Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

Not So Silent Bob

cday
Frequent Flyer C

Many of you reached out to us via Twitter last night and today regarding a situation a Customer Twittered about that occurred on a Southwest flight.  It is not our customary method of Customer Relations to be so public in how we work through these situations, but with so many people involved in the occurrence, you also should be involved in the solution. First and foremost, to Mr. Smith; we would like to echo our Tweets and again offer our heartfelt apologies to you.   We are sincerely sorry for your travel experience on Southwest Airlines. 

As soon as we saw the first Tweet from Mr. Smith, we contacted him personally to apologize for his experience and to address his concerns on both Twitter and with a personal phone call. Since the situation has received a lot of public attention, we'd like to take the opportunity to address a few of the specifics here as well.

Mr. Smith originally purchased two Southwest seats on a flight from Oakland to Burbank – as he’s been known to do when traveling on Southwest.  He decided to change his plans and board an earlier flight to Burbank, which technically means flying standby. As you may know, airlines are not able to clear standby passengers until all Customers are boarded. When the time came to board Mr. Smith, we had only a single seat available for him to occupy. We are responsible for the Safety and comfort of all Customers on the aircraft and therefore, we made a judgment call that Mr. Smith needed more than one seat to complete his flight. Our Employees explained why the decision was made, accommodated Mr. Smith on a later flight, and issued him a $100 Southwest travel voucher for his inconvenience.

You've read about these situations before. Southwest instituted our Customer of Size policy more than 25 years ago. The policy requires passengers that can not fit safely and comfortably in one seat to purchase an additional seat while traveling. This policy is not unique to Southwest Airlines and it is not a revenue generator. Most, if not all, carriers have similar policies, but unique to Southwest is the refunding of the second seat purchased (if the flight does not oversell) which is greater than any revenue made (full policy can be found here). The spirit of this policy is based solely on Customer comfort and Safety. As a Company committed to serving our Customers in Safety and comfort, we feel the definitive boundary between seats is the armrest. If a Customer cannot comfortably lower the armrest and infringes on a portion of another seat, a Customer seated adjacent would be very uncomfortable and a timely exit from the aircraft in the event of an emergency might be compromised if we allow a cramped, restricted seating arrangement.

1,758 Comments
big_and_beautif
Explorer C
time for sensitivity training,huh? perhaps a slide show of various heavy set people ( faces can be blurred ) with height and weight listings, with these questions to be answered by cockpit crews,ticket counter staff,gate agents and cabin attendants: Is this passenger overweight? Do they need to purchase an additional seat? How can you tell by looking at them standing up, what they'll be like sitting down? Then, do you remember years ago,in the waiting area,there was a display of a suitcase ( just a steel frame outline ) that asked you to see if your suitcase was too large to fit in the overhead bin,by sliding it in? perhaps there could be a mock up of a row of seats-with armrests and safety belts-for any 'questionable' passengers to test out? it could be secluded or behind a curtain for privacy.this way EVERYONE would know BEFORE boarding.until that occurs,it'll remain in the eyes of the beholder: one employee says you're ok, another employee gives you the heave ho.its this inconsistency that causes this situation.
Kent4
Explorer C
Never again will I fly southwest. I suppose you don't hire fat pilots either.
Kevin_Nassery
Explorer C
The only people supporting Southwest seem to be saying it's okay to be rude to Kevin because he's fat. Southwest should fire the people who made the decision to yank Kevin.
Kent4
Explorer C
Never again will I fly southwest. I suppose you don't hire fat pilots either.
