Person of large proportions stranded by airline

[2R]

http://on.aol.ca/video/family-stranded- ... d%3D403454


Nothing the Cargo door on the Caravan could not handle.

Might be a double discrimination as it does not look like he can walk either,His scooter might need about four pages of dangerous goods paperwork before it could fly.

[flyinthebug]

I cant help but feel a bit bad for this man and his family. BA has done all the right things AFTER the fact (paying his hotel bills, arranging alternate transportation etc)...but why did they let him board the flight there but not home? Someone dropped the ball. I don't see the real problem here. My buddy is 6'5" and weighs 400 lbs and all he does is buys two seats on WestJet and he`s set. Why couldn't they accommodate him in a double seat set up? The whole story sounds kinda weird to be honest.

[2R]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rance.html

Might be more than just the weight issue and size issues,

[PilotDAR]

As a pilot, I am responsible for the safety of my passengers, and to assure that the full capability of the aircraft will afford all of that safety. If a circumstance, which I can control, could reduce the safety of any one, or more passengers, particularly during an emergency evacuation, I might choose to not fly an aircraft with those conditions present. Happily for pilots, the policies of the airline might act to control that circumstance before the pilot had to make the final decision.

[flyinthebug]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rance.html

Might be more than just the weight issue and size issues,

Thanks for the link and appears you could be right. I just don't understand why they let him board in London though for the flight to the USA, if they wont let him board for the flight home? If its about BA policy, he should not have been allowed on the original flight either.

[HavaJava]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rance.html

Might be more than just the weight issue and size issues,

Thanks for the link and appears you could be right. I just don't understand why they let him board in London though for the flight to the USA, if they wont let him board for the flight home? If its about BA policy, he should not have been allowed on the original flight either.

He was in the USA for 18 months...his medical circumstances could have changed in that time.

[single_swine_herder]

..... And, maybe they just made an error in London and shouldn't have boarded him, but they did. People make errors.

So does that mean they should accept the problem a second time and turn a blind eye to the issue before them?

One other thing about passenger seat standards, they are certified for an "average passenger" weight of something like 170 lbs at some unknown G loading.

Maybe Pilot DAR can add some insight on the current certification standards.

[Beefitarian]

He should move to Briton. Shouldn't be difficult to lose that weight there, a along as he doesn't find his way to a curry house, kabob stand, chippy or someything.

[GyvAir]

Sounds like he's been on quite the odyssey:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/kevin-chen ... -1.2433822

I can't help but wonder if they couldn't have chartered a medevac straight to France several weeks ago for less than what all this has cost - assuming that there's a medevac aircraft out there suitably equipped?

[Beefitarian]

As usual, I am baffled. Virgin atlantic could get him to London but not France?

The whole thing seems like a conspiricy. They fly him to certain places then strand him.

[flyinthebug]

As usual, I am baffled. Virgin atlantic could get him to London but not France?

The whole thing seems like a conspiricy. They fly him to certain places then strand him.

+1 Beef!

Here is an excerpt from the article that I found particularly disturbing...

"When we talked about this problem with British Airways that Kevin was too fat ... [they said] abandon any intention of coming back to France," Kevin's father, Rene, told RTL Radio. "From the fact of his incapacity, his obesity, he was not considered to be a normal being, but more like a problem."

So now hes not even a human being? I am in NO way an advocate for fat people. Most of them need to just put the sandwich down and stop the midnight trips to the freezer for a half pound of midnight ice cream...but this young man obviously has a hormone problem that forced him to travel half way around the world for treatment. He obviously hates how he is living now and wants to change it. Im sure this fiasco will lessen even further the tiny amount of self esteem this man had. Im glad to hear that at least his journey is finally over.

[Beefitarian]

Well I'm thinking or changing my screen name here to see if that helps.

I joined AvCanada at 289 pounds of awesome. I made a decision to alter my portions. I lost 30 pounds in under a month. Twenty found me right away but I did not give up. I fought them off and continued to work on it. I have lost another 15 or so but "not eating" in order to avoid a second delicious sandwich is almost an obsession.

I have successfully changed my eating drastically. I can't put away the volumes I used to do with ease. It's tough to swallow the fact that the progress seems so slow. Pun oh so fully intended. I know slowly is the healthiest way to lose weight and best way to keep it off, but it's seriously frustrating sometimes.

[GyvAir]

"When we talked about this problem with British Airways that Kevin was too fat ... [they said] abandon any intention of coming back to France," Kevin's father, Rene, told RTL Radio. "From the fact of his incapacity, his obesity, he was not considered to be a normal being, but more like a problem."

That sounds to me like some combination of hyperbole, drama and losses in translation/ second language usage. Don't get me wrong, I feel for the guy; even without his current travel difficulties, he's in a very challenging and unenviable position. A postion that is beyond his control, regardless of what we thinner and healthier people may instinctively think regarding maintaining a healty weight. At the same time though, the various transportation companies involved are being put in an awkward situation where for no doubt legitimate reasons they're unable to safely accommodate him and stand to be vilified for letting him down while looking out for the safety of everyone involved. It would certainly be interesting to know the specific reasons why one airline was able to take him and another not though. I also find it surprising that a modern cruise ship would not be equipped to safely transport him. Aren't they prepared to deal with just about any emergency medical situation? The companies that did eventually accommodate him to get him home played it well though, gallantly stepping forward to help, no doubt knowing there would be much positive media coverage, but for the most part tactfully declining comment on the situation.

[Beefitarian]

What bothers me is, this was not refusing him a flight to go on vacation. It appears to have been taking him to the US then not letting him come home.

Kevin's mother Christina Chenais told CBS: 'If they could bring him here with that problem in economy, there was a way to take him back by economy but just get him back home for his medical treatments to continue.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z2lOaA4xMz
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[GyvAir]

That made me frown a bit too, but as someone already mentioned above, 18 months had gone by between him flying to the US and his trying to fly out. His health may have changed for the negative in any number of ways during that time. None of the parties involved are telling all the pertinent details, so who knows? It’s not uncommon for airlines to refuse someone their return flight if they develop a health problem during or after the outgoing flight. I know of a couple people personally that have had to make alternative arrangements after having heart troubles surface while away on vacation.
The quote about economy alludes to the possibility that a pricy service upgrade may have made the flight possible for him. Probably just a quote taken out of context though