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peristaltorBy now, I'm sure you're fed up with (or just getting started wading in) the details behind Kevin Smith's now well-known ejection from a Southwest Airlines flight. I combed a few of the news sites looking for details, but found the best and most entertaining source in Smith himself. The lies flying around on SWA's part speak of a vast ass cover-up attempt.
This was bound to happen. I only hope that the din doesn't bury the story before it happens again. Why?
Like many airlines, SWA flies Boeing 737s. That's one way they keep their costs down, by having only one model in the fleet. Standardizing the fleet reduces the complexity of the maintenance staff and equipment.
737s have six-abreast seating. Depending upon the model of 737 -- and the pitch of the seating, the length of space between seats that we sitters translate as "leg room" -- these planes can carry almost 200 passengers.
The trouble is, folks, that people -- passengers -- have been getting bigger since these planes were introduced in 1965.
I'm not talking "bigger" as in "just look at that freakish excuse for a human Smith." I'm talking bigger on average. And not just Americans. People. More secure food sources over generations makes people subject in the past to occasional but regular famines bigger three generations down the family line. Think Yao Ming.
This means the situation for people crammed together in a tight space gets worse as the average size of each of these people increases. Less leg room. Less elbow room (literally). Less everything.
More tension. More demands upon whoever has the unenviable job of relieving that tension.
Which brings up a nagging question: At what point does common sense override the need for the airline to cram in as many seats as a plane can physically carry? As Smith notes, we are human beings. We should demand our dignity.
I say this as a person who doesn't fit, but lengthwise. My femurs are either freakishly long or the pitch of the last plane I flew was freakishly short. I got jambed in hard when the sitter ahead of me decided to recline. Not fun. Still, even if I bought another ticket, as Smith does, I'm out of luck. Those seats aren't removable.
I just decided not to fly for a long, long time.
Update, February 26, 2010: I just got to Kevin Smith's day-of-incident SModcast, where he lays down the story according to himself. A snippet:
At many points he notes, once again, that he was able to buckle his belt and drop his armrests, so he actually conformed to South West's stated policy regarding size. At another point in the SMod he notes that this isn't, therefore, about him. It's about the abuse of power. If someone who fits in his or her seat can be arbitrarily and capriciously ejected (my words, his sentiment), anyone can.
I highly recommend a listen.
This was bound to happen. I only hope that the din doesn't bury the story before it happens again. Why?
Like many airlines, SWA flies Boeing 737s. That's one way they keep their costs down, by having only one model in the fleet. Standardizing the fleet reduces the complexity of the maintenance staff and equipment.
737s have six-abreast seating. Depending upon the model of 737 -- and the pitch of the seating, the length of space between seats that we sitters translate as "leg room" -- these planes can carry almost 200 passengers.
The trouble is, folks, that people -- passengers -- have been getting bigger since these planes were introduced in 1965.
I'm not talking "bigger" as in "just look at that freakish excuse for a human Smith." I'm talking bigger on average. And not just Americans. People. More secure food sources over generations makes people subject in the past to occasional but regular famines bigger three generations down the family line. Think Yao Ming.
This means the situation for people crammed together in a tight space gets worse as the average size of each of these people increases. Less leg room. Less elbow room (literally). Less everything.
More tension. More demands upon whoever has the unenviable job of relieving that tension.
Which brings up a nagging question: At what point does common sense override the need for the airline to cram in as many seats as a plane can physically carry? As Smith notes, we are human beings. We should demand our dignity.
I say this as a person who doesn't fit, but lengthwise. My femurs are either freakishly long or the pitch of the last plane I flew was freakishly short. I got jambed in hard when the sitter ahead of me decided to recline. Not fun. Still, even if I bought another ticket, as Smith does, I'm out of luck. Those seats aren't removable.
I just decided not to fly for a long, long time.
Update, February 26, 2010: I just got to Kevin Smith's day-of-incident SModcast, where he lays down the story according to himself. A snippet:
I get it. South West is like, "Why should we have to give up fucking two seats to fat people? They take up more seats than one." Build thicker seats, motherfucker! This is the United States of America! More people are fat than fucking thin! Be realistic, you sons of bitches. You try to cram as many seats on to a plane as possible, so the seats are doubling fucking thin, but the people in this country are wider!
At many points he notes, once again, that he was able to buckle his belt and drop his armrests, so he actually conformed to South West's stated policy regarding size. At another point in the SMod he notes that this isn't, therefore, about him. It's about the abuse of power. If someone who fits in his or her seat can be arbitrarily and capriciously ejected (my words, his sentiment), anyone can.
I highly recommend a listen.