Bill16
Explorer C
As recently as TODAY traveling on Southwest from California I found myself sitting next to an oversized Fat Ass whose sweaty festoons of flab spilled over into my seat and over me like warm bread dough. Naturally the flight was FULL - and I had just surrendered my early-board window seat way the back to a mother traveling with 3 kids plus a screaming baby so they could all sit in the same row (…don’t get me started – that’s a WHOLE other story…). Back to the F.A. – after all the seat shuffling the only place left for me was (you guessed it) in a middle seat next to Jabba. This guy obviously needed to pay for 2 seats (maybe three so he and all others could be comfortable!) Alas – no brave Southwest pilot came to my aid to shuffle this monster off the plane (whatever happened to weight and balance calculations?) and I was forced to use this guys gut as an armrest for 4 hours. Should I have asked for a refund of half my ticket price since I was only able to use half my seat?? Fat travelers aren’t just a Southwest Airlines problem – it is an entire airline industry problem – and Kevin Smith appears to be just another F.A. with a big mouth. Keep up the good work Southwest - and make these “customers of size” pay for their space… or just boot their aisle-blocking, emergency exit-plugging, peanuts-in-the-mouth-stuffing butts off the plane altogether.
Charlene1
Explorer C
I feel like your seats are getting smaller, and so is your budget, not only is a money making generator but your pilot should be fired. I've already cancelled two flights because of this and am asking my company to stop sending me on southwest for business. I'm done with your unprofessionalism and jackass comments, this is no way to treat anyone, much less a respected actor/producer. Wait til Ben Affleck finds out!
Anonymous1626
Explorer C
This got to be the most arrogant and self-rightgeous airline in the world... Go Kevin! I love you, man!
Anonymous4078
Explorer C
I've flown Southwest only one time: Christmas 2009 from San Jose, CA to Reno NV and back. It was a lot better than my previous flying experience many years ago when the Delta Airlines pilot, taxiing (sp?) to get onto the runway, left the pavement with the plane and got us stuck in the mud. The many hours of delays in Jackson, Mississippi and arranging flights the NEXT day in Jackson caused me to miss my step-brother's memorial service. Because of this and all the so-called security measures, I made it a point NOT to fly anywhere if I could avoid it. No real apology from Delta was ever extended so I'll never fly Delta again if there is an alternative. Anyway, enough background and now to the matter hat hand ... I finally relented somewhat and chose SWA to fly on my Christmas holiday. That was largely because of their "bags fly free" policy vis-a-vis how other airlines are ripping off customers. If I was married ... oops ... wrong kind of bag. As I said, I had a good experience on the SWA flight. Dealing with things in the airport is still a p.i.t.a. To the issue at hand, from what I have gleaned from the original story, or at least the version I have read and discussion thereof, the captain has the final say as to whether you get bumped off the flight or not. Maybe there should be some objective criteria here, not just how the captain feels. As to how many tickets were bought and whether he was on standby status or not, this is relatively immaterial. If SWA felt the need to apologize after many people brought this issue to light, SWA should have apologized before many people brought this to light. Better yet, this customer should have been treated with dignity and respect and not booted off of the plane because the captain "felt" the customer was too large. It seems as though the apology was just corporate spin control. God knows, companies NEVER EVER do this. Yeah, right. In conclusion, I don't exactly have any sympathy for SWA in this case. They put themselves in a no-win situation. While SWA and other corporatons may have their policies and such, that does not make it right. My sympathies are going to the customer that was treated so poorly. I will not boycott SWA for this (this does not rise to the standard that caused me to avoid Delta), but I certainly hope things like this do not happen again. OK, I'm an optimist. PJ
Jenna_Lee
Explorer C
Wow. How absolutely ridiculous. Southwest had no problem taking his money for the two seats he bought. This is another example of Corporate America trying to micromanage their customer base. I am not overweight, but I will never fly SWA again, and neither will my son or any of my family members...Today, it's people who are overweight...then it will be people of a certain race or ethnicity....or perhaps they will decide you're too THIN to fly, cabin pressure and all, you know. So what if nobody flies SWA and they won't have to worry about taking off at all! So customers. No safety risks! Boycott these bastards.
