`WALK OF SHAME' - Obese flyer booted from flight in US

a reply to: Misterlondon

Because she sees it through her own eyes only. We are hearing her side of the story alone also. She clearly feels they were too heavy handed. Did she try to refuse the escort from the plane? I can't just see them grabbing and forcing her off (at first). Maybe I'm wrong.

But did she ever think about all the other people she has now made late? Not just the people on her flight but everyone after that.

If I'm incorrect about my assessment I apologize.

Walk of shame? Can't help but think that if they had done a few more walks they would have been able to fit in the seat in the first place. 175kg is a lot of big bones...

Seriously though if you are taking up 2 seats you pay for 2 tickets or get off. Simple as that. How would you like to pay full wack for a seat and have a fat lad squashing you for 5hrs? You can't tell me this bloke was completely ignorant of his size before the flight. If you are going to let yourself get to that size you have to take responsibility for the consequences.

The airline handled it badly though. It should have been managed at check in.

Special Fatty flights?

Rip out all the seats, replace with a reduced number of very large seats, charge 2x - 3x usual rate per seat.

Problem solved.

originally posted by: OrionHunterX
Really? So you throw a guy out from the plane? Why wasn't he informed before boarding the flight? This is outrageous!

Well, yeah, if he is so fat he's spreading his muffin-tops into the next seat.
175Kg is ridiculously huge, he probably couldn't fit in the chair at his local barber shop, should we whine and petition the barber shop to buy bigger chairs now?!

Private businesses set their own size limits and so they should, it is up to the market to decide if that business model lives or dies.
How about theme park rides, should they make bigger safety harnesses and seats? Should a fat person have a right to feel offended when they have to get off a ride because they can't fit in it?! Absolutely ridiculous.

The overwhelming majority of fat people are fat because they take in more energy than they burn. It is as simple as that.
I eat crap processed corn-syrup/fatty/sugar foods a lot, I drink alcohol a lot, I am not fat because I use the same or more energy than I eat/drink.
No fat people in sustained famine conditions, and strange that there are no 'big boned' people to be seen in sustained famine conditions.

I see the bleating that it is an addiction, and psychological illness, well maybe for some, but I see that as just looking to be a victim. Don't eat so much, and do more.

In 80's Britain, fat people were rare, and stuck out like sore thumbs, yet now they are becoming the norm, and want to be victims with special needs. It's like they claim there has been a curious increase in psychological tendency to want to fill our faces with food as a society.
I say bull#, and while I have sympathy for anyone who is trying to control their weight, it is all your own fault in the vast majority of cases so my sympathy only goes so far.

When my son was early teens he started getting fat and I was as blunt with him. It was his mothers fault giving him sweets and cakes etc, but when he stayed in my home he had 3 square meals and that was it. Yes there were tears when I refused, and told him that was the reason for being fat, he got used to it, we discussed weight issues deeply and he's now an athletic healthy rugby playing young adult who regularly says thank you to me for my intervention.

Every fat kid is the parents fault in my opinion, but I guess that's for another thread...

originally posted by: MysterX
a reply to: OrionHunterX

Personally, and i realise this isn't going to be a popular opinion, especially amongst obese readers, but perhaps he ought to be thinking about reducing his weight to a healthy, more practical level before he complains about the impracticality of being 175Kgs...just a thought.

It's not as if the airlines, or anyone else is shovelling food down his throat like it was going out of fashion.

Stop dodging the salads, and give the burgers and pizzas a miss once in a while and perhaps he won't have to suffer this kind of self inflicted embarrassment...it's not quantum physics.

if it were that simple we wouldn't have fat people.....bullying them does do nothing to help the situation...you don't know his particular situation with his weight....I do agree they should pay for 2 seats if there isn't enough room, I like the one posters suggestion of listing some sort of weight guidelines for the seats in the different sections, might need to include a height guideline...a short person will look bigger with the same weight as a taller person of the same weight

there are 26 prescription drugs that cause weight gain, there are many conditions that can cause weight gain.

genetics play a part.....my husband was always skinny he could eat anything and never gain weight...he could eat whole large pizza in one sitting in college and never gain an ounce......


