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Southwest Airlines Community

My Conversation with Kevin Smith

LindaRutherford
Employee
Employee

I had the chance this afternoon to speak directly with director Kevin Smith. I let him know that in my 18 years here at Southwest, I have never dealt with a situation like what has been unfolding in the last 48 hours. I let Kevin know we have refunded his airfare. I told him we made a mistake in trying to board him as a standby passenger and then remove him. And I told him we were sorry.

 

 

Now, 48 hours later, after talking to many involved, we know there were several things going on that day and that our Employees were doing their best to get his flight out safely and on time, including finding seats for everyone and trying to accommodate standby passengers. The Captain did not single Kevin out to be removed, but he did ask that the boarding be completed quickly. At that time, our Employees made the decision to remove Kevin after a quick judgment call that he might have needed more than one seat for his comfort and those seated next to him. 

 

 

Although I’m not here to debate the decision our Employees made, I can tell you that I for one have learned a lot today. The communication among our Employees was not as sharp as it should have been and, it’s apparent that Southwest could have handled this situation differently. Thanks, Kevin, for your passion around this topic. You were a reasonable guy during our conversation.

 

 

Southwest, like most carriers, has a policy to assist passengers who need two seats onboard an aircraft. The policy is an important one for the comfort and safety of all passengers aboard a plane, and we stand by that 25-year-old policy. This has our attention, and we will be reviewing how and when this delicate policy is implemented.

