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Southwest Airlines Community

My Conversation with Kevin Smith

LindaRutherford
Employee
Employee

I had the chance this afternoon to speak directly with director Kevin Smith. I let him know that in my 18 years here at Southwest, I have never dealt with a situation like what has been unfolding in the last 48 hours. I let Kevin know we have refunded his airfare. I told him we made a mistake in trying to board him as a standby passenger and then remove him. And I told him we were sorry.

 

 

Now, 48 hours later, after talking to many involved, we know there were several things going on that day and that our Employees were doing their best to get his flight out safely and on time, including finding seats for everyone and trying to accommodate standby passengers. The Captain did not single Kevin out to be removed, but he did ask that the boarding be completed quickly. At that time, our Employees made the decision to remove Kevin after a quick judgment call that he might have needed more than one seat for his comfort and those seated next to him. 

 

 

Although I’m not here to debate the decision our Employees made, I can tell you that I for one have learned a lot today. The communication among our Employees was not as sharp as it should have been and, it’s apparent that Southwest could have handled this situation differently. Thanks, Kevin, for your passion around this topic. You were a reasonable guy during our conversation.

 

 

Southwest, like most carriers, has a policy to assist passengers who need two seats onboard an aircraft. The policy is an important one for the comfort and safety of all passengers aboard a plane, and we stand by that 25-year-old policy. This has our attention, and we will be reviewing how and when this delicate policy is implemented.