we had a roommate with with her little boy..we fed our kids the same thing and they played the same had the same activity....her son would eat about half the food on his plate, my daughter would eat ALL the food on her plate and finish his as well..you posters who don't get it are thinking my daughter must have been fat and the boy skinny...you are dead wrong...my daughter was a stick, my friends son was always a bit fat....

some people have food addictions, this has been proven with scans, when they show them pictures of food, their brains light up on the scans the same way addicts brains light up when they are shown pictures of the drug they are addicted to.

there are many chemical reactions in the body to do with weight...some people never feel full, or they have to eat a lot more to feel full, has to do with how much leptin your body makes.

many people need therapy for psychological problems stemming from bad things that happened in their life, food became their treatment...it takes a lot of time and work to deal with these type of things.

I watched a dr oz episode (no I don't agree with everything he says) a while back... talking about spiking blood sugar levels, you want to keep it even...whole wheat bread and fiber good stuff like that...he had five women on and 1 day he had each eat some whole wheat bread...the next day he had them each eat a candy bar...tested their blood sugar levels.

well guess what, it WASN'T black and white it WASN'T the same...2 women, their blood sugar was much less for the bread then the candy bar, that's what you would expect...the other 3 their blood sugar for the bread shot up like they ate a candy bar, and their blood sugar for the candy bar was much lower.....this will affect your weight..but you wouldn't know if these tests weren't done.

someone recently did a huge study on this phenomenon, the people were promised that they would be tested for all these foods and see which ones were causing them to spike, and they had to be tracked very carefully to be accurate and they would be given a list at the end of which foods to eat and which not to because it causes them to spike (even if it is a healthy food).

I really think that this is the future...this helps explain why people can't seem to lose very much weight even when they eat on the healthy side....this will be personalized for each person depending on their test results

a reply to: OrionHunterX

Sorry. 1 person, 1 ticket. Period. End of story.

UA (and other airlines) developed the standard for how seats are designed and layed out. There is a lot of money to be made in making seats slightly smaller, forcing anyone over a size 2 to buy a second ticket. Their argument is a display of conflict of interest.

And, if im being really honest....the airlines have been bailed out with my tax dollars more times than I can count. So eff them. Hard.

I may have been arrested were I that man. I would have went full berserker mode. Oh my god.....now i need to go take a walk.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
Sorry. 1 person, 1 ticket. Period. End of story.

For you maybe, but last flight I took and had to pay extra for a few more kilo's of hand luggage I was angry that the fat guy next to me weighed more than me and my luggage yet paid less for the flight.
That's the effing disgrace.

originally posted by: grainofsand
Private businesses set their own size limits and so they should, it is up to the market to decide if that business model lives or dies.

I take issue with this point. It was our tax dollars that kept them afloat in 2001. And there are several other instances of "extra help" from the government to keep them afloat. Its well known that the quickest way to go from billionaire to broke is to open an airline. When Branson did it everyone thought he was insane to take the risk.

The causative factors of obesity are for another thread (and, based on my experience, is pinned solely on the government who encouraged an unhealthy diet as they pandered to industry).

originally posted by: DonVoigt
a reply to: Ericthedoubter

But 2 seats fatso

Well this comment makes me laugh,I mean your Govornments over the last 30 years have destroyed the education system meal so at this point it is now just trans fat, complex carbs and fructose sugars no real food.
Junk food has priced fresh food out of the market, what is considered fresh food is actualy toxic GMOS and basically holds no benefit and is 3 times as expensive. a massive majority of adults are addicted to pharmaceuticals and they are given an option to feed the family on, you guessed it either strait from the shop take away and being in America everyone gets 2 litres of 7up or at home they can pull out what ever frozen # they have and bake it or deep fry it.
this epidemic was engineered for this purpose, look at the south pacific, islanders get charged by weight now not ticket.
people like you may choose to point out your countryman and gork and laugh, whats sicker is more of your countrymen commend you for doing so. what is horrifying is that all of you allow your government to do it to your children and yourself, allow them to manipulate your lifesyle to an extent where it destroys families and lives.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: OrionHunterX

Sorry. 1 person, 1 ticket. Period. End of story.

UA (and other airlines) developed the standard for how seats are designed and layed out. There is a lot of money to be made in making seats slightly smaller, forcing anyone over a size 2 to buy a second ticket. Their argument is a display of conflict of interest.