1,803 Comments
Rick2111
Explorer C
please enforce the TOO LARGE FOR A SEVENTEEN INCH SEAT rule more often. there should be an expectation that the limited comfort which a 21st century flying experience offers should never be impacted by an undisciplined neighboring passenger. mr. smith and those of similar girth should be required to purchase two seats...and should be asked to leave a plane if there are not two available seats to accommodate them. he was aware of the policy, had conformed to it in the past, and is now punishing my favorite airline because they went out of their way to attempt to accommodate his request to fly earlier in the day than the flight for which he had purchased TWO TICKETS. this is not about punishing LUV...this is about promoting kevin (the feather) smith, who...before his vicious attach of LUV, i have never heard of. the accomplishments of his work will have consequences for almost NONE of us. enjoy your fifteen minutes slim.
Anonymous3596
Explorer C
fyi... ** Not all posts are being displayed ** At least not under "quiet Bob" Either SW is censoring, or Linda should ask the IT guys what the problem is.
Amanda18
Explorer C
I'm sure SW will never answer this, but I'm curious: Why was Mr. Smith's confidential information shared with the world? In the first "apology," "Not So Silent Bob," the author shared that Mr. Smith frequently buys two seats. Mr. Smith did not share this until hours later. I'd love an answer for this.
Patricia_Miles
Explorer C
Dear SW folks- What a shame that so many people are so wacky and cranky! I can't count all the times I have paid for my seat and then had to share it with a very large person overflowing into my space. The last time I got on a SW flight and discovered that the very large person next to me had the armrest up, I finally got up and asked the attendant to visually checkout the situation. He immediately asked the woman to put the armrest down as it was required to safely take off. She was grumpy and I still had to share a portion of my seat with her thigh and upper arm, but at least I did know that I had stood up for my right to enjoy the little space that I had paid for!!! Thank you to all SW employees - you do a difficut job with some grace and a lot of humor. Thank you for making it possible to stay in touch with my far flung family for many years. I love you all! Please don't reward bad behavior from bad little kids or big cranky men!!
Anonymous4549
Explorer C
When you make a mistake in customer service, it is imperative to acknowledge it. Apologize and admit you were wrong. Your policy is fine however, if you have a policy it must be enforced consistently. There cannot be sporadic enforcement, or you as a company end up making yourselves look stupid. This is not the DMV. People have a choice, just like you remind them at the end of your flights. Alienating even one customer is just bad business.
Mitchell
Explorer C
All of you overly sensitive folks who are upset because your space is being "infringed" by a larger person sitting next to you need to grow a thicker skin. If you spend enough time on planes you'll sit next to smelly people, messy people, people who fall asleep on your shoulder and drool, people who snore, bad conversationalists, people who have conversations with their friends three rows away, people who call the flight attendant every five minutes or go to the bathroom from the window seat every 20. Should Southwest kick those people off the plane too to protect your delicate sensitivities? If it pains you so much that you might have to share space with another human being, you might not be grown up enough to travel, and you should stay home where it's safe.
Tim9
Explorer C
It seems to me that a policy as old as 25 years needs to at least have a second look. There are a lot more larger people than there were 25 years ago and you just can't take that attitude in today's world. I wonder how the seat size has changed in the last 25 years? Are the smaller or roomier? Either way, you just can't throw large people off the plane any longer. I'm sure the Airlines would love to charge us by weight. It's a much more accurate method of calculating costs. Just like FEDEX and UPS. I can see the headline now- AIRLINES TO BEGIN CHARGING PASSENGERS BY THE POUND! You know they have been thinking about this for some time! It's only logical. The charge for EVERYTHING now, why not per pound? ... just something to make you think about. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/15/united-airlines-to-charge_n_187123.html
addicuss
Explorer C
You know its shameful how some people on here are defending such a discriminatory policy. But what is more shameful is posts saying "Good for you SW great policy because I dont want to have my space eaten up by a fat person" instead of questioning why there is such little space to begin with. Your airline has crammed as many seats as you possibly can into your planes, to the point where even a medium sized person would feel uncomfortable, and then spun it so that you make the passengers the bad guy. Shame on you south west. But at least you have the excuse of trying to make a profit. Shame on us all for not just falling for the spin, but attacking fellow consumers in defense of a greedy company.
Another_Anonymo
Explorer C
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.
Anonymous739
Explorer C
I LUV Southwest and they have had to deal with an unfortunate publicity "scandal" because of a famous "person of size". He already bought 2 seats because he knew that he was bigger and needed the extra. Did he get skinner for the earlier flight? No. Southwest SHOULD have recognized that he had already bought two and wouldn't fit on a full flight. And I might have empathized with Mr. Smith had he not gone on a CRASS and immature rant on Twitter. Made himself look like a fool. And as a skinny person who has a had a person of size sit next to them (of as Mr. Smith himself would say, "way fat") its not comfortable to have someone take up half your seat. I don't care if you are famous or not.
