Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Too fat to fly?


What about if you were charged twice for your plane ticket because of being obese? This controversial policy some North American airlines are starting to put into practice is being questioned by many people. These airlines often claim that a common complaint from their passengers is having to sit next to an obese person. Obviously this policy has its defenders and its detractors. Watch and listen to the following video and please give your opinion on this matter.


7 comments:

Barry Cradshaw said...

What a discriminatory policy! Seriously, it seems too radical to be real. Of course it may be irritating for people who sit next to very fat people, but you don't have to make them pay more just because they are obese. In fact it is like putting them on a lower level, really offensive.

I think it is OK to accommodate obese people differently, and maybe to make them pay more because they are occupying more room in the plane, but it's a great disadvantage for them to have the possibility of leaving the plane just because they are overweight.

Very striking. I think it'll only be a measure by United Airlines, and I hope other airlines do it better to solve the problem of obese people without discriminating them.

Barry Cradshaw said...

By the way, it's Francisco Manuel Rivera Callado

Unknown said...

I agree with Francisco, it is totally discriminatory but I think, as my coursemate, that very fat people should be accommodated differently, not just for the other passengers, but for themselves, since travelling in a chair where you don't fit can't be very recommendable.
But if we think this way, they should pay more for the plane tickets -not a whole sit- but it would be the same situation as with people with special needs.

Teresa Aguilar said...

I think that there is a problem in American society because of obesity but people who are obese shouldn't be treated as different people. I know it's very uncomforable to travel seated next to an obese person but I don´t think they must be penalized. Air companies should prepare special seats for them as they do for disabled people.
On the other hand,there should be more information about the risks about being too fat and teach people to look after themselves.
Regards.

Esperanza González said...

I am not agree with this policy, I think is discriminatory for the obese people. But I think is not confortable travel next an obese person. The airlines companies should to install some especial seats for this kind of people, and they should not pay more for these seats.

Unknown said...

I think that it's very discriminatory and offensive towards obese people. Usually, these people have very serious psycological problems related to very law self-esteem because of their weight. So, imagine how depressing are these measures. I think that obese people can't be treated differently as thin people.The fact that the seats are too narrow can only be the airline's fault.

nadia said...

This video reflects a problem that it will be more and more common because the number of obese people is increasing. So, air companies must find a solution, solution that it mustn’t be based on discriminatory measures. Maybe the solution could be, as my classmates said, in offering special seats but, in my opinion this measure must fall on the government. It to say that it is necessary that the government raises people awareness of the importance of having healthy habits.