Obese Passenger Causes Flight Refund

[Brynhild]

woman has been given a full refund after being forced to squeeze into her plane seat next to an obese woman.

Janet Ogilvie boarded a flight from Halifax to Ottawa in Canada last month when she found the overweight woman sitting in the window seat and about half of Ms Ogilvie's aisle seat, the Ottawa Citizen has reported.

"She figures the woman's spine was where the middle armrest comes down when in use. The woman also needed a belt extender to be able to buckle up," according to the media report.

"The plane was full, flight attendants told her. So Ogilvie . . . wedged herself into the 10 inches (25cm) that remained of her seat.

"The one-hour 45-minute flight to Ottawa was brutally uncomfortable, though Ogilvie didn't say anything to the woman for fear of embarrassing her. Ogilvie's right hip became her rear end."

Ms Ogilvie said she was "pressed up tight against her for the whole flight".

Ms Ogilvie later complained to Porter Airlines, but received "a tepid apology at best".

"She was told politely she could forget about a refund," the Ottawa Citizen said.

"Giving a second seat at no cost to people with disabilities is what Air Canada, including its regional carrier, Air Canada Jazz, and WestJet are already required to do by the Canadian Transport Agency.

"The three airlines must give disabled passengers - including those who need a companion to travel with or are declared by their doctors to be too large to fit in a single seat - two seats for the price of one on all domestic flights."

The one-person, one-fare policy was introduced in 2008 after a joint complaint to the agency from three people involving the two major airlines, the Ottawa Citizen said.

"According to an email sent Monday to Ogilvie from Robert Deluce, Porter's president and chief executive, the airline is following the same policy to some degree," according to the media report.

"Writes Deluce to Ogilvie: 'Porter, will . . . if given sufficient notice and medical confirmation, offer obese passengers a second seat gratis in an effort to mitigate a situation as the one experienced by you. Regrettably, however, not only was your flight at capacity, but also the passenger seated in 9A did not alert us to (her) condition prior to flight time. As your safety was considered not at risk, we proceeded as scheduled.'
"Deluce's explanation is misleading. While the airlines actually affected by the CTA order will supply a second seat for free to an obese passenger who has a doctor's certification, carriers can refuse to accommodate those who just show up at the airport without giving prior notice."

Source (http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/8208240/obese-passenger-causes-flight-refund/)

Oh dear.

[Psychonaut]

While the airlines actually affected by the CTA order will supply a second seat for free to an obese passenger who has a doctor's certification, carriers can refuse to accommodate those who just show up at the airport without giving prior notice.

LOLWUT? How does a doctor certify that you're fat?

[Curtis24]

so what? we all have to endure being uncomfortable at times. I once lived with a roommate I didn't get along with; should my college refund my board expenses for that year?

[Equinox]

so what? we all have to endure being uncomfortable at times. I once lived with a roommate I didn't get along with; should my college refund my board expenses for that year?

That is not a very good analogy at all.

This woman paid for a service she did not receive. You paid for a service and received it. Apples and oranges.

[Cato]

http://newtonideas.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/jabbarotj.jpg

Hohohohoho hahahahaha. ALL YOUR SEAT ARE BELONG TO US.

[Brynhild]

That is not a very good analogy at all.

This woman paid for a service she did not receive. You paid for a service and received it. Apples and oranges.

Precisely, especially in light of the fact that the obese person only paid for one seat due to the disability laws which apply, as was mentioned. She also failed to disclose the nature of her obesity.

@ Psy, I really couldn't answer how obesity is determined but I would daresay a precedent had already been set which gave the medical profession a set of guidelines.

[Cato]

I see these sorts of 400lbs. + roly-poly monsters at work on a daily basis. I'm about 180lbs., and I've seen women at my store who easily outweigh me twice over. :eek: Hell, I'm trying to lose weight, which is hard, since I have 1/2 of a thyroid gland and all--- so my metabolism is kind of effed up to begin with.

It's no wonder why I think that heaven has written off the United States when I see these slovenly lardasses meandering about- but not even walking! Oh, no, walking is too much of a chore for them- they have to ride the Walmart electric scooters that, really, should be ridden on by old people and those with broken legs. :grumpy:

[Curtis24]

That is not a very good analogy at all.

This woman paid for a service she did not receive. You paid for a service and received it. Apples and oranges.

Well, The woman paid to be transported from one location to another via airplane. There was nothing worked into the contract about quality. Same as my board with my college. Unless I misunderstand what happened.

We seem to have become a society where whoever bitches the loudest receives praise. Maybe it is just that my personality is more to endure, to tough it out, I tend to be annoyed with people who complain about these types of things. We all have to endure daily humiliations, why do some feel its their right to be acknowledged for it?

But whatever. I get tired of the "let's bitch about fat people!" threads. Really, I know some people who are quite overweight who are also highly skilled workers with good personalities; in my opinion, there's so many other things to be angry about, its not as if these people are real criminals or are committing violence or theft. Anyway, I have no desire to debate this with some of you diehard fat-haters, as its obviously something personal to me and I just don't feel like arguing about it.

[Lady L]

I see these sorts of 400lbs. + roly-poly monsters at work on a daily basis. I'm about 180lbs., and I've seen women at my store who easily outweigh me twice over. :eek: Hell, I'm trying to lose weight, which is hard, since I have 1/2 of a thyroid gland and all--- so my metabolism is kind of effed up to begin with.

It's no wonder why I think that heaven has written off the United States when I see these slovenly lardasses meandering about- but not even walking! Oh, no, walking is too much of a chore for them- they have to ride the Walmart electric scooters that, really, should be ridden on by old people and those with broken legs. :grumpy:

I've worked at Wal Mart & I've been to Wal Mart so I can picture what your talking about very clearly. What I can't picture is how you think so cruelly toward people.

Re guarding the original post I think anyone who boards a plane now days shouldn't be surprised by anything. It should be expected. There is no guarantee you will not be seated by someone fat, or smelly or obnoxious. Or heck, even someone planning to blow up the plane or crash you into buildings :cool:

[Cato]

I've worked at Wal Mart & I've been to Wal Mart so I can picture what your talking about very clearly. What I can't picture is how you think so cruelly toward people.

It's easy: I despise gluttons and lazy people.

[Curtis24]

Most fat people aren't lazy, most have to work their asses off just to survive, just like everyone else.

[SwordoftheVistula]

Well, The woman paid to be transported from one location to another via airplane. There was nothing worked into the contract about quality.

She paid for one seat on the flight. Not half of a seat. The person next to her paid for one seat on the flight, not a seat and a half.

I'm 6-3 250 lbs (191 cm, 113 KG) and yet I manage to squeeze into one airplane seat (especially if I take all the stupid magazines and brochures out of the pocket on the back of the seat in front of me and throw them in the overhead bin). If someone can't manage to fit in one airplane seat, they are pretty goddamn fat.

If you pay for a seat, you should get a full seat. If you take up more than one seat by physical necessity, you should pay for more than one seat, whatever number of seats you take up. Also the same rule should apply to movie theaters, buses, and subways.