Anonymous467
Explorer C
Linda, while I thank you for being a little more appropriate and delicate in your handling of this case, I am still outraged that this happened in the first place. To have any passenger singled out in this manner is ludicrous. I am not obese, nor am I American. Seeing as a large majority of the American public is in fact fat, I believe that your airline as well as others, should simply increase the size of the seating to accommodate the masses, and at the same time keep your policy in place should a person exceed the renewed seating. I have a cousin that is a journalist for a LARGE newspaper, and I have convinced her to pick up this story. I assure you, that your airline will NOT look good in this article. Regardless of the fact that Mr. Smith is moderately known for his movies, this policy is ridiculous and is in fact a form of bigotry. If you are a company that services the general public, then you have absolutely NO right whatsoever to discriminate based on gender, race OR SIZE. This policy is outdated and reminds me of the former policy common in the USA of banning black people to the back of the bus because Whiteys didn't want to sit next to them. SHAME ON YOU SWA!
Anonymous4081
Explorer C
Reading the comments here, I've decided whether or not this situation is resolved I will STILL refuse to fly Southwest if these are the kinds of hateful, ignorant, self-centered customers I am surround by.
Anonymouse1
Explorer C
Nah. Not good enough. Mr. Smith would fit in the sit just fine. It would be in your best interest to apologize *completely*. I'm glad it's turned into a PR nightmare for SWA.
Brian_M
Explorer C
Southwest-- I don't believe you owe "fat boy" any apologies. I've sat next to "large" or "plus" sized people before and it's not fair to us to be pressed against the window or out in the aisle because of these morbidly obese folks. He may have been able to "fit" in one seat but it would have been interesting to see the responses from those on either side of him. I know I always get nervous when I see large folks heading towards my row. If you think about it, you really don't want these oversized folks as customers anyway (they eat all the free snacks so the rest of us don't get any). Please don't bother with anymore apologies. What's a guy like him flying you guys for anyway? Shouldn't he be on a different airline in First Class and not in cattle class? Don't take that as a ding. Your airline serves its purpose. You've got more to worry about losing former passengers like me to Virgin America. Oh, and Kevin-- instead of sitting in front of a computer ranting and raving, you should be on the treadmill or going for a nice long walk. I guess you want to try and keep the story going to get some attention. Enjoy your ho ho's.
Anonymous2473
Explorer C
As a person who has sat next to a "larger" person who actually "flowed" over into my seat and literally made me sweat the entire trip, I appreciate the airline's policy. I do agree though that this decision should be made prior to boarding so as not to embarrass any individual. People come in all sizes and shapes and no one should be made to feel ashamed of how they look, because I'm sure they are already self conscious about their appearance. Both the individual and the airline should be concerned about the comfort and safety of all passengers. I find it kind of amusing though that Mr. Smith, of all people, could have and should have purchased an additional seat....maybe a lesson learned. Either buy two seats or lose weight !!!
Scott19
Explorer C
Could you please explain why the gentileman in this clip from your show on A&E Airline, who was able to both fasten his belt and lower both armrests was allowed to fly, but Kevin Smith was not? Kevin was able to lower the armrests and fasten his belt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk8mqnIJcnU&feature=related#t=5m57s
MB2
Explorer C
Bargain-basement airline yields bargain-basement service? Shocker. Look, I'm as annoyed as the next middle-sized person when a large-sized person ends up next to me, and don't think it unreasonable that in *extreme* cases, a second seat be required. But none of us should - for a minute - think that development and enforcement of this policy has *anything* to do with passenger comfort. If Southwest were even half as concerned with passenger comfort as it claims, it would spec its planes with reasonable seat pitch* and widths that are actually *comfortable*. *At the moment, if the a-hole in front of me decides to slam her seat back, I'm stuck staring at the top of her head instead of my laptop or book for the rest of the flight. Somehow this intrusion on passenger comfort doesn't seem to bother Southwest.
Anonymous3547
Explorer C
You say "The policy is an important one for the comfort and safety of all passengers aboard a plane" yet the FAT ppl hvae to pay for 2 fat ppl have to piss away more $$$ to be safe? That has to chane!
Anonymous1466
Explorer C
This has probably happened thousands of times over the past twenty years - an employee makes a poor choice, or abuses their authority, and insults or embarrasses a passenger. The only difference is that this time, you did it to someone with a platform. I suggest you reexamine your policy, and decide a better way to deal with overweight people on your flights. Retrofit your planes with some bigger seats near the front. Make them slightly larger as well as more comfortable, so that passengers are not entirely stigmatized by sitting in them. If there are no overweight people who need them, then offer them to business class passengers or other folks with money to burn. Or have a test seat somewhere private near the gate area so that passengers can prove that they can fit in a seat to your standards BEFORE they get on a plane and risk mortification and embarrassment. There are a lot of overweight americans. How you resolve this issue will determine whether any of them will risk flying on your airline.
