Tight squeeze, woman cheesed by obese person on Porter Airlines flight


I always thought Porter Airlines’ customer service was first class, but looks like it’s going downhill. I came across an interesting article in the Ottawa Citizen about a woman (Janet) who had to share her Porter airline seat with a obese person because that obese person didn’t fit in her own seat.

She figures the woman’s spine was where the middle armrest comes down when in use. The woman also needed a belt extender to be able to buckle up.

Janet did not complain during the flight but afterwards she contacted Porter Airlines and asked for a full refund but Porter Airlines refused and offered her a $100 Gift Card on a future flight.

I think that the least Porter could have done was give her back her money. But this situation should not have happened in the first place. If someone cannot fit into a single seat then they should pay for 2 seats, sit comfortably and not bother others. Passengers should not be expected to travel with someone occupying part of their seat during the flight; or at least that’s how I personally feel about this. It’s uncomfortable, annoying, unfair and disgusting. If this had happened to me I would have refused to occupy half a seat on the spot and would not have waited till the flight was over to complain.

What would you have done?


126 responses to “Tight squeeze, woman cheesed by obese person on Porter Airlines flight”

  1. anon says:

    I have to agree with you.
    Porter Airlines should have been proactive and dealt with it on the actual flight. It would be pretty obvious for the staff to notice that someone’s seat is being infringed upon by another person, if that person was as obese as described. They shouldn’t have to wait for the customer to complain.
    They should have rearranged seating right away to accommodate both women.

    A similar thing happened to me, although I was inbetween my boyfriend and a large sized woman on a flight. She wasn’t as obese as the woman described in the article, but she was large enough that she was pretty squished up against me, giving me no room to relax and feel comfortable.

    Considering how much you pay for a plane ticket, even a discount fair with taxes added on, it should be the courtesy of the airline to acknowledge and troubleshoot such things.

    I think she should get her money back.
    She could try organizing a petition and get people to sign it in support. Better than nothing and worth a shot. And would have the staff more alert of things like this.

    People in general can be quite rude on planes. I’ve had other experiences with selfish people who don’t acknowledge they are sharing a flight with you, but that’s another story. Its a plane, not your living room.

    cheers.

  2. Deeply Offended says:

    I’m offended by the cartoon. The story is about an obese woman and you need to make it racial. Why don’t you go put on your sheet and get back to your cross burning, racist ba#$@%. Sure…go delete this reply.

  3. TaraF says:

    Um am I the only one that noticed one flaw in this story? If the woman was so Obese that her Spine rested where the armrest came down between the two seats one would assume that meant that half of the Obese womans body was in her seat and the other half in Ms Ogilves seat. Unless I’m missing something and a persons spine is not directly in the middle of their body:)

    Having said that, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at a human being and figure out whether they will be able to fit in their flight seat. The Stewards should have politely pulled the Obese Passanger aside and offered to move her and politely tell her why. And since they obviously didn’t do that, they should have offered Ms.Ogilve a different seat on the next flight out free of charge. If they didn’t do that, I would have got off the flight and went and complained and if I got no satisfaction I’d threaten to be on the phone to the media right then and there. I’m sure she would have gotten some satisfaction at that point.

  4. greenCurry says:

    If this is a true account of events, then I would have given the staff an earful the minute my seat was encroached upon. I would not have waited until the end of the flight — i want my flight to be as comfy and hassle free as possible considering the amount we pay for a ticket. This kind of seating arrangement is unacceptable–if you are that obese that you require more than 1 seat to ‘plant’ yourself, then you should be paying for 2 seats or however many it takes to seat yourself down. If this woman’s story is true, then Porter staff on board is braindead…

  5. Melody113 says:

    The woman should have dealt wit it at the source the staff would have fixed the problem.

  6. madchives says:

    porter shouldn’t have sold every seat.
    there is no place to mention,(if you book online), that
    you are a bigger person.
    and the if the “one-person-one-fare” policy, was to be
    implemented, where was a bigger person to sit?
    on line besides booking a minor these are porter’s choices:

    BLIND: Vision Disability Assistance DEAF: Hearing Disability Assistance LANG: Language LEO: Law enforcement officer MAAS: Meet and assist SPEQ: Sports equipement SRVA: Service animal WCHC: Wheelchair confined WCHR: Wheelchair/Passenger can walk up stairs WCHS: Wheelchair stairs NFCZ:Nut Free Cabin Zone

    too bad they weren’t flying to chicago for instance, it’s usually
    just myself and 7 others. (i always have 2 seats and the whole
    row and all the wine i can drink, haha)
    i think porter should reimburse janet and the other lady, (who also
    must have had an uncomfortable flight – wondering where her complaint is?), for their lack of foresight and inclusion.
    i know the next time i book, i’m asking if they have made sure this
    does not happen again.

  7. Everburg says:

    As a fat woman, I feel really offended that you posted this up on smartcanucks, which I thought was a site to find great deals, not to discuss how fat people should have to buy two seats on an airplane. I’m really disappointed. 🙁

  8. thaichips says:

    I totally agree with you.
    If I pay for “extra luggage”, they should pay for an extra seat!

  9. madchives says:

    hoping everburg that you know this is not an anti big or small size
    place. i’ve never seen that sort of thing, except in this blog.
    hoping someone owns up to this post not being a ‘good idea’.
    and that i don’t get banned for pointing out the obvious.

  10. ozandaxl says:

    I see that hatred of those different from you all is alive and well at Smart Canucks. How about a little compassion people?

    I have flown Porter many times and there are only two seats together. If the woman’s spine was in the middle then skinny chick would have had no place to sit at all ~ so that can’t be true, can it?

    And if it was uncomfortable, speak to someone on the plane while they can do something about it. Not after you leave the flight. How is Porter to know if miss skinny chick is just trying to get a free flight or not??

    Sounds like a crock to me and I’m disappointed by you all. And just for the record I’m not obese but I do have a heart that is big enough to have compassion for large people and not just use them to try to get free stuff.

    • Jack Hummer says:

      Sitting next to fat people is great especially when they haul out their stash of goodies they brought to eat on the 1.5 hour flight as they can’t go without their daily intake of skittles, chocolate bars and corn chips. You get what falls off their clothing into your lap so it’s not all bad.

  11. Linny says:

    I definately don’t think this should’ve been blogged at all. This is NO DEAL, FREEBIE or COUPON. I feel for both the passengers and this blog was really unneccessary.

    Put yourself in the larger lady’s shoes. She still needs to fly. It isn’t fair she should have to pay 2 passenger price if she is 1 person. If that was your son or daughter, would you wanna dish out the extra money for them to fly? Maybe Porter and all airlines should have an extra seat on each plane just for bigger people to be more comfortable.

    • Topheavier says:

      I’d rather dish them extra money to get healthy enough to fit in one seat. You have to be 350 pounds plus to overflow. Person who cares about you would direct you towards wellness.

  12. Juilie says:

    What if instead of a ‘skinny’ woman seated beside an ‘obese’ woman..there were two extremely overweight people who were seated beside each other?

