it's totally reasonable - they require two seats, therefore double the fare...when your child needs an extra seat (as opposed to sitting on your lap) you pay the fare for that

it's not really discrimination and it may force people to realize change is needed

Reasonable. Your taking up two seats. Period.

I think airlines should have a row or two of larger seats for taller/bigger people available for a slightly higer price than a regular seat, but still cheaper than two seats.

As it stands now-- definitely reasonable to charge for two.

Fully reasonable. Anybody who has had to sit next to an obese person spilling over into their seat during a 10 hour flight would agree with this *is not bitter at all*.

I think it's totally reasonable. Giving away free seats to oversized customers would drive up already high airfare. Plus, if I pay for a seat on an airline, I expect to have the whole seat to myself and not have the oversized person next to me "spilling" over into my space. It's cramped enough in the airplane already! If an oversized person doesn't want to pay for two seats, the other option would be to fly first class because the seats are larger.

Also I should add that I think it is sad that the obesity problem in North America is bad enough that this even needs to be considered.

I think it's reasonable. My friend just flew across country and there was a big issue right before taking off. A man was assigned a middle seat and he could not FIT in it. There were two obese women sitting on either side of him and they were flowing over into his seat.

The flight attendant eventually had to separate a small child (age 6) from his parents and put him in between the two women. He was the only one that would fit...

Totally reasonable. If you need two seats then you have to pay for two seats. I don't think that obese people should be treated the same as people with disabilities and I do not see the need for special seating. Would a very small person who only takes up half a seat get charged half price? I think not.

I have to say that I do think it's a bit discriminatory, but I also think it's reasonable as well. I don't think we should make obese people feel worse by having them pay for two seats, but in the other aspect, you take up enough room so one less person can't fly (potentially). I think it's sad that our obesity problem has gotten so far, and hopefully it inspires changes.

in MOST cases (not saying all, there are some special situations such as medical issues), it's your choice to be obese, therefore your choice to pay the price(s). You reap what you sew.
Sorry, I just don't think there are many excuses. Call me a hard ass i guess.

Hiding: "Would a very small person who only takes up half a seat get charged half price? I think not. "

So well said!

I think it is reasonable. I was never of the size that required an additional seat but if I had been I would need to pay. Like the posts have said, it is a choice. I worried about flying when I was larger because I didn't want to make other passengers uncomfortable. It is a difficult world as a fat person but there are ways to change it. 120 lbs later I am proof of that.

I think it is reasonable. It is space rental, after all.

Completely and totally reasonable.

its reasonable, I have sat next to many obese people and couldnt move an inch.

Reasonable. I'm 5'6", 110 lbs and have sat next to people who were large enough I was squished against the window. Whenever I fly I get on the plane as quickly as possible to make sure I'm in my seat with the arm rest down before the person next to me so I don't have to experience that again.

OR maybe it's time for the morbidly obese to shed a few for not only their pocketbook but also their health!

I say yay.

I think this is a fine rule. It's not discriminatory it is just reasonable!

I'm surprised...this isn't reasonable to me.

The airline industry has been hawking various extra charges so that flying is a serious hassle. The way the seats are built [because let's face it, most people are NOT going to have enough money to fly first class] are for smaller-than-average people - I've seen 160 lb men have a difficult time in coach seating. This isn't "space rental" - you're paying for a *service*, which is to get on a plane that will get you from point A to point B. Everybody is going to the same place, it just depends on how much you want to pay [because other than the difference between first-class and coach, what's the difference between premium and non-premium seating? NOTHING.] That's weight requirements for the plane itself aside, which is a different issue altogether.

I'm considered overweight, but I still fit into an airline seat pretty comfortably - it depends on the way you're built and where you carry your weight.

Also, has it occurred to any of you that some of this obesity epidemic is NOT completely the person's fault? There are people who are bigger [like me] who DO exercise as much as they can, eat healthier and less than normal-weight people, even to the point of showing anorexia-like symptoms, that still can't be "normal weight"? Also, there are studies done that have linked obesity and poverty, so there's some socioeconomic factors in this too. It's not like these are people who can just "stop eating so much" [a lot of it isn't the amount of food they eat, but what they are eating, and it's sad to say, but vegetables cost more than a Big Mac], and they're DEFINITELY not going to have enough money to get first-class seating [which is a lot bigger].

I'm not taking away personal responsibility for your weight here, but please realize that people are built differently - and the airline industry is out to make money. So charging obese people more doesn't make sense to me. Maybe everyone should be required to report their weight class, so to speak, so that the plane can be arranged properly.

[Sorry this was so long, but I can't stand when people pass this off as a flippant "oh, they don't have to be fat, so they're going to have to pay for it." It's just not that simple.]

*ETA: I guess it's just that defining what is "obese" is really arbitrary. That's what I meant to get across.

Reasonable. Have you ever been on a three to four hour flight that's already uncomfortable sitting next to someone whose body is overreaching into your seat? Charge them.

strema, your avatar made me laugh out loud!!

and yes, i think it's completely reasonable.

