United getting tough on big passengers

Bloomberg reports bad news for those of us who are too big to fit in one seat on an airplane.
About 34 percent of Americans are obese, double the rate from 30 years ago, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only one state, Colorado, has an obesity rate of less than 20 percent. This might affect quite a few of us then...

Bloomberg, April 15 - United Airlines, the third-largest US carrier, may force some obese travelers to buy a second seat when flights are full and other passengers complain about being cramped.
The policy brings practices at UAL Corp’s United in line with those at the other five biggest US carriers including Delta Air Lines Inc. The rule took effect today after being adopted in January, said Robin Urbanski, a United spokeswoman.
United passengers previously “had to share their seat with the oversized guest” on full planes, Urbanski said. Chicago-based United acted after receiving “hundreds” of public complaints each year, she said.
“It’s going to perpetuate that negative stigma that’s already associated with obesity,” said James Zervios, a spokesman for the Obesity Action Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group in Tampa, Florida. Airline seats already “could use a few extra inches of room on all sides,” he said.

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