Anonymous1516
Explorer C
Pathetic. This is a sorry excuse for your lack of costumer service and courtesy. He was already seated. If you anything about Kevin Smith is that he doesn't make excuses for himself. Who do you think we are going to believe a corporate machine that is trying to avoid a lawsuit or him? I work evaluating customer service, this is just outrageous, and what's worse it happened twice in the lapse of 2 hours. What's your excuse on that? Especially since you claim in your policy that you only ask passengers to buy additional tickets if the flight is packed and there are no free seats? This lady was seating next to Kevin with a FREE seat between them! What the hell is the matter with you?! That is not acceptable and I hope this company suffers for this stupidity, you've earned what's coming to you. We heard of this because he actually has a platform to let his voice be heard but how many people have you treated this way? How many have suffered worse humiliations without being able to even receive an apology. This is not the first time Southwest hast made the headlines for this type of behavior. You should have learned your lesson by now. This is NOT how you treat people, ESPECIALLY if they are your paying customers!
Anonymous1516
Explorer C
Pathetic. This is a sorry excuse for your lack of costumer service and courtesy. He was already seated. If you anything about Kevin Smith is that he doesn't make excuses for himself. Who do you think we are going to believe a corporate machine that is trying to avoid a lawsuit or him? I work evaluating customer service, this is just outrageous, and what's worse it happened twice in the lapse of 2 hours. What's your excuse on that? Especially since you claim in your policy that you only ask passengers to buy additional tickets if the flight is packed and there are no free seats? This lady was seating next to Kevin with a FREE seat between them! What the hell is the matter with you?! That is not acceptable and I hope this company suffers for this stupidity, you've earned what's coming to you. We heard of this because he actually has a platform to let his voice be heard but how many people have you treated this way? How many have suffered worse humiliations without being able to even receive an apology. This is not the first time Southwest hast made the headlines for this type of behavior. You should have learned your lesson by now. This is NOT how you treat people, ESPECIALLY if they are your paying customers!
Anonymous4078
Explorer C
I've flown Southwest only one time: Christmas 2009 from San Jose, CA to Reno NV and back. It was a lot better than my previous flying experience many years ago when the DeXXa Airlines pilot, taxiing (sp?) to get onto the runway, left the pavement with the plane and got us stuck in the mud. The many hours of delays in Jackson, Mississippi and arranging flights the NEXT day in Jackson caused me to miss my step-brother's memorial service. Because of this and all the so-called security measures, I made it a point NOT to fly anywhere if I could avoid it. No real apology from DeXXa was ever extended so I'll never fly DeXXa again if there is an alternative. Anyway, enough background and now to the matter at hand ... I finally relented somewhat and chose SWA to fly on my Christmas holiday. That was largely because of their "bags fly free" policy compared to how other airlines are ripping off customers. If I was married ... oops ... wrong kind of bag. As I said, I had a good experience on the SWA flight. Dealing with things in the airport is still a p.i.t.a. To the issue at hand, from what I have gleaned from the original story, or at least the version I have read and discussion thereof, the captain has the final say as to whether you get bumped off the flight or not. Maybe there should be some objective criteria here, not just how the captain feels. As to how many tickets were bought and whether he was on standby status or not, this is relatively immaterial. If SWA felt the need to apologize after many people brought this issue to light, SWA should have apologized before many people brought this to light. Better yet, this customer should have been treated with dignity and respect and not booted off of the plane because the captain "felt" the customer was too large. It seems as though the apology was just corporate spin control. God knows, companies NEVER EVER do this. Yeah, right. In conclusion, I don't exactly have any sympathy for SWA in this case. They put themselves in a no-win situation. While SWA and other corporations may have their policies and such, that does not make it right. My sympathies are going to the customer that was treated so poorly. I will not boycott SWA for this (this does not rise to the standard that caused me to avoid Delta ... OK, OK this situation did ont affect me personally ... if it is regular on SWA's part, that's a different story), but I certainly hope things like this do not happen again. OK, I'm an optimist. PJ
Anonymous2227
Explorer C
Southwest is the worst and should be ashamed of itself for humiliating yet another passenger! Had this fellow not had the ability to complain loudly, this event would have fallen by the wayside. I plan to move my personal and company business to a different airline.