And, if im being really honest....the airlines have been bailed out with my tax dollars more times than I can count. So eff them. Hard.

I may have been arrested were I that man. I would have went full berserker mode. Oh my god.....now i need to go take a walk.

That makes no sense. If a person cannot physically fit into a single seat (with armrests down) they need to buy two tickets. This of course is assuming the person knows they won't fit. IF the flight isn't full, most airlines will make an attempt to accommodate. However on a full flight - nope.

First thing I do when I board is put the armrests down between my seat and the one next to me. If a seatmate asks if they can raise it I tell them no.

Yes, airlines maybe should be 'nicer' - but a large person doesn't have the right to impinge on the rights of others.

Racist? Oh ffs..

Was going to contribute to this thread but seeing i vomited into my mouth a bit i shall rather be off to brush my teeth..jesus christ..

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

So airlines have been bailed out by taxpayer dollars and you believe that binds them to increase seat size in response to people eating more energy than they burn off?
...and you are blaming the government for fat people now?
Wow, personal responsibility is dead it seems.

a reply to: grainofsand
the problem is in the types of food available and the cost in fresh vs junk food then GMO fresh vs organic.
people have to understand what is in junk food and how it metabolises in the body, how carbs and calories work.
it comes down to education. if people on mass start eating fresh food and losing weight think of the money that global corp will lose. can you not see wtf is going on here

originally posted by: DonVoigt
This has been normal practice at airlines for many years, if you're too fat for your seat you must purchase 2 seats. I don't want someone's blubber flowing over the edge of the seat on to me, lose some weight or buy 2 seats. There is no reason for fat people to be imposing themselves on other people at $1500.00 a ticket.

Huh, fat people...blubber over flowing.... just lose some weight or buy two seats. Hmmm.

I propose the following....

1 - Weigh all passengers for the flight. We all know that weight means extra fuel, therefore tickets should be based on the cost of the fuel involved.

2 - Weigh all of the passengers baggage, and include it in the calculation of the cost of airfare for that passenger.

3 - Take volume of luggage into consideration as well, as this takes up space. Space requires a larger aircraft. Larger aircraft, more fuel to fly.

4 - Got children? Guess what, then you need a special child only flight. Sorry, there is no reason for obnoxious breeders to burden me with the fruit of their loins.

5 - Got screaming children? Then charge for forced sedation. As space is limited on a plane (again, size of airplane directly correlates to the consumption of fuel), I am forced to listen to your screaming offspring.

6 - Got long legs? Want to stretch out either into the aisle or under my seat or need to recline your seat into MY SPACE because you somehow need the extra space? There's a surcharge for that.

6 - Wear an obnoxious cologne or perfume? Get charged. This requires additional air filtration, and limits the overall potentiality for clean air for me to breathe.

7 - Get drunkenly belligerent ? The charge for forced sedation. I really don't need to put up with some asshat that decides to get sh*tfaced on beer that rivals a sports stadium in price.

8 - Be a horrible excuse for a person? Complain about the size of another, who paid $1600 for their seat? Complain about, OMG, I was TOUCHED by another person? Complain about discomfort caused by a person who they themselves are uncomfortable due to the AMAZINGLY small areas we are ALL crammed into?


You disgust me. But hey...if you think fair is fair, then maybe we need to REALLY be fair about things.

Shouldn't we?

a reply to: research100

I hear what you're saying. I'm sorry, but i simply don't agree with you though.

We used to have the euphermism 'Big boned' as the most often used excuse fat people would cite for them being grossly overweight...it always seemed to be those that ate the most, ate mostly the saturated fatty foods and did the least amounts of physical activity that seemed to be born with 'big bones'.

Yes, steroids and other meds can make you gain weight...but if you exercise and eat properly, this too can be managed before getting into obese territory.

Yes, some people have thyroid problems, slow metabolisms and so on, but of course, knowing this about yourself tends to be all one needs to tailor appropriate diets and exercise to mitigate the weight gain effects.

And let's face it, there are many people who absolutely rely on just about every or any excuse they can get away with to avoid cutting out what is essentially their entire reason for living...eating and sitting on their arses.

As for food addiction, sure...like anything we consume or do too much of, it will become destructive utimately.