  13. nscouponchick says:

    I’m agreeing with everyone else- large people shouldn’t be made to pay more, it’s simply not right. If they required extra space for medical equipment, would they be forced to pay more?

  14. OMG people, this is NOT the place for any of this! This is suppose to be a site that tip’s are shared for savings, not to rant about large people. Very Very disappointed here!!!

  15. KC says:

    This story really saddeneds me. Im not obese but im not skinnny and its really unfair to judge someone on by their size. If the woman was really uncomfortable from the start she should of spoken up. Airline seats are small and the space is small no matter what. And to make it sound like she deserved a lazy boy is totally uncalled for! And yes im annoyed that the story made it in this forum who are we to judge these people!?

  16. L says:

    It’s not a matter of judgement.

    Space on airplanes are at a premium, because as you might recall, it’s being unsupported at tens of thousands of feet in the air.

    That means that when paying for your airfare, that includes your meal, a certain poundage that’s ‘yours’ for you and your luggage, and a certain volume of space. If you go over any of that– you want extra food, you have extra weight (whether it’s you or your luggage), you go over your little box of space (like this woman did).

    You pay extra.

  17. fat says:

    You people are ignorant! F***ng IGNORANT,, I bet you push over handicapped people in line at the store too!

  18. Sherrybobins says:

    It would be embarrassing to say the least to ‘speak up’ before or during the flight. Yes, it sucks that the seats are crazy small and yes, it sucks that a larger person can’t fit comforably in one. But that’s how it is. No one is trying to offend anyone by stating the obvious “someone larger needs two seats”. I don’t think it’s fair that someone has to pay that, so perhaps a surcharge or a few larger seats on a place?!

  19. Lynn says:

    This article is insulting and has no place here.

  20. cgb says:

    If you go on to read the rest of the Citizen article, you’ll read the following:

    “Giving a second seat at no cost to people with disabilities is what Air Canada, including its regional carrier, Air Canada Jazz, and WestJet are already required to do by the Canadian Transport Agency (CTA). The three airlines must give disabled passengers — including those who need a companion to travel with or are declared by their doctors to be too large to fit in a single seat — two seats for the price of one on all domestic flights.”

    Porter’s excuse was that the obese woman did not alert them to her particular needs prior to the flight, so they didn’t allocate the extra space for her. Once the woman checked in, it would have been clear to the staff that she needed the extra space. I think the other woman should have been given the choice to either 1) sit uncomfortably on her scheduled flight or 2) choose to take a later flight. While it may not be fair to ask an obese person to pay for two seats, it’s also not fair for the other woman to pay for a seat that is taken over by somebody else.

  21. nc says:

    Completely innapropriate post for this website. This topic has been argued to the Supreme Court several years ago, as noted by cbg the airlines are required to give two seats so that the individual can sit safely and comfortably. I am disgusted that this was posted here at all, what shall we laugh at today – blind people, the mentally disabled, how about people of colour? Come on, we are all better than this, aren’t we?

  22. eric says:

    I don’t know why it hasn’t been done before, with the growing number of people with weight issues over the last decade, but they should really make airplane seats bigger. I’m not obese, but i am still far from skinny and on a flight I took last year left me feeling pretty squished. I wasn’t squeezed next to someone, the seat was just kind of small.

  23. Sarah says:

    As a Womyn’s Rights advocate in Canada, I have to say the entire situation is shameful, especially considering the numerous people who posted without considering the larger issue: society; For some, obesity isn’t just due to eating an extra large hamburger, or not exercising, it can be a disease, genetics, or many other issues. Society needs to stop creating things made for a specific womyn and start manufacturing things for all womyn!!!! For instance, at 9 months pregnant right now, I couldn’t use an airplane or bus washroom… Actually, I feel cramped at my 5’1″ 110lbs. body in there prior to being pregnant!!!
    If we want either of these ladies to have justice, we would need to look at the larger picture: Why aren’t there seats designed for those who might not fit, or can’t fit into those tiny seats?? It’s an economic thing, the more people the company can squish into the airplane (meaning more tiny seats, less seats that can comfortably hold people) the more money they can make. Of course, if the lady had went to the airport AFTER the fact, the airline probably decided she couldn’t have been THAT uncomfortable to have made the flight, and the company already had made the money…
    When put into that perspective, can you blame either lady? I know I can’t!

  24. Disgusted! says:

    OMG… to say that someone with a disability should pay twice is the worst discrimination ever… So do you all think that brown people should pay more, or someone with a seeing eye dog should pay more…

    Holly mother of hanna…. this is disgusting… Wake up and see people for who they are! Human just like you…

    I agree with others I am disgusted you would post something like this on here. Next it will be a coupon for 1/2 off a KKK membership.

  25. Sarah says:

    The lady whose space was infringed upon should have said something during the flight. She should have given the airline a chance to correct their oversight while it was possible. I’m sure they would have made better seat arrangements had she said something.

    To demand a full refund after the flight is ridiculous if she didn’t even make an effort to let them correct the mistake while it was happening. If she asked during the flight, and then they did nothing, well then I’d be a little more on her side. I think after the fact, after arriving at her destination safe and sound, a $100 gift certificate is very reasonable to offset some discomfort, especially since she didn’t even bring up the fact that she was uncomfortable in the first place.

    Sitting next to a fat person isn’t the only uncomfortable thing on a plane. Everyone is uncomfortable on a plane, and if you don’t speak up and ask the person in front of you to un-recline their seat, or the person next to you to turn down their ipod, well then you’re just gonna have to suck it up for the rest of the flight.

    A flight attendant’s first responsibility is safety. And as long as she thought the fat person was safe, and the person next to them was safe, she might not have thought so far as to comfort. Which is why a passenger needs to bring it to her attention. Even if there is a law that a too fat person needs 2 seats, maybe they didn’t think this person was too fat. Maybe the seat belt extension was all they think they needed. If you think otherwise, well then bring it up.

  26. cassie says:

    i don;t think this post is really approptiate. not nice. 🙁

  27. Beth says:

    I’m surprised by this post and these comments. While it may seem obvious to some that larger people need more space, the language with which this issue is discussed is shameful. Read more closely and you’ll see it’s patronizing and insulting.

    Stick to money and deals. If you want to be opinionated about other things, start another blog.

  28. mom2twobeauties says:

    I saw this story/rant and I was flabbergasted, I couldn’t believe that people are using this site to diminish and ridicule people who have weight challenges. I read of of the responses and was so angry by the type of language and prejudiced comments that some are using.
    The hold the moderators of this site responsible for this being posted.

  29. nata says:

    This ‘conversation’ is inappropriate and will offend a lot of people. Consider removing before too many see this and get hurt.

  30. FallenPixels says:

    I too agree that this post has no place on SC and find the opinions a little offensive. I used to travel quite a bit for work, airlines suck. Air cabin crew elbow you in the head when delivering drinks, people have babies they hand over to other spouses, kids kick the back of your seat. I can’t think of one flight I have taken when someone has not encroached on my space in some way.