Anonymous1961
Explorer C
Southwest is still forgetting that there are often 2 or 3 people affected by letting a "Customer of Size" to sit in a single seat. I've been stuck, squashed and forced to sit next to over weight, often smelly passengers on numerous occasions on various airlines. I can't stand it. I don't care what these people say, just getting the armrest down doesn't depict their true space. It's like putting on a belt, all that excess body fat is just going to move somewhere else, usually over the top of the arm rest and onto the next seat, which would be where the innocent victims of the "customer of size" can be found. These people either need to buy two seats or they can take a bus. Sorry to say this, but I don't understand WHY Southwest would EVER issue a refund for a "customer of size" regarding the second seat. There is a big difference in cost between flying a 110 pound woman and a 440 pound "customer of size". We know it costs more in fuel to fly the "customer of size" than a smaller woman, so why should we both pay the same rate? You do it with luggage, and even mail, so why not for customers as well. Charge by the pound and call it a day.
Anonymous3302
Explorer C
Lets get him on celebrity fit club so we will never have to listen to this BS again. Good for SW I'm glad that you took into consideration other peoples safety. If this fatty can pay extra for all the extra food he likes to consume no problem just dont complain when you have to pay extra for a seat. No one wants to sit next to a seated muffin top that spills over.
Marrie
Explorer C
I have been heavy since 3rd grade and did the yoyo dieting for most of my life. At age 45 I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem, which began, surprise, in 3rd grade. I understand not wanting to sit next to somebody who is heavy, but Please stop saying it's a Lifestyle Choice. I have been on thyroid medicine for a year and have already dropped 25 lbs. Until all causes of obesity is known, one should not ass'u'me it's Lifestyle! None of us chose our genetics, yet we should be discriminated and punished for them?
Deb_LO
Explorer C
Southwest--you owe no one an apology. I have sat by many a large person on a plane, and have had to share the seat that I paid for. It is uncomfortable and awkward to be forced to be in phyical contact with a total stranger's body--obese or otherwise, for that matter. Even when the armrests CAN be put into place, there is much spill-over. So when the armrests CAN'T be put down, the rights of the other customers must be protected. I know it's got to be difficult to be large and try to fit into a seat, but common courtesy would require one to be considerate of one's seatmates, you would think.
Deb_LO
Explorer C
Southwest--you owe no one an apology. I have sat by many a large person on a plane, and have had to share the seat that I paid for. It is uncomfortable and awkward to be forced to be in phyical contact with a total stranger's body--obese or otherwise, for that matter. Even when the armrests CAN be put into place, there is much spill-over. So when the armrests CAN'T be put down, the rights of the other customers must be protected. I know it's got to be difficult to be large and try to fit into a seat, but common courtesy would require one to be considerate of one's seatmates, you would think.
Deb_LO
Explorer C
Southwest--you owe no one an apology. I have sat by many a large person on a plane, and have had to share the seat that I paid for. It is uncomfortable and awkward to be forced to be in phyical contact with a total stranger's body--obese or otherwise, for that matter. Even when the armrests CAN be put into place, there is much spill-over. So when the armrests CAN'T be put down, the rights of the other customers must be protected. I know it's got to be difficult to be large and try to fit into a seat, but common courtesy would require one to be considerate of one's seatmates, you would think.
Deb_LO
Explorer C
Southwest--you owe no one an apology. I have sat by many a large person on a plane, and have had to share the seat that I paid for. It is uncomfortable and awkward to be forced to be in phyical contact with a total stranger's body--obese or otherwise, for that matter. Even when the armrests CAN be put into place, there is much spill-over. So when the armrests CAN'T be put down, the rights of the other customers must be protected. I know it's got to be difficult to be large and try to fit into a seat, but common courtesy would require one to be considerate of one's seatmates, you would think.
