As a customer that flies, almost exclusively, as part of business, I admit that I have avoided Southwest since their policy on "customers of size" has been posted. When I fly, I am either being assigned as part of a relief operation for a national disaster (and, let me tell you, there are a number of "customers of size" associated with this particular agency!), and will not have purchased the ticket on my own. In fact, I often don't even get to choose which airport (and there are 3 within 50 miles of me) I will leave from. If I move to available status, I could get a phone call and be required to travel within 24 hours. Other times that I fly, it is to represent an agency or school district that I am working for at a conference, or to chaperon students in a community service club.
While the vast majority of "customers of size" have the issue because of their own eating patterns, I am not one of them. I have a team of medical professionals who have diagnosed a significant endocrine disorder that causes a number of medical issues, including weight gain. I see my primary care physician once every 6 weeks, where she goes over my food & exercise logs. I am a certified lifeguard, and swimming instructor. I spend a minimum of 6 hours in the pool per week. My food logs indicate that I never go over 1300 calories daily, and often not over 1000.
The only way i will ever l lose weight is to remove the adipose tissue that collected in one spot (and a true indicator of an endocrine disorder as opposed to an eating issue). I have enough problems dealing with how I look because of the disorder, and do not need any reminders from a skinny gate guard about how I look. I also don't need any helpful suggestions on how to lose weight.
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