Anonymous511
Explorer C
Many years ago I learned of Southwest policy against overweight people and ever since then I have refused to patronize such bigoted airline. And yes, I have been paying slightly higher prices, but it's been worth it in order not to fly Southwest. Worse than their blatant discrimination, are the comments posted on this blog and elsewhere, such as, "I applaud Southwest for continuing to demonstrate humility and grace, and willingness to learn from every situation." Humility? That's rich. What about prejudice? Then there are the gullible ones who seem to believe the line about the policy being a safety issue, but at least they are not as deplorable as the whiny self-entitled who wants to "own his seat." I hope the media makes this a big embarrassment to the Southwest bigots. Go Kevin!
Frequent_Flyer11
Explorer C
As someone that works hard to stay thin I appreciate the two seat policy and not having to sit next to someone spilling over into my seat. In all fairness the only thing that South West did wrong was to let Mr Smith fly standby and only purchase one seat. He should have been advised before he boarded that he needed to purchase two seats.
Mike07
Explorer C
After learning about the way Kevin Smith was treated, Southwest has forever lost me as a customer. I wouldn't fly on Southwest if I was given free travel for life. Your fascist policies, corporate EVIL and greed, compounded with the horrible ways in which you treat your customers, truly makes me sick!! I intend to urge everyone I know not to ever fly on Southwest. With any luck SouthWorst will be the next airline to go bankrupt and soon only be a memory like Pan Am and Braniff.
Anonymous2106
Explorer C
There was a very simple solution to this problem. Ask Kevin to put down his arm rests and buckle his seat belt. If he can do both of those things (which he says he can), he flies in one seat. Problem solved. Instead you removed him w/o even asking him a single question...probably in the name of being politically correct...God forbid you actually address the issue directly. I will avoid SW from now on. www.smodcast.com - If you haven't heard Kevin tell the story, please listen.
Anonymous4527
Explorer C
You keep sayin' that he bought 2 tickets for comfort and safety but he bought it because he doesn't want to sit next to anyone!
Fred4
Explorer C
I applaud SWA for their recent decision to remove an over-weight passenger that did not purchase two tickets for the flight he boarded. I have flown over one million miles and I am constantly amazed that over-weight people believe they are entitled to more space for the same amount of money. Where else does this happen? No where! I am tall and do not fit comfortably in a sub-compact car. I need to rent full-size or premium class cars. I do not scream “discrimination” because as a tall person I have to pay more! Enough of this. If you are fat, so be it. Stop complaining when you are expected to pay for what you use. And stop whining that everyone is discriminating against you! I could care less why or how much you weigh. Don’t expect me to share my seat with you because you can not fit in a single seat…that’s “discrimination” against average-size people!
Fred4
Explorer C
I applaud SWA for their recent decision to remove an over-weight passenger that did not purchase two tickets for the flight he boarded. I have flown over one million miles and I am constantly amazed that over-weight people believe they are entitled to more space for the same amount of money. Where else does this happen? No where! I am tall and do not fit comfortably in a sub-compact car. I need to rent full-size or premium class cars. I do not scream “discrimination” because as a tall person I have to pay more! Enough of this. If you are fat, so be it. Stop complaining when you are expected to pay for what you use. And stop whining that everyone is discriminating against you! I could care less why or how much you weigh. Don’t expect me to share my seat with you because you can not fit in a single seat…that’s “discrimination” against average-size people!
Anonymous2287
Explorer C
Thank you for your policy of not allowing Overweight passengers to take up two seats without paying for an extra seat. As a long time customer I agree with your policy and the Capt. who made the decsion to terminate the flight of Kevin Smith . Overweight passengers should not be so large as to infringe on my Comfort or cause a Safety Hazard. Keep up the good work...your a great airline and I appreciate your focus on customer service.
Anonymous4081
Explorer C
All these skinny, perfect people concerned about their space they paid for... but what about us larger people? We pay for a seat, too. And along with it, the assurance of being delivered to our destination, just as you. So why is it fair to eject us? Is the temporary discomfort of having to be seated next to a larger person really worse than being *kicked off the plane entirely*, or forced to pay TWICE as much for the same service?
Anonymous2100
Explorer C
Dear Southwest Airlines, as I wrote on your earlier blog post, your handling http://bit.ly/95n6Bf of Kevin Smith was wrong. Whereas I do appreciate your apology to him, Kevin's story is so much more important than one individual. For years I've witnessed family, friends, and unknown passengers sit with shame because of an inconsistent and at times (such as this) discriminatory policy. This is the real shame, this and the fact that you're (most likely) only reacting on this level because Kevin has/had a platform and an audience. What of the people that didn't/don't? I'm sorry, this whole situation disgusts me. I wrote earlier that I'll think twice before I fly on your airline again. Please, strike that. I'm done. My money will be better spent somewhere else.