    All airlines, by law, have ways to fix this if the the woman had said something at the time, but afterwards, they can’t prove how big the customer was, she could just trying to get a freebie (and as mentioned above, if her spine was at the armrest, there would have been no seat for the complaining customer)

  31. melissafle says:

    I don’t see how this post is any different than discussing whether or not we should get FPC/refunds for a product that isn’t to our standards. People write to companies and complain all the time; many times these incidents are posted on this very site in the “brag” section.

    How is writing to an airline with a complaint any different? In this scenario the “product” is your comfort, and the cost is a hell of a lot more than some stale bread. For sure I would request some sort of compensation – if I were EITHER woman.

    My 2 cents. And yes, yes I am a fat.

  32. screamy says:

    Boo, speaking as someone with a disability myself (albeit a different one, but still one that requires accommodation), I am disappointed to see something like this on SC.

    Even if your intent was to highlight their customer service issues, calling it “unfair” and “disgusting” to be seated next to an obese person – even if they are inconveniencing you by taking up part of your seat – is, IMO, out of keeping with the general posting tone and demeanour you require from the SC membership.

    – screamy

  33. Erin Docherty says:

    You are RUDE!!! How dare you post something like this on this site!! Do you not realize that you have offended every fat person on your site and probably won’t visit it as much. This is horrible. YES I AM FAT and YES YOU HAVE OFFENDED ME!

  34. Carla says:

    Totally offpoint for smartcanucks.ca. I am disappointed.

  35. oh please says:

    Help! I’m being repressed!

  36. FallenPixels says:

    Melissa, I don’t think its the point of the post that is offensive (although it is given this woman may have a medical condition that causes her weight, like many on the site) but the language used that makes it really offensive

  37. D says:

    Boo … Shame on you for posting this! Not right at all. You should consider removing this post! Isn’t this site for Smartcanucks wanting to save money and find out about any deals? Keep it that way.

  38. misslollieputty says:

    I normally wouldn’t comment on something like this BUT being an obese woman I am horrified that this would even come up in such a forum. I am furious that a forum I frequent daily would post such an article. I’m so angry right now that I’m shaking. Thanks for making my morning, I appreciate it. I think I may need to go looking for another forum to frequent for information on COUPONS and SAVINGS.

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

  39. pbmayo says:

    Way to go Erin, I too am FAT and like 99% of you so called people on here are. This is RUDE and should be removed. The so called skinny person should have opened her BIG mouth on the flight and said something, not after the fact and not to a news paper so the whole city and sites like this can comment. NOT PROUD TO BE CANADIAN when crap like this happens!!!

  40. Theresa says:

    I would have just shut my mouth and left it at that. Really, she could have just sucked it up and not flown Porter again.

  41. misslollieputty says:

    I have asked Boo to remove this post as it is not particularly relevant to what the site is really about. I understand that it’s an open community, but if thought about before posting would save a lot of upset and hurt feelings. People really need to take into consideration what they say does affect those around them and they really should consider other’s feelings in such a close forum. I would for any of you – it’s just respectful. Not cool Boo, not cool.

  42. bionda says:

    Why didn’t Janet just ask one of the “others” the woman was travelling with to switch seats with her? And why weren’t any of them booked to be seated beside her in the first place???

  43. Theresa says:

    Sarah, if you are going to advocate for us, you might want to learn how to spell first. Just saying!

  44. Terri says:

    People should not be judged on their size, I am skinny, however, quite tall with very long legs ( a 36.5 inch inseam to be exact). If I require more leg room, I am made to pay for it, 2nd bag, must pay, oversized carry on, more money. Why am I being “discrimintaed” against and not the larger person?

  45. Larry says:

    Arrive to your seat early.
    Put the armrest DOWN.
    If asked my the Large person if they can put the armrest up say “NO I like it down for my comfort”
    That’s what I’ve done on the 2 occasions I had someone wanting to Sweat all over me.

  46. Get over it says:

    Get over it. If you take 2 seats it is not fair to the person beside you (or under you). But this is not the proper place for this discussion. Overweight people will be offended and feel like they are being attacked. Many obese people are in denial and do not see that they have a problem, If they are aware, they may not know how to help themselves. This is not the place for this

  47. oh please says:

    Clearly, what the woman should have done was loudly voice her complaint the moment the giantess sat beside her. Clearly, the key was to completely embarrass the obese planetoid in front of everyone on the plane. Tears would have been preferable.

    If you’re so obese that you need an extra seat, friggin’ say so on booking. You’re entitled to another seat by law. Do not be so inconsiderate as to inflict your mass upon others who really, really don’t want it all up in their business. What I’m not so subtly trying to say is don’t be an asshole.

    If you’re the unfortunate soul who has been selected to be flabbed upon on a flight… assert your right to not be so before the plane takes off. Just as your seat neighbour has the right to a second seat that is not yours (though, neighbour implies they are not in your seat.. which clearly, they partially are), you have the right to at least a semi comfortable flight. I’m assuming you’re not tall like I am, in which case you’re genetics mean you’re basically fucked with no hope of compensation.

    And while I’m on that point.. if you’re short, you should never be allowed to sit in an emergency exit row. Those should be reserved for tall people. Just sayin’. I’m totally repressed on that front.

  48. Larry says:

    Actually if there was an airline that catered to small people then it would require less gas to fly and result in cheaper tickets a savings we all want. It should be a pro-rated cost to fly directly proportioned to the amount of weight we are bringing to the aircraft (body plus luggage). Airlines a businesses and as consumers we should all pay our fair share directly linked to what it cost to move our own personnal combined weight. Basic economics pay for what we use…..subsidies are for charity and government not businesses.

  49. Nancy says:

    If I pay for a seat, I want a whole seat not part of it. She should have spoken to an airline attendant right away and not waited. No offence to bigger people, but …….

  50. Sally says:

    If it was that bad she would of complained then not waited until she got home. Porter has no restrictions on weight and honestly I think this story was overexaggerated to the press.

    I’m curious when you said its unfair and disgusting if you meant for it to read that obese people are disgusting? Boo, your a nice person and I cant see you meaning it to read like that…

    But also news, tips, tricks general off topic stuff has always been posted on sc.

  51. Kim says:

    I don’t really understand why people are so offended.

    If you are fat then you likely know you are fat – i noticed that everyone who said they were offended so far said they were “fat” and not “overweight” or a “person of size”.

    How can you be offended by this article?
    How can you be offended at the person who paid for the seat who only got to use half of it?
    How can you be mad at someone who didn’t do anything besides ask for compensation for an uncomfortable flight?
    If you flew and your seat was broken you would write for compensation – so why not write for compensation when you only got half a seat?
    How can you be mad that she’s skinny? (yes a lot of people pointed out that she’s skinny, in fact she’s 5’3″ and probably average sized for 5’3″)
    How can you be offended when someone points out that the seatmate required 1.5 seats – she wasn’t mad at the seatmate, she was trying to be considerate of the seatmate – she was mad at the airline!

