Basically the policy states that (and this is taken directly from United’s website):

“For the comfort and well-being of all customers aboard United flights, we have aligned with other major airlines’ seating policies relating to passengers who:

• are unable to fit into a single seat in the ticketed cabin;
• are unable to properly buckle the seatbelt using a single seatbelt extender; and/or
• are unable to put the seat’s armrests down when seated.

If unused seats are available on the ticketed United or United Express flight, then a customer meeting any of the above criteria will be reaccommodated next to an empty seat.

If no unused seats are available on the ticketed flight, then the customer must either purchase an upgrade to a cabin with available seats that address the above-listed scenarios, or change his or her ticket to the next available flight and purchase a second seat in addition to the one already purchased. If a customer meeting any of the above-listed criteria cannot be accommodated next to an empty seat and chooses not to upgrade or change flights and purchase a ticket for an additional seat, he or she will not be permitted to board the flight.

This policy applies to tickets purchased on or after March 4, 2009, for travel on or after April 15, 2009.

Please understand that we care a great deal about all of our customers’ well-being, and we have implemented this policy to help ensure that everyone’s travel experiences with United are comfortable and pleasant.”

United is not the only airline with this policy, Southwest Airlines has received a lot of publicity for the enforcing of their overweight passenger policy and Delta Airlines also has a similar policy. So what are your thoughts? Do you think this is fair? In some ways weight can be seen as a disability- are the airlines going to charge people in a wheelchair extra baggage fees for checking their wheelchair? What about people who have to carry on oxygen?

But on the other hand have you ever sat in the middle seat on a five hour red-eye flight next to two bigger individuals? I have- and it was the most uncomfortable flight I have ever been on. I paid the same amount for my seat- as the two other individuals yet I had the least amount of room. Is that fair? Does fair really even exist anymore?

I’m curious to hear what your thoughts are!