Obese…? don’t fly with Air France!

Obese passengers who are unable to squeeze into a single plane seat are to be charged double to fly with Air France. Overweight flyers will be asked to pay for two seats, or not be allowed on board for ‘safety reasons’, the airline announced today. Air France spokeswoman Monique Matze added: ‘People who arrive at the check-in desk and are deemed too large to fit into a single seat will be asked to pay for and use a second seat.

People who cannot fit into a single seat will then be fastened by slotting the belt tip of one seat into the plug of the next, stretching over both seats. However the charge will only apply on flights that are full booked. They will get their money back on flights where spaces are available. The overweight charges come two years after Air France was ordered to pay £5,000 damages for ‘humiliation’ to a 27-stone passenger who had his stomach measured at an airport check-in desk. He was told to buy two seats.

In America, budget carrier Southwest Airlines caused outrage when it announced in 2006 that it would charging overweight people for two seats. Southwest said it was simply enforcing a long-standing unwritten policy of charging passengers who encroach on the space of those seated around them.

Air France’s new charges will apply for people who book their tickets from February 1 for all flights from April 1, the airline said.

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