Delta Can't Be Bothered To Sell The Obese Two Adjoining Seats
Evan's on the large side and wants to buy two adjoining seats, but Delta doesn't seem to care whether or not he inconveniences other passengers. The airline won't assign two seats to the same passenger name, and if he buys a second seat under a different name, it won't necessarily adjoin the first. Delta also warned that "they will give [his] second seat away if they need it, even if [he] paid for it." One agent thought he had a solution, but it was going to cost Evan $200 more than Delta's online fares.
Evan writes:
I'm a fat person, I fully admit it. So I decided to do what everyone says fat people should do and purchase a second seat from Delta Airlines for a flight I needed to NYC this fall. More room for me, happier seatmates, Delta can keep the extra meal and coke. Only, I can't. For all this hullaballoo in the press about wanting fat people to buy another seat, the airlines make it impossible.First of all, Delta doesn't offer one shred of information about this topic on their website. So you're left to guess what their official policy is, although in this article they say something about "offering the passenger the option of purchasing an additional seat. Um, how?
Here's what happened to me. First, I try to order two tickets online, but it says tickets cannot be assigned the same name. So then I try to call customer services, where after many times on hold while he checks with another person, the agent said he could help me. Only he gave me a price of nearly double the online price. After I protested, he gave me several different prices, finally ending on one that was $200 more than what I was looking at in front of me online. I told him I'd have to think about it.
I called back and spoke to another customer service agent who tells me that it can be done, but I have to speak to the department who assists with online purchases and they can help me make my purchase. After one of the longest periods I have ever spent on hold, I spoke to yet another agent who told me that I could try putting in a middle initial on one of the names to purchase the two seats, however he said, just so I know, they will give my second seat away if they need it, even if I paid for it. At this point, I had spent 1.5 hours on the phone (most of it on hold) and I hung up in a rage.
I sent a complaint email, but I've heard nothing back.
Okay, I'm big. You can hate me for it if you want, it seems to be all the rage, but if I'm willing to pay double, what's the problem? Why isn't my money good enough? By not allowing me to purchase the tickets, and by making it very difficult to find information or use online services, it really amounts to discrimination. Shame on you, Delta.
Honestly, what do you expect from an airline that tells passengers with special needs to ask for "Complaint Resolution Officials?" You can try contacting Delta's customer relations managers at either beth.reed@delta.com or leigh.attaway@delta.com. If they can't help, call Delta C.E.O. Richard Anderson and tell him that you hope to one day sit next to him. His number is (404) 715-2600.
(Photo: Dan)
Post a comment
Comments:
And we wonder why Delta is losing money hand over fist. I've personally experienced, and heard about, similar stories to this over and over and over.
You'd think that somebody at the top would realize that perhaps training people to get customers like this to someone that can actually solve their problem would be a good thing.
But no. It's been like this for years, and probalby will still stay this way until the airline finally dies.
My big question: Why the heck do people still fly Delta? Or, for that matter, any of the dinosaur airlines?
What jerks. Would Delta give Evan adjoining seats and the right price if he says the second ticket he's buying is for a traveling companion? He could then introduce Delta staff to his left leg, or whatever body part he chooses, when he gets to the airport.
This should be so easy for Delta to take care of - Evan is doing everything he can, and Delta seems to be screwing it up every step of the way. Hopefully Delta will fix this - not just for Evan, but for anyone who runs into this issue.
I am kind of a large guy myself. Flew Delta to Arizona from Atlanta. When I bought two tickets on Orbitz there was no problem, until I got to the airport to check in. The self check in told me there was a problem, so I had to wait 20 mins to see a ticket agent. Her advice was to book the tickets as slightly different names. e.g. John Public and JohnQ Public. That's what she did for me, anyway. No problem after that.
Doesn't
Ever
Learn
The
Appropriate
thing to do!
The problem is most likely not really a problem with Delta not wanting to do this, it's an issue with their reservations, ticketing, and seating and checkin systems. It was never anticipated this would be an issue, so it isn't programmed into the system to take this into account or to allow it to happen.
Each seat is assigned to a person, each person is assigned to a seat, no person can be in there twice and if someone doesn't check in thier seat is available.
Getting this resolved is not a customer service issue as much as it is an IT issue that will require reprogramming of several systems to fix.
It sucks that the dude couldn't buy the seats he wanted but the dude needs to realize that not all companies are prepared to meet the needs of obese people. I'm tired of these people crying discrimination every time someone doesn't bend over backwards to accommodate them. It's hard to lose weight but it can be done if you are willing to work hard and you have willpower. I feel for the guy but the rest of society is being forced to pay for obese people in the form of higher health care costs. This results in higher taxes for public health programs and higher overall insurance premiums for healthy people. While companies should be able to choose whether or not to make an effort to accommodate obese customers, they should not be required to do so and it should not be considered discrimination if they do not. Accommodating obese people only reinforces a view that it is ok to be obese and that it is somehow a "disability". Maybe require people to show that their obesity is from a medical condition if they want special treatment? As in, a real disease, not "I ate 57,000 Krispy Kremes and got diabetes." I do feel for the guy but I'm tired of people calling things "discrimination" when it is not.
