Kevin Smith kicked off Southwest flight for being too fat

[Forehead]

Couldn't they have stowed him under the plane?

[#98QBKiller]

Couldn't they have stowed him under the plane?

Too much drag.

[Mickalino]

I wonder what type of plane it was?...I flew on a plane from L.A. to San Francisco once, the kind with only 2 seats on each side. The plane wasn't full, but they had the majority of people seated in the front of the plane. They asked for 4 people to agree to move to the back of the plane for better and safer weight distribution. I can't imagine what they would do if someone was severely overweight and couldn't be moved to another part of the plane...

Southwest doesn't fly those prop planes at all.

They're all full size jets.

My only guess is that they felt he would obstruct an Emergency Exit, if an emergency rose, and he might get stuck in the aisle or doorway, holding people hostage behind him ? :whoknows:

[Mickalino]

And I've met Kevin, great guy. A friend of mine is a screen writer who has worked with him. He comes to the bar sometimes. He is very fat and so is my friend.

I don't discriminate against fat people either.

One of my friends is fat.

[stupidmorals]

Maybe the Captain just didn't like Jersey Girl?

That movie alone should get him kicked off of a plane every once in a while.

[mbws]

Proving once again that some groups are still fair game.

If you can't fit into one seat, you should have to buy, and sit in, two.

[SkinnedAussie]

Stereotypical fat guy . . . no shoe laces to bend over and tie.

So, those of us with a back injury who can't bend to tie our shoelaces is deemed to be a stereotypical fat guy?

I bet you're able to bend over!

[Mickalino]

If you can't fit into one seat, you should have to buy, and sit in, two.

Or buy a first class or business class ticket

[NoCalMike]

According to his Twitter, both arm rests were down and he was buckled in already with the standard seat belt, no extension needed.

I am regular listener to his podcast called SMODCAST, and I guess tonight he is going to be ranting about the experience for the latest episode.

[Koolblue13]

According to his Twitter, both arm rests were down and he was buckled in already with the standard seat belt, no extension needed.

I am regular listener to his podcast called SMODCAST, and I guess tonight he is going to be ranting about the experience for the latest episode.

I've sat next to him in a booth at a bar and I sure as hell, wouldn't want to sit next to him on an airplane.

[DButz65]

If airlines stopped cramming smaller and smaller seats into their planes, so that they could get the max number of people on them (more $$$$)..this wouldnt be a issue what so ever. :saber:

[Koolblue13]

If airlines stopped cramming smaller and smaller seats into their planes, so that they could get the max number of people on them (more $$$$)..this wouldnt be a issue what so ever. :saber:

Right, it's a financial fault that he is so fat that it bothers others.

[DButz65]

Right, it's a financial fault that he is so fat that it bothers others.

Didnt mean it that way really..just over the years they keep getting smaller and smaller..on purpose? Who knows.. but I've just noticed it the past 5 or so.

[mjah]

I've flown next to more than enough fat guys to know that they do present potential health issues to their in-flight neighbors.

When they're big enough to either spill over or ooze under the armrest, their bulk can force you to adopt a subtly different seated posture for hours on end. A sufficiently tubby neighbor, just by virtue of their extra mass "crossing the plane" between the seats, can force you to sit with one shoulder forced forward or laterally along the seatback, one hip slightly leading/trailing the other, or your lower spine slightly curved as you begrudgingly roll a bit to one side to accommodate their encroaching buttflanks. As anyone with a less-than-perfect back will tell you, small forced deviations from an acceptable seating position can cause major discomfort and pain for days.

If you can't keep yourself in the seat, you should buy two. Sorry, but it's only fair to others. Let that be your motivation to not externalize your health problems.

[THEREALTOR1]

I've flown next to more than enough fat guys to know that they do present potential health issues to their in-flight neighbors.

When they're big enough to either spill over or ooze under the armrest, their bulk can force you to adopt a subtly different seated posture for hours on end. A sufficiently tubby neighbor, just by virtue of their extra mass "crossing the plane" between the seats, can force you to sit with one shoulder forced forward or laterally along the seatback, one hip slightly leading/trailing the other, or your lower spine slightly curved as you begrudgingly roll a bit to one side to accommodate their encroaching buttflanks. As anyone with a less-than-perfect back will tell you, small forced deviations from an acceptable seating position can cause major discomfort and pain for days.

If you can't keep yourself in the seat, you should buy two. Sorry, but it's only fair to others. Let that be your motivation to not externalize your health problems.

What if the guys' larger than "normal" size is due to a medical abnormality? Nothing of his fault, he just happens to have a chemical imbalance, that causes him to be larger than you or I. Because of that he should have to go through life paying for two seats, twice the cost to fly from point A to point B? That's kind of a ****ty deal, isn't it?

and mjah, this post isn't directed to your response specifically, except that sometimes we only take into consideration what works best for us, without taking into consideration, why the situation is the way it is, to begin with.

