I made a decision not to fly Southwest Airlines ever again after the attitude I experienced on a recent flight.
I am a fat person. I am aware of this, and as such I purchased *two* seats for my flight. The flight was overbooked. I was one hour early for the flight, lined up on time, and was seated on the plane, had on my seatbelt and had both armrests down (although I admit I was slightly uncomfortable with them down and would have probably lifted the arm up once takeoff was completed) when I was approached by a stewardess.
She very loudly asked to speak to me because they were "overbooked". Since I had purchased two seats, they wanted to pull me and put me on a later flight so that they could accomodate "two passengers".
I PURCHASED two tickets. I told her so, and indicated that--since I had my armrests down--if SW wanted to ask any one of the two passengers out there if they wanted to sit next to me, I would happily give up my extra seat to accommodate them, but I was not going on a later flight (I had a connection to make).
There was some back and forth. In the end I was pulled off of the plane and rebooked and told they would not accommodate my desire for two seats on this flight "for the safety and comfort of the other passengers."
SW has a well known first come, first served policy when it comes to seating on their flights. I was first. Period. I was pulled so that they could seat two other passengers who were practically late for the flight. I was pulled because SW overbooked. I was pulled because I was fat...plain and simple. They zeroed right in on me. Not a single other passenger onboard and seated on the flight was asked to give up their seat. Not one.
I had followed their policy. I had purchased two seats. I was in NO WAY affecting the "safety and comfort" of the other passengers.
It's discriminatory, plain and simple.
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