It's probably just Delta that does this. A friend of my mothers was in the obese catagory and had to purchase 2 seats to fly on an airline. I don't remember what airline it was, but she didn't have to go through flaming hoops to do it.
She took charge of the issue recently and just had one of those bypass surgeries. That remedied the issue. Now, I don't know if this is an option to everyone, but if it is, try that. And then throw in healthier eating and some exercise.
Kudos to Evan for taking responsibility for the situation, we have a customer trying to do the right thing here and the airline doesn't care.
It seems like since Delta has no policies relating to this that normal sized customers wouldn't want to fly them either knowing they have a very good chance of getting placed next to a very large person and thus having a miserable flight or getting onto the plane only to find someone taking up 2 seats leaving them no where to sit.
@Go Pug Yourself: You are a troll. He is admitting that he is heavy and offering to compensate the company properly for a second seat. He's not asking for special treatment.
@Go Pug Yourself: Um, which article did you read? Because in the one I read, just above these comments, not one mention was made of the wordw "discrimination" or "disability", in fact the main reason he gave for wanting to buy a second seat (which, by the way, he was willing to PAY FOR) was to make his seatmates happy.
Oh but yeah, I forgot, putting words in the OP's mouth that he didn't say makes it much easier to criticize him.
@Canino: "It was never anticipated this would be an issue, so it isn't programmed into the system to take this into account or to allow it to happen."
Musicians have been buying extra seats for large instruments for decades.
I have never understood how they can "give your seat away if they need it".
i assume they mean 'sell it'. But they already DID sell it. To him. He PAID for it. It's SOLD.
How can people be bumped from a flight when they have s paid ticket in their hands and are on time to the counter?
It's not like a bunch of seats fell off of the plane - though THAT would at least make sense.
They know the plane has 'X' number of seats. Sell 'X'. If some people don't make it on time - great. Lighter plane, less fuel and everybody has a nicer flight.
I have not flown for about 25 years, so all I know are the horror stories I read - so please, inform me.
If their system can't handle it, go ahead and purchase the single seat and let the attendants at checkin deal with it. You may get off cheaper.
from: [archives.chicagotribune.com]
Delta Air Lines, the world's largest carrier, said it tries to place overweight passengers next to empty seats. If the plane is full "we can offer the passenger the option of purchasing an additional seat on the next flight at the lowest fare class available," Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott said.
The situation sucks, but I have a solution. Fly a different carrier. Delta isnt the only airline flying into NYC.
Besides, unless you're the size of a bus, even most obese people fit into the seats, or at least with a seatbelt extender.
I travel quite a bit, always in coach, and I'm 6'1, 270lbs and I have no problem at all.
@Go Pug Yourself:
He's not asking the company to "bend over backwards", as you say. He's wanting to PAY for 2 seats.
I find it ironic that people are saying that fat people shouldn't get special treatment and should have to pay for 2 seats, then when a big guy tries to do just that, he's accusing of wanting the company to "bend over backwards" for it. Can't get a break, huh?
I don't understand what your complaint is. This is a person who is not asking for special accommodation, he is asking to purchase a second seat. It is none of Delta's business what he chooses to do with the extra seat he paid for.
It is utterly stupid that they would sell him a second seat and then say that they might put another passenger in it anyway (no doubt because the flight is oversold, not his problem).
He doesn't say how big he is, but if he's trying to get an extra seat, I'm betting he's big enough that he knows he won't fit.
I totally agree with you that he should choose another carrier. Delta apparently cannot help him, simply because they don't want to. They don't want to upgrade their systems for this.
@WraithSama: My beef was him calling it discrimination. I'm glad he wanted to buy two seats and I like what he said until the second to last sentence when he called it discrimination. There's a whole movement out there to classify obesity as a disability and when he called it discrimination I think he revealed an agenda. Just my opinion.
@SlappyWhite: Like HogwartsAlum said, the OP likely interprets his size to be a discomfort to others and has taken steps to make a plane trip more enjoyable for him
And his seatmates.
And every body size is different. Your weight is distributed differently than others.
@HalOfBorg: It's called overselling and nearly every airline does it.
The plane has 75 seats, yet 30 minutes before departure there are 70 people at the gate. The flight was clearly oversold. People get free vouchers and are happy until they try redeeming them.
Then you have to contact executive customer service and get decent dates.
I am done rambling.
While I sympathize with the OP because airlines never make it easy for anyone to get anything done efficiently and hassle free, I'm not sure this is really discrimination. They barely have information easily accessible for people who don't have any special circumstances. The fact that it takes jumping through hoops of fire to get any real answers doesn't mean that when you can't they are out to get you because you have special circumstances.
At Delta, they hate equally.
I didn't know Kafka flew Delta.
Just another fine example of an airlines complete failure to accommodate the simplest of tasks. I especially liked the part where they told him they would 'give his empty seat away if they needed to' even though he would have paid for it.
Excuse me? How the hell is that supposed to work?
