02-15-2010
03:35 PM
Here's the thing. I've been flying Southwest Airlines, and preferring them to all other airlines for about 15 years now. On my very first flight, there were even freshly baked cookies.
And I'm fat. The smallest I could have been for any of my flights would have been around 220lbs, but more likely most were in the 300lb range - including flights where I required a seat belt extender. And I'm pretty sure that Kevin Smith is smaller than I am/have been.
So it sounds like the enforcement of your policy has changed because barriers to discrimination against fat people have been lowered.
And I'm torn, too, because Southwest is one of the few American carriers to still not charge a fee for checked baggage (which makes the flight experience to much better because you don't have the eternal wait on boarding and deplaning while people try to stow and retrieve everything they'll need to a week's vacation from the overhead compartments). Seriously, I've gone around and recommended the company. Even though you didn't show up on my friend's search of low fares on Travelocity and then Kayak, I still double checked your official site and found him a better fare through you. I really liked you guys.
But if I can sit in a seat, lower the armrests, and buckle the belt, I want to know that I'll be able to get to my destination for the pre-negotiated price. I budget out and plan my vacations 6 months to two years ahead. And surprise doubling of my transportation costs is not acceptable -- and doubly not when I fit your published guidelines but might provoke discrimination anyway by being fat.
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