Anonymous2237
Explorer C
I can tell you EXACTLY what happened. It wasn't that someone didn't like his movies, Kevin was targeted because 1) the employee didn't like his attitude 2) Kevin's weight was a convenient excuse to give Kevin hell for said reason #1. When it was asked if Kevin was revenue, everything went South from there. Kevin asking him to repeat the question/comment appeared to be taken by the attendant as him being smug - he was in no way smug. The attendant appearing pissed off at the question, responded VERY smugly. This was the equivalent to two guys locking eyes on the highway and one getting rubbed the wrong way by it. The entire situation began there with that tiny little exchange on the plane before he ever sat down. Period. Kevin's weight was an excuse to screw around with him because the attendant didn't like him. Convenient Southwest didn't mention that the Captain didn't issue the order to remove them, only that the Captain had told the crew they needed to stay on schedule. Nice play on words there, Southwest. Southwest's story doesn't add up. Southwest, your employees are people that are afraid they are going to lose their jobs! Of course they are going to LIE to you and tell you what you need and want to hear to avoid any further criticism and time fighting this! What did they say, "We were enforcing our policy.."? No, they weren't enforcing anything. This is a case of an employee taking advantage and exerting too much power that he didn't have in the first place, and manipulation of those around him to effectively humiliate and piss off not just one, but a few million all within a few hours of the incident. The bottom line is this: You owe Kevin Smith more than apology (and anything you do will probably not satisfy the issue), you owe millions more an apology for those who were personally offended by the incident, and you owe your customers an apology for all the faith you just lost with your airline customers. The agent at the gate should be terminated from her job for LYING on the captain, and for not being an honest face for the airlines. She, at that moment for Kevin, WAS Southwest, and if what Kevin says is true (I wasn't there at the gate) she deflected just about everything he inquired about. He, as the customer, had a LEGAL right to know what he had done wrong to be removed from that plane. He's a good man for vowing that he would not sue the airlines. More than what I can say for many others in his shoes. Furthermore, the attendant who I KNOW absolutely manipulated the situation (and the gate agent because of his own problem with Kevin) by calling back to the gate resulting in the gate agent boarding and removing Kevin from the plane, should also be terminated. Southwest should tuck tail and re-evaluate their quarterly statements, because that extra $100+ million they gained with us Business Select customers for the past few years, is going out the window REAL soon. Kevin had enough of a fan base, and enough people in general that are just fed up with the airline industry and these smug attendants in general, that hundreds of Southwest customers WILL make the choice as a statement to fly less or not at all with Southwest. I for one travel 6 days out of the week (sometimes twice in the same day), every week, all year long. My employees travel under me. My clients travel under me. My entire account including myself, my employees, and my clientele will being saying au revoir to Southwest. I'm not fat. I'm just pissed. And Southwest, you've just lost my business. Factor $60K+/yr out of your revenue for one account alone already, my friends. (And you may remove this, or moderate this... that's okay. I'll be posting it EVERYWHERE, on EVERY forum, EVERY social networking site.)
cristinik
Explorer C
Congratulations on maintaining your policy. It is totally not about his comfort. Thank you for considering the comfort of the people sitting next to him or any other overweight person. They have the option of booking two seats and they should do it in advance. Thank you.
Mr__Roberts
Explorer C
Kevin Smith is a bully and overweight. I saw him on a flight and there is no way he could easily fit in one seat. He needed a seatbelt extender and two seats when I saw him. The people that say Kevin did not need a seatbelt extender are wrong. He even says himself that he normally purchases two seats. Two seats without a extender....HA HA HA
Anonymous4318
Explorer C
As a customer of size, I see both points of view. Customers who are thin enough to fly Southwest should not be infringed upon. On the other hand, Customers of size should have some kind of accommodation that cost so much that it prohibits them from flying. I know Southwest is trying to fit as many people on a plane and make the most money, so making special "Fat Rows" won't be considered... I guess it just sucks all the way around. I feel bad for tall people as well who are cramped in planes, and have to pay for seating outside of coach due to this. I know this debate can get hostile, because those thin people who are infringed upon are pissed and they don't want any "fatasses" next to them, but we should have a right to fly too. And like I said, buying two seats would be fine if every fat person were rich...but sadly, fat people are usually the poorest and because health food is usually most expensive...weight loss is even more complicated. It is a personal choice to a degree, I acknowledge that fully, but those who want to get help are not offered any real assistance. Surgeries are denied because of insurance issues, health food is expensive...and so forth. It's just not fair for those on either side.
Anonymous2871
Explorer C