But an alcoholic won't get much sympathy from me if they do nothing but moan how they're not allowed on a flight blind drunk, just like an obese person won't if they moan about not fitting into a seat because they're too fat for it...I've flown on many airlines, all over the world and never once have I nor anyone i've travelled with had a problem with the size of the seats...leg room perhaps, but not the width.

All i'm really saying is, when you look in the mirror and grimmace at what you see wobbling back at you, it's time to get real and get healthy and stop blaming average sized people for not accomodating your oversized bulk.

As i said, i didn't expect it to be popular.

Thanks for your point of view though.

a reply to: nullafides
I already said this has been in practice for three years now
Samoa Air says charging passengers by weight is 'concept of the future'
www.theguardian.com...

I am sincerely disgusted, repulsed, and ashamed to be classified in the same genus and family as those of you crying about the pain of dealing with someone who is larger than you.

Those of you saying "gee, take in more calories than needed for energy? You deserve it"....

you are lacking in the ONE thing that is a conduit to happiness.

And that is, EMPATHY.

But hey...it's all about you, and your comfort. Isn't it?

a reply to: PLAYERONE01

I'm only speaking from the UK situation, there are the same cheap supermarket stores in my town as every other in the UK.
I buy and eat from the same stores, and look at my products on the conveyor belt at the check-out and the thin person in front will have similar amounts and types, but the fat person behind will have the expected junk and soda-pop.

I actually consume McD's, KFC, processed junk and other crap a heck of a lot during a working day. And when I say lots I mean lots, but I'm athletic shape because I do physical work.
You can blame the diets but I'll also blame the laziness of not burning off the calories one takes in.

Every fat person knows that burning more energy than they take in will result in weight loss, what extra education exactly do you want??
Just do more, walk to the shops, burn more energy than you like to stuff in your face...but no, they are all victims. Lame.

Not to sound stupid or anything, but shouldn't matters like these be addressed at time of purchase, or at least at ticket check?

Why is it always addressed after the customer is already on the plane?

originally posted by: grainofsand
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

So airlines have been bailed out by taxpayer dollars and you believe that binds them to increase seat size in response to people eating more energy than they burn off?
...and you are blaming the government for fat people now?
Wow, personal responsibility is dead it seems.

Airlines have been bailed out by taxpayers. In my estimation, this creates a social contract. I mean, they ARE a regulated industry, right? All im saying is that in 1990 a man who weighed this much would have gotten a belt extender and the flight would have resumed. Now....they traipsed him off the plane to much fanfare and we get an entire news cycle out of it. To talk about a fat man on a plane. Instead of just giving him his seat belt extender like we did 20 years ago, and resuming freaking life.

Its a stupid story that should not have happened. At all. 20 years ago it wouldn't have happened (i weighed that much on 9/11, and flew all over the goddamned country without ever once being kicked off a plane).

Why all of a sudden is there this big outcry against fat people? Really? Have we all of a sudden just derided to lose our freaking minds as humanity and start harassing the ever loving hell out of each other for no good, apparent reason? What has changed in the last 20 years that has made a 175kg man not able to fly like any other person?

Why the hell does being transgender (or MR, or of any nationality, or dwarf, etc, etc) mean you are treated with respect but being obese doesn't? We get to pick and choose which humans are worthy of respect? Or do we just get to say, "Hey, if fatty would quit porking so much maybe we'd let him fly. But pigs don't fly, soooo......."?

Oh, well they chose to be fat. That justifies it. Right? So they chose to be something you don't like, and now they can be ridiculed and excluded from services.



RE: the government....they pushed the food pyramid on kids from the earliest age, encouraging enormous amounts of bread and wheat, with hardly any veggies/fruit. So yes, i blame them for brainwashing 2-3 generations of Americans into thinking the unhealthy eating habits we have today are needed. Even further, I blame the various medical organizations for supporting this horrific concept by not educating patients on things like common, everyday biology. For example, for a doctor to tell a blood pressure patient to reduce salt without also telling them to reduce sugar in the exact same way is wholly unconscionable, and in my opinion malpractice. Salt is necessary, sugar is not. Reducing either will have the same effect on blood pressure.

LIke i said, a completely different thread is needed. That topic is much more than a post or two on this thread.