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Political activist and conservative commentator Candace Owens reported today she was reseated on a Delta Air Lines flight — to alleviate an issue allegedly caused by a passenger of size.
I weigh 124 lbs. I travel with a suitcase that is 35lbs & paid 30$ to check it in.
Flight now delayed bc steward needed to find a person small enough (me) to sit next to the LITERAL 450 lb man who *needs* someone to forfeit 1/3 of their seat for his spillover.
I’m IRATE @Delta.— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) July 26, 2019
Does anyone else wonder if the gentleman volunteered his exact weight? Or was Ms. Owens estimating?
(Also, Ms. Ownens: consider a Delta American Express card. Your first checked bag is free! And if you have status with another airline, consider matching to Delta!)
She later added:
The policy across ALL AIRLINES should be that if you cannot fit your body between yout two armrests, you should be forced to buy 2 seats— just like if you cannot fit 50 lbs in a suitcase, you are FORCED to pay for overweight luggage. Anything else is unacceptably unsafe, @Delta!
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) July 26, 2019
Delta does not require passengers of size to purchase an extra seat. The mothership merely recommends it.
Compensation?
What do you think Ms. Owens received for her inconvenience? SkyPennies? A voucher? Maybe Sky Club passes?
Nope.
She says Delta will refund the entire flight purchase for her and her Fiancé, George Farmer.
Update: Delta pilot felt so badly he personally walked me off plane to apologize when we landed. They are refunding the flight fully for me & @GTSFarmer.
Satisfactory conclusion. I still think flying while clinically obese needs be addressed w/ a 2-seat mandatory purchase policy https://t.co/ZllLbXUbww
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) July 26, 2019
Social Media Responds
Ms. Owens’ supporters and detractors, erm, weighed in on the issue. You can click on her individual tweets to see the replies.
Some responses are mean, others insightful, and a few may find humor in a couple of them.
I think many of us can agree with one tweeter, though:
Potential problem with your suggested solution: the airlines will continue to make seats smaller and smaller to the point where even normal or thin adults will have to buy 2 seats.
— A.C. Meinde (@ACMeinde) July 26, 2019
H/T: SLC_ Runner
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I see 500 Delta Sky pesos in her future.
I am always insulted at what they offer for compensation. I rarely allow them to put them in my account as they mean nothing compared to what it takes to redeem for an actual flight and you have to work to find in their “hidden” award charts.
Steward? Hmmmmm somebody is not really up to date on appropriate job titles.
It’s a bus in the sky folks. Sure it’s our preferred brand bus but they pack us in like sardines. Don’t like it then WFBF or upgrade. Also any normal traveler shouldn’t be paying for bags ever. +1 for the Skymiles card plug. Totally appropriate. Hope you sent her the link on Twitter.
Candace is totally right here.
Why another Person should be inconvenienced when he paid for his seat and allowed for his space. If you’re too big of a person then purchase 2 seats or buy a business one.
Was she forced to accept this new seat? What would have happened had she refused? I don’t think I would have accepted that particular reassignment.
I agree with her and have felt that way for years. When purchasing an airline ticket, you are purchasing transportation – a seat on the plane. If you require 2 seats in order to be seated, pay for 2 seats. The airline sold a ticket, and a seat, to an adjacent passenger. They should, then, nor receive less than a full seat which is what they paid for.
If, as a business decision, the airline chooses not to require double payment from a morbidly obese passenger who requires 2 seats, that’s their business as a business decision.
As an aside, I wonder if the post might have been titled differently had the person in question been someone such as Rachael Maddow or some other liberal or progressive activist or commentator. Leave your political biases at home. The issue at hand has NOTHING to do with one’s political leanings.
Why does it matter what political leaning she is?
She was asked to move to a more uncomfortable seat because another passenger and the airline didn’t take responsibility.
Who wouldn’t complain about that?
Ms. Owens (can I call her that?) needs to take a breath and get over herself. I certainly agree that having purchased a seat, she is fully entitled to that seat. I’d add that the airlines have caused situations like this to occur more and more frequently. Reduced seat width, reduced leg room, oversold flights and more have added to the problem.
The other passenger, also had a right to his seat, where he was assuredly uncomfortable but now additionally embarrassed by someone’s adolescent response to a situation.
I am 6’-1”, 285 and while I generally don’t have a size problem getting into a seat (I fly up front mostly) I routinely must request a seatbelt extender (unnecessarily embarrassing) even aboard aircraft of the same type and same carrier (yes, you Delta).
Tray tables that sometimes cannot be opened because they don’t clear my body (even I first or business), the person in front of us who apparently must spent an entire flight either fully reclined or transitioning between seat adjustments throughout a flight.
I get it, big people can be offensive to small people. We are just as entitled to civil and respectful treatment as anyone else, including the increasing numbers of rude and “entitled” passengers WE must travel among.
Honestly, I’d rather be seated next to a big guy or girl than the indulged brat who drags their pocketbook dog along with them, the guy who smells like his last pack of cigarettes or the toenail clipping, feet on the seatback or wall dude or dudette.
A little civility and common courtesy/respect would return as much to the flying experience as would 2” of seat width.
Wow. Now I feel stupid that I didn’t demand a refund or cash or miles or something when a 450+ (estimated) pound guy sat ON my right leg for a flight on a CRJ200. He was put on the Delta flight from a United flight that was cancelled and the flight was full. I spent over a month going to physical therapy after that. Sadly the FA ignored my request for some kind of help. I need to step up my thoughts on always being the entitled victim.
Several years ago I was on a Delta CRJ 200 flight with a former NFL Super Bowl QB turned announcer. An elderly woman asked him if he would mind switching seats so she could she could sit with her husband.
The QB politely obliged and took the new seat. Just before takeoff a gigantic man boarded and motioned to the QB that he was assigned the window.
The QB stood, moved into the aisle to allow the gigantic man to enter the row. The QB turned the the elderly woman and said, “Thank you for switching seats, ma’am. You now have me sitting next to the largest human being in the world.”
It may have been the most awkward moment I’ve ever experienced on a flight as everyone that heard the statement seemed to be in a state of shock.
Just because she is small and takes care of herself the airlines should not abuse her by making her share her seat with a Biggen! DL should have charged the other airline with 2. Seats for him! I once had the middle seat with 2 Biggens they put the armrests up and were sweating on me! I used the safety card and other card to keep the sweat off me! FA said no others seats could not do anything. I even took pix of these sleeping guys on me and zip!! That was 5 years ago before I started reading g all the blogs!i know now what to do
To #10 Kevin – Good for the former QB! Usually, being overweight or obese is a choice.
To #8 Huntington Guy – See the comment to #10 Kevin. Diets are plentiful and can help with a multitude of health issues as well as airline seat issues.
To #2 Michael – The head flight attendant is often called the Steward. Here’s a dictionary’s definition:
“a person who attends to the domestic concerns of persons on board a vessel, as in overseeing maids and waiters”