we wouldn't have this problem! Even thin people have trouble getting in and out of these sardine can seats!

[frantaylor]

I'm average size and I don't have any problems.

If you want cheap airfare, be prepared to deal with it.

It's why the tickets are so cheap.