    People may not think that this is the forum for this – but if you ignore that this incident involves a “fat” person, then it falls under any other complaint incident involving an airline.

    From my perspective it’s actually not a bad compensation – if she only paid $200 round trip she got a refund for the portion of the trip that was affected ($100 card)
    Air Canada would give you 5-10% discount code if you’re lucky and a form letter.

  52. Pan Fran says:

    I’m a “skinny chick”, but I could easily go down the other road if I didn’t work so damn hard to stay small. My whole family are obese, and i don’t think it’s their fault. There’s something wrong with our food supply and our culture doesn’t really encourage us to take care of ourselves. Our culture shames instead of building self esteem.

    I’ve seen how bad these “fat” people feel about themselves. You are just regular people with a lot more fat cells!! Who gives a flying behind about the airline and that woman’s discomfort??? What about the millions upon millions of children that are looking at a future where bigger seats are the norm for them??? I don’t want anybody to feel badly about themselves and be riddled with disease because they have more fat cells than their body requires, and their bodies are working over time trying to filter garbage, and they don’t take time to walk to work and enjoy their lives because they feel pretty worthless going thru the motions of living. Smartcanucks, a lot of people look at this site. I really think just by making a post like this more positive, you could help people. I know it wasn’t your intention to hurt anyone, but there is a reason it did. There’s a root issue that deserves attention. Instead of polling people on how they would deal with something dehumanizing, why not take action and make a post about how to cook a healthy meal on a dime or a good deal on yoga and bootcamp classes in different cities? People want to feel good, people aren’t stupid. Nobody should feel worthless.

  53. 1. Porter should accomodate larger people, otherwise by making large people pay extra they are effectively discriminating. It is what it is.

    2. This site is becoming more and more of a joke – I never find good deals anymore. Off the **** I GUESS!!!!!!!

    Im out.

  54. Tabetha says:

    I agree with all on here saying that Smartcanucks is not the place to be having this discussion.

    We all come here to get info on deals and where to get coupons and such. I don’t feel that this “discussion” is appropriate for the site.

  55. Tre says:

    The whole thing is unfortunate but not worth bringing further upset to the obese woman by broadcasting in a newspaper. Wow, can you imagine being that woman and finding out that someone did that? She was probably already uncomfortable about having to fly in the first place knowing that she would have issues with seating. We don’t know the whole story either though, considering the woman who “doesn’t weigh much” is the only one to voice her view of the incident.

    Perhaps an extra seat wasn’t available? It seems that the article is presenting this obese woman as dumb and that she didn’t book another seat b/c she didn’t think she needed to…we don’t know why she didn’t have an extra seat and we shouldn’t assume anything.

    I’m plus-sized and am pretty disappointed that Smart Canucks posted this article on the forum. Anybody of any size should be disappointed though since all this does is promote anger and hurt. People come to the site to make friends and share a love of savings that is free of body image and personal appearance. People don’t want to be judged or feel like they could be judged here.

  56. Barb says:

    I’m a radio host. I’ve talked about this website several times on air – about the great deals it helps people find.

    I’m done. I will never again mention it.

    I cannot imagine how an overweight or obese person would feel if this were the first time they came to this website and they saw THIS entry… I can no longer support you, I’m sorry.

    This is not a deal, this is not savings. This is not a complaints or customer service rant blog, is it? Those do exist. This is not the place… Unless you’re saying people can just complain about the size of someone next to them and get some savings???

    Please, SC, explain this one.

  57. Sally says:

    This is making people more mad then Jims baby sandwich 🙁

  58. Erin says:

    free samples canada

  59. Airline_guy24 says:

    Its quite simple, If the Passenger who complained had mentioned this before the A/C departed we probably wouldnt be discussing any of this right now. If you are not happy about something, stand up and say something while its happening. Dont wait until its over and come up with the idea that “oh i should get a free flight out of this” Im pretty sure the airline would have solved the problem right away had she spoken up.

    On the other subject, i am not surprised or shocked on some of the words used to describe people on this entire thread. It is quite shameful and i feel bad for all offended 🙁 Please know the entire world does not share these views and i am sure people here did not mean to sound like Bigots.

  60. Hmmm.... says:

    I have read a lot of people saying that airlines need to make the seats bigger. I really don’t think that is the answer. Making seats bigger = less seats on a plane = seats costing more money. I don’t believe that the majority of our country is overweight or obese, or would have their body go onto someone else’s seat, therefore making people who are not overweight pay extra for their seats that they can already fit in to.

    While I feel bad for people that are overweight and choose to fly, I don’t see a problem with people who do not fit into a seat being asked to purchase two seats. This does not only apply to people who are obese, but to people who are much more broad on top and their shoulders and arms spill over to the other person’s seat. Flying is already uncomfortable, and it is truly unfair that people who are smaller are having to give up their “space” in order for someone else to feel comfortable.

    Perhaps airlines should put a partition between each seat, so that everyone has exactly their space!

    With the increases in baggage fees and everything else that we are becoming accustomed to these days with airlines, I think the next step will be the requirement of two seats being paid for by those that take up more room -whether they are fat, tall or broad.

    While some people may be offended, please understand that the person probably did not say anything during the flight as to not embarrass the obese person.

  61. Torontonon says:

    This is mean-spirited. “Disgusting”? What is wrong with you? You’re talking about a human being.

    What happens when the airlines decide they want to get more money and make the seats smaller than the width of your body? Do you want to have to pay double what a ticket costs now, based on an arbitrary design decision?

    If someone has a physical difference (use a wheelchair, little people, etc), they are accommodated, as they should be in any just society. Fat is not a moral issue – you shouldn’t punish people who are fat by making it so they can’t afford to travel at all.

    I thought I liked this forum a lot but at this point I am deeply unimpressed. As an occasionally fat person and a compassionate human being, I find this very disappointing.

  62. eriluo says:

    I am in agreement with the majority of posters, which is, this post was in poor taste and should be removed. Although everyone is entitled to their own opinions, to voice them on this site which is totally unrelated, was inappropriate and a poor judgement call.

  63. army_girl29 says:

    I know what it is like to be a bigger person and fly and it is bad enough that the seats are mini to begin with but to say that we should have to pay more bc of it, isn’t right. If the seats were made for regular people instead of mini people, we wouldn’t have this problem to begin with. Most of us bigger people can fit but need a little extra room, so if you don’t want to sit next to us, then ask to move.

    Thank you!
    ps. I was recently on 5 planes and had no problems moving so that I and the other people had enough space.

  64. Andie says:

    I understand why some readers are feeling offended. However, I go believe that a legitimate consumer issue is being addressed here.

    What is the protocol? Do you embarrass the person encroaching on your space by discussing the issue right in front of them (that seems ghastly to me.) Do you just spend the entire flight, which you paid a lot of money for, incredibly uncomfortable? This a no win situation and the *airline* should have been the one to be pro-active and find a suitable arrangement for both women.

