Southwest Bumps Thin Woman for Fat Teen

Girl, 14, needed two seats, other flyer furious
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 29, 2010 3:36 AM CDT
Southwest Bumps Thin Woman for Fat Teen
Some industry observers believe airlines should begin to install special seats for obese passengers.   (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, file)

A skinny California woman was bumped from a Southwest flight to make room for a fat teenager who needed two seats. "It didn't seem right that I should have to leave to accommodate someone who had only paid for one seat," said the booted passenger. A Southwest spokeswoman said managers tried to make the "best decision possible" in "extenuating circumstances." The woman had purchased the last standby seat when it was discovered the 14-year-old girl, who was traveling alone, needed two seats. The woman flew out on a separate flight shortly afterward with an airline apology and a one-way fare refund, reports ABC News.

Southwest may have been trying to improve its image with weight-challenged flyers after heavy criticism for booting actor-director Kevin Smtih from a flight earlier this year for being too fat. Some industry observers are calling for airlines to install seats made for wide loads. "Whether or not we treat obesity as a medical or mental condition, facts are facts—there are a lot of wide people," said one expert. Adding extra-wide seats—sold at a premium—protects chubby flyers' "dignity" as well as those who are "sometimes forced to share half their seat with them," he added.
(More fat stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X