Deb_LO
Explorer C
Southwest--you owe no one an apology. I have sat by many a large person on a plane, and have had to share the seat that I paid for. It is uncomfortable and awkward to be forced to be in phyical contact with a total stranger's body--obese or otherwise, for that matter. Even when the armrests CAN be put into place, there is much spill-over. So when the armrests CAN'T be put down, the rights of the other customers must be protected. I know it's got to be difficult to be large and try to fit into a seat, but common courtesy would require one to be considerate of one's seatmates, you would think.
Deb_LO
Explorer C
Southwest--you owe no one an apology. I have sat by many a large person on a plane, and have had to share the seat that I paid for. It is uncomfortable and awkward to be forced to be in phyical contact with a total stranger's body--obese or otherwise, for that matter. Even when the armrests CAN be put into place, there is much spill-over. So when the armrests CAN'T be put down, the rights of the other customers must be protected. I know it's got to be difficult to be large and try to fit into a seat, but common courtesy would require one to be considerate of one's seatmates, you would think.
NotThatFatYet
Explorer C
Southwest's explanation for Silent Bob's ejection from the airplane is logical and reasonable. The reporting I've seen neglected to mention that he usually buys two tickets on Southwest to accomodate his girth and that he switched to another flight on stand-by resulting in his being placed in a single seat instead of two. On the other hand, the man is a comedian by profession and will inflate these matters with profanity and self-deprecating humor to get laughs and publicity. So what? Cut 'em both a break - Southwest and Silent Bob. This is just one of those little conflicts that come up from time to time and make reading the news fun. Let's see the humor in this and move on.
SeattleKnows
Explorer C
I completely disagree with your need to apologize to Mr. Smith. I am so sick and tired of sitting next to people on your planes who feel they have the right to share my seat due to their weight you have no idea. I sure haven't received any apology from your airline about that. The fact that he purchased two seats should have required you kept him off a plane that only had one seat for him to try to sit in - there should be no "stand by" in these situations. My opinion is that you only made this situation worse by apologizing to someone who can't fit in one of your seats - demanding he has the right to do just that! Talk about NUTS! The next time I am confronted by my seat partner not fitting in the seat next to me I'm getting off your plane and demand they be removed - HWP sized people have rights too!
Anonymous2012
Explorer C
He was not booted from the flight for being too fat and you know it. http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=393
Larry_Kilbride
Explorer C
Thanks for making it easier to choose an airline to fly. I no longer have to look at such a rude company. One less schedule to search when I am planning a trip..
Brandon7
Explorer C
I applaud SouthWest airlines for removing Kevin Smith from that flight! Why should I have to sit next to someone like that! I am not small (6'5" 220 lbs) and I work at not being fat. People DO NOT have the right to flow over into my space when I am in my seat. Childish entitlement! I fly Southwest and will continue to fly/support Southwest because they are defending MY rights/freedoms. Thank You SW!
big_ben
Explorer C
if,as you say, the captain makes the final determination on who should be 'off loaded' from a flight,then may i suggest that all passengers line up in the waiting area BEFORE BOARDING begins-and have the pilots inspect them-by walking from the first person the the last,sizing them up,nodding their heads,rolling their eyes,muttering tsk tsk so that EVERYONE gets a scrutinizing feeling,as they fear getting called out and kicked off of the flight they paid for.
Anonymous3370
Explorer C
I'm fat and have RT tickets purhcased for next week. Are you telling me that unless I purchase another seat now that I am going to be publically humiliated? Is so, can I get a refund on my nonrefundable tickets so I can fly another airline and avoid your complimentary humiliation?
Anonymous1648
Explorer C
what apology are you talking about? i don't see one hear! I'm never flying with your airline again.
John_Doe_Report
Explorer C
I am already making the T-shirts for Comic-Con. Boycott Southwest... Wait till this hits the nerd blogs... How much advertising is this going to cost you.... Your people are like 80 IQ Nazis. I haven't flown on SW since 2008 because of your service.