[zoony]

And I've met Kevin, great guy. A friend of mine is a screen writer who has worked with him. He comes to the bar sometimes. He is very fat and so is my friend.

Is there a celebrity that exists you don't know personally?

[Mickalino]

I'm trying to count the degrees of separation between myself and KoolBlue.

I give up. I have infinite degrees to KoolBlue

[twa]

What if the guys' larger than "normal" size is due to a medical abnormality?

No different than those of us that are larger framed,you deal with it as best ya can,which can certainly include buying two seats.

Luckily I usually fly with my wife and just infringe on her space.

Some of my giant kin regularly purchase two seats and kinda fold into them:silly:

[Mickalino]

How the hell did they fly in Mike Williams to D.C. last year, at his original weight ? :whoknows:

[chipwhich]

I'm trying to count the degrees of separation between myself and KoolBlue.

I give up. I have infinite degrees to KoolBlue

You guys obviously don't know

KoolBlue is KevinBacon

I thought it was common knowledge.

[THEREALTOR1]

No different than those of us that are larger framed,you deal with it as best ya can,which can certainly include buying two seats.

Luckily I usually fly with my wife and just infringe on her space.

Some of my giant kin regularly purchase two seats and kinda fold into them:silly:

It makes me think of my cousin, former college football player, 6'10" at least 300 +, and he's not "fat" by any means, he had some sort of thyroid issue when he was younger, but if he's in the seat next to me on an airplane, he's definately encroaching on my space, and maybe my neighbor on the other side... :pfft: He's a big guy. So because of that, does he have to pay for two seats. I dunno, I've never asked him.

[mjah]

What if the guys' larger than "normal" size is due to a medical abnormality? Nothing of his fault, he just happens to have a chemical imbalance, that causes him to be larger than you or I. Because of that he should have to go through life paying for two seats, twice the cost to fly from point A to point B? That's kind of a ****ty deal, isn't it?

and mjah, this post isn't directed to your response specifically, except that sometimes we only take into consideration what works best for us, without taking into consideration, why the situation is the way it is, to begin with.

Fair question, fair post, fair point, and thank you for writing it the way you did (which was better than my own word choice).

I'm all for treating everyone equally, until it infringes upon my ability to be equal too. I'd legitimately feel badly for someone whose excessive weight is due strictly to medical causes -- but not badly enough to substantially sacrifice my own physical well-being in the name of his bank account.

Similarly, I would consider it unacceptable to sit next to a mentally unstable man prone to random acts of physical violence. If the area within his "wingspan" is not a healthy zone for long-term occupation by strangers, then he or those transporting him should be on the hook for the true space his transportation requires.

I'm not trying to equate the two situations in any way but this: there is an "envelope" within which your presence on an airplane causes significant discomfort for other people who have shelled out significant cash in return for the guarantee of a predictably accommodating seat. If that "envelope" stretches beyond the dimensions of the seat you occupy, which has been sized to fit 95th percentile human girth "comfortably" and 99th percentile human girth uncomfortably, then who's responsible? Not the passengers you inconvenience, who are entitled to their seats and the spatial boundaries the seats represent.

That only leaves the extra-large person or the airline as responsible to pay for the big guy's extra seat. If the airline pays, then in reality we other passengers all pay a bit extra -- and that might be okay in a world full of honest people. After all, we all pay a bit extra for fuel when someone brings a load of bricks onto the plane in a carry-on bag and shoves it into the overhead bin. But once it catches on that extra seats are "free," the 1 or 2 in 100 passengers who can claim to be "too big" will be getting extra room every time they fly. People will abuse the system and the increase in airfare won't go unnoticed. Imagine being the intimidated Delta rep who has to tell the big guy that he is too small to justify an extra empty seat. That won't be happening -- and even if it does, some folks will just have to "think fat thoughts" and purposefully encroach on their neighbors in an attempt to get "fat status" for future flights. Some people will act like that, not because they're big but because the world just has a lot of lizard-brained buttholes living in it. So I believe this plan wouldn't be realistically sustainable. It's too good a deal for the many people who would want to abuse it.

So that just leaves the extra-large passenger him/herself as the responsible party for payment. Maybe the airlines could charge a discounted rate for the extra seat price, as a tacit admission that their seats are somewhat cramped -- and then compromise by refunding the extra seat price if the flight is less than 90% full.

[Mickalino]

You guys obviously don't know

KoolBlue is KevinBacon

I thought it was common knowledge.

Holy Schnikeys !

You're right.

Evidently, Kevin Bacon just kept his initials and disguised himself with an alias using those initials.

[THEREALTOR1]

How the hell did they fly in Mike Williams to D.C. last year, at his original weight ? :whoknows:

[twa]

Used to not be so bad,but they regularly overbook flights now and there is no room for adjustment.

added

Truly not much different than the baggage restrictions, if you are over the limits you pay extra.