Reasonable. Perhaps (in situations where it is possible, not a true medical issue) this will provide motivation to be healthier and lose weight.

I would also like to take this opportunity to demand all clothing companies to make clothing that will fit tall women and I demand that the price not be raised due to the use of extra material. You see petite clothing everywhere but a tall section? Ha!! Is this discrimination? Maybe, or maybe I'm just not normal and I have to go to specialty shops to buy pants long enough to fit and yes I do pay more for the extra length. I can't shorten my legs so I suffer with feeling cramped up by less than adequate leg room and I pay a pretty penny for clothing that actually fits my body. Such is life.

First of all as an overweight person I think it is reasonable to charge for an extra seat if a person can't fit comfortably into one seat. Factor is fuel and the comfort of the passenger and it's fine. That is as long as I am actually going to get both seats. If I'm paying for two I want two seats andn ot to still have to cram into one really uncomfortable seat next to some snobby skinny person who looks at me like I'm death because the worst thing in the world to them is having to sit next to a fat person. In fact I'd pay for the seat in front of me too since I have really long legs and some jerk inevitably thinks it's fun to recline his seat back into my kness for 4 hours.
Airplanes in general aren't built for comfort rows of 3 "normal" are cramped and unpleasant so hell charge me for all 3 seats so I can actually read or sleep or get my drink without it spilling on two other people before it gets to me.
Oh and to all you "normal" people who hate sitting next to us fatties... we don't like sitting next to you with your constant twitching Ipod needing have to get situated into a pretzel with my snuggle buny selves either

This one is kind of a toughie because for some people who may take up two seats it's due to a disease that they have very little control over and do make a sick person pay more seems unfair, however the airline shouldn't have to determine who is sick and who is just overweight due to lack of exercise/poor eating habits. However I as a passenger who only take up one seat shouldn't have to feel squished/uncomfortable because someone who clearly doesn't fit into one seat is squeezing into one.

After being on a long haul flight where half of my seat was taken up by my seat partner with the arm rest down, I would prefer that they be required to buy the second seat instead of taking up mine for free. It was a very long 9.5 hours...

I've been stuck next to someone who couldn't put down the armrest. It was a miserable, 5 hour long flight! And the worst part was I paid full price. If airlines don't charge for people who take up other's space, then I think I deserve a discount!

Reasonable, unless a person has some medical disease that causes the obesiety. In most cases it's self-caused, and you have to pay for the space you take up. It should be a wake up call for obese people because if they cannot fit a normal seat it's not healthy anymore.

It could be so that the airplanes would have two sizes of seats but that would make things harder for the companies.

Totally reasonable. I once had to wait for another flight because my flight had no more room on it...because 3 people took up two seats. I'm sorry, but if you're taking up so much room that you're filling up the flight, you should at least have to pay so that the airline knows how many seats are actually full.

I think this is reasonable, HOWEVER I think they should also charge more for people with extremely broad shoulders and arms. I've been on several flights with some huge man - not overweight, just big - squishing into my space and making it uncomfortable or impossible for me to move my arms without leaning way over onto the person on the other side. I doubt that will ever happen though, and obese folks will be the only ones forced to pay.

Reasonable- Makes perfect sense! ☺

It is completely reasonable to charge a person for two seats if they are going to, by default, take up two because of their weight.

BUT, it is a valid complaint that the airline seats are to small. All of the males in my family are over 6 feet, most 6 ft 4in, and not overweight but it is so uncomfortable for them to fly coach. Their needs to be more leg room on planes.

I wouldn't have so much of an issue sitting next to a larger person if it was easier to get around them.
I am 5ft 8 and normal weight and people have issues getting around my long legs.

Reasonable. Sitting next to someone who is spilling over onto your lap is incredibly unpleasant. (I think it was uncomfortable for her too....) I also don't believe it is very safe. Because of the seats, armrests, table trays, etc, and ME she would not have been able to move very quickly in an emergency. I don't believe its discrimination.

(Is someone going to accuse a theme park of discrimination if someone is refused on a ride because they don't fit in the seat? I don't think so.)

reasonable! and I agree with hillamaria!

It's reasonable. You take up two seats you pay for the seats point blank. It would be discriminatory if they made obese people actually take a whole other seperate plane.

I think it is reasonable. The test isn't "obese" it's "do you take up more than one seat?" No one is forcing a weigh in- therefore the "big guy" who everyone is talking about would actually have to pay more as well.

PS- people who only take up half a seat do pay less: they are called CHILDREN. I have yet to meet an adult whose body fits in a 10 inch space comfortably next to another.

Reasonable. Anyone who has had to sit through a flight, like many have said above, with someone's fat spilling into their seat will agree. If someone has a medical condition that makes them THAT obese, then wouldn't they be considered disabled, and therefore have some kind of proof that it is infact a disability? If you can prove that it is, then they should have the option to sit in the disabled seating. If not, pay for the seats you take up. Thanks.

