Ford wrote:
> http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/traveltips/02/08/airline.seat/index.htm
> l
>
> Travel Troubleshooter: Crowded out of half my airline seat
> Story Highlights
>
> * Half of passenger's seat was taken by a large seatmate
>
> * The passenger tried to move to another seat, but the plane was full
>
> * She asked Delta for compensation; her original request was denied
>
> * She appealed the decision and received a $250 voucher
>
> By Christopher Elliott
> Tribune Media Services
> (Tribune Media Services) -- Half of Julie Liening's airline seat is
> missing. An extra-large passenger is sitting in it, forcing her to
> lean into the aisle or sit on the passenger's lap. Not a comfortable
> way to fly, nor, for that matter a safe way to fly. But when she asks
> her airline for compensation, she's turned down. What's next?
>
> Q: I need your advice on an uncomfortable problem I had on a recent
> trip. I was on a Delta Air Lines flight from Philadelphia to Atlanta,
> and was one of the last people to board the aircraft. When I got to
> my seat, half of it was missing.
>
> Sitting next to me, in the middle seat, was an extremely large woman.
> So large that she not only took up her own seat, but half of mine.
> There was no way for her to put the armrest down. She said she hoped
> there was room for me.
>
> I discreetly asked one of the flight attendants if I could buy a seat
> in first class, and was told that first class was full. I asked if the
> remainder of the plane was full, and they said that there were no
> empty seats.
>
> A flight attendant suggested that the only way to change my seat was
> to "find a cute boy or girl" and sit on their lap. Not only did I
> find this offensive, but also it was distressing.
>
> One of the flight attendants came over and offered the large
> passenger next to me a seat belt extender. I tried to sit down, but
> ended up spending half of the flight on this woman's lap and the
> other half spilling over into the aisle.
>
> I e-mailed Delta after the flight and asked for a refund. I bought one
> seat, and I didn't even have half of one. Delta thanked me for the
> feedback but refused to do anything. Don't you think I deserve
> something?
>
> -- Julie Liening, Henderson, Nevada
>
> A: You paid for a whole seat, but got only half of one. Do you really
> need me to tell you that you got ripped off?
>
> Not really. But here it goes, anyway. You got ripped off.
>
> Or maybe it would be more accurate to say the XL passenger next to
> you got a deal on her ticket -- two seats for the price of one.
> Either way, it's wrong -- and the attitude of Delta's flight
> attendants and customer service representatives didn't exactly help.
>
> Delta, and most of the other network airlines, tends to look the
> other way when someone unusually tall or wide boards their aircraft.
> At least one carrier, Southwest Airlines, doesn't. It requires that
> plus-sized passengers buy an extra seat (but they get their money
> back if there are empty seats). I could find no policy regarding
> these above-average travelers on Delta's Web site, which says to me
> that your seatmate wasn't out of line in booking only one seat.
>
> I think you took all the right first steps in resolving this dispute.
> Asking a flight attendant for another seat, and offering to buy a
> first-class seat, was a good start. You were also smart to brush off
> the crewmember's insensitive comments. Your next step would have been
> to appeal this to the chief purser and pilot. Obstructing the aisle
> of an aircraft is a safety hazard, not a punch line in a flight
> attendant's joke.
>
> Similarly, your decision to e-mail Delta was correct. But you
> shouldn't have taken its "no" for an answer. You could have -- and
> should have -- appealed this to someone higher up. I list all of the
> customer-service contacts at Delta and other major U.S. airlines on
> my Web site, http://www.elliott.org, (click on "help" for the
> details).
>
> I encouraged you to appeal Delta's denial. This time, the airline
> sent you a flight voucher for $250 and an apology.
>
> Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler
> magazine. E-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.