Psfarrow
Explorer C
Hmm - 17" (unless you're against a bulkhead - then you're out of luck) and you're thinking of narrowing it, I hear. Sorry, while I can understand that people sitting next to a large person are really inconvenienced, I don't blame them, I blame you Southwest. The seats are too narrow, even for a thin person. I always feel like I'm in a cattle car when I fly.
Anonymous3965
Explorer C
Wow what a joke this airline is. not only do you have your facts wrong in that Kevin requires two seats because he clearly DOESN'T and if you listened to him at all you would know that he always purchases two seats because he just doesn't want to sit next to someone else on the plane not because he doesn't fit into the seat. Also you left out the fact that earlier he had flown in ONE seat on the same airline not to mention that he had actually purchased THREE seats because he was meant to be flying with his wife so they bought the whole role and then at the airline he only wanted 2 seats because he didn't nede the 3rd one and the airline girl issued him 3 seats anyway effectively robbing him of $100 which happened AGAIN when he switched to the earlier flight where this incident happened. You state that Kevin was given a $100 gift voucher. Not only is this a ridiculous attempt at an apologoy but you failed to even mention to Kevin DIDN'T TAKE THE VOUCHER HE REFUSED IT so stop lying out of your arses. And really after PUBLICLY humiliating a person in front of 200 passengers and then making him wait for 10 minutes in the hallway you really think $100 is a 'good compensation' what a joke of an airline! The disgusting thing is that this has only come to light because it happened to be Kevin who it happened to and he is not even that fat when you look at todays society. I hate to think how many poor people have been treated this way. In fact on the flight that he eventuallyed boarded because he had no choice (and took up one seat i might add) the SAME THING happened to a girl sitting in the same row as him when there was an EMPTY seat between them and she was buckled in with the arm rests down. She was taken off the plane and told she should be buying two seats (and not in a pleasent manner either) when there was plenty of room on the plane and a SPARE seat for crying out loud so there was NO reason for this flight attendent to have this conversation other than to be a complete bitch. I'll be sure to tell everyone I know ontop of all of Kevin's comments about what a disgrace this airline is.
devilsgoddess
Explorer C
This is the most terrible thing I have ever read. Being a social worker and to think if you did that to a teen or a female with depression you can cause depression. I am glad that Kevin Smith did this and your company deserves this. Because Kevin Smith has vocals and fans but those teens and any other person would have to deal with it...and possibly cause them more issues in their life for you to gain more monetary value. The only reason your sorry is because you are caught in a turmoil your not sorry your worried about your money. I hope this will change your ways. P.S. People will agree but those are insincere, un- compassionate people...some people can not help the way they look and your company nor any other person has the right to judge another. You have lost my business and in all my sites I will make sure to show the horrendous act of inhumanity and the most horrible customer service ever known. I am glad you were caught and your only sorry if you reinburse all the poor people you have put through humility through your airlines. I will never fly your airline again!
Anonymous4119
Explorer C
Someone stated that the average width of an economy/coach seat is 17.5 inches. That means if your hips are more than about 35-36" around, you too are a person of size. Has anyone even ONCE suggested that southwest give its passengers of ALL SIZES a little more breathing room? No. Because that would involve Southwest spending money, which they don't want to do. It's abundantly clear they don't even want to hire experienced, professional public relations officers.