1,803 Comments
TheSporkOfMars
Explorer C
Sigh. You are still flubbing this. The omission of fact is becoming uncomfortable. Not correcting the earlier blog where your company implied Smith often buys an additional seat for "girth-related" reasons instead of privacy reasons (the truth) is sleazy and misleading. Repeatedly omitting the fact that he DOES fit between the armrests (YOUR very own guideline!) is misleading. I can assure you THIS skinny flier will never do business with ANY company that doesn't have the integrity to simply say, "We screwed up, we'll fix this and we're sorry." Drop the whitewashing and act like you deserve my business.
Anonymous803
Explorer C
Just another half-hearted appology by a large corporation trying to save face. Fact of the matter is that Southwest and it's employees handled this situation about as poorly as they possibly could. All indications are that this is the norm on this airline rather than an exception. The only difference is that this time they tried to do this to someone that actually had a voice and the courage to fight back, not an anoymous overweight person too humiliated to defend themselves. This is just another indication of how poorly run Southwest is, and confirmed to both myself and everyone else I have discussed this situation with just why we will never fly with this airline again. It's too bad that Southwest is incapable of living up to the BS their marketing department produces. You should all be ashamed of yourself for allowing this type of practice to continue.
Anonymous394
Explorer C
I'm pretty appalled at my average size fellow travelers...I'm average size and I've never been bothered by a bigger person sitting next to me any more than sitting next to someone smaller. Its all too close regardless of our sizes, and I think we all could have some more compassion for other people regardless of their size when we fly in the cramped conditions the airlines insist on inflicting on us. The assumption in many of these posts is that fat people are just lazy, unhealthy and they get what they deserve.... I find that outrageous, you people don't know anything about these total strangers and you have no business judging anyone. Losing weight is nowhere near as easy as you all imply. But then again you're thin so how would you know? Oh that's right, you don't know. And to Southwest Air... how about doing everyone a favor... if you are so sure that big people need two seats even if they fit into one seat with the arm rests down as Kevin Smith did, then fine, provide the second seat free... make everyone comfortable while still paying the same price regardless of size. And when arranging seating for people of size... work that out BEFORE the passenger is on the plane seated in front of all the other passengers. Meanwhile big people, fly Jet Blue! They have bigger seats for everyone.
Anonymous4542
Explorer C
Wow, I've been a Southwest customer for years, and this is downright troubling. At the very least you have SW employees blatantly lying to paying customers, on more than one occaision. The apology seems self serving at best, and a simple attempt to cover their own butts. All I can do is promise never to fly Southwest again, which might cost me a few more bucks due to baggage fees, but it's well worth it. Anyone who hasn't listened to Kevin Smith's podcast regarding this matter should do so in stead of just relying on the PR missives from Southwest. Regardless of how they treated Mr. Smith, it's very sad they the way they treated his fellow female passenger on his final flight home. For this reason alone I'll never give SW my money again.
Anonymous2750
Explorer C
The policy doesn't seem to be evenly enforced. As a 5'8" 130lbs woman (I consider myself average but you can judge if I'm biased cause I'm big or small) I just don't think anyone needs to be humiliated like this. Is there no way to screen passengers beforehand? Or not take someone aside to warn them that next time they better buy 2 seats? If it happened to me I'd be in tears. And really calling a heavier person a security risk after 9/11 is just shameful. They aren't carrying bombs!! Plus are TALL people asked to buy an extra seat because they kick the seat in front of them every time they adjust their legs? Or is it just fat people who are fat because of their own choices? Cause you know weight couldn't possibly be affected by genetics like height.... oh wait. Seriously, the implementation of this policy needs to be addressed. I don't want to be crowded on a flight either but I'd like ANYONE sitting next to me to be treated with courtesy.
adriana
Explorer C
I would also like it if (for an added fee, of course) you could remove the arms of the people sitting next to me so that I don't have to share an arm rest. More than fat, these "arm" things spill over towards my precious, precious body. I think this would be a fitting solution, as everyone would get to where they're going, and at the end of the flight you could give them back their arms (I suppose). Everyone wins :).
Manipulated
Explorer C
LA Times doing a story about how Kevin Smith used the story about how he broke a toilet off a wall because he is so obese to promote his last movie in blogs and interviews in order to "goose" ticket sales. His new movie comes out in ten days.
Anonymous2862
Explorer C
So can we start a people who are really ugly, people who chew with their mouths open, smelly people policy??????????
