Petite passenger booted from Southwest flight

[bijou]

...  SNIP ... Now we're hearing the airline recently removed a 5-foot-4, 110-pound Sacramento-area woman from a plane so a hefty passenger could have an extra seat.

The incident happened last week on an early-evening Southwest flight from Las Vegas to Sacramento.

The local woman was flying standby, paid full fare for the last available seat, got on board, stowed her bags and sat down – only to be told she would have to deplane immediately.

The reason?

A late-arriving passenger required two seats because of her girth.

The Sacramento woman, a frequent-flying sales rep, was stunned.

"It didn't seem right that I should have to leave to accommodate someone who had only paid for one seat," she tells us. (She has asked to remain anonymous for fear some may regard her as insensitive.)

She's even more miffed because she says Southwest personnel berated her when she questioned the decision to boot her from the plane.

... SNIP...

In this instance, she says, airline personnel may have been influenced to choose a faster course of action to reduce embarrassment for the late-arriving passenger.

Why the extra concern? The person requiring two seats was just 14 years old.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/24/2911747/petite-flier-booted-off-southwest.html#ixzz0udUBgmZy

[formerlurker]

She was standby.  They can't bump a 14 year old. 



 

[thundley4]

She was standby.  They can't bump a 14 year old. 



 

I'm assuming that unaccompanied minor arrangements had also been made.  That should have been the first thing the flight attendants told the bumpee.

[NHSparky]

Just one more reason not to fly the, "Ghetto Bus of the Skies..."

[debk]

If a person can't fit...and fit reasonably into one seat...they should have to buy two tickets.

I have been on flights next to some men, that I've had to lean out of my seat, because they are overflowing into my space. Not a comfortable situation.

[NHSparky]

But it DOES say something when a 14-year old child is so obese they can't fit into one seat.  I'm not small by any stretch and I'll be damned if I've ever had a problem fitting in one...even on Ghetto Bus Airlines.

[PatriotGame]

If a person can't fit...and fit reasonably into one seat...they should have to buy two tickets.

I have been on flights next to some men, that I've had to lean out of my seat, because they are overflowing into my space. Not a comfortable situation.

Part of the problem though is not that people are fat, it is because the airlines have reduced seat width to that of 10 year-old sizes to corral more people into the plane.

[debk]

But it DOES say something when a 14-year old child is so obese they can't fit into one seat.  I'm not small by any stretch and I'll be damned if I've ever had a problem fitting in one...even on Ghetto Bus Airlines.

A 14yr old who needs two seats because of obesity....has parents that need to be charged with child abuse.

I can sort of understand the flight attendants choosing to ask the passenger to get off the plane. No...not excusing it. However...if the parents were so cruel to not buy this child 2 seats, which they easily could have done, without the child's knowledge....they would also be the type who would sue the airline for "traumatizing" their child. The flight attendants, took the course of least resistance.

The woman who was displaced had bought a full price ticket, and could have refused to leave her seat too. Might have been a very uncomfortable situation, if she had stayed. The article doesn't mention what the airline did for this woman for getting off the plane. I almost always fly Delta, and have often received either a voucher for another ticket, or a specific cash amount voucher, to not take a flight. Delta overbooks their flights all the time, have for years.

Keep in mind, that though this kid was 14....that's a minor, not a "child". I was a sophmore in high school, flying by myself at that age, and if it was not a final destination flight, the airline would not have been "caring" for the kid, like they would a child or pre-teen.

[debk]

Part of the problem though is not that people are fat, it is because the airlines have reduced seat width to that of 10 year-old sizes to corral more people into the plane.

I know.

I really like it, if there are only 2 seats on one side, because we will take those. If I'm alone, and on a much smaller plane, I take the single side.

I'm not very good at sharing my personal space with strangers.

I'm not a very good flyer, and cram me in the middle between two people....I need alcohol!

[formerlurker]

A 14yr old who needs two seats because of obesity....has parents that need to be charged with child abuse.

I can sort of understand the flight attendants choosing to ask the passenger to get off the plane. No...not excusing it. However...if the parents were so cruel to not buy this child 2 seats, which they easily could have done, without the child's knowledge....they would also be the type who would sue the airline for "traumatizing" their child. The flight attendants, took the course of least resistance.

The woman who was displaced had bought a full price ticket, and could have refused to leave her seat too. Might have been a very uncomfortable situation, if she had stayed. The article doesn't mention what the airline did for this woman for getting off the plane. I almost always fly Delta, and have often received either a voucher for another ticket, or a specific cash amount voucher, to not take a flight. Delta overbooks their flights all the time, have for years.

