Becca wrote:

>
> You probably have a nice, slim European build, but most American men can
> not squeeze their shoulders into a 17" seat. Women can, children can,
> but most men can not.

Part of the reason for that "nice, slim European build" is that they are a
little more fat conscious than most North Americans. They get a lot of exercise.
A lot tof them use public transportation, which usually involves a lot of
walking, and they go out walking a lot. But don't worry, fast food has been
discovered and their average weight is i increasing.

> If your shoulders are more than 17" wide, then you break the rules just
> as much as the obese do. I am not saying this to offend you or anyone
> else, I just want to highlight the fact, that the airline industry
> should not be purchasing seats that are 17" wide. These seats are too
> narrow for most men.

That is my problem. I am not slim, but it is my shoulders that are more likely
to be infringing on my seat mates.

> As far as the obese having to pay for two seats, the airlines have kept
> this issue hush, hush since January. A Canadian court declared that the
> obese are handicapped and the airlines should adopt a
> "one-person-one-fare" policy. If a person needs two seats, the airlines
> have to offer them a 2nd seat, but they are not allowed to charge them.

I am not sure I agree with the disabled label. Disabled is usually a condition
over which they have no control, and most of the people who are so big that they
need two seats are that fat because they eat way too much. Seats should be
large enough that a big man can sit comfortably in them.

I don't want to sound like some of the fatphobic ninnies in the travel groups
who regular go trolling on the large airline passenger routine. Their fat
acceptance levels are way way lower than mine. I am thinking like 400 lb plus.
That's just waaaay too big to be expect public sympathy.