Jason15
Explorer C
Your comments are good for corporate speak and trying to repair a PR nightmare. I've always liked your company and now I'm not sure about using your airlines again if I have a choice. I know everything has shades of gray, but what a bad move? Just fire the people responsible and change the policy or at least be more clear about just how fat someone can be to fly in just one seat.
Anonymous562
Explorer C
All of these people complaining about "I had to sit next to a fat person!" sound like a bunch of bigots to me.
Jay_Rey
Explorer C
The issues are being ignored here. Kevin is large and is fine with that. Not only that but he fit into his seat. He never stressed about getting a refund until after this issue (if you listen to his smodcast you learn he was mistreated before flight earlier in the day regarding tickets being used that he didn't want to and being told "he could send it in for a credit later"). The employees behavior on and off the plan was unacceptable. And what put the matter over is that almost the same thing happened to a woman on the flight home later that night and he watched it unfold. Luckily the woman wasn't removed but was told she should think about buying two seats in the future. Smith is arguing because the same incident occurring within the same two hours and puts down and strips away the dignity of individuals would seem common practice for SW to do. Like everyone and Smith said. All we want is a legit apology, and a plan for how this indecency will be avoided in the future.
Anonymous936
Explorer C
You could have at least acknowledged that your policy was not broken by Mr. Smith instead of reiterating a non-applicable policy. Everyone makes mistakes and hopefully your organization has the integrity to end this slander.
Anonymous200
Explorer C
YOUR airline is DISGUSTING. He is a human and should have been treated as so. I have seen to many people shamed by you and your employess. I will never use you again!
Anonymous4518
Explorer C
Lara: it wasn't comparing Hitler to SWA; it was comparing SWA's "justification" to Hitler's "justification." Get it right if you're going to criticize. Or perhaps you want a job with SWA PR?
Too_Tall
Explorer C
OK, forget about the fatties, I am 6'4" and the airlines need to address the issues of taller customers. Seriously, we cannot fir into the seats as well, just in a different way.
Jay_Rey
Explorer C
The issues are being ignored here. Kevin is large and is fine with that. Not only that but he fit into his seat. He never stressed about getting a refund until after this issue (if you listen to his smodcast you learn he was mistreated before flight earlier in the day regarding tickets being used that he didn't want to and being told "he could send it in for a credit later"). The employees behavior on and off the plan was unacceptable. And what put the matter over is that almost the same thing happened to a woman on the flight home later that night and he watched it unfold. Luckily the woman wasn't removed but was told she should think about buying two seats in the future. Smith is arguing because the same incident occurring within the same two hours and puts down and strips away the dignity of individuals would seem common practice for SW to do. Like everyone and Smith said. All we want is a legit apology, and a plan for how this indecency will be avoided in the future.
Anonymous208
Explorer C
YOUR airline is DISGUSTING. He is a human and should have been treated as so. I have seen to many people shamed by you and your employess. I will never use you again!
Anonymous208
Explorer C
YOUR airline is DISGUSTING. He is a human and should have been treated as so. I have seen to many people shamed by you and your employess. I will never use you again!
Joe24
Explorer C
Horrible job on the non-apology. Your policy is if the armrests fit.. and they did. Southwest already has a black eye, and now they can't do the right thing and admit an employee messed up.
You_Can_Run_But
Explorer C
Consumer Reports managing editor, Kim Kleman says there are really three standard measures to assess comfort: Seat pitch: Pitch is a term for seat-to-seat spacing from one row to the next. Generally, it's 31 to 32 inches, which isn't a lot on Southwest. Airlines that are somewhat roomier are: American: 33 inches minimum Midwest: 33- to 34-inch pitch U.S. Airways A330-300 aircraft: 33 to 34 inches in economy Delta 767 fleet: Varies from 30 inches to a more generous 33 inches. Seat width, which is the distance between two armrests. Kleman says most Southwest airline seats are 17 inches wide. To offer some perspective, the cushion width on Amtrak's long-distance trains is 23 inches with a pitch of around 51 inches. Carriers that offer more width are Midwest and JetBlue, but it depends on the kind of plane, Kleman says. Midwest’s MD-80s are 21 inches wide, and seats on the new 717s are 20.5 inches wide. Low-fare carrier JetBlue has 18.5-inch-wide seats on all its Airbus 320s. But other factors can affect comfort: the location of the seat in the airplane and your sense of spaciousness or crowdedness. Location: Kleman says if you want comfort, it is best to avoid the middle seat, or seats around the lavatory or around the galleys, some of which don't recline fully, which is a problem if the guy in front of you is leaning back. Here are some things you can do: Ask for a seat that reclines. Seats around exit rows sometimes don’t fully recline Ask for a front seat. Most airlines book a plane from the back up and lavatories are generally in the back. Ask for a window seat. If you are traveling with someone else, you should know that airlines generally book middle seats last, so your companion should get an aisle. Hopefully, the middle seat will be empty. If you, by chance, get a middle seat at the back of the plane, Kleman says though there are no guarantees, there is a chance you are going to get what you want if you just ask. Finally, Kleman advises finding out what the flight's on-time record is. She notes if you have to sit in an uncomfortable seat for a longer period of time, you are not going to be happy.