    This is a serious issue that happens quite regularly. I am not putting *any* individual in the wrong, but, the airlines need to come up with a way that no paying customer is made to feel bad and/or physically uncomfortable on a flight.

  65. sbew says:

    Wow! Can’t believe my eyes! What is a post like this doing on this site?? Why was someone allowed to post this?

    I’m astonished and so very disappointed. This site is not for opinions.

    The person who posted their opion at the very top says – “It’s uncomfortable, annoying, unfair and disgusting.” I gotta tell you, that I couldn’t care less what your opinion is. But I’ll tell you what my opinion of you is – you’re ignorant as in uneducated, intolerant, egotistical and completely insensitive and entirely unworthy of my time.

    Sorry Smart Canucks, this post has left such a foul taste in my mouth that I cannot support this type of behaviour. I’m removing you from my favourites and never returning to this site.

  66. pbmayo says:

    its clear to me that the owner of this site is MORON for posting this and allowing it to continue.

  67. cdamom says:

    holy mola so much anger here. The woman was too fat to share a seat with. The skinny woman should have said something on the flight and the staff should have done something. Yes blah blah there is a disability involved- but COME ON- that would have been hell to sit beside her. Be rational people, jeez… you have to pay for extra weight on luggage- you should have to pay for extra weight on the plane. If you were going on a helicopter they weigh you first- it’s not insulting for christ sake it’s a technicality and it’s called REALITY.

  68. Mom0fone says:

    As a human being with a heart I will NEVER come to this site again. The person who posted this garbage should be sending an apology to everyone.

  69. clare says:

    Why hasn’t this post been removed? This is ridiculous. There is so much hatred and negativity in both the original post and all of the comments. Just remove it already.

  70. Larry says:

    Saying that making fat people pay more is discriminatory is stupid.

    However saying that I as a skinny person should give up my alloted space to a large person and pay extra to offset the costs of flying larger people is discriminating against me.

    If you are Fat you should buy 2 seats or the airline should have more expensive obese seats for these individuals. Because the FACT of the Matter is….It takes more fuel to get larger people in the air.

    This belongs on SC because right now if you are an overweight/obese flier then you are getting a deal everytime you fly as the expennse of your smaller neighbour.

  71. Rachel says:

    Boo, you should take this post down, and maybe consider the “disgusting” adjective you used in your post. It might do you some good to go read about fatphobia and fat-shaming too. You have no idea who the overweight woman was, and no idea what issues were happening in her life, but you’re judging anyway.

    I’m blessed to have a high metabolism and have never had a weight problem or had to diet, but friends of mine lean towards the heavier side and it causes them great shame and guilt. People — like you — who don’t stop to put themselves in others’ shoes — yell mean things at them on the street. It’s an awful way to live, but as long as we live in a society that values processed food and sticks sugar and starch in everything, people will struggle with weight problems.

    There are three people at fault in this post – 1) Porter Air, who apparently doesn’t have seats to accommodate larger passengers, and hasn’t considered a policy of requesting larger passengers to book two 2) the person who flew and felt uncomfortable, but didn’t think to consider the feelings of her overweight neighbour (couldn’t a solution have been found that respected everyone?) and 3) you, Boo, for using your web platform indiscriminately. Seriously. Golden rule. I’m not on your side on this one, and I’m disappointed that I ended up reading the post.

  72. anon says:

    I thinks its totally wrong that someone had to share their seat – completely unacceptable…and completely unacceptable that Porter did not refund the entire ticket price…but I also thinks is very discriminatory to charge overweight people for 2 seats, just awful.

  73. Airline_guy24 says:

    I just read the article. It looks like the passenger did get fully reimbursed or close to for her ticket. She payed just over 200 for her “RETURN” ticket. She got a $100 Travel Credit. I dont see why she should be credited for the other leg of the flight that had nothing to do with the situation.

    I also noticed in the article that the passenger that was having problems comfortably fitting into her seat was traveling with friends? My next question is why wasn’t one of her friends sitting beside her instead?

    It also looks like the complaining passenger did say something to the flight crew at the start of the flight. They mentioned that the flight was full. If i was the crew i would have asked the alleged obese lady if she is traveling with anyone else.

    I also noticed that the professional journalist who wrote the original article in the Ottawa Citizen did not use the word “FAT” once. The difference in writing skills could explain why so many are offended here?

    Just a though..

    I do still enjoy smartcanucks for the deals and i am pretty sure most of us will continue to visit the site. Its still a great site run by good intentioned people. I look forward to the Authors response to all of the criticisms .

  74. Bakermum says:

    Wow, I never realized that being overweight or obese was a ‘disability’. I always imagined disabled folks to be those who couldn’t see, or couldn’t walk/talk or something along those lines. Since when is the epidemic of being overweight considered a disability? I agree that some folks out there have genetic issues and whatnot surrounding their obesity but the majority of them have just succumbed to the north american lifestyle, myself included. Yes, I’m overweight, perhaps not as heavy as the woman apparently was on this flight but hey, at least I can admit what my problem is!
    And as an overweight person I think I should have to pay extra in order to make myself and those around me more comfortable. Why should an airline make conssesions for me, someone who has made herself the way she is? Again, I realize there is a percentage of those out there who have serious issues surrounding their weight, but again, the majority do not.
    I don’t think this is an insulting thing to post on SM, it’s reality. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened on a flight, and considering the way North America is going, it won’t be the last. I believe if we go over our weight limit on a flight, a train, a car, whatever, we need to deal with the consequences.
    Just MHO

  75. anon says:

    To Larry – it also costs more to fly taller people (they tend to be heavier than us shorter folks) – should we charge anyone over 6 feet a special tall fee? It may cost more to take care of the needs of disabled individuals (get them a wheelchair, etc.) – should we charge them a special disability fee – where does it end? Your message is so filled with hate for overweight people, what other groups do you hate?

  76. Airline_guy24 says:

    well said ANON

  77. Reality says:

    Airlines in the U.S. have been charging extra for some time now.

    Let’s give ‘Janet’ the benefit of doubt, and think that this may have been a full flight, which many are due to cuts, and the thought of being bumped from the flight for complaining was also not an option.

    To Anon – people that are taller, DO pay more. They have to pay extra to sit in the “exit” seats (generally $15 – 20 extra).

    I also am shocked at the amount of people who are stating that being fat or obese is a disability.

  78. dantrace says:

    It might be time for the moderators to see their error and remove this post…you can see a lot of people find this very offensive. It has nothing to do with money saving tips or bargains so it is quite vulgar that it is here. Even the picture is rude and inappropriate.

  79. Toronto says:

    The articles says: “The plane was full, flight attendants told her.” and “Ogilvie didn’t say anything to the woman for fear of embarrassing her.”

    So it sounds like she did make an attempt to bring the issue to the attention of flight attendants. It only mentions that she didn’t say anything directly to the woman seated next to her…and probably rightly so.

  80. Airline_guy24 says:

    reality, tall people are NOT forced to choose to pay for exit seats and 15-20 does not compare to 200-300

  81. Jasminebed says:

    I don’t feel it was wrong to post this here. It is a consumer issue, Smart Canucks is about being a smart consumer as well.