Keep in mind, that though this kid was 14....that's a minor, not a "child". I was a sophmore in high school, flying by myself at that age, and if it was not a final destination flight, the airline would not have been "caring" for the kid, like they would a child or pre-teen.

She was standby, so she did not have a reservation for this flight.

[debk]

She was standby, so she did not have a reservation for this flight.

We don't have Southwest here, but I thought that if you walked up to the ticket desk and bought a full fare ticket, then you are guaranteed a seat.

I know that's how it works on Delta, because I've done it flying back and forth to Florida. If you have a ticket and are trying to fly a different flight from your ticketed flight, they will put you off if the pre-ticketed passenger shows up.

[NHSparky]

She was standby, so she did not have a reservation for this flight.

But once again, SWA screwed the pooch.  I have no sympathy for the gate crew.  You're supposed to make sure all the checked passengers are checked in and on board BEFORE you start allowing standbys on board.

The policy SWA has is one of the reasons I don't like flying them.  They used to have decent customer service and good fares, but that has long since fallen by the wayside with them.

[formerlurker]

We don't have Southwest here, but I thought that if you walked up to the ticket desk and bought a full fare ticket, then you are guaranteed a seat.

I know that's how it works on Delta, because I've done it flying back and forth to Florida. If you have a ticket and are trying to fly a different flight from your ticketed flight, they will put you off if the pre-ticketed passenger shows up.

If she had a later flight and was trying to jump on an earlier one then she would have already purchased a ticket, but is not guaranteed anything but the flight she originally booked.

If this was the connecting flight for the 14 year old they should have known he was running late, and shouldn't have allowed her on the plane.   

It stinks, but you take a risk when you go standby. 

[DefiantSix]

Part of the problem though is not that people are fat, it is because the airlines have reduced seat width to that of 10 year-old sizes to corral more people into the plane.

Southwest flies 737s and ONLY  737s.  The seat design for coach was originally used in the 707 and hasn't changed since the 1950s.  If they want to put more seats on the plane, they put in more rows and make you eat your knees.

So if the seat hasn't changed, then your butt really is that big.

[Ptarmigan]

But it DOES say something when a 14-year old child is so obese they can't fit into one seat.  I'm not small by any stretch and I'll be damned if I've ever had a problem fitting in one...even on Ghetto Bus Airlines.

American airliners are not what they use to be. I remember from old footage of airlines back than. It was more comfortable than today. Some of the non-American airliners are better, notably some Asian airliners like Singapore and Qatar Airways. Even South African Airways is considered better.

[debk]

If she had a later flight and was trying to jump on an earlier one then she would have already purchased a ticket, but is not guaranteed anything but the flight she originally booked.

If this was the connecting flight for the 14 year old they should have known he was running late, and shouldn't have allowed her on the plane.   

It stinks, but you take a risk when you go standby. 

Ah, I see.

When I was a kid...HS and college, I always flew stand-by. Only one time did it not work out, and I ended up spending the night in O'Hare. I was lucky though, 2 other girls were trying to get to Syracuse too, so we ended up hanging out together.

You have to buy a reserved seat on Delta, unless you walk up to the ticket desk and buy a ticket for an available seat. You can try for an earlier flight, but they don't put you on the plane until after everyone has checked in. If you miss the flight, they will book you on the next one with an available seat, but you can try to get on an earlier one if someone doesn't show up.

[NHSparky]

American airliners are not what they use to be. I remember from old footage of airlines back than. It was more comfortable than today. Some of the non-American airliners are better, notably some Asian airliners like Singapore and Qatar Airways. Even South African Airways is considered better.

You obviously haven't flown an Airbus, Embrajer, or some of the "regional" European carriers.  I'm 5' 10" and damn near ate my knees on a Ryan Air flight.

[NHSparky]

If she had a later flight and was trying to jump on an earlier one then she would have already purchased a ticket, but is not guaranteed anything but the flight she originally booked.

If this was the connecting flight for the 14 year old they should have known he was running late, and shouldn't have allowed her on the plane.   

It stinks, but you take a risk when you go standby. 

Not necessarily a full-fare ticket...which is yet another reason why I don't fly SWA.  If you try to go standby, even on the same day, SWA makes you pay full-fare, regardless of how much your ticket cost when you purchased it.  Only airline I've seen that does that.

