I hate to be unkind, but this is a Popeye if I ever there was one.
Jaelynn Chaney (above) is a fat positivity activist, which is jake with me, sort of, if I apply the “its not the worst thing” rationalization. (Maybe Bud Light will put her on a beer can, if possible.) However, she is now demanding, via a Change.Org petition, that the rest of us pay to make it easier for her (and her not quite as obese love-bunny to fly on commercial airlines.
Poor Jaelynn! As she writes in her repetitious and ungrammatical introduction to her demands,
Air travel should be comfortable and accessible for everyone, regardless of size. As plus-size travelers, my partner and I have unfortunately experienced discrimination and discomfort while flying. During a flight from Pasco to Denver, my fiancé was subjected to hateful comments, disapproving looks, and even refusal to sit next to them, amounting to discrimination. Similarly, on another flight, I was forced to occupy only one seat with immovable armrests that caused me pain and bruises. Being forced to occupy only one seat can result in pain and vulnerability to poor treatment from fellow passengers, including hateful comments, disapproving looks, and even refusal to sit next to them. This mistreatment of plus-size passengers is unacceptable, and it highlights the urgent need for better policies that protect the dignity and rights of all passengers, regardless of size. Unfortunately, plus-size passengers often experience discomfort and discrimination when flying. The lack of a uniform customer-of-size airline policy is unacceptable and must be addressed.
Must it? “”Hateful comments, disapproving looks, and refusal to sit next to someone”, amounting to discrimination.” are not within the government’s power to prevent, and private companies do not and should not get into the looks and speech policing business. Nor is there any right to not be subjected to expense, discomfort or inconvenience as a result of personal problems and issues. An “all customers are treated alike” policy is as fair as any other, and does not engender resentment or conflict among passengers.
The petition’s proscribed measures for “a clear [FAA] customer-of-size policy that prioritizes the comfort and well-being of all passengers” are delusional:
- “All plus-size passengers should be provided with an extra free seat, or even two or three seats depending on their size, to accommodate their needs and ensure their comfort during the flight.” “Plus-size” <cough!> passengers are free to buy First Class seats, a second seat, or to drive to their destination.
- “Airlines should offer a refund for plus-size passengers who purchase additional seats independently.” As I said, delusional. Why should the airlines pay for travelers to deal with their own special needs? Why should other passengers, to whom the cost will be passed on to?
- “Airlines must create a set of policies, standards, and procedures for plus-size travelers and communicate them in a clear, accessible, and easy-to-understand way.” I’m on board with this one, and here they are: “There will be no special accommodations for obese passengers, other than seat-belt extensions.” Great! All set.
- “Airlines must provide additional airport assistance to plus-size travelers if necessary, including wheelchair assistance and priority boarding.” Already available with an advance phone call. Next?
- “We are also calling on the FAA to mandate that all new airplanes have at least one wheelchair accessible restroom.” Impossible for anything but the most jumbo of jumbo jets, and and an unreasonable expense given the tiny percentage of the flying public that would benefit from such accommodations.
The petition also calls for airlines to train personnel to deal with “plus-size’ passengers. I assume that the airlines already include training sessions regarding the handling of passengers with disabilities. In addition, the petition wants the TSA to “implement clear guidelines for screening plus size travelers, train agents on how to respectfully interact with plus-size travelers, offer sensitivity training, and provide accessible screening equipment…It’s time for the TSA to recognize the needs of plus-size travelers and take action to ensure they are treated with respect and dignity.”
Somebody tell Jaelynn that nobody is treated with special respect or dignity during pat-downs and screenings, and fat fliers have no more right to demand it than anyone else. The idea is to find terrorists and get people through the lines as quickly as possible. I’m guessing she can’t fit through the gate, so she’s screened by hand every time.
There is an obvious remedy to this that does not involve TSA personnel.
Ethics Alarms 
“There is an obvious remedy to this that does not involve TSA personnel.”
She may have garnered more sympathy if she mentioned how she is trying really really hard to lose weight, but that also undermines her message.
I genuinely feel bad for her because she has a severe food addiction but her lack of accountability mostly erases that sympathy. She needs help but not from the airlines. Sad.
Change begins with me…
I don’t think she should be patted down by TSA agents. But I also thing no one should be patted down by the TSA, which is at this point fairly high in the “do something” scale. The simple metal detectors that we used to have in the 90s (and without ID checks or even the need for boarding passes) used to work fairly well.
This is a heavy conversation…sorry
Hahaha!
“…my fiancé was subjected to hateful comments, disapproving looks, and even refusal to sit next to them…
This probably isn’t meant as an admission that he/she/it is the physical equivalent of at least two people, is it?
I laughed when I read that – and the original statement she made – but I think “them” in this context is just an example of poor grammar. Two sentences later we see, “…vulnerability to poor treatment from fellow passengers, including hateful comments, disapproving looks, and even refusal to sit next to them.” In this context, “them” doesn’t refer to either of them specifically. I think “them” in both cases is actually referring to the people that refuse to with the girl and her fiance. It’s just very poorly worded.
But anyways, isn’t this typical of so many people today? Discover a problem that is partly – or completely – of a person’s own making, then ask for relief in ways that 1) show no personal responsibility for the problem, 2) show no apparent willingness to in any way address the problem on a personal level, and 3) effectively reward the individual for the problem to the financial detriment of others.
Ours is a very self-absorbed world.
