A passenger says that he was removed from an American Airlines flight due to his weight but the story isn’t exactly what you’d expect.
Some believe that obese people should pay more or even purchase another seat when flying.
When I read that a passenger was removed from a flight over weight limits, I assumed it must be somebody overweight, not a passenger weighing 175 pounds!
Dan Nykaza, a dentist from Illinois, was buckled in and ready to leave on an American Airlines Envoy flight from Chicago O’Hare to Salt Lake City when he says he was removed from the flight because he weighs too much.
Nykaza and another passenger were taken off of the flight to reduce the weight.
After being on the plane around 20-30 minutes, a flight attendant told him that he needed to get off. According to FOX News, Nykaza said “And I’m like ‘Why?” Because there was too much weight on the plane and nobody would take the voucher they were offering. So they chose two people, me being one of them.”
Although the flight wasn’t oversold, the two passengers removed were told that they were the last ones to check-in.
Nykaza, an AA Platinum member was so mad that he turned down a $200 voucher
So I wonder, were they removed due to being the last to check-in or like Nykaza thinks, due to their weight? What do you think?
Find out more from FOX News here.
Ryan- Not really sure. It just mentioned that he turned down a $200 voucher.
JAXBA- Thanks for the info!
ProPilot- Great info. Thanks for the explanation. Seems as though the passenger involved felt it was due to his weight.
JAXBA has it correct. Although this is seen mostly on regional/commuter flights, it’s usually because takeoff performance conditions will not allow the maximum certificated weight. This actually happens to major airlines as well. For example, Burbank, CA (KBUR) has an extremely short runway and mountains surrounding it. Wind direction and speed, temperature and fuel requirements (for the entire flight) determine if the flight is “capped” (less than maximum passengers).
But in this situation, because the airports have long runways) I would surmise that the passenger was removed for one of two (or both) reasons: the fuel required due to weather conditions and alternate airport locations was significant enough to require less passengers or there was a great deal of freight loaded (which pays more than a ticket per pound and is the last thing to get “bumped” from a flight) which put the plane over the maximum takeoff weight.
In a nutshell, the overweight reference was regarding the aircraft, not the passenger.
As ScottyDub said, everyone is assumed to weigh the same (I think 180lbs is the number assumed). If the aircraft had taken on too much fuel, or bad weather was expected along the way, or if some other temporary weight restriction is in place, the departure weight has to be reduced to compensate.
I was one of those once, as a non-rev standby. I was accepted for the flight but then offloaded again after they totalled the numbers. Just one of those things – personal weight doesn’t come into it.
Although he was last to check-in, as an elite, this pax probably should have been skipped over and the last non-elite without an onward connection should have been selected. Perhaps there just wasn’t anyone else suitable.
So did he get is IDB compensation? If not, he should be pushing for it. I always hoped for a day where I got IDB – it pays pretty well, and in cash!
Dull- Totally!
R U Kidding- Thanks for the comment. Not sure what you consider click-bait but I found the story interesting and worth writing about.
Eric- Good point. Nykaza never denied being one of the last two to board.
They were removed because the aircraft was overweight and they were the last two people to check in. Given that AA, and the other legacies, don’t weigh their passengers, it’s ridiculous to think that it was someone’s weight that caused their removal.
Exactly this. Airlines treat all passengers as weighing the same for weight and balance purposes, so removing someone who’s 175lb vs 350lb would have gotten them the same benefit. It is surprising that they would remove a Platinum member, and that elite frequent fliers wouldn’t be immune from the “last checked-in” rule.
You have so many good posts with helpful info… what’s up with the click-bait?
If you don’t have anything to post, it’s okay… don’t post anything that day.
Like it or not, people will only read garbage so many times before they remember your site for lame content and don’t read it anymore.
It’s an interesting story. Let it go.
If you don’t find it interesting, it’s okay… don’t comment anything that day.
AA remove its Platinum member, oh hell. I am shocked how AA treat its royal customer…