United to charge heavier passengers twice to fly

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Bob Roberts Reporting
CHICAGO (WBBM) - United Airlines is clarifying how it intends to enforce a newly-implemented policy that could result in heavier passengers being charged twice to fly.

United spokesperson Robin Urbanski said the airline adopted the policy quietly earlier this year, because until then, its flight attendants and customer service representatives had no guidelines.

Urbanski said those passengers who are unable to comfortably fasten a safety belt with one extension, or sit comfortably with armrests down, will be moved next to an empty seat on board the same flight at no charge if possible. If no empty seats exist, the passenger can be denied boarding, or taken off the flight – and put on the next flight on which space is available – at double the charge.

She was uncertain if the airline would impose the double charge if the next flight were half empty.

Urbanski indicated that the lack of a policy until now left United employees unsure about what they should do.
“Now we have a policy,” she said.

Urbanski said the airline responded to complaints from passengers.

“Previously, a passenger would stay in a seat and the passenger next to him would have an uncomfortable flight,” she said.

Urbanski said United customer service representatives would deny boarding only if no empty seats exist on a flight. She denied information given WBBM by a United customer service representative, assigned to O’Hare International Airport, who said the airline had instructed those working at airport ticket counters and gates to be extra vigilant beginning Wednesday for passengers they deem to be overweight.

“It’s simply not true,” she said.

Couples traveling together in adjoining seats would be exempted from the policy, so long as the second passenger does not complain, Urbanski said.

Different airlines have addressed the question of big passengers with differing amounts of aggressiveness. Southwest airlines, for instance, is known to be aggressive about imposing the double charge. Urbanski insists that United is no different from any other airline, and said pointedly that she sees no difference between United and O’Hare’s other major carrier, American Airlines.

American spokesman Tim Smith said that while the airline has the right to require a second ticket, it will do so only if it can find no other solution.

“I don’t remember us ever having to impose such a charge,” said American spokesperson Mary Frances Fagan.