Passenger forced to stand for seven hours on U.S. Airways flight because of fat man

[syscom3]

Passenger forced to stand for seven hours on U.S. Airways flight because of 400-POUND man sitting next to him

Passenger forced to stand on flight for seven hours because of 400-POUND man | Mail Online

"The passenger who had to stand during a seven-hour flight because of a morbidly obese man sitting next to him has today spoken about his ordeal. Arthur Berkowitz, 57, said his 400lb neighbour on US Airways Flight 901 from Anchorage to Philadelphia made it impossible to get into his seat."

What if the airline hit heavy turbulence and he had no place to buckle in?

I hope the FAA (or CAB) fines the hell out of this airline. And I bet no one thought to inform the pilot that one of his passengers had no seat. Wonder if he would have something to say about letting that fatty on board.

 

[nuuumannn]

And what about the hostie, what was she up to? surely during a 7 hour flight she would have noticed there was a bloke just standing about? Why didn't she give him a jump seat?

 

[RabidAlien]

I thought that above a certain weight, passengers were required to buy two seats?

 

[Airframes]

With the weight of that guy, he'd need to book half the cargo space on a C-130 !!

 

[vikingBerserker]

I believe they are supposed to buy 2 seats. Crikes I hope the man at least complained about it before take off.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I would have been vocal about it on the plane. There is no excuses for this.

 

[GrauGeist]

All passengers are required to take a seat (and buckle up) during takeoff and landing...how is it that he was allowed to stand during both of these events and NOT have an attendant see him standing there?

 

[RabidAlien]

My guess would be that he was in his seat during takeoff/landing, squished under the guy next to him. He stood up the whole flight so that he didn't have to sit next to (under?) the dude. They would have had to have taken care of the situation if he was standing during takeoff/landing, or someone's in some SERIOUS trouble with the FAA.

 

[nuuumannn]

The airline is to blame. They should have known all the seats were taken before passengers boarded the flight and perhaps offered him (or the fat guy) another seat aboard another flight. Otherwise, how could they sit a normal sized bloke next to a 400 pounder?

 

[GrauGeist]

If that were me in that situation, I would have told that guy that he was going to have to decide which half of him was going to be hanging out in the isle.

Now I would have been nice about it, of course, but if he couldn't make up his mind on which half, I would certainly decide for him...

 

[Njaco]

JUst to put another spin on this but wasn't there an out-cry the last few years when the airlines said they were going to charge overweight passengers for 2 seats? Seems, sometimes, the airliners get caught between a rock and a fat man.

 

[syscom3]

JUst to put another spin on this but wasn't there an out-cry the last few years when the airlines said they were going to charge overweight passengers for 2 seats? Seems, sometimes, the airliners get caught between a rock and a fat man.

That's true.

But I think the climate has changed in regards to morbidly obese passengers.

I wonder if air carriers can deny entry to these types of people under the guise of it would be unsafe for other passengers. I know they have to follow the laws and regulations in regards to being a common carrier. But safety might trump that.

 

[RabidAlien]

Yep. But, in their defense, you can never make everybody happy. So, for the sake of all the other passengers, I would agree that the morbidly obese should have to buy two seats. Those economy seats are rather narrow. Yes, I do understand that there are medical conditions that cause extreme obesity, and that those folks can't help it. But there's also business class, with wider seats.

 

[syscom3]

Heres something from another story ...

""His seatmate had the same right to his seat as Mr. Berkowitz did to his. So here's where the diplomacy and cooperation of all passengers comes into play," the airline said in a statement."

Ummmm ...... the fat man had his right to a seat. But not the seat next to him. Do these spokesholes ever think through what they say?

""His size required both armrests to be raised up and allowed for his body to cover half of my seat," Berkowitz said. "It did not allow me to use my seatbelt during takeoff and landing ..... "

Did the pilot know this?

 

[Airframes]

Or a very large car ... or truck .... or walk !

 

[FLYBOYJ]

There should have been a jump seat in the cockpit. A flight attendant could have sat there and this passenger could have gone in one of the flight attendant's seats. In either event the airline screwed this up royally!!!!

 

[GrauGeist]

I've come to notice recently, that folks with disabilities have been given the ability to do as they please in a way that puts other people at an inconvenience.

Don't get me wrong, I think that disabled people should be accomodated as best as possible, but not to the point where it infringes on others.

I see people here in the U.S. being allowed to drive cars who's driving skills put others at risk and get away with it, where a non-handicapped person would be pulled over immediately and given a citation (or thier driver's license revoked). The Police won't do anything for fear of "discrimination". Same goes for all businesses being forced to build ellaborate parking spaces with ramps and custom bathrooms for the occasional customer who might be in a wheelchair. Failure to comply will see them facing huge fines and finacially crippling lawsuits.

That's probably the reason the airline didn't say anything about the obese guy because the "normal" guy's complaint will cost alot less money and attention than had the obese guy lodged a complaint (and inevitable lawsuit)...

 

[Readie]

I've come to notice recently, that folks with disabilities have been given the ability to do as they please in a way that puts other people at an inconvenience.

Don't get me wrong, I think that disabled people should be accomodated as best as possible, but not to the point where it infringes on others.

I see people here in the U.S. being allowed to drive cars who's driving skills put others at risk and get away with it, where a non-handicapped person would be pulled over immediately and given a citation (or thier driver's license revoked). The Police won't do anything for fear of "discrimination". Same goes for all businesses being forced to build ellaborate parking spaces with ramps and custom bathrooms for the occasional customer who might be in a wheelchair. Failure to comply will see them facing huge fines and finacially crippling lawsuits.

That's probably the reason the airline didn't say anything about the obese guy because the "normal" guy's complaint will cost alot less money and attention than had the obese guy lodged a complaint (and inevitable lawsuit)...

But, is obesity disabled in the true sense of the word?

I don't think that there is any excuse for making any passenger stand when they have paid to fly as safely as anyone else. ie in a belted seat.

John

 

[GrauGeist]

Yep...extreme (morbid) obesity is in many cases, considered a handicap...at least in the U.S.

 

[Readie]

Yep...extreme (morbid) obesity is in many cases, considered a handicap...at least in the U.S.

I'm amazed Dave

We call them fat bas*ards