How is her mistreatment different from any other air traveler’s mistreatment? Didn’t she read the bold print throughout the ticketing process:
“Dear Passenger: Thank for having the misfortune of being forced to fly with ____ Airlines. It is our deepest and most sincere (sincerest?) desire that you have a simply horrible experience from the moment you step into the airport to the moment you can’t find your luggage, which we will go to great lengths to lose. If you believe you have been mistreated or singled out for any reason, rest assured that we make a concerted effort to use the highest levels of disrespect, discomfort, and last but not least discourtesy for each and every person dumb enough to use our services and board our decrepit airplanes. If you have a complaint, tell it someone who cares. Thank you.”
jvb
Devil’s Advocate here: In 1 instance, I agree. With the commoditization of everything the airline can nickel and dime, the airlines should create a way for the plus-sized passenger to purchase that ‘add-on’ space without the additional nickel and diming. If I’m buying that extra seat for extra space and I pick a window seat in row 7 for $28, why should I also have to pay $28 for my 2nd seat to be next to me? That’s the purpose of the 2nd seat – for it to be next to me. There’s also additional security fees and costs associated with each individual passenger that do not and should not apply to “extra space”. TSA doesn’t have to screen 2 people – it’s still just 1. Don’t charge that fee twice.
I guarantee there are problems with how the airline is treating this subject. Is everything she wants reasonable? Absolutely not. She’s ridiculous. But where it makes sense, yes, it appears the airlines won’t be acting ethically so the law might need to step in.
Well… Two things:
First off – This isn’t just an extremely myopic problem, it’s not just a first-world problem, it’s a very upper-middle-class first world problem. My first thought when anyone is complaining about air travel is an awareness that I travel by flight more than anyone else I know. I was in the air cadets, and then I did a lot of business travel, and then some vacationing. It was eye opening to talk to people I worked with about how little they’ve flown. While most people fly at least once in their life, some don’t and I would bet scads of money that the average person does not fly over the course of any decade.
The idea that this is a prolific enough problem that someone needs to do something about it comes from a position of so much privilege, to use their word, that literally no one, their own people included, should take this seriously.
Second – She mentioned “Comfort” seven times and “Discrimination” four times, which she clarified to mean: “hateful comments, disapproving looks, and even refusal to sit next to them”. I can’t stress this enough… It’s not the world’s job to make you comfortable, and if that’s the worst discrimination you endure, you’re doing OK.
The one point she has, which I agree wholeheartedly is this:
“Airlines must create a set of policies, standards, and procedures for plus-size travelers and communicate them in a clear, accessible, and easy-to-understand way.”
Jack said sarcastically: “I’m on board with this one, and here they are: “There will be no special accommodations for obese passengers, other than seat-belt extensions.” Great! All set.”
I actually think this is a good idea. The author won’t like my process, but I think that as opposed to trying to shoehorn people in to seats far too small for them with a whole lot of elbow grease and Crisco, the airline might actually want to have policies and procedures for people too large for individual seats, to take the comfort and dignity of other passengers into account. If she thinks that people need an extra seat (or TWO!!!) in order to fly, imagine what the people sitting beside them must be going through. I don’t want to experience the velcro-like ripping of sweaty skin that I usually associate with “the morning after” as I try to extricate myself from the folds of the 400 pound specimen beside me. So yes, rules! Procedures! “Customers over 300 pounds will be required to pay a surcharge (which may or may not be the entire cost of an extra seat) in order to accommodate their needs.
I think the problem is how tight airlines are. Average sized people already have a bad experience, I’m sure this is legitimately uncomfortable for big people. And this has changed over time… I had the experience of going to the Aviation Museum in Winnipeg recently, and what struck me as I walked through the fuselage of a 70 year old passenger plane was 1) other than color, the interiors are basically the same now as they were then except 2) Holy. Shit. Was there leg space. I would already be willing to pay an extra 50% on the ticket price if there were 50% fewer people on that plane and that much more room to go around. I do not understand why airlines continue to lean into the inexpensive, miserable model they seem addicted to.
A Chinook with a sling and a winch will make short work of this problem. It would be cost-prohibitive, but giving up a couple day’s worth of feed should offset that.
Yeah, I know; mean, but she apparently celebrates this like it’s something to strive for, rather than an affliction she’s battling. This will almost certainly take many years off of her life.
Yet another symptom of the “woke” pandemic.
Why aren’t there activists out there activating for affirmative care for morbidly obese people? Obesity kills. It’s not admirable or anything to which one should aspire. This woman will be collecting disability from the Feds any day now and for a good long time.
Yep.
Now, that is the American Can-Do spirit. See a problem, fix a problem.
Nicely done.
jvb
I believe the airlines can find the space to accommodate these beyond morbidly obese passengers, in the cargo hold. More seriously, I find it astounding that these people would actually celebrate their immense girth and promote it as a source of pride. And how indigent they become when anyone suggests to them they might consider losing a bit of weight.
I have a close friend who is a “plus sized” flier and through him I have learned that most airlines indeed DO have a policy that makes it easier for large passengers. It varies somewhat from airline to airline but generally are some variant of SouthWest’s policy, which is this:
1) Purchase 2 adjacent seats, both in your own name.
2) If the flight is sold out, you pay for both seats (or pay some part substantial part of the price as a fee).
3) If the flight is NOT sold out, you are refunded the price of the 2nd seat (or some substantial part of it).
The exact procedure for setting this up varies from airline to airline, and for most of them this can’t be done directly through airline’s website (let alone a 3rd-party website)–it requires a call to customer service. I’m told this is often difficult because it’s common for the first line of customer service to be unaware of the policy and how it works.
So . . . problem solved, right?
–Dwayne