I think it's a slippery slope from charging obese people to just charging people who are too big for the airline seats without being overweight. I am a healthy, slender 5' 8 ", and I fill most of an airline seat (including leg room.) I cannot believe some of the commenters are advocating charging tall or broad people more... lol, you must be short. If airline seats are too small for people taller than me, and I am the height of an average american man, then half the men in this country are too tall to comfortably fit into a seat; I'd say that's a problem with the size of the seat, not that half of the men in the country are too tall. If you are short enough to fit easily at any weight, I am happy for you, but if you want tall people to pay more to fly, I hope you are ok with things like getting charged for help reaching food on high shelves at the store. (After all, it isn't the supermarket's fault you're short.)

I think it's ridiculous and I agree with the Canadian rule that they shouldn't be charged for an extra seat.

If you're gonna charge obese people, then why not charge us all by the lb. like luggage? And seat us in seats according to size. Small people in small areas, tall people in areas with more leg room, and obese people in wider seats. Then everyone is discriminated against.

Honestly, I get that it's not *always* the fault of the person, but seriously, the percentage of people who are seriously overweight due to a medical condition is so tiny compared to the whole. It's just not particularly valid to argue against a fee like this for that particular reason.

LOL good idea bonniebonnie... fair is fair. I can't believe people upthread are arguing for charging people with broad shoulders for two seats!

If I pay for a seat on a plane, don't I deserve to use the WHOLE SEAT I JUST BOUGHT? Why is a person forced to surrender a portion of the seat they PAID MONEY FOR to another person? What about the rights of the people they encroach on? What ever happened to people having every personal freedom ONLY UNTIL it infringes on the rights of ANOTHER person!

I wouldn't even care about medical condition cases...the fact is that the airline industry is a business that's out to maximize profits.

The coach seats on airplanes are built for short, thin people - see the section on "Seat Pitch & Width" on the Wikipedia page for airline seats: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_seat.

The seat typically measures 17 in. wide from armrest to armrest. I don't know very many people who are 17 in. wide when they sit down, especially if you've got hips that are 32 - 40+ in around. It just DOESN'T make any sense.

Also, the seats are built for somebody with short to average inseams (30-32 in). As people have said here, people who are tall, with broad shoulders, or just have long legs have the same problem of spilling over into other people's seats...should we charge them, too?

Unless airlines are going to start charging less for people who take up less than a seat, then I think that this is a hypocritical and discriminatory policy.
As well, people need to remember (and I know some did say this already) that people are not always overweight by choice. This can be caused by medical and psychological issues, and so to blame overweight people and suggest that this could be an "incentive" to lose weight is pretty shortsighted in my opinion.

Reasonable, especially how United has defined it:
are unable to fit into a single seat in the ticketed cabin;
are unable to properly buckle the seatbelt using a single seatbelt extender; and/or
are unable to put the seat's armrests down when seated.

I'm fat.. and 90 lbs ago I was really fat and would not have passed those requirements easily... ie: I could shove the armrest down, but it wouldn't be comfortable for anyone. I'm still obese, but I fit into the seat. (However I still get those lovely looks of resignation from some people) I travel for business ALOT.. and always went to extra lengths for my own comfort and of others. I chose to fly two airlines only, in order to build my Flyer status, which allows me special priveleges. I always request an aisle seat, so that I can lean more into the aisle rather than towards the middle. I always request an empty seat next to me, if possible, even if it's in the back of the plane, and I quite often upgrade or am upgraded to first or business. If there was only a middle seat available, I would take a different flight. One of my biggest feelings of sucess was finally taking a flight a few months ago and not needing a seatbelt extender, after 7 years of travelling with one. I agree that plane seats are rediculously small and uncomfortable for most people. I also agree with the poster that it would be great if they had a few rows of wider seats available for a price, say $100-$150, this wouldn't be as expensive as buying a first class ticket, but would deter most people who just wanted more space but didn't really "need" it. As for those who are making the arguement of "sometimes it's a medical situation, being fat" and while I do agree that sometimes it's the case... the vast majority of time it is NOT.

I also would note however, it irritates me when people make assumptions in this regard. Keep in mind when you see an obese person, you do not know what they are or are not doing. In my example, as I said, I lost 90 lbs in the past 8 months, and have another 90 to go... so don't make the assumption that because I'm fat on YOUR flight, means that I haven't been working on not being fat.
But yeah, I got myself there, so I understand that it's my responsiblitiy to deal with the reprecussions. The obesity epidemic WILL bring this country to it's knees in a few years. ok.. /rant

Totally reasonable! You take up a seat that another person would be paying for, therefor you are taking away money from the airlines.

Hiding: "Would a very small person who only takes up half a seat get charged half price? I think not. " This is ridiculous. Its not as if the airline is going to sell the other half of that seat and make a profit.

This isn't an issue of weight so much as it is of space.

I don't agree with this at all.