Cole
Explorer C
I find it so odd that so many small thin people are talkiing about how uncomfortable it is to have fat people spilling over into their seating area. Next time you are on a loaded airplane and go to the bathroom take a look. No normal sized male adult., thin or fat, does not encroach into the seat next to him, Period!. These seats are way too close together. Why don't the airlines have seats of varying widths, and sell seating accordingly. I really think it has gone way to far to expect people to fit into the seating arrangements they currently have. I am 6' 1" tall, and muscular. My knees are mashed into the seat in front of me and my shoulders lap half way into the seat next to me. I just don't fly anymore unless there is no choice. It looks like air travel is for little people. I am thinking that some airlines might start offering premium seating for larger people. (not double)
Anonymous698
Explorer C
One of the great things about being a US citizen is the continuing right of fighting to be free of all forms of discrimination. This is the latest form of discrimination. I hope that Kevin Smith has his high powered attorneys sue your corporation for blatant discrimination, because he has the means and the forum (the average citizen doesn't possess) to fight your discriminatory poilicies. Your explanation of protecting customer comfort is disingenuous at best. I had to sit next to a man with a 2 year old child in his lap on a SW flight. The child bumped and hit me constantly during the flight. I didn't see anyone stopping this man from flying with his "extra weight" on a completely full flight. The child was not strapped in on take off or landing. Why isn't THAT a safety concern? If weight is a concern, what about the 6'5 guy that weighs 225 lbs, but it consists of muscle? Is that a safety risk because he is too heavy? And what about the leg room issue? What about people not being able to have enough leg room and they get blood clots? Your company is making a big mistake in this area. The issue is continuing to become a hotbed of debate. It's best that you reverse your policies for your own protection because you will continued to be sued until there is legislation passed protecting the rights of this class of people. Be the good guys, get some good publicity and be ahead of the curve. REVERSE your discriminatory policies!!!
Anonymous2657
Explorer C
LOL @ Southwest's pathetic planting attempts. You can't troll the trollers.
Seattle_Raven
Explorer C
It's a moot point whether he was too fat or not--although I don't think he was by your stated rules--the point is, you shouldn't have let him on the plane and THEN kicked him off. Shame on you for embarrassing a paying customer. I shudder to think of how often this has happened to other people who just took it silently. This joke of an apology is yet another reason I won't fly SW again.
Anonymous232
Explorer C
I can't feel sorry for a bunch of cheap f*ckers who can't see that the trade-off of NOT PAYING FOR SERVICE is NOT GETTING SERVICE. Stupid fat-@sses who clearly can't do the math. Enjoy flying with a more expensive airline - no, really, ENJOY it - it's what you will be paying for.
Anonymous3840
Explorer C
southworst, duh
Anonymous2689
Explorer C
hey southwest, how about you be as hip and groovy like you think you are and maybe make your seats bigger? you don't have to be fat to be uncomfortable in an airline seat, but you guys certainly need a bigger building to house your ego. flying today is like being packed into a catlle car on a train and whatever fun and romance to be had is long gone. if i had the money i wouldn't only buy two seats but i'd buy as many seats on the plane as possiblejust to keep you freaks out of my face. good luck, southwest, because your corporate clownishness has hit the fan. dopes.
Anonymous1808
Explorer C
Your company is a disgrace. I just listened to Kevin Smith's SModcast and I will NEVER use your airline again. I will further more go out of my way from this point forward and spread the word to everyone I know to join me in boycotting your airline. What was done to Kevin Smith was not only wrong and embarrassing, but it was also completely uncalled for. Then when you made an ill attempt at an apology, you shockingly tried to place the blame on him when in fact the blame is solely yours. What's all the more disturbing is that this kind of cruel and inexcusable behavior on your part, seems to be an altogether regular occurrence at southwest. Shame on you southwest. You need to get your act together because you just lost yourself a lot of customers.
Anonymous1808
Explorer C
Your company is a disgrace. I just listened to Kevin Smith's SModcast and I will NEVER use your airline again. I will further more go out of my way from this point forward and spread the word to everyone I know to join me in boycotting your airline. What was done to Kevin Smith was not only wrong and embarrassing, but it was also completely uncalled for. Then when you made an ill attempt at an apology, you shockingly tried to place the blame on him when in fact the blame is solely yours. What's all the more disturbing is that this kind of cruel and inexcusable behavior on your part, seems to be an altogether regular occurrence at southwest. Shame on you southwest. You need to get your act together because you just lost yourself a lot of customers.
