Overweight man sues Air France over seat row

[MedicCook]

Overweight man sues Air France over seat row

PARIS (Reuters) - An overweight passenger has sued Air France after being told he was too fat and had to pay for a second seat to accommodate his bulk.

Jean-Jacques Jauffret, a French scriptwriter, told Reuters Wednesday he had felt humiliated by Air France staff who had measured his waist in public at New Dehli airport in 2005 and decided he was too big for a single seat.

A lawyer representing Air France told a court Tuesday the company had a clear policy of asking obese passengers to pay for two seats.

"Let's be objective. This man is fat," lawyer Fernand Gamault told the court in Bobigny, according to Le Parisien newspaper. "He barely fits on the courtroom chair. How could he sit in an airplane?"

Gamault was not available for comment but Jauffret confirmed the lawyer's comments and said he was denounced as "fat" and "enormous" on countless occasions during the hearing.

"I felt shocked and humiliated by what he said," Jauffret added.

Jauffret said he weighed more than 160 kilos (352.7 lb) and said he had flown numerous times, including on other Air France flights, without ever being asked to pay more.

Air France's website urges overweight passengers to reserve a second seat, adding that failure to do so might mean they are refused access to an aircraft if it is fully booked.

Jauffret has asked for 8,000 euros ($10,580) in damages and 500 euros reimbursement for the cost of the additional ticket.

A verdict in the case is due on February 20.

http://davesdaily.com/out.php?id=22974&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fnm%2F2006122 0%2Fod_nm%2Ffrance_obese_flight_dc

[sws4420]

When purchasing airfare, you rent that little square for the duration of a certain flight. Why these fat fucks think it's ok to occupy double and triple that amount of space because they don't know how to take care of themselves if beyond me.

How about this, we can solidly book a flight of nothing but people who are 300+ pounds. Then, and only then, will they experience the kind of disgusting lard overflow the rest of us deal with while sitting next to one of these people.

[MedicCook]

:rotflmao:

[BigD]

When purchasing airfare, you rent that little square for the duration of a certain flight. Why these fat fucks think it's ok to occupy double and triple that amount of space because they don't know how to take care of themselves if beyond me.

How about this, we can solidly book a flight of nothing but people who are 300+ pounds. Then, and only then, will they experience the kind of disgusting lard overflow the rest of us deal with while sitting next to one of these people.

While we're eliminating obnoxious people, let's not forget the people who can't turn their cell phone off (ever!), the ones that smell like curry all the time, the gimps, the fags, the people with the laptops, and last but not least the people with the screaming babies (who of course don't need a seat either because they alledgedly sit on their parents laps, and scream in your face the whole damn flight!).

:disgust:

[MedicCook]

When I flew to Germany a couple of years ago, I swear the seats where smaller than a typical seat. I only weight 190 at the time and felt cramped as hell. Good thing I packed a bottle of Capt Morgan with me to make that 6 hours go by a little faster.

[sws4420]

While we're eliminating obnoxious people, let's not forget the people who can't turn their cell phone off (ever!), the ones that smell like curry all the time, the gimps, the fags, the people with the laptops, and last but not least the people with the screaming babies (who of course don't need a seat either because they alledgedly sit on their parents laps, and scream in your face the whole damn flight!).

:disgust:While I sort of agree with these points, I happen to be the laptop guy and the guy with the kids. To that point, even though my son sits on my lap when we fly, they require me to purchase a seat for him. My son and I weigh less than these obese tubs of lard that squeeze themselves into these seats.

[Jimmerz]

seats should be larger in general the airlines are just to stingy to modify the planes that should have been built with larger more comfortable seats to begin with, i mean serieously did they expect overweight people would not fly? some people fight their entire life to loose weight and it just does not work for some people no amount of working out and eating properly will work. its a fact of life.

[MedicCook]

That's not what the airlines think about though. They want small seats so they can fit more people into the plane and maximize the profit amount per flight.

[Donna]

That's not what the airlines think about though. They want small seats so they can fit more people into the plane and maximize the profit amount per flight.

don't you think the seats/isles/bathrooms were all designed when obesity wasn't an issue years ago? I sit quite comfortably in the seats, aside from the fight for the sharing armchair, I have no complaints, but I've never sat next to anyone that was huge. As far as the AirFrance, I hope they didn't lose that lawsuit. They made it very clear, if you're fat, you pay for 2 seats. What the size of the seats SHOULD be has nothing to do with what the size of the seat is NOW, and what their policy is now.

[MedicCook]

Airlines have also decreased the seat size over the years. Go on an international flight and they are even smaller. When I went to Germany I fit snugly into the seat and I am not obese.