You're not done until you have a very clear policy that is taken out of the realm of subjectivity. No employee or group of employees should be put in the position to make a quick decision like that, and said employees need to be working from a clear, agreed upon set of *standards*, not some vague gut feeling. Until this is clarified and the new guidelines are made public, you're not done with this situation. And to those of you who preach so self-righteously about large people on planes: you've missed the entire point. Most people aren't questioning the 2-seat policy. We're questioning how it is enacted and how your fellow human beings are treated.
Jacklyn
Explorer C
I am a large girl, I'm probably 230 pounds and honestly I'm, about 2 pounds from the seatbelt not fitting me anymore. I sincerely doubt that Kevin Smith who is easily 100 or more pounds than me fits without a seat belt extender or comfortably with arm rests down. Just because he said so, does not make it true. At this point, South West has to back off. They can't keep pressing him on being fat or they will look awful. I'm saying this because we're all being fooled. SW acted badly but can't prove their point more because they will look terrible. Kevin Smith knows this and is gaslighting them b/c they can't do anything about it. But in the meantime, he can keep getting his name out there in time for his big movie premiere. They are both at fault. SW for having a policy they have not consistently enforced and Kevin Smith for being embarrassed that he's hugely overweight and lashing out as if it's someone else's fault. Kevin, enough all ready. You're starting to sound crazy. SW, get your ducks in a row.
Sue_N
Explorer C
I admit, I have weight to lose, but I fit in an airline seat with the armrest down. I usually fly with members of my family and no stranger is inconvenienced. This being said ... I can understand South West's policy however it should have been dealt with BEFORE Mr. Smith (or any passenger) got on the flight. It should have been dealt with at the gate. It is absolutely ridiculous that the people next to Mr. Smith did not object and he was a frequent flyer with your airline and he is treated like this. I find it much more annoying to have someone with a screaming one year old on their lap being seated next to me than having an overweight person next to me. I also find it highly annoying that people carry on so much luggage that there is never a place in the overhead compartments left to put stuff in.
Dewey_Stevens
Explorer C
Quote: "The communication among our Employees was not as sharp as it should have been" I really love how corporate brass sets policy, expects employees to enforce the policy, and then BLAMES the employees on the front lines when the enforcement of said policy explodes in their face. Classic.
Sheila11
Explorer C
As a small person (5 ft 4 and 110 lbs) I am appalled at those who are hating on heavier people. If the man fit in the seat, Southwest was wrong. Just because you guys dont like Kevin Smith or his movies - it doesnt give you reason to slam him. Southwest treats its customers like crap (including small ones like me) and needs to be held at account for it. Southwest should refund the man his money and should never fly with them again. I know I will not be using their 'service'
Anonymous2006
Explorer C
If there is a standard to determine whether someone should be forced to buy an additional seat -- which there is -- that standard should be applied. It was not in the case. It sounds likely that if it had been correctly applied, Mr. Smith would've been on the flight home. It makes no sense to take someone off the plane without first administering the test. As somone who travels frequently -- including many SWA flights -- and is not overweight, this situation raises a bigger issue. The problem with air travel today is that airlines (even the beloved SWA) can treat patrons anyway they want to because the traveling public often has no other options. And, most certainly, most of us do not have the platform that Mr. Smith has. I wish I had a way to get SWA to apologize to me when I was stranded in PHX and the gate agents refused to provide me with any assistance.
Anonymous3144
Explorer C
I fly SWA a lot!! But maybe not anymore.... I am not a big person- size six women's- but I am outraged by the treatment of Mr. Smith. I am tired of people thinking its OK to treat people who are large poorly and to target them with nasty remarks and behaviors. Its discrimination- plain and simple. Historically we have used 'safety' and other arguments to discriminate against all kinds of people. I don't mind sitting next to a large person when I fly- I feel bad that cost cutting measures have made planes ridiculously small. Face it - I find a big person a lot less annoying than sitting next to a drunk guy, a puking kid (and I am a mom of toddlers so I have a high threshold), a kid kicking the back of my seat- whatever. Flying SWA is no picnic. Clearly this was not a case of following your own somewhat discriminating policy on size- but an anti-fat action taken by one of your employees. I have to say- I am thinking about not using SWA anymore based on this incident.
Liz13
Explorer C
Here is what I love, there is the "Us skinny people applaud you." Well guess what guys, its going to be your kids, or your tiny skirt, or inappropriate shirt and you get booted as well. Kevin Smith had a right to say what he said. I will personally no longer fly southwest until they give a darn good apology and own up to what they have done. The policy is over 25 years old that should say something right there. People are changing, what women are now on average a size 14?? Ive sat next to some of you "Skinny" insensitive people who have given me a cold or flu by sitting next to me and sneezing on me, let me tell you sitting next to you isn't all roses and sunshine either.. The point is they aren't just kicking fat people off they are singling people out and this needs to be stopped. I'm saddened that I have to let my southwest rewards go to the wayside.