SCOTT
Explorer C
FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF KEVIN SMITH BEFORE ALL THIS. WHO IS THIS LOSER? OBVIOUSLY SOMEONE WHO WANTS "PR." I HEAR HE HAS A MOVIE COMING OUT IN A FEW WEEKS. ALL I CAN SAY IS HE IS A CELEBRITY THAT JUST WANTS ATTENTION. THIS IS SUCH A SMALL THING IN LIFE. I CAN'T BELIEVE HIS FOLLOWERS ARE EVEN SUPPORTING THIS LOSER. TO SAY THAT YOU WILL NEVER FLY SOUTHWEST AGAIN DUE TO KEVIN SMITH, YOU ARE JUST AS PATHETIC. ENJOY DRIVING 6 HOURS IN THE CAR WITH THE KIDS. I TRAVEL ON SOUTHWEST AT LEAST ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR WORK AND IF YOU HAVE EVER FLOWN ANOTHER AIRLINE, YOU WOULD NEVER LEAVE SOUTHWEST.
Anonymous231
Explorer C
Thanks to everyone who says they won't fly Southwest again. Now maybe I can get a seat on the flights with more ease. I follow Kevin Smith on Twitter and I do believe what he did was quite overboard. But hey, he got his name in the news...isn't that what it's all about? Stay classy SW.
You_Can_Run_But
Explorer C
Consumer Reports managing editor, Kim Kleman says there are really three standard measures to assess comfort: Seat pitch: Pitch is a term for seat-to-seat spacing from one row to the next. Generally, it's 31 to 32 inches, which isn't a lot on Southwest. Airlines that are somewhat roomier are: American: 33 inches minimum Midwest: 33- to 34-inch pitch U.S. Airways A330-300 aircraft: 33 to 34 inches in economy Delta 767 fleet: Varies from 30 inches to a more generous 33 inches. Seat width, which is the distance between two armrests. Kleman says most Southwest airline seats are 17 inches wide. To offer some perspective, the cushion width on Amtrak's long-distance trains is 23 inches with a pitch of around 51 inches. Carriers that offer more width are Midwest and JetBlue, but it depends on the kind of plane, Kleman says. Midwest’s MD-80s are 21 inches wide, and seats on the new 717s are 20.5 inches wide. Low-fare carrier JetBlue has 18.5-inch-wide seats on all its Airbus 320s. But other factors can affect comfort: the location of the seat in the airplane and your sense of spaciousness or crowdedness. Location: Kleman says if you want comfort, it is best to avoid the middle seat, or seats around the lavatory or around the galleys, some of which don't recline fully, which is a problem if the guy in front of you is leaning back. Here are some things you can do: Ask for a seat that reclines. Seats around exit rows sometimes don’t fully recline Ask for a front seat. Most airlines book a plane from the back up and lavatories are generally in the back. Ask for a window seat. If you are traveling with someone else, you should know that airlines generally book middle seats last, so your companion should get an aisle. Hopefully, the middle seat will be empty. If you, by chance, get a middle seat at the back of the plane, Kleman says though there are no guarantees, there is a chance you are going to get what you want if you just ask. Finally, Kleman advises finding out what the flight's on-time record is. She notes if you have to sit in an uncomfortable seat for a longer period of time, you are not going to be happy.
dennis2
Explorer B
He wants his two minutes of fame. Who cares. SW - you will do more damage to your customer base if you change rules for this guy. Heck, he knew he needed two seats..he bought them. this is just his chance to try to get noticed.
Ru1
Explorer C
While him being fat clearly wasn't the issue since he clearly passed all the "fat tests" your company has in place, this is just ridiculous bull that will cost your company quite a bit. Here is what I go from that apology: Again, the last allowed bigotry still stands. Fat people are subhuman, therefore should be allowed to be publicly scrutinized for their size, yet again, when it may not be a case of "stuffing your face" or "refusing to loose weight" as so many of this harsh comments seem to imply. "You aren't allowed on our flights because you are fat." That's quite a shame because, being a "person of size," it's nothing I can control (a thyroid problem) and I'm at my thinnest, however would still probably be ejected from you flights. It's a slippery slope before someone can claim that you discriminating against them for a medical condition such as hypothyroidism and their "size" is out of their control. Also I hope that poor girl he sat near on the flight home got her fair compensation, or does she just get passed over for being publicly embarrassed because she doesn't have a platform like Kevin Smith. That was his major beef in anyone cares to take their blinders off. That girl got treated like she was scum under someones shoe and doesn't deserve respect. But because she didn't create a giant stick, just one to push under the rug huh? And since money is the only thing that SWA seems to care about (since you thought only money was a fair compensation to Kevin Smith), maybe when your sales plummet will you take notice to this bigoted policy.
