United Airlines to Charge Overweight Passengers for Two Seats

[dlrp_bopazot]

Overweight passengers hoping to travel on United Airlines may have to buy two tickets to fly the friendly skies.

The third largest U.S. airline announced Wednesday that it will join other carriers and start charging passengers for two seats if they can't properly fit into one.

United made the change as a result of the hundreds of complaints it receives each year from customers who "had to share their seat with the oversized guest," United Spokeswoman Robin Urbansky told Bloomberg.com.

According to the airline, the policy will be enforced only in the event that the passenger can't be relocated next to an empty seat. If the flight is full, the passenger will have to change their ticket to the next available flight and purchase a second seat for that flight.

United is the fifth major airline to adopt a policy of this kind.

The new rule applies to tickets purchased on or after March 4, 2009, for travel on or after April 15, 2009.



hum hum i don't they should charge a second seat for an overweight person but resize the seats on all aircrafts because Airline Seating are small especially for a tall person like me .

[RStar]

They could just make wider boats and a bigger flume.

Oh wait, that's It's a Small World......

[lizziebith]

Southwest tried this a few years ago and it didn't, um fly.

[Alex]

I don't really have a problem with it and I'm close to being affected.

Southwest (for the last 20+ years), Alaska, and Continental all have some version of this policy already and everybody seems to survive.

[Chernabog]

They could just make wider boats and a bigger flume.

Oh wait, that's It's a Small World......

OK that's some visible mojo right there. LOL

[Not Afraid]

So, are they going to have pre-checks like they do for carry-on baggage? "If you ass doesn't fit in here you'll have to put it in the hold."

[katiesue]

Having had to "share" my seat with the person next to me who didn't exactly fit in theirs, I'm all for it.

[NirvanaMan]

I'm a big fan of this policy.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

I'm morbidly obese and I think this is reasonable.

[scaeagles]

I suppose it comes down to if you are purchasing passage or purchasing a seat in a vehicle going somewhere.

That said, I don't find it unreasonable at all.

[Morrigoon]

The ****tiest part of all this is that, unless things have changed since my airline days, fat people don't get to earn frequent flyer mileage for that second seat. So it literally takes them twice as long to earn a free trip.

[Alex]

The United seats do earn miles (I thought, I know it does for others), they just don't count towards status.

As I said I don't have a problem with it, but the logistical difficulties are obvious. They can tell you to do it ahead and refund the extra ticket if the plane isn't full, but taking payment once on the plane is going to be difficult.

I'd also be concerned about differences between seats on different planes. Options are provided for point of departure but if changing planes halfway could result in going from a barely fit seat to a not-fit seat then the "just get off" option isn't so acceptable any more.

[Morrigoon]

Also, especially in oversell situations, they can't guarantee side-by-side seating

[Alex]

Nope, and also if they have to change planes and reseat everybody.

Or if you're flying with your child and the plane isn't full but there aren't three consecutive seats so that you can still be seated with your child.

But the other airlines have been dealing with this for a while now so I'm guessing there's a fair amount of discretion available to the gate and flight crews.

[BarTopDancer]

I'm all for it.

I do think they need to ensure that the two seats are next to each other and wave the 'assigned seating' fee for those who have to purchase two seats.

[Prudence]

My objection is that they require me to purchase two seats, but not the guy whose shoulders are so broad that they have me smashed against the window. (And who then sits with his legs spread, occupying both arm rests and all available legroom - and is reading the newspaper.) The policy is only applied toward people who are large in an "unsightly" fashion. Those who inconvenience other passengers just as much -- but are large in the approved fashion -- aren't charged the extra fees.

I really have no idea how my work is going to handle this. I'm supposed to fly to DC next month and the contract fare is with United. Will I be expected to pay the second fare out of pocket? I'm actually considering cancelling the trip entirely, and it was the one training I was actually looking forward to.

[Morrigoon]

Pru: I believe not. Sohrshah just flew United and said that their seats have more room than most.

[Kevy Baby]

The ****tiest part of all this is that, unless things have changed since my airline days, fat people don't get to earn frequent flyer mileage for that second seat. So it literally takes them twice as long to earn a free trip.No, it takes them same amount of time. It just costs them twice as much.