Anonymous4368
Explorer C
I applaud SWA for there decision to remove Mr Smith. At no time should ANY person have to sacrifice their rights to comfort just because someone else right are "supposedly" being infringed on because they are FAT! Umm... The person next to fatty paid for a ticket and their comfort just like Fatty did... I wish ALL airlines were as concerned for their passengers comfort as SWA were... I wonder what his fat ass would do in an economy seat in Europe or Southern hemisphere where the seats ARE narrower... Thumbs up SWA!!! Thumbs down Fatty... go cry a river... oh and while your at it, dont eat so much food, and maybe try some exercise...
Will_it_play_in
Explorer C
I was on an American Airlines flight a few years back to Chicago when just before taking off an empty middle seat was taken by a standby passenger who was very overweight. I believe he was at least 300 pounds. I always book and aisle seat to allow me to get off flights much faster and clear customs. I noticed the passenger next to the window immediately slammed down there arm rest as if they new a problem was coming. Both my armrests were already down. I got up just to let this person get seated. To my surprise this person could not seat in between the armrests but then started bouncing up and down to wedge his body in between the armrests in the down position. It took about four or five attempts until his body pushed the arm rests slightly outward as his body spread around the armrests about 4 or five inches. I could not believe this passenger could even be comfortable with the armrests on each side wedged into his body. He sat in this seat the whole 1 hour and 45 minute flight to the next stop. I leaned in my seat toward the aisle the whole way to try to keep my body from having to touch his body which was extending around the armrest. I am over 6 feet tall and around 200 pounds and live in Peoria Illinois. After seeing this extreme situation I now can understand both sides of the situation and believe if this person cannot sit in a normal airline passenger seat, which I understand is approximately 17 inches across, then they need to be required to purchase two seats together or have to wait until another flight is available which has two open seats next to each other to travel to their destination. Thus, I cannot know which side is correct until I see if this celebrity can actually sit in a normal airline seat without extending is body beyond the armrests. If his body does extend beyond the armrests into the other passengers space then I agree with airline position that he needs to purchase two seats together.
Anonymous618
Explorer C
Well done, Southwest -- stick to your guns. Seems a fair and consistent approach, regardless Mr. Smith's celebrity status. The broader issue (no pun intended) is this: Mr. Smith is fat and takes up more than 1 seat. If he can't fit in one seat, he needs to buy two tix, or get off the plane. What's to debate here? Throw his bloated Hollywood arse off the next plane, and keep doing what you do best: run an efficient, dependable, customer-centric, discount airline.
Mike_St_Pierre
Explorer C
Kevin, you should try to lose some weight, you will be a healthier person, live longer, and able to produce more good movies, enjoy life more, and create less trouble for the people around you because of your weight. If you just lose some weight, everyone will be happier, including you.
Anonymous1603
Explorer C
I really hope this hurts you financially. I shall certainly never fly on your airline again. You have a way for people to make sure their carry on luggage is not too big BEFORE they get on the plane, but humiliate people who have already been seated by kicking them off? Shame on you.
Anonymous2079
Explorer C
Yes, SWA has the right to deny him a seat on any flight for any reason. Yes, the pilot has the right to make a subjective call. Yes, they had the right to kick him off the plane. However, just because they have that privilege doesn't mean they should use it without good reason. If they had good reason, they wouldn't have needed to offer him a voucher for his inconvenience. If they had a good reason, they wouldn't have let him on the plane in the first place. You are right by saying they have the right. However, they certainly did not use it in the manner it was meant for. If they were truly right, there would be no need to apologize to him, and there would be no need to offer him a $100 voucher. An innocent man doesn't need to pay off the judge and say he is sorry to the victim's family, he just needs to say he is innocent. SWA obviously knows they are in the wrong, and are trying to make Kevin Smith look bad in doing so. 2 Fat 2 Fly