dennis2
Explorer B
He wants his two minutes of fame. Who cares. SW - you will do more damage to your customer base if you change rules for this guy. Heck, he knew he needed two seats..he bought them. this is just his chance to try to get noticed.
John_Wilson
Explorer C
This has got to be a public relations nightmare for you guys, but you keep making it worse by trying to somehow prove that as horrible as it was handled, SWA was somehow still in the 'right'. Couple of lessons for your customer service people: Trying to resolve a customer sat issue using Twitter doesn't work. You should have never even addressed it there, but rather called Mr. Smith and dealt with it person to person. The first blog was a masterpiece in how not to handle the situation - saying we are sorry, but we really weren't wrong (again before talking to him) just made the situation worse. All that accomplished was to pour gas on a raging fire. Finally you reached out in person, and it sounds like Mr. Smith was placated. But you couldn't leave well enough alone and had to publish this. Again another mea culpa that ends up with, ' but it was really his fault because we have this policy thing'. Your customer service VP must be pulling out his hair - you don't have to win; just apologize for a poorly managed situation and move on. I fly you guys all the time, but I am very disappointed in the way you handled this.
Alexander
Explorer C
Rick - While we're at it, maybe we can require everyone take a "Are you a douche-bag?" test so we can avoid having to sit with people like you. How can we impose this?
Heather14
Explorer C
For all the people so worried about the dangers posed by fat people flying, you clearly have no sense of perspective, which is really funny, considering the issue. I'm sorry you've been so inconvenienced by another human being... oh, or did you forget that that's a human being sitting next to you, and not a "tubby", a "lardo", a "fatty" or any of the other litany of dehumanizing, insulting, infantile terms I've seen around this story today? If weight and balance is a safety concern, then weigh everyone and everything that goes onto the plane and strictly enforce luggage rules. (I've seen oversized duffles carried on and tried to be shoved into overhead compartments, into underseat space, and then just held in the passengers lap... not an instrument that a seat was purchased for... a piece of carry on luggage that didn't fit and wasn't stowed.) If it's not a safety issue, and it's a matter of customer courtesy, then apply it according to that standard: other large passengers are not ejected, despite impinging on other customers, and Smith tells us that another customer was publicly humilated when there was no issue of her possibly impinging on another customer's space. This says that not only are the staff consistently rude to people (Not just Smith) but they're inconsistent with application of the policy... meaning this amounts to little more than high-school or junior high bullying. I stopped flying SWA several years ago when their application of this "25 year old policy" began to be enforced more than it had been before. It's clear that my choice to not fly with them has been a good one; their bullying tactics haven't changed. I'm just sorry to see so many people think that they should be applauded for inconsistent application of a policy that results in public humiliation of HUMAN BEINGS. Congratulations, bullies. You all suck.
Alexander
Explorer C
Rick - While we're at it, maybe we can require everyone take a "Are you a douche-bag?" test so we can avoid having to sit with people like you. How can we impose this?
Anonymous3249
Explorer C
lies lies and more lies. While linda admits southwest was wrong in private she refuses to do so in public. thay have continued to make this about mr. smith being too fat to fly and its obvious many of you here drink the kool-aid and believe it. linda and southwestern airlines should be ashamed of themselves. i and my father are frequent customers of southwest, but no more. this despite the fact that we are indeed not too fat to fly so we are your obvious customer base. i will pay more to not put another dollar in their lying coffers. shame on southwestern and shame on all of you that blindly support them without knowing the facts.
Ashley7
Explorer C
For all the people that are saying hateful things about Southwest and that you will never fly again. Why not type your name. Obviously you want to remain anonymous because your posts are ridiculous.
Shelley
Explorer C
I am a thin-as-a-rake, tiny woman probably near to the sizes of the two ladies Kevin had chosen to sit next to. I can tell you from RECENT experience on Delta's flights, that I am small enough that, if it weren't for my hips, two of me could easily fit in the same seat. I have no problem sitting next to larger people, I may be far left of the norm and there are a lot who are far right of the norm and have DISABILITIES that prevent them from losing weight - like one particular boss of mine. Like Kevin said, weight is sometimes not a choice. Now, I have a roommate who LOVES southwest. Has always flown it when she had a choice to. Raves about Southwest, has points saved, the whole gamut. I looked for Southwest on my recent trip out of the country, but unfortunately Delta beat you on a number of features for the trip to and from where I was going. I enjoyed my Delta flights mostly (Save for the fact that our reserved seats in strategic spots were somehow ignored). In the future from that point, I had hoped to try a Southwest flight. Now your Larger Sized policy doesn't tick me off - it's how the PR has been handled since then that does. This is the reason you will never have me as a customer.