And sounds to me like she got bumped and was then told too bad when she asked for her money back, as well she should have asked.

Sorry, but I've no real love for SWA in the last few years.  They used to be really good, but have slipped badly.

[Ptarmigan]

You obviously haven't flown an Airbus, Embrajer, or some of the "regional" European carriers.  I'm 5' 10" and damn near ate my knees on a Ryan Air flight.

Never flown those European carriers and I have heard they are no different from those cheap American airliners. Ryan Air is one of the worst offender.

[Chris_]

I fly Frontier/Midwest.  Can we say freshly baked CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!!!!!!!

My thoughts?

Too bad for the 14 year old.  Take the next flight out.  McCarran is a fun airport, go ride the shuttle train for an hour or two until the next flight to Sacramento takes off.

[Celtic Rose]

The woman was flying stand-by, which means that she has to wait for a flight with an open seat.  Sounds like it was poorly handled by Southwest, and the kids parents should have bought two seats, but the woan doesn't really have too much room to complain.  If she didn't get a refund, then yes, that would be an issue, but she got the next flight out.  She still reached her destination, and sounds like she was flying home so she didn't miss a connecting flight. 

It is really necessary to mention the size of the booted passenger though?  Does it really matter?  If she had been overweight, she would have still been booted.

[NHSparky]

I still say SWA screwed the pooch by allowing standbys before determining if the flight was "full" or not.

I also think their policy of jacking up the fee to full fare (and we're talking upwards of $300, one-way) from a regular or Web-purchase ticket to take an earlier flight ON THE SAME DAY is bullshit.  Worst thing I've ever had to do was pay $25 for a "guaranteed" standby on American.  I flew SWA from Manchester to Vegas a few years back.  I got there early and noticed I could catch an earlier flight which would have put me into Vegas a couple of hours earlier, and the flight was only half full. 

I asked, and was told my flight was checking in full.  But when I was told I'd have to pay an extra $320 to get there, I waited and took the full flight, which they were asking for volunteers to take a later flight.  Poor management on their part.  Now I just take the bus from Dover to Boston and fly Jet Blue or American.  At least if I take AA, I get a chance of going through LAX, which really helps with the frequent flier miles.

[littlelamb]

I usually try to stick with either Air Tran (cheap tickets) or Delta because of the points on my credit card.

[Thor]

A 14yr old who needs two seats because of obesity....has parents that need to be charged with child abuse.

Deb, I'm appalled. That statement SMACKS of nanny statism..... You don't know WHY the child is obese. Unless you do, you really shouldn't be making comments like that!!

And, Patriot Game is right. The airlines HAVE downsized their seats so that an average Oriental male (5'8" and 170, tops) can fit in them. Forget it if one is above average in size. It's all about how many passengers the airplane can carry vs comfort of the passenger. Deb, you're lucky. You're barely 5'4' and medium build. Try being 6'4" or 6'5" (I shrunk, get over it) and being stuck in the cattle section......

[vesta111]

Trying very hard to remember what my 14 year old had to go through.

She spending the summer with her Dad was invited to spend a week with my parents in Maine.

She was in Brick NJ at the time and her father for some reason just drooped her off at the airport,  she was less then 5 feet tall and weighed about 95 pounds.  Just a very little girl.

When she alone in a very big airport went to the ticket agent she was told she had been bumped. However when she began to cry was told she could get a seat on another airline. from Lagurdia to JFK airport is a problem and arrangements were made for her to be taken by Taxi to the other airport and she made the flight.

One of the airlines called her grandparent and told them what flight she was on and the ETA of the plane in Boston.

She arrived safely and on the return flight her grand parents waited until she was seated.

Years later I flew my grand daughter 14 years old  up from Norfork to Boston and she had an escort, we had one heck of a time retrieving her from the escort, had to have all kinds of documents to prove I was the grandmother and allowed to pick her up.

When she returned home she went on her own, we did wait for her to be seated and when the plane took off felt sorry for the attendant's on that flight as the granddaughter was a WILD ONE.

About the weight of a passenger on a plane,  this is crazy, people that weigh over the seating capacity, be them 14 or 94 know they will never be able to squeeze into one seat.  This is not the other passengers problem it is THEIRS.

If I have to be told at the last moment that I must give up my seat for anothers seeing eye dog that they did not pay for but I did, sorry Charley, they need the dog and must pay for the extra seat.