its easier to settle with the unseated passenger and/or pay the FAA fine ( which you can guarentee is going to happen )rather than to go to court with the obese party. in this world of PC where you cannot pick on anyone or bring their condition into the issue...those people are catered to and pretty much have carte blanche. back in 01 the same airline had a 400lb ( service ) pig running through the plane going nuts on a flight from NY or philly to seattle. its a funny story to ready but not one if you were there.