Substantia_Jone
Explorer C
Why is this account contrary to the details you gave Kevin Smith in your phone conversation? Really, now. You're making a customer service mistake considerably worse by misrepresenting the facts. Is the business you may garner by pandering to sizist customers really worth the hit your already hinky reputation is now taking? Substantia Jones frequent flyer, but never again on SouthWest
Anonymous3246
Explorer C
Lame response, still trying to justify SWA's random application of random "rules". While Kevin Smith is a larger individual, you have still not addressed that he was seated with seatbelt fastened and armrests down, so he apparently fits in one seat, and that there were other larger individuals on that same flight who were not removed from the aircraft.
New_AmericanAir
Explorer C
FAIL. Southwest Airlines in the toilet. Onward to American Airlines! That's where I'm putting my $$$$$$$$$!!!
Marc1
Explorer C
Horrible job on the non-apology. Your policy is if the armrests fit.. and they did. Southwest already has a black eye, and now they can't do the right thing and admit an employee messed up. Sad, pathetic.
Anonymous2268
Explorer C
"I can't believe the audacity of some people that think that a private company (as in: not owned by the gov't) is in some way required to accommodate anyone. Southwest has the right to create policies as it sees fit. Without proof of some need for the company to accommodate a certain disability, they don't have to do anything." that is by FAR the stupidest thing I've heard today. How about because people are PAYING customers they deserve a little fair treatment. Policies are policies? Give me a break! Look I'm in customer service of sorts and I know how bad customers can get but it is their JOB to be courteous. They knew the fat policy was bull for Mr. Smith but they enforced it anyway, completely and utterly humilliated him and then tried to pay back his dignity with a $100 dollars! Not to even mention the other customer (the girl) who was humilliated as well FOR NO REASON! Let me ask you, how much is your dignity worth? I sure hope for much, much more.
Nikki7
Explorer C
"most people should be required to run a mile in under 15 minutes to fly southwest" .. funny, Rick. I personally can't run a mile in under fifteen minutes due to a disabilities. I guess that means I'm "too disabled to fly".. Personally I think a person with a shoulder width greater than 17 inches needs to buy two seats, cause I'm sick of having elbows wars with my fellow passengers, never mind if I'm sat own between two men, I somehow lose the right to my seat space. I'm a board shouldered gal, and not so into getting all touchy feely with strangers. 17 inches sounds big, but when you say a foot and smidge above half a foot, it's not a lot.
Anonymous1924
Explorer C
For all those commenting about how SWA was justified in booting Mr. Smith, you keep overlooking the main facts of this whole situation. HE WAS SEATED, BUCKLED W/O AN EXTENDER, AND SHOWED THEM HE COULD LOWER THE ARMRESTS. So stop with all the "thanks for ensuring the comfort of all us normal people." It would be reasonable if he was lodged in his seat and could only fit if they had a giant shoehorn. Yes he is overweight, he confesses FAT. But come on people. Use some intelligence. If an employee starts blaming somebody else for a decision, and then stammers when confronted, there is something wrong. If the pilot really did kick him off the plane, why did Suzanne quickly backpeddle and was unable to make a coherent sentence? He was chosen for whatever reason, we may never know. Maybe it was like they said and since he was the last one on, they needed to make room for an even bigger person to have two seats. Maybe the employee at the bulkhead didn't like him because of his movies or because he saw him as obese, who knows. I've lisetened to Kevins podcast and read the releases from SWA. In my opinion, SWA screwed up and instead of telling him the real reason, the employee on the scene was trying to justify their actions with the "you're too fat for one seat, we're booked so get off." Just admit you were wrong SWA and move on. That's all he wants. For you to admit he wasn't too fat to fly and didn't justify getting kicked from the flight. If you can't do that, then take his challenge. 10K to your charity on Leno if he doesn't fit in your seat.
SoCalMan
Explorer C
So much to say: 1) Christi Day, your "Emerging" Media Specialist needs to do a better job with old-school PR. Her blog only added fuel to a fire started by SWA. Probably in response to Mr. Smith ruining her evening at the bar, as evidenced by her use of emerging media to track her plans via her personal Twitter feed. 2) SWA continues to hide behind the "Safety" (meaning "too fat too fly") argument, when it seems Mr. Smith fit within your guidelines. 3) It is quite obvious Suzanne in OAK is doing everything she can to cover up that she made some very rookie mistakes, all in an effort to keep her job. The first start for all of your employees should be sensitivity training.
