American Airlines compensates flyer "wedged between two obese people" (PHOTOS/VIDEOS)
A woman flying with American Airlines wrote a thread on Twitter complaining about being squeezed between “two obese people” on a flight, and she has been compensated.
“I am currently – literally – WEDGED between two OBESE people on my flight,” tweeted Sydney Watson, an Australian-American doctor and right-wing YouTube commentator, on October 3. She was flying from New York to Dallas.
“This is absolutely NOT acceptable or okay. If fat people want to be fat, fine. But it is something else entirely when I’m stuck between you, with your arm rolls on my body, for 3 hours.”
I am currently – literally – WEDGED between two OBESE people on my flight.
This is absolutely NOT acceptable or okay. If fat people want to be fat, fine. But it is something else entirely when I’m stuck between you, with your arm rolls on my body, for 3 hours. pic.twitter.com/9uIqcpJO8I
— Dr. Sydney Watson (@SydneyLWatson) October 10, 2022
In her thread, the flyer said she didn’t care if she was being mean and that her body was being touched against her wishes and that she could not even put the armrests down. “I’m sick of acting like fatness to this extent is normal. Let me assure you, it is not.”
“If you need a seat belt extender, you are TOO FAT TO BE ON A PLANE. Buy two seats or don’t fly.”
In one of the tweets, Watson tagged American Airlines, saying, “We need to talk.” The carrier replied by saying their passengers come in all different shapes and sizes and that they were sorry the doctor was uncomfortable on her flight.
The thread was met with criticism and uproar, with people asking why Watson did not simply pay for a different flight class, or opt for an aisle or window seat if she desired more relaxed seating.
“Seriously, if you don’t want to be treated like a sardine, you have had to pay for that,” wrote Australian gamer @bentsolutionsau. “That’s been a factor of airline flight for decades at least.
What class of ticket did you pay for? Seriously, if you don’t want to be treated like a sardine, you have had to pay for that. That’s been a factor of airline flight for decades at least. We’re not in the 70’s anymore. Personal space means paying for a class that provides it.
— B.Tolputt (@bentsolutionsau) October 11, 2022
Know how to solve the problem, doc? Buy first class. No touching there. Problem solved. There are a lot of flights to choose from – you chose to take this flight in a middle seat, whether you booked it or were re-booked. You still said yes to the middle seat.
— Lisa (@ldtor) October 15, 2022
Another commenter raised concerns about Watson’s profession.
You’re a doctor? And you talk about people on a public forum, body shaming them? Oof. The optics on this…
— Zoe Bear (she/her) 🇱🇧 🇨🇦 🇵🇸 (@zoe_habibi) October 15, 2022
You should be ashamed of yourself acting like this. You should have some class, since you are a Dr, and I thought they had some standards!!! Fat shaming, being cruel, and just plain rude. Who are you to judge ?? Shame on you!!!
— ShelleyNYC🗽 (@Michele41532504) October 15, 2022
Being trapped in a seat you hate is part of flying economy, as is people not wearing socks, making calls without headphones, unruly children, if you don’t like it, don’t fly coach.
— Genea78 (they/them) (@GeneaC1) October 16, 2022
Watson went on to post a video on October 15, in which she said she was literally squished for three and a half hours and had only continued to tweet about her ordeal on the flight because her followers were finding it funny.
Watson says she received tons of emails, messages, and tweets from people calling her fatphobic, which she found funny.
“The fact that this is considered fat-shaming or the fact that this is considered offensive and inappropriate really speaks to how regressive we are as a society,” she said in her video. “I didn’t consent to being touched for hours on end. I didn’t consent to having no personal space; to being sweat on.”
It is actually wild how many people over the last few days have complained about my “fat shaming” while simultaneously mocking me for being thin.
Given thin people are a minority, I won’t stand for this discrimination. 😤
— Dr. Sydney Watson (@SydneyLWatson) October 16, 2022
The YouTuber ended the video saying she was not sorry for what she said, and that she was glad the situation made some people laugh. Watson has made content against fat acceptance, “woke” culture, feminism, and transgender people in the past.
On Monday, the disgruntled flyer received an email from American Airlines, who saw the correspondence on Twitter. Their representative offered Watson a US$150 trip credit coupon.
Well, here’s the email I got from American Airlines. pic.twitter.com/bfa2jwoZYE
— Dr. Sydney Watson (@SydneyLWatson) October 17, 2022
“I sincerely regret the enjoyment and comfort of your flight AA was diminished due to another customer exceeding their seat’s space,” American Airlines wrote in the email shared by Watson as a screenshot. “We do our best to avoid uncomfortable situations regarding seats. I can understand your disappointment with the situation not being remedied to your satisfaction.
Follow Channels and Categories