    I definitely believe it could have been more diplomatic. I think Porter airlines came off quite well. They got too things right, they did not charge the large passenger a second fare, and they made compensation to the inconvenienced one.

    If you are a larger person, perhaps informing the airline of your needs would be a good idea. I’m sure it is embarrassing for them as well.

  82. Uhh says:

    Womyn’s Rights advocate in Canada ?? WOMYN??

  83. Jasminebed says:

    Oh, and this post highlighted a couple of things as well. Ask for a remedy at the time things happen, and don’t be afraid to demand some compensation afterwards if your issue is not resolved.

  84. Polina says:

    It’s funny how many people feel offended by the post, but at the same time they are so rude and offensive towards the blogger. Sbew, if you don’t care about other person’s opinion, why should we care about yours? Oh, I forgot that you’re no longer with us.

  85. Seeing both Sides... says:

    Although I do agree that this is not exactly the proper place to publish this article..I honestly do believe that all people deserve the right to have their own space while on an airplane. The larger person, and the smaller person both deserve what little personal space each is provided. Do I think a larger person should be made to buy a 2nd seat? No…that would be very unfair. That being said…should the smaller person be made to suffer because the larger person requires more room?…no way. I flew cross country last summer, and the man next to me was a very large man, I was not able to move even an inch, I got up, and asked the flight attendant if there was any way she could change my seat. The only option she gave me, was for me to get off that flight, and hope for space to be available on the next flight 6 hours later. Not a fair situation, and to make matters worse, I had to nicely wake the man up twice, because he fell asleep, and kept falling onto my shoulder. The fact that you folks are saying that this posted article is related to the KKK is HORRID…and TOTALLY uncalled for. I am the LEAST raciest person there is, so i take offence to THAT statement. Can’t help but think that people in glass houses should not throw stones…reacting to this posted article, with name calling…is uncalled for, 2 wrongs do NOT make a right!

  86. harrlett says:

    I can see that after all these comments, that this article is still generating buzz. Smartcanucks should have put a stop to this as soon as it was posted. As a big person I am totally offended by some of the comments here and would never pick on a skinny person for lack of whatever.

    I have been using this site since it was first put online and never have I have seen anything so disgusting and prejudice EVER. This is totally sad and if management wants this stuff on their site, then there should be a section for it. I dont want to see this where I get my freebies and coupons.

  87. lekate says:

    I has this problem on teh bus all teh time. Luckily, I can get up and move if I’m being squised into the side of the bus uncomfortably.

    I feel the post was written in bad taste, but this is a real problem. The disparity between a “small” sized person and someone overweight is common enough. And I do feel that if someone takes up more than ONE seat they should pay for it. I don’t mean it in bad taste, but honestly, I don’t want to pay a higher fare because someone else requires two seats.

  88. Skinny Bitch says:

    You know what would make this discussion null-and-void? If all you fat-asses went for a jog once in a while.

  89. Boo Radley says:

    @Deeply Offended: i chose this cartoon intentionally to make it clear that this is a problem caused by very obese people only and not simply over-sized or very fat people. I didn’t even notice/think that the sumo wrestler is of a different race. There are obese and skinny people of all races.

    @TaraF: yes I noticed that flow but the human body is flexible and squishable lol. I can easily have one part of my body squeezed to fit into a certain place. That being said I do agree that it probably wasn’t that dramatic.

    @madchives yes I totally agree with that. The situation was uncomfortable for both ladies. There should have been an option on their website to indicate that one seat won’t fit.

    @Everburg I’m sorry I did not mean to offend you. I am not talking about fat people but rather obese people and I am NOT discriminating against them either. I am simply saying that if I paid for a seat then I’m entitled to my whole seat.

    @ozandaxl compassion should be both ways. I’m usually very stressed out during flying because of a terrible experience in the past. The psychological stress I go through although not physically apparent, is terrible. The last thing I want to worry about is having to share my seat with anyone. Furthermore, that other lady next to her was NOT skinny which made this even worse.

    @Linny I have a friend with thyroid problems and he is obese because of that. He ALWAYS buys 2 seats to make sure he is comfortable and I think this is the right thing to do. It’s unfortunate that he has thyroid problems while others don’t but he unfortunately has to adapt to his situation. If this was me, my son, daughter, mom, dad or anyone I care about I would have encouraged them to pay for 2 seats. $200 more is worth the comfort on these flights imho.
    SmartCanucks has always been a blog where I share my thoughts every now and then. I’m sorry I did not mean to offend you in any way

    @KC I’m NOT judging obese people. I’m simply saying that if I paid for a seat then I’m not expecting to share it with anyone. Sorry if that sounds selfish.

    @nc I never made fun or laughed at obese people. I have obese people in my own family… it’s not a laughing matter at all.

    @eric totally agree with you on this! The seats are way too small in general!!

    @Sarah you make some excellent points!! 😀

    @Disgusted I’m not discriminating. If I pay for a seat I don’t expect to share it period. Porter should have handled this better. They should have an option for people to mention they are obese.

    @mom2twobeauties I did not ridicule people who have weight challenges.

    @Rachel I find sticking to other people I don’t know whether they are skinny, obese or whatever DISGUSTING. I even wash my hands after any handshake. Disgusting is absolutely the right word to use and it is not directed towards obese people. It is directed towards the situation of sticking to someone for the duration of a whole flight.

  90. Natalka says:

    Really, Boo? — “disgusting”???
    “It’s uncomfortable, annoying, unfair and disgusting.”

    Time for you to do another post, and let’s make it a poll – just to see how many SCers are overweight and obese….

  91. kris says:

    The only disgusting thing I see here is this post. Shame on you for posting this in a completely inappropriate place, for your judgement-based language and for the just plain bad taste in the cartoon. I hope that you reflect on just how inappropriate and offensive this post was.

  92. Ditto says:

    Did any of you who said Janet should have informed the flight attendants on the flight READ the article?

    It clearly says, “There was nowhere else Ogilvie, who paid more than $200 for her return ticket, could sit. The plane was full, flight attendants told her.”

    And even if she didn’t, the woman who was taking up more than one seat should have considered the fact that she may be inconveniencing others on the flight, and should have informed the airline beforehand so that they could accomodate her.

  93. shoppingirl says:

    Everyone that was offended is stupid. Its not a disease at all.Dont be rude to the lady that posted this.

  94. Mellie says:

    Boo, thanks for responding. Though I don’t know you personally, I gave you the benefit of the doubt on what you meant by “disgusting”. Unfortunately your intended meaning wasn’t clear enough for most readers.

    I believe this article was appropriate on this blog. It discusses a customer service issue. I didn’t find the cartoon offensive. If you’re a Sumo wrestler who is trying to lose weight, then maybe it’s offensive, but otherwise it’s visual humour. Unless the cartoon has your name on it, assume it’s not aimed at you. I ignore plenty of blonde jokes.

