Southwest Pax Alleges Discrimination
- Thread starter magsau
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wnbubbleboy
Veteran
Right back at you big guy:
POSTED: 4:46 pm EST February 7, 2006
CONCORD, N.H. -- A discrimination trial began Tuesday in the case of a 300-pound Exeter, N.H., woman who sued Southwest Airlines after she was kicked off a flight when she refused to purchase two seats for herself.
Much of Nadine Thompson's original complaint was thrown out by a federal judge on Monday.
But her attorneys said that they believe they still have a strong case.
Here's the link to see the video. Judge for yourself.
http://www.thewmurchannel.com/news/6816919/detail.html
jimntx
Veteran
As far as I'm concerned, GO SWA! I wish that all the airlines would stop tiptoeing around this issue.
At AA, I frequently have to deal with complaints from passengers who are being squashed by the person next to them who is taking up all of their own seat and half the seat of the complaining passenger.
It's one thing to discriminate due to race, but I think that in the case under discussion, it is purely coincidental that the complainant is black.
It's another matter entirely to require obese passengers to buy an additional seat. And, don't give me the "gland problem" argument. The only overactive gland on most fat people is their elbow.
I should know. I've lost enough weight in my life that by all rights I should be hanging from a charm bracelet. It's just that I have lost the same 20 pounds 25 times.
At AA, I frequently have to deal with complaints from passengers who are being squashed by the person next to them who is taking up all of their own seat and half the seat of the complaining passenger.
It's one thing to discriminate due to race, but I think that in the case under discussion, it is purely coincidental that the complainant is black.
It's another matter entirely to require obese passengers to buy an additional seat. And, don't give me the "gland problem" argument. The only overactive gland on most fat people is their elbow.
I should know. I've lost enough weight in my life that by all rights I should be hanging from a charm bracelet. It's just that I have lost the same 20 pounds 25 times.
Dea Certe
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
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Of all the difficult situations to try to resolve onboard, the two worst are a customer with excessive body odor and an obese person whose excess pounds crowd into another paying customer's seat.
I don't think requiring a customer of size to buy an extra seat to accommodate their, ahem, body parts is out of line.
The customer of size will be more comfortable. The person seated next to them won't have to endure sitting sideways.
I also applaud SWA policies on this issue. I believe SWA will prevail.
Dea
I don't think requiring a customer of size to buy an extra seat to accommodate their, ahem, body parts is out of line.
The customer of size will be more comfortable. The person seated next to them won't have to endure sitting sideways.
I also applaud SWA policies on this issue. I believe SWA will prevail.
Dea
Piney......corny, but funny!!
wnbubbleboy
Veteran
"Even if you're the only black person on a flight . . . you still can't prove race," Thompson said after the verdict. "If they don't fix these problems with their policy, other people are going to come at them."
Thompson also felt she was disadvantaged by the all-white jury. Her lawyer, Neil Osborne, said he believed that her lawsuit is the furthest a discrimination case against Southwest has gotten.
For a second there it thought she was going to say all-aerobic instructor jury.
wnbubbleboy
Veteran
Reading similar stories about this case here's another article. It seems AP annotated the story. This article gives more insight.
Here's an excerpt from the article.
Joel Drake, a Southwest employee, testified earlier Friday that Thompson accused him of being a "motherf--- racist pig" and wished that his family would die from cancer when he tried to explain the company’s policy to her. He said in his 18 years with Southwest, he’d never encountered such horrible accusations and told his boss he couldn’t do his job anymore. He took about six weeks off and requested a lower position.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/02112006/news/87355.htm
Here's an excerpt from the article.
Joel Drake, a Southwest employee, testified earlier Friday that Thompson accused him of being a "motherf--- racist pig" and wished that his family would die from cancer when he tried to explain the company’s policy to her. He said in his 18 years with Southwest, he’d never encountered such horrible accusations and told his boss he couldn’t do his job anymore. He took about six weeks off and requested a lower position.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/02112006/news/87355.htm
Bottom line........................ She's to fat to fit in one seat. This is definetly a racist issue, not. This lady saw this as a way to enhance her checking account. How would you like to have a seat next to her on a BWI-LAX flight. You'd be standing in the aft galley the whole way.
What a shame. 
In my experience, the Customer frequently forgets what they said or some of their actions when reporting bad treatment by the airline. Had a great example of "Gulfstream" behavior on my 131 pax filled 737 today.
Kids, if you're not willing to share with the rest of the class, then maybe commercial transportation isn't for you.
Sigh.........
In my experience, the Customer frequently forgets what they said or some of their actions when reporting bad treatment by the airline. Had a great example of "Gulfstream" behavior on my 131 pax filled 737 today.
Kids, if you're not willing to share with the rest of the class, then maybe commercial transportation isn't for you.
Sigh.........
wnbubbleboy
Veteran
Woman who lost discrimination case to Southwest Airlines won't appeal
CONCORD, N.H. An Exeter (New Hampshire) woman who lost a discrimination lawsuit against Southwest Airlines says she will not seek an appeal.
Nadine Thompson claimed Southwest unfairly applied its "customer of size" policy to her when she was asked to buy a second seat on a 2003 flight from Manchester Airport. Thompson claimed she was singled out because she is black.
A federal jury disagreed and last week sided with Southwest.
Thompson says the all-white jury did the best it could, but was disappointed there were no ethnic minorities to advocate for her.
Juror Lance Hallman disagrees with Thompson. Going into the trial, Hallman says he sympathized with Thompson. But after listening to the evidence, he decided Thompson's case was not strong enough.
CONCORD, N.H. An Exeter (New Hampshire) woman who lost a discrimination lawsuit against Southwest Airlines says she will not seek an appeal.
Nadine Thompson claimed Southwest unfairly applied its "customer of size" policy to her when she was asked to buy a second seat on a 2003 flight from Manchester Airport. Thompson claimed she was singled out because she is black.
A federal jury disagreed and last week sided with Southwest.
Thompson says the all-white jury did the best it could, but was disappointed there were no ethnic minorities to advocate for her.
Juror Lance Hallman disagrees with Thompson. Going into the trial, Hallman says he sympathized with Thompson. But after listening to the evidence, he decided Thompson's case was not strong enough.
How 'bout Bob, Susan, Mary, or Jamal?
