http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/14/director-kevin-smith-too_n_461803.html
"Kevin Smith was delayed getting from Oakland to Burbank Saturday night because he was "too wide for the sky." According to the 'Clerks' and 'Jay & Silent Bob' director's Twitter, Southwest Airlines removed him from a flight after deeming him a safety risk."
I don't know if I fully buy this story. Kevin Smith doesn't exactly have a svelte physique but I wouldn't consider him morbidly obese, much less a "flight risk". If this story is true then that is really sad. It makes me wonder if there have been other traveler's who have experienced this same issue but since they're not "famous", it went unreported. I also think it's a joke that Southwest tried to smooth things over with a whopping $100 travel voucher. Would any of you guys sue over something like this?
Going on what Elizabeth said, I think this probably does go undereported. Kevin Smith seems like the type to rant on and on about something like this, and this seems to be the only reason it has caught anyone's attention. I also agree that I do not think he is THAT huge. He was able to get the arm rests down and be comfortable in his seat, and considering that this has not happened to him before I do not see why it has to happen now. Even though he said that other people had identified him on the plane, I wonder if the people who told him to get off knew who he was. If they had, do you think they would have thought twice about doing this to him?
When it comes to this discrimination on airplanes, I understand WHY they do it, but I still think it is interesting that this happens and people do not pay much attention to it. With obesity on the rise this will become more of a problem. Being fat is becomming more and more expensive. Is the bar going to just keep going higher as more people get fatter, or is there a place where we are going to have to draw a line?