@calchip: Because my shitty little home airport (ICT) has very limited options for non-legacies. And while I will happily pay $25+ more for an airline that doesn't treat customers like shit, it doesn't work out like that when I have to be on the first flight of the day so I can be at my friend's graduation. People fly legacies because they are cheap and convenient.
I'd rather fly Delta than United any day.
@JoshRogan: Musicians have been buying extra seats for large instruments for decades.
I've never seen an instrument or any other object with an assigned seat. If that's the case, he should just tell them he wants to bring an instrument. You solved the problem!
"It sucks that the dude couldn't buy the seats he wanted but the dude needs to realize that not all companies are prepared to meet the needs of obese people."
how can they have a policy but no way to implement it? THEY are requiring him to do this. He could go to the airport and hope he fits, or hope the seat next to him is empty and he can move the armrest out of the way, but odds are he'll be required to buy a 2nd seat. if he waits till he's at the airport, there may not be one. So he is complying with THEIR policy, and yet they can't find a way to do it.
Emphasis on the "it's their policy"
If they had no POS policy, then you could say "hey you're fat we can;t help you" but they have a policy for jsut this reason, and yet there seems to be no way to comply with it. That's just idiotic on their part. If they're going to say "do this" then at least make it possible for it to be done.
as for the discrimination part, normally I don't agree with the whole fat people being discriminated against idea, but this might seem to be a legit case. Create a rule then give them no way to comply with it sure sounds like it's designed to keep him off the plane on purpose.
@Go Pug Yourself: I don't think Delta "hates" this man because he is overweight despite the fact (perception) that it is "all the rage." It's simply incompetence on Delta's part which they need to rectify. It's not good business to treat customers this way.
With Franz like this, who needs anemones?!
OT, but anyone who know what I'm talking about will lol.
@socalrob:
The difference between "obese" and "so obese that your fat spills into another person's seat" is HUGE. I wish people would realize this; just because you're obese, which is a status determined by your BMI, it does NOT mean that you're a big pile of blob, or whatever common perception there seems to be of obese people.
Individuals who are merely "overweight" and "obese" easily fits into a single cramped coach airplane seat; it is merely those are who are extremely and morbidly obese that have their fat spilling over.
@socalrob:
"She took charge of the issue?" Seriously? There is a 1 in 50 chance in DYING within thirty days of the surgery. Malnutrition is an incredibly common side effect. The surgery reduces the ability of the body to absorb nutrition.
Nobody chooses to be fat in this society. Look at The great and powerful Oprah. She has more than enough money to hire people to keep her away from food, and to cook the best of the best in nutritional tasty meals. But her weight fluctuates in and out of the obese category quite often. This successful woman feels like a failure because she can not control her own weight. Maybe there is more going on there than what she eats.
I don't see anyone insisting that musclebound giants buy an extra seat, but having been seated next to one not long ago, I would have appreciated the part of my seat he lopped over into. He chose to bulk up, why should I have to suffer for his habits?
@sporks: I'm with you. I'm heading to Nashville and Southwest doesn't fly there. US Air (*BZZZT!*), United (*BZZZT!*) and Delta do. Wish they had better transit via Amtrak, through!
I remember when Southwest announced their policy for having obese people buy two seats, there was no way it could work. If the gate agent thought you were too fat, they could require you to buy a second seat. Right then. When you're at the gate, where, of course, they don't sell tickets. There's no standard for too fat, you can't measure yourself when you're buying the ticket to see if you're too fat, it's the discretion of the gate agent at the moment. The policy said you didn't have to buy a second seat if there were vacant seats on the flight. But - if it's a full flight and there ARE no vacant seats, you can't buy a second seat because... there are no vacant seats! So in practice, the policy is impossible. It's basically just code for if our gate agent thinks you're too fat, you don't get to fly.
Sounds like a good time to wave the Americans with Disabilities Act at them to at least get their attention. I'm sure with that in play, they will start to "take it seriously".
I guess you should buy just one seat, and if the passenger next to you complains, give him a copy of the letter you sent.
@Canino: I've flown with a symphony orchestra ... it's no big deal at all, and, yes, your cello absolutely gets an assigned, adjoining seat. So there's SOME way they can do it!
@Go Pug Yourself: Wow. You really buy into all that bullshit hype and scare tactic and false presentation of mainstream media don't you?
@HalOfBorg: If "x" number of people routinely fail to show for a flight, the airline has "x" number of seats available for extra profit. The chance that all of "x" appear is 10%, so they gamble. And YOU, as a ticket buyer, agree to the terms of the ticket (Read: Contract of Service) that allows them to do that, bump you, and overall fuck you silly if they so much as dislike the number of grey hairs in your left ear.
Ie: They Can cause you allow them to.
@fantomesq: Hmm, "lowest fare class available." What does that mean? I have the privilege of paying the walk-up fare price for a second coach seat on the next flight?
FAT people are not disabled. They're overweight. Evan can do something about this problem while disabled people cannot.
What the hell? Here we have a model fat guy (using his own label) doing what people seem to think he should be doing - taking ownership of his situation and going out of his way to make sure everyone around him is comfortable...and then Delta itself won't do the guy right?
Come on people. Stop punishing for good deeds.