Well, I think it should be his choice, if he can squeeze into one seat for a couple of hours then so be it, but if his fat ass wants more room, then he can choose to wait.

The person I feel sorry for is the person next to him, if he chooses one seat. Just the crumb pile alone would be big enough to drown a horse. ok ok, I digress.

Yea, he should have the choice, either sit and suffer now, or wait for 2 seats to become available.

I look at it from my point of view:

- Having someone else's ass in my seat is an unreasonable breach of the contract I made with the airline by purchasing a seat (for me.)

- More than once I've had some buffalo spilling into my seat and/or their beefy arms and elbows in my face the entire trip. That's an unreasonable thing also. I paid for my space and I expect to have all of it available to me.

- This particular incident seems to be complicated by the fact the guy did in fact purchase two seats and apparently one was denied him because of a reschedule.

- If he bought two seats and occupied them then fine.

- The reschedule caused one of his seats to be unavailable and therefore he was unable to fly because he requires two seats.

- Regular-sized members of the flying public are denied their one seat often - flights are overbooked every day and if someone does not voluntarily give up their seat then the airline can legally force them to give it up. It happens all the time. Too bad for the poor schlub who got bumped.

- So, to conclude: it is fair. Because he required two seats and the two seats were not available. It's no different then denying one seat to a regular person on an overbooked flight - it happens all the time.

- On the issue of whether it's fair to make him buy two seats: that may be less clear but again, he requires more than the normal space and has a responsibility to pay his way. The world doesn't owe anyone a free ride.

^^ agree with NY

one size (seat) doesn't fit all, and if I am BIG I will know in advance what is comfortable...

but....( no pun intended) my choice cannot unreasonably infringe on someone else...

"sorry i am overflowing all into your seat" doesn't work...

BTW I am not a Giant ------ by any means....

but I have been on several flights with two other pretty nornmal sized men sitting in my asle

-- and our shoulder widths made so the guy in the middle seat leaned forward because it just wasn't comfortable

rubbing shoulders the whole flight

All airline tickets should be based on combined weight of passenger plus baggage..

I think a good starting point would be with a minimum price for about 85 kg and below....

It seems to me that the Airlines and the Public are on a collision course.

The collective arses of the Public ARE getting bigger and taller

and the Airline seats are getting smaller and closer together.

Airline companys have to make a profit, however they also have to supply a seat and seating arrangement

that fits the public they are contracting those seats too. If 3 normal sized men cant sit 3 abrest

then the seats are definatly too small too close together and not enough leg space between the seats.

Fat arses like me dont cause the problem, they just highlight it. !!!

I agree with newyorkd in terms of how he arrived at the conclusion of fair or not fair. I also agree with Gav that the airlines seem to have an unsustainable business model. When you think about the capital investment involved in running an airline and the fact that every few years you hear about this or that airline either in or on the brink of bankruptcy it means something is seriously wrong with the business model. You don't spend billions to fund an airline and operate on razor thin margins that bring it close to bankruptcy once a decade.

Should be charged double at buffets too.

SB: Maybe, but if we follow down that path you should buy your own drinks, open your own doors

and stand up to pee.

Now I will get a serve for lack of tolerance, and not being PC.

I say "Too Bad, it cuts both ways S/Babe."

excuse me missy not everyone can be slim and proper some people have eating disorders and that's the way they are....

For sum Skinny girls want things. Buy me this get me that oooh I want I want I want and you should give cause society says she's exceptional cause she weight less then average.

I read about the new law that came out in the US around 6 months ago, that if u cannot fasten ur seat belt or lower the arm rest properly you have to buy 2 seats, which in a way is for safety reason as well as not to invade other passengers' space.

I think the mistake in the news above is the staff who allow this guy to be on the waiting list and board when there was only one seat left on the plane. He bought 2 seats and they should check and make sure that he would get what he paid for. This whole thing wouldn't happen.

I do agree that the seats on the plane nowadays are getting smaller than what I remembered. If you take a look at the specification of the seats of the old plane and the new one, you will see the different as well. Yet, the standard of people in different parts of the world are different. I am on the "big people" side when it comes to Thailand. But in the US, I'm on the "small people" side. So I guess it'd be very difficult to say what is the standard seat, when you have to cater to international passengers.

Sick and tired of some self-righteousness. It's retarded.

If you accepted people instead of putting them down, you would not have to deal with this.

