SW airlines Overweight fare

[green_rd]

Was just reading an article about Pink Floyd's The Wall from 1979. Why is that relevant? Because amongst the trivia it stated that a flight from Indianapolis to Miami cost $279 in in 1979. I am currently looking at airfare from Indianapolis to Miami and it is about $350 - I can beat the $279 by flying to Fort Lauderdale.

Why has airfare not risen along with salaries? Because we use Kayak and Priceline to find the best fares, because SouthWest and JetBlue will get you there cheaper. So there only recourse to try to survive is by cramming more people into less space and by adding fees for every conceivable item.

Remember PanAm, Eastern, TWA, Ozark and a host of others?

[Phil1966]

I am fit and lean so I am paying for some of the fuel that your oversized body requires to become airborne. That's not the problem--I am willing to pay a little more-- the problem is when your body crosses over the armrest and invades my space. I'm already paying for part of your flight now you want part of my seat too! Ok so if I slide over a little--I can give your years of surplus calories another few inches but its never enough. Fat seems to take on the shape of its container and it keeps coming over until contact with my body is made. Do you have any idea how gross that feels to a person not accustomed to fat containment? Or is it like the smoker who does not realize that his breath, clothes, car, house, wife, and kids all smell of cigarettes? Please pay for the extra seat or fly first class where you have more room.

[Gypsywych]

I don't have a problem with airlines needing to require obese passengers to purchase an extra seat if needed.
I DO take issue with any airline that can not be sensitive about it or a flight attendant who needs to embarrass the passenger over it.
I have also witnessed a large man ( 6 ft 8, 300+ pounds) who did purchase two seats have to put up with a flight attendant try to guilt him into giving up his second seat because they'd overbooked the flight.

Sorry SW, you can't have it both ways.

[Paul Motter]

wow - that is just wrong, trying to get him to give up the extra seat.

I was once on a flight where I had paid for my wife to fly and she had the seta next to me, and said "well, since my wife paid for the seat and she is not here I can expect that it will be empty, right?"

Wrong - they said she had to be on the plane to claim the seat (or at least check in) otherwise I gave the seat up. But do I get a refund? no.

Of course not.

[Donna]

That is just so wrong, I am sure they got a pretty penny for that seat, your wife should of received a refund and they could charge whatever they wanted to re-sell that seat...