Should 'FAT PEOPLE' be made to pay extra to fly on airlines? This is the burning controversial question at the start of 2010. Personally, I feel that airlines have for a very long time, crammed the 'sardine' economy class with seats that of course a fat person would spill over into another passengers space. Give us a break man...It is bad enough that we have to ask for bright red seat-belt extensions and for it to be paraded down the aisle for all to see. (Have you not followed with your eyes, a flight attendant walking a seat-belt extension down the cabin aisle, just to see who the extension is given to??? ... only for the extension not to fit...lol ) The New Zealand Herald reports: - It's only a matter of time before airlines start demanding fat passengers pay for two seats, an aviation commentator says. Peter Clark said the number of very large people boarding aircraft was increasing and people who struggle to get into one seat should pay the extra cost. His comments follow reports that Air France-KLM planned to make overweight passengers pay for a second seat. The airline denies it would make obese passengers pay more and says the only recent change is they will refund the cost of the second seat, if one is bought, if the economy cabin is not full. The extra seat came with a 25 per cent discount. Mr Clark said airlines would soon have to start asking bigger passengers to pay for another seat or take a bigger one in premium economy or business class. "The airlines will have to take a strong stand on it ... Something will have to happen. It's the responsibility of the passenger, not the airline." - NZ HERALD Once again, if the airlines didn't jam-pack their economy class to the point where passengers are almost sitting on each others laps, then there wouldn't be any issues. So therefore, it is the responsibility of the airline to ensure that all their passengers are COMFORTABLE and most of all that the SAFETY REQUIREMENTS are ABLE to be met by ALL their patrons......IN ALL THEIR CABIN CLASSES (Economy, Business, First class...etc..etc...). This should not fall on the heads of the passengers - Big or Small. The report in the NZ Herald continues: - He said airlines would probably try to form a consensus on the issue. Safety issues were involved with very large people in planes, such as moving quickly in an emergency or even putting a seat belt on. "A large person can create problems if they impede the movement of other passengers or if they have to evacuate quickly. "It's a confined space and if someone is impinging on the space of another passenger - who has paid a lot of money for it - then that's not fair." - NZ HERALD Sure, a large person could create problems that would impede other passengers in the event of an emergency...but so can a small person. A small person, thinking he or she being small would have alot of space around them, would most likely reach for their bags and attempt to haul them out the emergency doors. Whereas a fat person, knowing that he or she would have no space, would leave their belongings behind (because we huffed and puffed those bags onto the plane already - aint no reason why we would want to exercise on the way out) and proceed to the nearest emergency exit. Another thing, have you ever noticed who jams the cabin aisles immediately after the plane has made a complete stop at the gate? That's right....SMALL PEOPLE! Fat people, have only just woken up. There ain't no space for them to stand anyhow...so they have to wait until the small scrawny sardines and their luggage, vacate the aisles so that they have enough space to put their right leg. The NZ Herald report concludes: - He thought there would be human rights issues if airlines did ask fat passengers to pay more but safety should come first. Air New Zealand expects passengers who know they require extra room to buy another seat to get the space they required. "At the time of the flight, if there are spare seats, Air New Zealand always tries to accommodate passengers requiring extra room," a spokeswoman said, "whether this is people travelling with children or for medical or personal reasons." - NZ HERALD The human rights issue here, once again, is that airlines want more money so they design rows of seats in the affordable sections of their aircrafts big enough for only a toothpick to fit in. (How many times have you leaned forward to place something under your chair - or even reach for your floatation vest - and you found yourself breathing heavily into the ear of the passenger in front of you...while your chin rested on their shoulder???) IF FAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR 'PERSONAL EXCESS BAGGAGE'.....EVERYONE SHOULD PAY FOR THEIR WEIGHT!!! ----- The funniest thing is that (at the time of posting this report/blog) there is the GoogleAd on the right side panel (scroll down a little) for Gabriel's Method to Losing Weight! hahahahaha! GOOD LUCK WITH THE NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS EVERYONE!!!
