Southwest Airlines Community

Everyone who's saying "I'm normal-sized/skinny and I applaud SW for implementing this policy" is COMPLETELY missing the point. 1) By Southwest's own (admitted) standards, Kevin Smith fit in the seat just fine. 2) It's not necessarily the fact that he was booted off the plane, but it's how Southwest's employees HANDLED THE SITUATION. Completely unprofessional from the first to now. (Well, slightly more professional now, but really it's still just a fancy way of saying "KS is still too fat to fly.") To reiterate, read this: http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=393. It explains his side of the story, which, conveniently, the Southwest posts have neglected to discuss, because it puts them in a bad light. Shame on you, Southwest. And to everyone who thinks Kevin Smith is using his "fame" to make a huge deal out of this, he's not. He's bringing up something that's been happening for YEARS (at least 25, to be sure), and no one's been vocal enough or had the platform to do so. P.S. Southwest, you fail at damage control. Just sayin'. ... View more

Honestly, I've never been a huge fan of Southwest, but only used it because it was the most convenient (oh hey, just like Kevin Smith!)--not only are the fares cheaper if you buy months in advance (within a month, not the cheapest), but it services both small and large airports. For me, it was convenient to have one airline that went between San Diego and all three main Bay Area airports. But that's really where my "luv" for Southwest ends. I could go on with a list of things I hate about the airline, but it would be pointless. The real point is that Kevin Smith, although a director (read: NOT celebrity), isn't raising a fuss just because he himself got kicked off a flight for being "2 fat 2 fly," but rather, the manner in which it happened, and how it was handled by Southwest's employees. There seems to be no consistency in how the policy is implemented, and the main contributing factor to him being so vocal about the issue is the humiliation he saw happen to another "person of size" on his original flight back to Burbank. Although this "apology" is more diplomatic and professional than the one posted by Christi Day, it really isn't an apology at all. You're giving the same previous message of: "We were right, and Kevin Smith is really 2 Fat 2 Fly." You just covered it up in "reasonable guy" icing. If you really want to know the FULL story, go to smodcast.com and listen to Kevin's side, not just Southwest's, when the employees in question aren't even present to give their point of view. If there even is one, which I highly doubt. (As a side note, his Tweets about this Captain Leysath booting him off... The employee who took him off the plane wouldn't even confirm that she had said that to him, even though she did, and Smith knew full well that the pilot couldn't even see him.) And before all the haters start, yes, I am a fan of Kevin Smith's work but no, I am not an obsessive fanboy. No, I am not a "fellow fattie." Oh, and why yes, I too have shared rows with "people of size," but trust me, screaming babies and people who get too drunk off of in-flight drinks to even get out of their seat at the end of a 1.5-hour flight are WAY worse. At least "people of size" don't make noise or kick your seat. Not to mention so many Southwest flights are so short in duration that it doesn't really matter if you have your own space bubble. It's like saying, "Hey, sick guy coughing? DON'T TAINT MY AIR!" You really want your own space? Buy two seats like Kevin Smith does. He only does it *on occasion* because he hates sitting next to people. Yes, I've done my research and fact-checking (which most people who are commenting "Lose some weight, fat boy!" obviously have NOT). I understand where both sides are coming from, but when it comes to this situation, among other similar ones, I have to side with Smith. Sorry Southwest, I'm a petite Rapid Rewards member under 120 pounds, but I'm only flying you 3 more times next month because I booked those trips before this hit the fan. It's not even worth it to me to fly two more one-ways after that to get the free flight. ... View more