AirFrance to 'suggest' obese buy a second seat

The_Conductor · 20-01-2010 4:44pm #1

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/20/air_france/

Air France KLM has decided to suggest to overweight self-loading cargo that they pay for two seats to accommodate their bulk if it is "deemed too large to fit into just one seat of a 43-44cm width", as the Daily Mail puts it.

The Mail says that obese passengers will be charged 75 per cent of the cost of the second seat, but they'll get that refunded if the flight isn't full.

The paper quotes Air France spokeswoman, Monique Matze, as saying: "People who arrive at the check-in desk and are deemed too large to fit into a single seat will be asked to pay for and use a second seat. They will be charged 75 per cent of the cost of the second seat, which is the full price excluding tax and surcharges, on top of the full price for the first."

This apparently obligatory fat surcharge has been widely reported today, but Air France insisted to Reuters that it is "not planning to force corpulent passengers to pay for a second seat".

Spokesman Jean-Pierre Lefebvre clarified: "It is not an obligation; we suggest to such passengers they buy a second seat for their own comfort and in order to be sure the seats are adapted to their needs. If the plane is not full, they can get a refund." ®

Morlar · 20-01-2010 4:45pm

Seems reasonable to me. What do you think ?

Bobeagleburger · 20-01-2010 4:47pm

Eat that fatties.

WeeBushy · 20-01-2010 4:47pm

Well if they can't fit in the seat and/or are taking up space that another passenger paid for then I don't see a problem with it.

Rented Mule · 20-01-2010 4:48pm

I am sure that they'll pay for the extra for a shot at an extra meal.

The_Conductor · 20-01-2010 4:48pm

I agree. I'd go further though- and make it mandatory. Its not fair on fellow passengers to be imprisoned by massive lardasses, who often use both arm rests and for all intensive purposes lock you into your seat for the flight. If you have one on either side of you- you're totally screwed.......

starbelgrade · 20-01-2010 4:48pm

If you arrive at check-in with baggage that's over the restricted weight limit, you have to pay extra. I don't see what the difference is.

Pushtrak · 20-01-2010 4:49pm

If they don't use both seats, its not fair.

seamus · 20-01-2010 4:49pm

44cm diameter = 50 inch waist.

Seems reasonable.

NothingMan · 20-01-2010 4:50pm

It isn't fair to other passengers if someone is affecting their comfort/space that they paid for. Obviously you can't ask online "Are you a fatty?" so when people turn up to an already sold out flight it's too late. I saw a guy in the cinema once who couldn't fit in the seat and complained all the way through trying to get comfortable. It's a horrible situation to be in, but it's their own fault and I like my elbow space.

Morlar · 20-01-2010 4:50pm

I know this isn't liveline or ranting and raving but it's equally annoying when parents have kids that are pepped up on sugar and hyper for the whole flight. I think kids/families should all be seated together in one big block either at the front or back of the plane. Let everyone else sit in relative peace.

mikom · 20-01-2010 4:51pm

Be more in their line to "suggest" that all passengers buy a parachute.....

starbelgrade · 20-01-2010 4:52pm

Whilst I do think it's reasonable to charge those who can't fit into one seat due to being oversized by their own habits, I also believe that tall people should also not be forced to risk leg breakages by being squeezed into legroom made for short asses.

Morlar · 20-01-2010 4:53pm

mikom wrote: »

Be more in their line to "suggest" that all passengers buy a parachute.....

'Might I suggest 2 parachutes for a man of your frame sir ? ?'

The_Conductor · 20-01-2010 4:53pm

Morlar wrote: »

I know this isn't liveline or ranting and raving but it's equally annoying when parents have kids that are pepped up on sugar and hyper for the whole flight. I think kids/families should all be seated together in one big block either at the front or back of the plane. Let everyone else sit in relative peace.

I had a kid continuously kick my seat on a flight from Heathrow to Delhi....... I swear I would have strangled the brat, but for the booze the airhostess kept giving me.......

Its not so bad on short flights- but definitely on longhaul there should be more of an effort made to try to ensure the comfort of other passengers.

The_Conductor · 20-01-2010 4:54pm

starbelgrade wrote: »

Whilst I do think it's reasonable to charge those who can't fit into one seat due to being oversized by their own habits, I also believe that tall people should also not be forced to risk leg breakages by being squeezed into legroom made for short asses.

I don't think they're designed for dwarves, I think its a ruse someone in Ryanairs marketting department came up with- they'd actually rather you stood up altogether- but for health and safety reasons are going for the next best thing........

starbelgrade · 20-01-2010 4:55pm

smccarrick wrote: »

I had a kid continuously kick my seat on a flight from Heathrow to Delhi....... I swear I would have strangled the brat, but for the booze the airhostess kept giving me.......

Its not so bad on short flights- but definitely on longhaul there should be more of an effort made to try to ensure the comfort of other passengers.

Maybe they should also lump all the ugly people together too, to avoid offending your eyes?

testicle · 20-01-2010 4:55pm

Right. They have to buy a second seat, but it gets refunded if the flight is not full.

If there's a second seat available in the first place, then by definition, the flight is not full...

Morlar · 20-01-2010 4:55pm

smccarrick wrote: »

I had a kid continuously kick my seat on a flight from Heathrow to Delhi....... I swear I would have strangled the brat, but for the booze the airhostess kept giving me.......

