I think the question isn't whether Smith's too fat to fit in the seat per Southwest's policy re: armrests (and I think it's a good policy, for the record--I'm claustrophobic enough on planes as it is)--the question is whether your employees have been trained to handle this kind of situation in a courteous and dignified manner. Did they say, "Hey, lard-ass, get off our plane?" Were they rude or dismissive of Smith when he expressed concern about whether their policy should apply to him? This is always going to be a touchy issue, and Southwest needs to step up to the plate and ensure that their front-line employees are on board with treating everyone with respect in situations like this one.
I can't stand his movies and I think he's behaved in a horribly childish way over this issue, whether he can put his armrests down or not. But that doesn't excuse Southwest from responsibility if they handled this issue without common courtesy and sensitivity.
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