United Airlines will soon be enforcing a rule that requires “obese” passengers to pay for two airline seats.   If the airline cannot accommodate two seats together for their portly passengers, they may be forced to bump them from the flight.  Airline attendants will make every effort to find adjoining seats, but if the  flight is booked, the biggies get booted.  This new requirement was reportedly from the result of over 700 complaints from passengers in one year, who had overweight flyers spill over into their paid seat.

We all know that obesity is a massive problem in this country.  It is largely a preventable condition that consumes a large amount of our health care dollars.  But is booting a large booty from a paid airline seat discriminatory?  I am not so sure.  Maybe it is a wake up call for Americans to come to grips with their love handles.  If a person can not fit into a standard airline seat without encroaching onto my seat as well, then something should be done.  There are consequences to our lifestyle actions.  Being obese is costly both financially and physically.

Now, if we can just get airports to stop serving McDonald’s and Cinnabons, I won’t have to pay for that extra seat.

RR