Its not so bad on short flights- but definitely on longhaul there should be more of an effort made to try to ensure the comfort of other passengers.

I had the same thing on a flight before christmas, turned around stared straight at the dad and said 'do you mind not letting your kid to that ?' (not in a happy tone of voice). The mam and the dad then told the kid to stop and the kid stopped. You really shouldn't have to tell parents how to parent. Easier to sit them all together at one end of the plane or the other.

Xluna · 20-01-2010 4:57pm

NothingMan wrote: »

It isn't fair to other passengers if someone is affecting their comfort/space that they paid for. Obviously you can't ask online "Are you a fatty?" so when people turn up to an already sold out flight it's too late. I saw a guy in the cinema once who couldn't fit in the seat and complained all the way through trying to get comfortable. It's a horrible situation to be in, but it's their own fault and I like my elbow space.

Hey fatty, I got a movie for ya-A fridge too far.:D

The_Conductor · 20-01-2010 4:57pm

starbelgrade wrote: »

Maybe they should also lump all the ugly people together too, to avoid offending your eyes?

Nah- as long as they're reasonably calm and quiet.
I'm more worried about the likes of a woman I had sitting next to me on a flight from Lisbon to Dublin who insisted on saying the rosary out loudly for most of the flight. I got really worried when the pilot had to make a few attempts to land at Dublin because of severe cross winds

homerjay2005 · 20-01-2010 4:58pm

damn right....and they should be made pay the "fat tax" too that o leary was on about last year....

i spend one flight to england looking sideways as the lady beside me was, shall we say, not one for soft ground.

starbelgrade · 20-01-2010 4:58pm

smccarrick wrote: »

I don't think they're designed for dwarves, I think its a ruse someone in Ryanairs marketting department came up with- they'd actually rather you stood up altogether- but for health and safety reasons are going for the next best thing........

It's not just Ryanair - I find most airlines have very little legroom.. and inevitably, some idiot sitting in front of me usually slams their seat back on my kneecaps without the courtesy of asking "do you mind if I put my seat back?". I do mind, but as long as you warn me that it's going to happen, I can deal with it.

I wouldn't mind - I'm not even that tall.. just slightly over 6ft.

starbelgrade · 20-01-2010 4:59pm

smccarrick wrote: »

I got really worried when the pilot had to make a few attempts to land at Dublin because of severe cross winds

She must've been praying to the wrong God.

The_Conductor · 20-01-2010 4:59pm

testicle wrote: »

Right. They have to buy a second seat, but it gets refunded if the flight is not full.

If there's a second seat available in the first place, then by definition, the flight is not full...

Depends on what their loading ratio is- Ryanair operate on 110%-120% loading- others are a bit fairer- but there is an assumption that a number of passengers with tickets are not going to turn up....... Just cause they sell you a ticket- doesn't mean you've got a seat- and if you haven't got a seat but you have a ticket- you're entitled to a refund. Seems fair to me.......

youcancallmeal · 20-01-2010 5:00pm

Wouldnt sitting across two seats be against the health and safety regulations because you cant get the seatbelt to fit properly? Unless of course the large passenger in questions put a seatbelt around each thigh.

The_Conductor · 20-01-2010 5:02pm

starbelgrade wrote: »

It's not just Ryanair - I find most airlines have very little legroom.. and inevitably, some idiot sitting in front of me usually slams their seat back on my kneecaps without the courtesy of asking "do you mind if I put my seat back?". I do mind, but as long as you warn me that it's going to happen, I can deal with it.

I wouldn't mind - I'm not even that tall.. just slightly over 6ft.

Do what I do- ask for a seat at the emergency exit. You're not allowed access any hand luggage during the flight- but at least you've a bit of comfort legwise. I'm not tall either- only 5'9"- but it makes a hell of a difference to me.......

DazMarz · 20-01-2010 5:02pm

I can sympathise totally.

Was on a flight from Newark-Las Vegas there about a month ago. Was sitting in an aisle seat. Across from me, this HUGE guy was sitting. He was across the aisle from me... but he was still brushing off me!!!!!!:( I shít you not! I had unreal sympathy for the poeple actually sitting right beside him! Jesus!!!:mad:

Gummy Panda · 20-01-2010 5:05pm

seamus wrote: »

44cm diameter = 50 inch waist.

Seems reasonable.

So this lad had a bigger waist then 50 inches or am i reading this wrong?

seamus · 20-01-2010 5:15pm

Gummy Panda wrote: »

So this lad had a bigger waist then 50 inches or am i reading this wrong?

The seats are 44cm wide (allegedly), which should accomodate anyone up to a 50 inch waistline. Except in extreme circumstances*, anything over a 40 inch waist is generally an obese person, so accomodating people who are 25% bigger again, seems reasonable. Anyone over 50 inches would be super obese and are aware that their size poses problems performing all sorts of everyday functions.

*Height generally plays the biggest part in this. A 5'10" man with a 40" waist will probably be obese. A 6'6" man with the same waist may be the correct weight or only marginally overweight

GavRedKing · 20-01-2010 5:17pm

Seems fair tbh, theres also a safety issue to be considered when there is a fat person in the aisle seat they are potentially blocking 2 people from escaping safely should something happen.

Fat people to be thrown in the under carriage with the luggage FTW.

AirFrance to 'suggest' obese buy a second seat

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