Bull pucky. There is no way he could fit in a seat and not hang over into the next seat. Absolutely no way. Southwest should accept his challenge using an actual airplane and 2 other passengers on either side of him.
I hate to rag on the guy, because from looking at his blog he seems like the sort of writer/director/humorist I like. But here’s the thing: I have heard that he did initially buy two seats for the trip, but then decided to take an earlier flight. Is it SWA’s fault that he made that decision? Did he not already recognize that one coach (I presume, since I don’t think SWA has a first class) seat was not enough? Then why would that perspective become radically different after he changes his flight?
I know it’s the fashion to bash airlines, and perhaps they could have handled it better–namely by not letting him change his flight in the first place without his being able to purchase two seats for himself. But overall I think the airline acted correctly here.
He says he purchased the seat for isolation, not requirement.
And I say he’s a big fat liar.
KS Blogs his final thoughts on the episode here:
His Final Thoughts
Except that not “hanging over” into the next seat isn’t one of Southwest’s criteria. It’s armrests down, seatbelt on, end of story. Whether it should be or not is irrelevant to the matter at hand.
Are you seriously saying that taking up someone else’s seating space is the corporate position? people pay for the space of a seat and they are legally entitled to it.
A line has to be drawn somewhere and I would imagine they’ve picked this one because it’s fairly black/white. Are we going to have flight attendants checking the angles from each direction to see if someone’s flesh is over on any side? What about footspace? I should be able to stow my carry on under my seat since I paid for it, but often the person who is behind me stretches their feet out under my seat. I’ve never complained because I don’t care, but am I entitled to that space? What about someone’s knees pressing into my back because their legs are so long? Should they be forced to buy first class seats to allow for legroom? Maybe they’ll be forced to ride in the exit row where there is a lot more legroom. If those seats are sold out (there are very few) they need to wait until another flight?
So many scenarios if we’re going to get down to deciding if someone is pushing into my seat. I’m a small person who doesn’t even fill up her own seat so I have no axe to grind. As long as the armrest stays down unless I know you then I’m okay.
It’s not rocket science. The arm rest is a dividing line for the space allotted each person. Kevin Smith wasn’t even close.
:smack: No, you’re suppose to put your bag under the seat in front of you. That’s why there’s a bar across the front of the seat bottom. That space is for your feet and your luggage.
Is there a reason you’re being snarky about it? Just curious.
What about knees in my back? What are we going to do with those people who have legs just too darned long? And people who lean their seat way back until they are in my lap? Flying is not the most comfortable mode of transportation IMHO and I’m small. I can’t imagine what it is like for a larger person, fat or otherwise.
It might not be rocket science, but that’s what that airline has decided the criteria should be. If you feel it’s wrong you might want to let them know. Until they change it, that’s what they should follow
I’m not trying to be snarky. Honestly, it’s just common sense. You don’t get to occupy the seat next to you. Sorry for the headsmack but someone should have told you where your luggage goes (I’ve been there). It’s possible someone was poking you in the back because they couldn’t stretch their feet normally with your luggage there.
Nobody’s leg is so long that it pokes you in the back (OK, maybe Andre the Giant). That’s not to say they can’t cross their legs and poke you with their feet but that is different than being so large that they automatically consume more than one seat. Kevin Smith cannot fit within the confines of one seat. It doesn’t make him a bad person, but his size is what it is.
It’s disingenuous of him to say that he was bumped because he was too fat to fly. He was bumped because the space needed for him to ride was booked.
And again, please don’t take anything I said as snarky and I apologize if that’s how it came across.
I honestly have never put my luggage under any seat (I use the overhead) so the times I’ve had people with their knees in my back had to be another situation I guess. And no, before someone asks, I’m not someone who reclines their seat so that wasn’t it.
I don’t think Kevin Smith or anyone else should be spilling into anyone’s seat but I also don’t think anyone should recline their seat until they’re damn near in my lap and that’s happened to me, too. If we’re going to get on one group for taking up my space let’s get on all of them.
I’m just saying that until such time that the airline changes the criteria that they set up it doesn’t really matter what we think of the situation. If he fit in the seat with the arm rests down and could fasten his seat belt that should be the end of the discussion.
It’s not the end of the discussion because the shoulders stick out beyond the waist by default. A fat person will stick out even more so because of the fat next to the ribs. The distance between the armrests only encompasses the narrowest part of the human body.
Huh? No, I think you’re entitled to the space under the seat in front of you. The space under your seat belongs to the person behind you.
Yeah we worked that out in post #69
Seeing him in that suit, I was thinking “Kingpin.”
So I guess, aesthetically speaking, it’s better to appear cube-shaped than oblate. The more you know!
So, if the guy was 2000 pounds, yet his waist and legs were narrow enough to fit between the armrests he should be allowed to sit in only one seat even though the seats on both sides of him would be unusable?
There IS the possibility he fit (didnt the airline say he didnt) fit?) but the fit was SO tight/improper that it would be a safety issue or perhaps he technically did fit but one look and it was obvious he would be intruding too much onto the adjacent seats fit or no fit.
Maybe the airline folks were being jerks. Or maybe someone was concerned with the spirit of the “law” as well as the letter of it.
If its “their” criteria, “they” have the right to interpet it however they see fit until the Supreme Court tells them otherwise. End of discussion.
OOooOOOOO let me play, let me play!
What if he’s THREE thousand pounds but he has a 28 inch waist and cloven hooves but four heads and smells of sulfur and magnolias in bloom?
Really? I’m sorry but “end of discussion” coming from a guy who wants to play Mr Rodgers Land of Make Believe is nothing but lulzy to me.
Obviously he should have used Derris Bus Lines.
This is getting ridiculous. Some fatso has a beef with an airline and it’s all over the news for a week as though it’s of vast importance. ( Like Tiger Woods - whatever happened there? Dropped from the headlines after weeks of blathering.)