    Both passengers were stuck in a bad situation. The larger passenger didn’t have (or possibly didn’t think of) a way to notify the airline in advance. The smaller passenger should be entitled to a full, albeit small, seat. The airline should have recognized it was a full flight, that they would effectively be one seat short, and asked one of the two passengers to take a different flight and receive compensation. Porter gave the passenger $100, which is approx the cost of that leg of her trip, which seems fair, but it would have been better if they had dealt with the issue before everyone loaded onto the plane. Someone at Porter should have put 2 + 2 together and realized there would be an issue.

  95. Not Offended says:

    My questions is . . . if those who require the space of two seats don’t require an extra fee, should those who can fit into the space of one fee not be charged for two flights? Two small people can fit into a first class seat, so why not share one fare? You can’t cite safety concerns, as it appears a safety concern was also present for this individual, who was not able to be seated properly in their seat.

  96. Prairie girl says:

    Womyn is the spelling used in the feminist community. Google it if you are not familiar with it! It was spelled that way intentionally.

  97. Deb says:

    DO NOT DELETE!! This needs to be heard. There are too many airline customers out there who seem to think that ‘they’ should be catered to. I am a very frequent flyer & have incurred this issue many times over and over again. If one is not satisified with the size of the airline seat, then one should “loose” it! There is no reason for the mass of obesity in this country today. Obesity usually equals lazy people who just dont care about themselves or what they look like. If obesity is caused by a health issue, well that is a different story. In the meantime, its people like me & you that take care of our health that have to put up with this crap. People need to be more conscious of their health and realize that the world does not revolve around obese people.
    If I had of been that woman who paid FULL price for a FULL seat, I would have demanded to either be moved where I’d be more comfortable, or ask that the other party be moved where their oversized body would not interfere with the other passengers enjoyment on the flight! Porter Airlines as well as the rest of the airlines need to clean up their acts and concern themselves about everyone who is paying a FULL fare for a FULL seat. Absolutely noone should be inconvenienced due to an obese person requiring more than one seat to sit their body in. As well, if an obese person requires more than one seat, then they should be paying FULL price for the 2nd seat!
    I SAY KEEP THIS POST GOING. This is a topic that NEEDS to be heard.

  98. Mi says:

    I actually believe this topic is a lose-lose situation with no solution. 😛 Problem is, whatever the airlines choose to do, at least one group of people will be dissatisfied. It’s true that nobody wants to share their full seat they paid for with a total stranger, just because that stranger happened to be obese – it is uncomfortable, unfair, and yeah, disgusting. But the problem with bringing this issue up is, why should these people be getting special privileges, just because they were obese? Is it not unfair for other passengers to be getting smaller, and less comfortable seats for the same price just because they happened to not be obese? Secondly, it also is not fair for obese people to have to pay for 2 seats or more for one seat just because of their condition. In this case, they would also be the ones complaining. It’s a lose-lose situation either way. But yeah, I’d say the person having to sit next to the obese person gets the short end of the stick… lol. Afterall, it really shouldn’t be anyone else’s probem, that they are obese…

  99. twinmommy says:

    I think that this post regarding the CUSTOMER SERVICE given by Porter after a complaint was made by one of its customer’s is becoming quite the norm in the industry. My family and I traveled with Westjet earlier this summer and I filed a complaint regarding the way we were spoken to by the flight crew during the flight. It took Westjet six weeks to give me a response and the response I received was nothing more than generic dribble. These airlines care nothing about us as consumers it’s all about filling up the planes and giving us the least amount of service as possible. The agent checking in this obsese passenger should have made a note not to fill the seat beside her and at the very least bump Ogilvie to the next flight.

  100. Steve says:

    No Offense, but overweight people should realize that their size will bother other people in these types of cramped situations. It is not up to the entire world to accommodate fat people even if their problem is genetic. Tall people suffer on airlines too but are not afforded extra leg room unless they pay. If you are fat and are taking up more than your allotted space on a bus or airplane you should be ashamed because you are trying to be cheap and are stealing the personal space from other people.
    Simply buy another ticket, and don’t expect the airline to just give you a free seat because that means that everyone on the entire flight will be subsidizing your ticket.

  101. Mi says:

    Actually, I believe there is a better solution to this issue, I believe the obese lady should’ve said something about her condition beforehand. And then the right thing for the airlines people to do would be to book one less person for that flight (if there’s room and he/she got there first) – and that should be all that they do.

  102. Larry says:

    ANON,

    Nothing to do with Hate. It is realism. More weight more gas. Doesn’t matter if they are short and fat or 10 ft tall ….if the weight more they should pay more. No hate here at all….pay for what we use …I’m tired of offsetting the fuel charges for the heavy people.

  103. Zay says:

    The larger person should have spoken up at the airport when checking in and if she didn’t then the agent for porter should have realized and said something. All this would have been avoided if porter did their job right. Everyone has a right to a comfortable seat no matter what their size.

  104. justamy says:

    some of these responses are absolutely pathetic.

    being blind or in a wheelchair etc…are a disability. obesity is not. unless you are part of the VERY small segment of the population with a metabolic disorder that makes it virtually impossible to lose weight, your weight is nobody’s fault but your own. it’s pretty sad how personal responsibility is sorely lacking in our society.

  105. Larry G says:

    ENOUGH ALREADY this subject has had enough coverage……….Enjoy the freebies this is a good site without all the bitchin and moanin for and against a subject somewhere along the line this place is losing it’s friendliness next step will be religion and or politics….there’s lots of blog sites for this kind of rhetoric

    PEACE AND HAVE A GOOD DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  106. Good grief! says:

    The what SHOULD have happened in an ideal world…
    The skinny woman should have said something before the flight began and asked to be moved. If the flight was full, then she needs to deal with it from there.

    The larger woman, should have asked for another seat when she was BOOKING her flight. There are rules that have been put in place for airlines where an obese person can provide a Dr’s note and be given an extra seat at no charge as long the airline is aware of this at the time of booking. I don’t know how the whole procedure works, but someone in this position can do the research and find it out.

    But this is not an ideal world, and there is too much rudeness and unthoughtfulness coming from BOTH sides of the ‘seat’.
    So in this case who’s responsibility is it to move? the Larger lady or the skinny lady? They’ve both PAID for a seat? A lot of (not all) comments on here are punishing the skinny lady. And, I’m not saying there aren’t things she could’ve done herself, but there are things the larger woman could have done too, medical condition or not there are things that can be done with the airlines if they know in advance to assist people with ‘disabilities’. I recognize it is embarrasing (for everyone) but I think it’s more embarrassing to deal with the situation while on the airplane with everyone else looking on…or this way…in a newpaper cartoon and talked about on blog sites!

    Sometimes we all need a little sensitivity. We’re all entitiled to an opinion here, and it’s a valid customer complaint, and on this blog Boo can post valid customer complaints…On both sides of the ‘seat’.

