United Airlines is instituting a “flying while fat” policy and it concerns me for a few reasons.

While I don’t think anyone would describe me as “fat,” I am certainly wide in the shoulders. I am about the same size and girth as a heavy-weight boxer –will I get bumped from a plane for being too big? Who is going to be the one deciding who’s fat and who’s just big boned, and what are the criteria going to be? I wouldn’t want to be the person with that gig. You think the airport is hellish now, wait until you witness the first time some sista is pulled aside or bumped from a flight because she’s too big.  There’s gonna be hell to tell the captain, for sure.

I don’t know if I get down with the Canadians, who think fat people should get two seats for the price of one. I guess it would make too much sense to make the seats bigger —- let’s just go ahead and make it uncomfortable for fat people to fly. On the upside, it could open up a whole new market, like Chubby Skies or FatLine Airways. I have some travel horror stories, but none of them relate to fat people or being kind of a large-ish person myself. Have any of you been bumped off a flight for being big, or know anyone who has?

Single Father, Author, Screenwriter, Award-Winning Journalist, NPR Moderator, Lecturer and College Professor. Habitual Line-Stepper