Anonymous1667
Explorer C
I guarantee that anyone who has ever had to sit next to an overweight person on a long flight agrees with Southwest's handling of this situation. There is absolutely no way a normal sized person should have to pay the same for a single seat as someone who physically cannot fit in one seat. There's nothing worse on an airplane than that feeling you get when you realize you're going to be sharing a seat with someone's side fat for the next 4hrs. Maybe give all the fat people their own section on the plane. Bottom line, it should be determined before the person is on the plane whether or not they can fit in one seat. If not, they have to buy 2 seats or lose weight.
Josh22
Explorer C
You guys have really dropped the ball, not only in terms of your policy, but in terms of sincerely apologizing. If he was too fat, you needed to simply tell him that he was too large. Trying to pass it off as a "safety concern" is really, really feeble. You might want to consider asking Suzanne to tender her resignation as well as the entire staff/mgmt of that branch. I mean come on, is it really to much to just apologize? And if that's too much, how about a clearly worded policy on what exactly constitutes a "safety hazard?" As an overweight person who has flown your airline in the past I just want to make sure that I am currently in-line with spec's to get onboard a Southwest flight.
Ms__Heath
Explorer C
THANK YOU FOR NOT PERPETUATING THE FATTNESS. Lose weight, America.
Liz13
Explorer C
Here is what I love, there is the "Us skinny people applaud you." Well guess what guys, its going to be your kids, or your tiny skirt, or inappropriate shirt and you get booted as well. Kevin Smith had a right to say what he said. I will personally no longer fly southwest until they give a darn good apology and own up to what they have done. The policy is over 25 years old that should say something right there. People are changing, what women are now on average a size 14?? Ive sat next to some of you "Skinny" insensitive people who have given me a cold or flu by sitting next to me and sneezing on me, let me tell you sitting next to you isn't all roses and sunshine either.. The point is they aren't just kicking fat people off they are singling people out and this needs to be stopped. I'm saddened that I have to let my southwest rewards go to the wayside.
Anonymous348
Explorer C
Someone suggested that SWA has only posted comments in their favor. That's just not true. Take a look at any other news organization's comments. It's running about 8 to 2 or 9 to 1 in favor of SWA. I'm with the majority; although I agree with many that SWA shouln't apologize to KS. You may have lost some people's business SWA, but by showing concern for the comfort of all of your passengers, you've earned my respect and business. To all those whining that SWA has somehow slighted them and to Kevin Smith, all of your whining won't make you any healthier or any happier; but it will let the rest of us see what victims you feel you are. Take responsibility people.
Jason19
Explorer C
I'm a big guy however I have in the past always been able to fly using one seat. I fly Southwest next week (first time on a Southwest flight) and I'm honestly scared to death after this recent event. Looking at the pic Kevin posted, he appears, in my opinion to be able to fit in his seat just fine. I hope if I am deemed "unflyable" that they wouldn't pull me off a flight like they did Kevin. In my business we accommodate any and everyone who needs our assistance. Since this only "affects far less than half a percent of our Customers" I would hope Southwest would accommodate those customers also. Southwest, please start looking at each situation individually rather than making a blanket policy.
Bill211
Explorer C
FLY THE SKINNY SKIES with southwest airlines. You all need not only to look at your policies regarding plus sized people, which do include the Tall ppl and children who either has thier knees jammed into the back of my seat or kicking the back of my seat incessantly or the couple that talks too loud infringing on my right to a quiet flight. You also need to look at some training for the people who make these decisions, and tell them Its ok to say sorry I was just a real jerk, you are ok to fly. The people next to Kevin said they were fine with his "safety concern" or what was the other term " Overuse of space" at that point the stewardess ( yes I said it, see we can be incensitive too) should of said, Ok Im sorry and backed the hell off. I never liked SWA that much anyway, but now I sure as hell wont support your company till we hear of some major changes. Let me add Im not fat in any way shape or form. But if I saw this in person I woulda been more upset than I am just reading about it. And still would boycott your company. In the end it wont make much difference anyway, but Im glad I can tell you, that you lost a customer for life.
Anonymous3654
Explorer C
Please don't change your policy. I do not want to sit next to someone like Kevin. He had properly purchased two seats for his flight and then chose to try and fly earlier. There weren't two seats available so he should not have tried to squeeze into a single seat. He knew that he needed two seats. A very large person likewise should understand that he needs to purchase two seats or fly first class if those are available. No one is forcing him to fly. I am a private pilot and if half of the people on board weighed as much as Kevin, it would not be safe to take off. The bottom line - Kevin is an overweight cry baby!
Jezhug
Explorer C
Hmmm, wonder if a regular person would get an apology like this for being treated this way? Maybe all Southwest staff could use a crash course in empathy?