    We all need to sit back (large or small, for whatever reason) and think of our role in this and how we can help each other out with kindness. KINDNESS! If we were all trying to be a bit kinder, we would all respond a bit kinder to rudeness! Our days would be better all around!

  107. Madds says:

    People who are obese, know they are obese.

    If you are a fat person who doesn’t fit in a standard airline seat, pay for two seats. FOR YOUR OWN COMFORT.
    Don’t complain about feeling embarrassed when the person next to you complains that they are only getting half a seat and would like to move because you, as an overweight individual is taking up one and a half seats. Don’t be selfish 😉

    ….but you won’t because you feel like you are entitled to two seats, because you are fat. Sorry- you are like everyone else, you are a person. People come in different shapes, sizes, colours etc, etc. This isn’t discrimination.
    A person paying for a ticket is entitled to one seat, just like everyone else. Being obese does not entitle you to an extra seat free. Airlines are businesses.

    *Would obese people like it better if there were “fat people” seats on planes?? You know, a place at the back of the plane were all the fat people sit together.* Legitimate question.

    Either way people will still gawk and stare at you. They will whisper, laugh and make you feel uncomfortable. A fact that’s unavoidable. Is it rude, insensitive and offensive? Yes, but this is life. Deal with it or stay home.

    The airline doesn’t know if you are friends or have relations with the person sitting next to you. They should not have to offer you (in this case, Janet) another seat. If you want something done, you have to speak up. Not after the fact.

  108. Sarah says:

    Oh, apparently there are two Sarah’s on the blog post… I would like to point out that I am the one who advocates womyn’s rights, and as for spelling, discrimination against someone who has issues spelling (even if it isn’t the issue at hand)is still discrimination! I feel appalled at the idea someone pointed out possible spelling errors furthering our societal issues against each other. Why can we not advocate womyn’s rights with a few misspelled words? If you were referring to Womyn, in Canada the word “womyn” is accepted to replace “woman” to symbolize womyn’s right to be identified as a separate entity to man.

  109. Monica says:

    Hello,
    My mother had to deal with an obese man taking over her armrest and half her space on the flight to Punta Canada. She received a voucher towards her next flight. This is something that should be discussed thanx to Boo for bringing it up.

  110. FunkyMunky says:

    ” If you were referring to Womyn, in Canada the word “womyn” is accepted to replace “woman” to symbolize womyn’s right to be identified as a separate entity to man.”

    what on Earth…?

  111. Disgusted! says:

    GG are there not moderators of this blog?? this should have been deleted long ago.

  112. Colsgirl says:

    Ouch this is a delicate subject. Please note that I am not obese but these are my comments/;

    If the woman was that big, then she knows that she has a size problem. Airlines should offer some wider seats for a premium – like you can pay on some airlines for extra legroom. If the lady is that big you have to assume that she didn’t have a very comfortable flight either.

    Similarly the smaller lady obviously didn’t have a very comfortable flight. The aircrew must have been able to see the larger lady spilling onto the other seat and should have addressed it on the flight.

  113. junggye says:

    I’m a travel agent. Many of our clients who are larger buy two seats for their own comfort…

  114. Ashley says:

    I travel frequently for business and have encountered this situation several times and it was handled differently each time.

    The first time I traveled and had a person beside me who was taking up their seat, part of my seat and some of the isle. I was uncomfortable for 8 long hours. While I didn’t complain to the air line I did mention it to my mother.

    She informed me that when ever she traveled with her sister who was larger and needed a little more than one seat, they always booked with a travel agent instead of online because the travel agent was able to “block out” the middle seat so there would be more room and no one was uncomfortable.

    While fewer people are using travel agents for domestic flights, instead of booking online if you have special circumstances it is better to book via the telephone so that you can talk to someone directly and ensure that you needs are being met.

    The airlines are making allowances for people who need two seats as long as you do your part and let them know ahead of time. If you don’t do your part I think it is an acceptable practice for them to put you on the next available flight because it was your responsibility and the person sitting next to you shouldn’t be uncomfortable because of it.

  115. Kim says:

    This is KK7 from Smartcanucks noticed another Kim posting on here which is not me and when I leave something on the blog it is usually Kim and I have no opinon on this subject due to not travelling but do beleive that something should of been said on flight. Yes I find somethings offensive but to say this is a deal only site is actully wrong, it is about parenting, recipes, good friends, deals, coupons, freebies and fianacing! I also find that wether you can you skinny, average or overweight that you can be offensive in different ways for example on the bus the other day I was sitting arm to arm with a very skinny person that smelled like she hadn’t showered in days.

  116. DJ says:

    Certain American airlines, I beleive South West, actually make obese people buy 2 seats and if the flight isn’t sold out and then the people who buy 2 seats get a refund on the 2nd seat. why should i have to share my seat with someone.it’s bad enough I have to do that on the go train everyday. these seats cost lots of money and if I’m stuck with an obese person’s leg squished up against mine then I get upset.Personally, if i was obese then i would buy 2 seats just to be comfortable.for everyone who is offened by “free speach” here’s an idea…don’t read the posts.I’m sick and tired of having to watch everything I say for fear of being called racist.Yes we live in Canada but I think this political correctness is getting WAY out of hand.Maybe the obese lady should have alerted the agent of her size BEFORE the flight and if she couldn’t get on the flight then she should have had to wait for the next one,she didn’t follow the rules so why should the “skinny” woman have had to wait if she spoke up. Keep the post and enjoy your charter rights to speak your mind!!

  117. twinzzz says:

    This should have been shut down a long time ago!! While I agree the other ladys personal space had been invaded and that she should recieve a refund of that portion of her flight (not for the return flight unless she encountered the same situation on return).

    @Deb Could you please tell me how you can tell that someone is over weight due to lack of proper diet/exercise or because of medical issues??

    Up until 6 years ago I weighed 140lbs and stood 5’7″. I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer (very similar to the lady out west that was “cut in half” that has been in the news lately). The surgery left me with mobility issues and unfortunately unable to exercise and thus gained 40lbs.
    However, if I were out and not using my cane you would not see that I have a disabilty. Would you then place me in your “lazy” catagory??

    Get off your high horse and think about putting yourself in someones elses shoes before you speak!!!

  118. Lisa says:

    Very well said twinzzz. People think that if your fat or obese that it’s because all you do is eat and not excercise. Look up the facts people. Everyone should be treated equally no matter the colour, size etc

  119. CTKWingChun says:

    “If you were referring to Womyn, in Canada the word “womyn” is accepted to replace “woman” to symbolize womyn’s right to be identified as a separate entity to man.”

    Nice. Let’s all keep on dividing and putting up barriers between ourselves. That’s all we need – instead of recognizing that we are all one and need to get along.

    I live in Canada and this ‘womyn’ stuff is hogwash.

  120. Bennie Arbuthnot says:

    This all looks great…wished I lived closer…now about that magazine, I see it as a sure fire way to get this economy up and running again..folks buy the magazine, they get happy, they decide the world’s pretty much an alright place and they better start participating in making it fun, they get creative, juices get flowing, motion started..money gets generated..voila!


















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