If the policy that someone is too large if the arm rests don't lock down is bad, then change the policy.
Rodney King was beaten by cops following policy. If you want to stop police brutality, you need to change the policy.
According to the policy, as defined by SWA, he shouldn't have been escorted off. The point IS that according to the CURRENT POLICY, he was not Too Fat to Fly. From what I've heard on Smodcast, he is very careful about where he sits, and chose two very thin passengers to sit next to, and asked them if they were comfortable.
I agree that every customer deserves a seat no matter what, or a refund. The extra seat should be free, or there should be larger seats for obese people, like a handicapped parking space. A little shameful, perhaps, but a solution that will avoid a lot of this.
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The way so many of you seem to be kissing this company's behind, it's no wonder America is sinking into the abyss of Corporatocracy. We deserve it. Stupid must be in our DNA. Well, we had a good run.
I do encourage you to listen to Smith's version of the story. Most of you are missing the point that he does NOT fit the description of those to whom the policy applies.
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02-15-2010
06:15 PM
I was 1 click away from buying a ticket from SW last night. I got a phone call and decided to go out, and buy my ticket today. After hearing the story, from the horse's mouth via Smodcast (which you should hear before you comment), I decided to go United, which was not that much more money, if any. It may be a policy to make obese people buy an extra ticket. But if the policy is to measure obesity by whether or not a passenger's arm rests can go down, and Kevin Smith's can, but they didn't bother to ask if his arm rests could come down, it seems to me that the company made a mistake and just wouldn't back down from it.
More believeable to me is the theory that someone on the staff was targeting him just to have a story to tell.
When you hear the story, Smith tells about a woman seated next to him who was also harrased to buy an extra seat "next time". A woman who also fit in her seat, who was next to an empty seat already purchased by Smith. So that leads me to believe it's either a policy that they stretch to sell more seats, or there is a culture of discrimination by the staff (or both). Either way, it should be addressed in a major way, not by a $100 voucher, or by making up stories about having called someone when they didn't.
And, if they didn't screw up why are they apologizing? They are talking out of both sides of their mouths by apologizing, and defending themselves at the same time. Which is it, and what is to be done about it?
I have a feeling more stories will come out.
Also, a side note, Kevin and Jen made good points about post-9/11 air travel. The airlines can pretty much do what they want to you, knowing that if you protest they can take you out in handcuffs. This is a deeper issue than just the surface level discrimination accusations.
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