So dont try to be HOLLIER than THOU, you cant cut it !!!

It is not the question about acceptance. Aren't you asking for the equality? if so, is it equal to jeopardize other people safety on the plane? You eat **** load of food, and you expect to pay the same? I do not think so. The OP asks if this is fair or unfair? I say unfair to other customers. I've been on Southwest. as shitty airline as it is, you can pay a little more for their front business seats for more room. It does not cost that much.

Best solution is to make seats for big persons...because there is lot of them...or they must buy 2 tickets...or (the best solution, if possible) is to get slimmer It doesnt matter is somebody is famous or not.......

No you have missed the point.

It is not about how big or small people are. It's about the Airlines not catering to the public they contract

seats to. Refer above to admins comment.

Yes some people are small some are big and it has very little to do with someone eating **** loads of food.

Your comment is offensive and shows you ignorance. Just remember people come in ALL sizes.

Over the years 2 things have happened fact

Fact 1. People have got taller and bigger

Fact 2, Airline seats have got smaller and closer together.

If you dont belive me check, go back to new planes of 15 years ago and look at the seat specs.

As to the question is it fair or not, who cares ......... It is NOT a fair world. So complaing that is not fair wont do anything.

What does change things is "Voting with your feet" If an Airline shows no regard to the customer base

very soon it wont have any customers. The more customer talk to other customers and let them know

that they are mostly all feeling the same way the sooner Airlines will wake up and change their policies.

PS I always fly Star Class (Jet Star) or Premium Economy.

If you want to talk about UNFAIR Kevin Smith purchased 2 seats but the Airline resold one of them

When he boarded he was asked to leave because they said he need 2 seats. Not only is it unfair.

It is possibly Illegal as well, but tha Airlines dont care. It wont be fair when they charge you for you luggage as well soon

at excess baggage rates.

The main reason I took you to task is because you were offensive in all your comments

Had you drafted them differently I would not have replied.

Was it someone woke up with a PMS or wot?

Ooh wait... nevermind.

I would go with Condotown on this. The more weight combined the more cost to the airlines fuel.

and the more they can fit people on the plane, more profit they make.

Too bad you find it offensive, Gav. Nothing personal, it's BUSINESS. Buy your own plane if you may.

Yep. I was right you still dont get it, Mia Pen Rai.

Maybe with time ja !!!

Do ya find this journal interesting Dear Goodkarma?

Planes have maximum take off weight and in last 30 years passenger average weight has increase 9 kg's from 77 to 86Kg's.

Most planes which we are using at the moment are designed with that 77Kg's, which is last official rule for plane designing (from 1977)...correct if i am wrong! Lets play with this ...wide body plane can take around 300 passengers, so 300x9kg's is 2700 Kg's, which means aircraft can take 2700Kg's less cargo or fuel (hope not fuel) that plane can safely take off. Cargo is very important to airlines, because they make much more money with that than carrying passengers. If there is no cargo in planes, our tickets would cost much more than they do now!

I am a skinny guy (~66Kg's) and once when i was going back home from China, i had 4 Kg's over weight in my luggage, so i have to pay extra for that, but behind me in line to check inn there was a guy, who's weight must be +120Kg's and i am sure they didn't charge any extra from him? Me and my luggage's weight was together 90Kg's, but for that guy it must beat at least 140Kg's.

I don't have anything again'st peoples with some extra kilos, but i don't think it's a bad thing even airlines ask someone to buy 2 seats, because they are too fat to fit in one. It's also a safety mater.

good points above...although I am guessing air freight seldomly maxs out a plane...more likely

the cargo volumn (the space it takes up) is the limiting factor...these aircraft can pull huge loads

(ex. the 747s that are freight only)...the seats shrink so they can get more of us on board, the baggage

charge is there, so they can expand their profits with freight rather than our luggage.

regarding the Op example..... B of D has it right for me ...when this guy was offered a place "standing by"

it should have only been for his original plan (that is he needed TWO seats)... And in that regard GAV...

there was not a liability on the airline's part since this guy optioned to go "stand-by" on an earlier flight,

which takes the carrier off the hook !!!

I fully agreed with you ...blowing this back at the airlines...DO vote with your feet, wallet and make noise...

only two 30 kg bags on an international flight is not right...$25 for the first bag (in the US ) is worse...

BTW Good Karma...I think you got your money's worth on this one...?