United Airline Says Overweight Travelers Will Need To Buy Extra Seats

[-Cp]

It's ABOUT FREAKING TIME!!

If "beefy" or "curvy" describes you, here is a word of warning: United Airlines will begin aggressively enforcing a new policy that allows it to charge heavier passengers twice to fly.

United will now implement new policies for passengers they deem to be overweight.

Under the rules outlined by United, passengers who "are unable to fit into a single seat in the ticketed cabin; are unable to properly buckle the seatbelt using a single seatbelt extender; and/or are unable to put the seat's armrests down when seated" will be denied boarding unless they purchase an extra seat.

If no empty seat exists, the passenger will be forced to take a later flight.

"The seat purchase or upgrade must be completed for each leg of the itinerary," the United policy states. "If a customer meeting any of the above-listed criteria decides not to upgrade or purchase a ticket for an additional seat, he or she will not be permitted to board the flight."

The policy applies to tickets bought on or after March 4, for travel on Wednesday or later, according to the United Web site.

Full story:
http://cbs2chicago.com/business/united.overweight.passengers.2.985271.html

[emmett]

That is just down right insensative! Are they going to refund the unused portion of a seat occupied by skinny people? LOL

[crin63]

That is just down right insensative! Are they going to refund the unused portion of a seat occupied by skinny people? LOL

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to emmett again.

LOL, Thats great!

[Trigg]

It's about time.

I hate sitting next to someone who fills up their seat as well as half of mine. If they can't put the armrest down they need to buy two seats.

[emmett]

There once was an airline name of Unitey
Who implemented a new policy some thought untity,
If while pissing, a feller couldn't see his feet
He'd have to purchase a whole nother seat
In order to make the whole thing all righty.....

[Monkeybone]

sheesh, they going to do a screening process with a fake seat like they do at amusment parks. and i can undestand that some ppl are huge and take up too much damn room and that they do spill over onto the seats, but still. they need to do just width, not the seat belt extender. not that i have ever used one, but even when i was in shape i found plane seat to be small and uncomfortable.

[sgtdmski]

Because of my job I fly alot. There is nothing worse than sitting nest to a person who is overflowing into your seat. I am sorry but if a person is so large that they cannot fit into a single seat but instead encroach onto a second seat,then they need to be charged for a second seat, and they seat should remain empty. If the airline charges them for a second seat, but then proceeds to fill that seat, they should not charge them.

dmk

[Kathianne]

That is just down right insensative! Are they going to refund the unused portion of a seat occupied by skinny people? LOL

I'd be willing to let a curvy or burly person have a 1/4 of my seat, so they don't have to pay extra.

It's the airlines that have overbooked and added seats that are causing the problem.

I heard a report the other day, a 'large' person was forced to buy two tickets, the seats were not 'attached.' LOL!