02-20-2010
03:49 PM
6 Loves
I just listened (more like...endured 1.5 hours of explicatives) to Kevin Smith's commentary (http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=393) on this story. Just some advice for Kevin...I've got a 'tough skin' for such rants, but most other people only hear a potentially "difficult person" that got thrown off a plane (or simply moved to a non-full flight where the flight attendants can give you more attention). Even though, Kevin claims to have been the nicest, most cooperative passenger. It is difficult to take up his cause for the airlines to make larger coach seats and/or to request Southwest to change their policy for large people with such rants. Also, I enjoy the lower cost of coach...so I'm conflicted on supporting Kevin's cause. Did Kevin get treated badly? Probably but I've not heard the story from the Southwest employees involved. Again, Kevin's rant indicates a guy that may have shown some anger on the plane which is not tolerated after 9/11. Did Kevin deserve better treatment since he bought 2 seats for himself? Not after he changed to a full flight with no room for his extra seat and agreed that it was not a problem...just to get home early.
Or maybe Kevin is right...it was a Southwest employee being a #$%^$.
Just a viewpoint from another frequent airline traveler...I consider myself a small-medium size guy and have been seated next to large girth person in coach a few times. Once between 2 large ladies on plane with smaller seats than Southwest's 737 seats. Not matter who is at fault (the airline for using small seats, my neighbor eating too much and exercising too little, genetics, me for flying coach, etc.), it is not nice to have your personal space invaded for the length of a flight. It is more tolerable if the large person(s) has the gift of gab and makes you forget about it. In the end, it is still just another invasion of someone's personal space like smoking, little kids crying, etc. I still tolerate it because I can take more trips by flying coach.
It is easy for me to say to Kevin...just lose the weight or fly an airline with more than just coach seats to avoid the hassle. Kevin sounds like an entertaining person...and if he is my neighbor on my next flight...I'll probably forget about his need for extra space compared to me. 🙂 I'm sure that I have invaded someone's personal space on plane in the past.
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