My objection is that they require me to purchase two seats, but not the guy whose shoulders are so broad that they have me smashed against the window. (And who then sits with his legs spread, occupying both arm rests and all available legroom - and is reading the newspaper.) The policy is only applied toward people who are large in an "unsightly" fashion. Those who inconvenience other passengers just as much -- but are large in the approved fashion -- aren't charged the extra fees.That is true. iSm doesn't have to pay for a second seat for his Alarming Package ™

[innerSpaceman]

True, but that usually doesn't affect the person next to me (unless they want to Mile Hyatt).

But that's some good lawyering, there, Pru. I'd like to see that case in Court. Very serious discrimination claim if you go after next-seat intruders who intrude upon the seat, but not the ones who intrude upon the seatback.


In any event, I believe you are purchasing "passage" on any vessel, not a specific method of berthing. (Though of course, there's more fare for first class than steerage). I think they should consider it passage, not seating, and simply charge fare by weight - - which makes sense when you have to get all that weight to defy gravity. And then the discrimination between "unsightly" bigness and "approved" bigness would not come into play.


But an extra charge for the alarming package might. ;)

[Cadaverous Pallor]

If someone has their long arms and legs in your way, you can ask him to move them away from you. Not so with a very overweight person.

I guess "broad shoulders" could be a problem, though I think they'd have to be abnormally large for it to really intrude upon the neighboring seat. Like, Mr. Universe or something.

[Strangler Lewis]

I don't think this about passenger comfort at all. The airlines have been jettisoning all sorts of things trying to shed weight and save on jet fuel. The reality is that one obese person forced to buy two seats will generally mean less overall weight in those seats than two average overweight Americans.

If it was about passenger comfort, there would be all sorts of different fares, classes and cabins:

"Won't shut the f*ck up" class.
"Won't turn off cell phone until threatened with arrest" class.
"Insists on looking important by calling someone to say they've landed as soon as the wheels touch the ground" class.
"Last to board with a carryon that requires reshuffling of all overhead bins" class.
"Stows bunched up sweater in overhead bin on crowded flight" class.
"Blares music through headphones that I can hear three rows up" class.
"Falls asleep against window during drink orders" class. (Tap. Tap. "Excuse me, did you . . .?)

And so on. These people should all be charged extra. Or just given a good horsewhipping on the spot. Which I would pay extra to administer.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

These people should all be charged extra. Or just given a good horsewhipping on the spot. Which I would pay extra to administer.That's worth at least a hundred bucks on a flight from LAX to SFO. Where do I sign up?

[scaeagles]

I guess "broad shoulders" could be a problem, though I think they'd have to be abnormally large for it to really intrude upon the neighboring seat. Like, Mr. Universe or something.


Yeah, I've been concerned about being charged for two seats for that very reason, CP.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Shoulders, not ego.

[scaeagles]

If that were the case many here would have to buy out the entire plane.

[Alex]

Sadly, this is why I likely will not be able to fly again until the A380 is in wide use.

[JWBear]

He said "wide use". hehehehe......

[dlrp_bopazot]

i'm a big guy i'm correct by fitting on a Plane seat but they will charge me because im tall ? lol we ll see we live in crazy world .

[sleepyjeff]

If another two or three airlines do this that will make the remaining few that don't loaded with a lot of extra weight(in that heavy people will shy away from the airlines with the restrictions and shift their weight(yeah, it was intended) over to another airline).........will we see a plane fail to get off the runway sometime in the near future:eek:

[Andrew]

I was on a plane twice over the last few days (round-trip SJC-LAX for MouseAdventure) so I have fresh perspective. I'm of average male height but have very broad shoulders and long legs, neither of which are accounted for in airline seat design. If I can't get the exit row (more difficult now that SWA has joined other airlines in upselling them) the flight is usually completely miserable.

On the return flight we had a large woman take the window seat (I had the aisle, Jennifer had the middle) and she spilled over quite a bit. There was no mention from airline staff of having her pay for an extra seat or anything like that. These policies don't have any effect if they're not enforced. Were we supposed to complain?

[Strangler Lewis]

Maybe she was charged for two seats but was too embarrased to claim Jennifer's seat as hers.

[Kevy Baby]

(round-trip SJC-LAX)There are flights from San Juan Capistrano to LAX?

Huh!

[JWBear]

SJC is the code for San Jose's airport.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

But San Juan Capistrano to LAX is funnier.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

These policies don't have any effect if they're not enforced. Were we supposed to complain?Interesting point. Short of making everyone stand on a scale while your bag is being weighed, doesn't seem like they can enforce this without someone complaining about the person next to them.