Fat basher! Here's some USEFUL information.
http://www.naafa.org/documents/brochures/airtips.html
Airline Tips for Large Passengers
Airline travel can be a nightmare for the large person. Small seats and
aisles, the long walk from the check-in area to the gate, and the
frequent insensitivity of passengers and crew can all contribute to an
unpleasant flying experience. But with careful planning, your flight
can be safe and enjoyable. Follow the guidelines listed below in order
to maximize your comfort while flying.
BOOK CAREFULLY - Book your flight carefully, avoiding "rush-hour" air
time. Take advantage of "red-eye special" deals, where the plane is
less likely to be full . The chance of the seat next to yours remaining
empty is 0% if you are flying out of LAX at 0 600 on a Monday morning.
EMPTY SEAT - Tell the airline that you are large and ask that the seat
next to yours remain empty if at all possible. The worst the airline
can do is say "No", but most airlines will at least attempt to
accommodate.
BELT EXTENSIONS - Request a seat-belt extension when you book your
flight, and/or ask for one when you board the plane. Do not wait for
the flight attendant's animated safety speech to discuss this need.
SEAT SIZE - When you book your flight ask specifically for the seat
measurements of the plane you will be on. Explain your need and ask for
the largest seat in your section of the plane. Even one inch can make a
big difference.
AISLE OR WINDOW - Request a seat assignment for the aisle or window,
where you will I have a little more room, and make sure that you don't
have a bulkhead seat. While you have more leg-room in bulkhead, the
armrests in the bulkhead do not raise, and the tray tables come out of
the armrest across your lap. Supersize flyers might wish to request an
aisle seat in a row where the outside armrests are movable, making it
easier to slide into the row.
PRE-BOARD - Even mid-size people have trouble squeezing down the
micro-sized center aisle of most planes, and this task is even more
difficult the plane is already plump with passengers. For this reason,
you should preboard the plane with the rest of the passengers who need
extra time in boarding. The gate agent probably won't hassle you, but
if she asks, just say that you're a large person and need a little
extra time.
ARMREST UP - When you get to your seat during pre-boarding, raise the
armrest between seats. This may give you the inch or two of extra space
you need. The chances are that the passenger who will be seated next to
you won't say anything; if he does, smile pleasantly and say that
you'll both be more comfortable if the armrest is up.
RESTROOMS - Use the airport restroom before boarding your plane. Ask
when booking your trip if handicapped facilities are available on your
particular flight. If not, you may want to change your plans and fly on
a plane equipped with an accessible restroom.
TRAY-TABLE - If you cannot bring down the tray-table, have the flight
attendant ask the passenger in front of you to put their seat to the
full upright position for mealtime. If this doesn't help, set a pillow
on your lap, and your meal tray on the pillow.
DO THE BUMP - Consider being bumped voluntarily. Not only can this be
extremely profitable for fat frequent flyers (see related article), but
your chances of being re-assigned to a partially full plane are greatly
enhanced. You won't mind the inconvenience of an odd departure/arrival
time if your next trip by air is at a greatly reduced price.
SECOND SEAT - If you have purchased a second seat for comfort, be sure
to let the flight attendant know as you board the plane. This will
avoid embarrassment, as an ignorant flight attendant may try to fill
your second seat.
EXIT ROW SEAT - The exit-row seats over the wings of most planes have
considerably more leg room than the rest of the seats in economy class.
While FM regulations state that exit-row seating may be denied to fat
passengers, requesting an exit-row seat may be a viable option for fat
people who are tall and those with reasonably good health and mobility.
GATE TRANSPORTATION - It's usually a long walk between curbside
check-in and the gate, or between gates when you have connecting
flights. When making your reservations, make sure to tell the agent if
you will need special services, such as the airport tra m or an armless
wheelchair and attendant.
The most important thing to remember is that you have the right to fly
anywhere you want to go. Your needs deserve to be met, but it may be up
to you to remind them of this simple fact. If you experience problems
despite your precautions, write a letter of complaint to the airline.
Remember, you have a right to accessible transportation.
Contributors: Jean Soncrant and Lynn McAffee
--
|