Under The Weight Of Southwest’s ‘Fatties Fly Free’ Policy, Normal People Will Pay More

[mystery-ak]

Under Southwest's 'Fatties Fly Free' Rule, Normal People Will Pay More
Kylee Griswold
6–7 minutes

The 1990s should have been a golden era for air travel, what with in-flight smoking newly banned and the Twin Towers still standing. Instead, times were tough. A recession meant flying was off the table for many Americans, and thus, airlines were doing whatever they could to get bodies in seats.

To that end, Southwest kicked off a promotion in ’91, offering two seats for the price of one. It was called “Friends Fly Free,” and it was such a hit that the airline company extended the gimmick for the next five years.

Now it’s 2023, and times are tough again. In the economy, sure. But also for anyone looking to fly Southwest anytime soon. That’s because the airline effectively just kicked off a new promotion courtesy of a bunch of plump TikTokers:

Fatties Fly Free.

more
https://thefederalist.com/2023/12/15/under-the-weight-of-southwests-fatties-fly-free-policy-normal-people-will-pay-more/

[LMAO]

Companies are more and more acquiescing to the demands of a small minority

Too fat to be able to sit in one airplane seat? The solution is to lose weight. Why is it mine and the airlines responsibility to accommodate your life decision?

[Wingnut]

Back when I was flying weekly I thought they should make the fatty's fly in the cargo hold.  Rope them to the netting with bungie cords.

[DefiantMassRINO]

 

[mystery-ak]

Plus-sized activist Jae'lynn Chaney is seen sitting between two airplane seats on a Southwest Airlines flight to Kona, Hawaii in April 2022. 5
Southwest Airlines has a “customer of size” policy which allows plus-size customers to get an additional seat to accommodate their girth. Courtesy Jae'lynn Chaney

[Wingnut]

I miss the old days when flying was fun and fatties took the Hound.

[roamer_1]

No 'normal' people need not pay more.

I applaud this. being of a big frame, 6'3 and 275 at my best cut weight, with guns bigger than most folks neck. I didn't have to tuck my shoulders through a 3-0 door... but I did through anything less.

The arbitrary design of airplane seating has never fit me, even without an ounce of fat.

Equally, as the article mentions, kids under two used to fly free - I would take exception to that, because my last flight with my entire family, I paid for three 'seats', some extra in luggage, and that was it. Three of us flew free. I was only charged at the time for my wife and I, and my elder son, IIRC, who would have been a late teen. His closest sibling at the time might have been eight or ten...

The exceptions have not saved you a damn dime, nor made me pay more. They have simply limited me from flying at all.