2 Fat 2 Fly Part II

Weight Loss Surgery News viewers will recall our story last week on Ryanair, the budget Irish airline that makes its bread ferrying Dubliners from the overcast Emerald Isle to sunny Spain.

Earlier this month, Ryanair considered charging overweight passengers twice the price for a seat due to the discomfort their “wide body” effect was reportedly causing sullen seatmates.

Well, guess what? The proposed “fat tax” for overweight flyers has been waived, so long as the extra bulk of overweight passengers – quote – “does not lead to flight delays”.  In other words, the idea has been dropped like — well, like a hot potato.

The whole fat tax idea came about due to an online poll in which browsers voted on what to do about overweight flyers. About 30% of the 100,000 or so who responded to the poll voted to add a fatness fee to the ticket price in addition to Ryanair’s current charges for food service and other frills.

The resulting public uproar led to a flurry of finger-pointing at Ryanair corporate headquarters. With the “flat fee for fat” idea temporarily tabled, Ryanair execs are now looking for another way to ensure seatmates of the overweight aren’t subject to crowding.

The airline is currently mulling the idea of charging plump passengers an extra couple of pounds per… uh… pound. Whether the pre-flight passenger weigh-ins would take place on the baggage scale at the ticket counter or at some other location has not yet been determined.

Another brilliant proposal would boost the passenger’s fare if his or her body touches both armrests simultaneously. Way to go, Ryanair execs! That ought to make loyal customers out of females over forty!

While the news media and online pundits have used Ryanair’s proposed fat tax as a source of humor, airline officials insist that the policy is all about safety, not anything as crass as the earnin’ of the green.

Whatever decision the Irish air carrier makes, however, we at Weight Loss Surgery News look forward to watching the inevitable discrimination lawsuits that will follow like a leprechaun chasing a bowl of magically delicious breakfast cereal.

In the May 15, 2009 edition of WLS News, we’ll fill you in on the new REALIZE-C adjustable gastric band, report on the controversy surrounding high fructose corn syrup, and tell you why an Irish airline has reconsidered its proposed fat tax. We’ll also explain why weight loss surgery may be good for patients who aren’t morbidly obese, and share some promising statistics about the overall safety of bariatric procedures. Finally, we’ll discover a tasty, pouch-friendly treat, brought to us by bariatric cooking expert Chef Dave. Read the full story

No Luck for Overweight Irish Air Travelers

United Airlines’ decision last month to charge overweight passengers more for a share of the Friendly Skies caused sighs of relief from some– and cries of consternation from others all across the country.  Now, Irish air carrier Ryanair may soon begin to charge the large as well.

Don’t blame the airlines, though: the notion of charging obese passengers more comes primarily from passengers, not corporate suits.  A recent online poll by Ryanair logged 45,000 votes from passengers in favor of charging their overweight fellow flyers more.

Chicago-based United received some 700 complaints last year from passengers who reported being crowded by an adjacent, obese passenger. United responded by requiring those passengers, quote, “too large to fit comfortably in a Coach seat” to move into two open seats elsewhere in Coach – if flight crew can find two open seats.

Given the sardine-can crowding of many domestic flights, however, the odds of finding two adjacent open seats in Coach are problematic at best. Should no free seats be found, obese passengers would be obligated to upgrade to a larger (and pricier), business class seat, if available, or catch a later, less-crowded flight.

Ryanair has not yet decided on whether to boost fares for the obese; and here in America, air carriers that charge obese flyers more will almost certainly face legal challenges. For now, however, it seems that the prospect of paying double for a single trip by air is just one more hardship that overweight travelers in America will have to face.

In the May 1, 2009 edition of WLS News, learn how obesity is affecting Britain’s socialized medicine system and what an Irish airline is doing to address passengers whose laps overlap their seats. Also, discover why some scientists theorize that a Happy Meal really can make your child happy, why some cells store fat while others don’t, and why women may experience stronger food cravings than men.

Plus, our Internet diva Yvonne McCarthy will pop in with another great find for weight loss surgery patients from the World Wide Web. Read the full story