Anonymous2268
Explorer C
"I can't believe the audacity of some people that think that a private company (as in: not owned by the gov't) is in some way required to accommodate anyone. Southwest has the right to create policies as it sees fit. Without proof of some need for the company to accommodate a certain disability, they don't have to do anything." that is by FAR the stupidest thing I've heard today. How about because people are PAYING customers they deserve a little fair treatment. Policies are policies? Give me a break! Look I'm in customer service of sorts and I know how bad customers can get but it is their JOB to be courteous. They knew the fat policy was bull for Mr. Smith but they enforced it anyway, completely and utterly humilliated him and then tried to pay back his dignity with a $100 dollars! Not to even mention the other customer (the girl) who was humilliated as well FOR NO REASON! Let me ask you, how much is your dignity worth? I sure hope for much, much more.
AHITT
Explorer C
Southwest's PR spin is way too little too late. You should have re-evaluated your "kick 'em off the plane" policies after you booted Kyla Ebbert off several years ago. The way Southwest treats its passengers (ALL of its passengers) speaks volumes about what its like to fly your airline.
Sandra_Smith
Explorer C
The actions take toward Kevin Smith by SouthWest Airline was appauling and disgusting. If the airline has this policy it should be handled before a person boards the plane and is seated. He did not fit the criteria to be removed from the plane since he was able to lower the arm rest and buckle his belt without an extension. This was intentional humilation on the part of the airline and they were successful. Mr. Smith was escorted off of the plane like criminal or a sub human that did not deserve any respect simply because of his weight. I was extremely appauled when I read an article on this incident and then listened to Mr. Smith's pod cast. For those ppl that applaud the airline would you have the same attitude if this had been an african american being removed because they were black? This is discrimination yet ppl are agreeing with it and agreeing with this disguting behavior by the airline employees, which makes me even more sick. Adults have become school children chanting fatty fatty, and four eyes at ppl who wear glasses. This type of behavior is not only disturbing but it is appauling that it is encouraged and accepted as appropriate society behavior. As far as I am concerned I will never fly this air line and I will encourage all of my family and friends to not use it as well. An apology can never undo what occured nor the humilation that followed Mr. Smith as he was removed from your plane. If airlines were as willing to profile a could be terrorist like they do over weight ppl then air planes would be safer forms of transportation. Your air line is so concerned about safety but yet "shoe bombers" and "under wear bombers" are seated without question because they are slender. Simply amazing that the priorties of the air lines are centered on over weight ppl rather than real issues of safety. Personally I would feel safer on a plane filled with overweight ppl because to date not one terrorist has been fat they have all been slender. Get your priorities straight before your only passengers are the pilot, co-pilot, and the crew.
Dave_in_Vermont
Explorer C
Weaksauce Linda. Weak. Sauce.
Anonymous3241
Explorer C
Will you be changing your slogan? Why not just tell the whole truth? Stop tying to imply that your two seat policy had anything to do with removing Mr. Smith from his flight. "Southwest Cares: Doing the Right Thing It’s not just a slogan at Southwest Airlines; it is our way of life. Southwest honors our Customers’ patronage by doing the right thing for them - providing safe, comfortable, and reliable air transportation".
Anonymous1660
Explorer C
As repeatedly demonstrated by SW Airlines, apology and self-righteous justification just don't mix. This is becoming painful to watch. I hope this apology phobia stems from fear of mass legal recourse and not simple pigheaded stupidity. A simple "We're sorry. Our bad. It won't happen again." could've turned this PR disaster into one narrowly averted and a potentially costly lesson learned cheap. It's not too late, but SW seem decided on following the road to ruin on this issue.
Anonymous1584
Explorer C
Southwest sucks. I hope they go under. They've had two chances to tell us the full truth and offer a sincere apology- but they prefer to behave like weasels.
Anonymous3241
Explorer C
Will you be changing your slogan? Why not just tell the whole truth? Stop trying to imply that your two seat policy had anything to do with removing Mr. Smith from his flight. "Southwest Cares: Doing the Right Thing It’s not just a slogan at Southwest Airlines; it is our way of life. Southwest honors our Customers’ patronage by doing the right thing for them - providing safe, comfortable, and reliable air transportation". Apologies if this posted twice.
Anonymous1843
Explorer C
Facts can change opinions. Opinions cannot change facts. For the FACTS, click here: http://tinyurl.com/yjczw4f