Fitting on an airplane seat....

aidan
on 5/17/13 1:24 am - Canada

I have been wanting to post this for awhile so here goes. Last summer I had a horrible Air Canada experience. I wrote them a letter that I wanted to share with everyone...

 

September 8th, 2012

Air Canada- Customer Relations

PO Box 64239,
RPO Thorncliffe
Calgary, AB
T2K 6J7

 

 

 

To Whom This May Concern,

 

Booking Reference: QCLXDV

 

I am writing this letter to inform you of the awful sequence of events that I endured during my recent travels on both August 22nd and August 29th of 2012.

 

On July 31st of 2012 I faxed my completed “medical form” to your medical department requesting an additional seat for reasons of obesity. This is something that I learned about from your website and the first time I needed it. In the past I had been much smaller while flying.

As I still hadn’t heard back from a representative I decided to phone in on August 13th to check on the status of my application. I was told that it was still being processed and to call on Friday. On Friday, August 17th I called in and was told that my application had been approved....WHAT A RELIEF!!! When I got home there was a message from the same representative that I had spoken to telling me the code that I would need to use for booking during the next two years.

On the morning of August 22nd my husband, infant daughter and I arrived at the Ottawa airport with an hour and a bit to spare. We couldn’t sign in at a kiosk because of my “special need” so we lined up. By the time we go to the front of the line the Air Canada representative commented on how late we were and how we needed to get on the plane.

We made it onto the plane (Flight AC 163) after a very stressful time through security etc. We got seated and shortly after another passenger approached me to say that I was in his seat. We called over a flight attendant and I then had to explain (in front of all passengers around us) that I NEEDED the extra seat and that my application had been approved etc. They had no knowledge of this at all and didn’t seem to even know that obese passengers had this right. The other passenger was very helpful and said that he would happily sit elsewhere...thank goodness this was an option. I spent the entire flight to Vancouver paralyzed with embarrassment and feeling very ashamed.

When we landed in Vancouver we had only a short time before our flight to Victoria so we boarded almost immediately. This plane (Flight AC 8051) was in rows of two so I would be in two seats holding my daughter and my husband would be close by. Every time a new passenger walked on I was so scared that they were going to attempt to sit with me.....they would not have fit. Luckily that flight went off without a hitch.

Once we arrived in Victoria and got settled I immediately started worrying and feeling stressed about the impending flight home. I was supposed to be on vacation with my family but was not able to enjoy myself. I decided to call the medical desk at your company on the morning of August 24th to get things sorted out. The representative I spoke to was baffled at the situation because she claimed that she could see that all was good on your end she assured me that this must have been and error and that I would not experience a problem on my way back.

On the morning of August 29th we arrived at the Victoria airport with well over an hour to spare. We waited for over a half hour to check-in and when it was our turn I tried to clarify with the representative about the seats. He was VERY confused and kept asking me if I had paid for the extra seat. I had to explain Air Canada’s Policy to him..... He was still confused but said that the seat next to me “had been blacked out” meaning no one could purchase it.

We boarded the plane (Flight AC 190) with lots of time to spare. As we approached our row my husband and I were completely baffled and exasperated to see a passenger sitting in the window seat. (This passenger was before us in line to check-in and was purchasing a ticket from the same Air Canada representative that we checked in with. We even heard the representative suggesting to him that next time he buy his ticket in advance.) My husband sat down with our daughter and I proceeded back to the entrance to talk to a flight attendant. I started out explaining myself and immediately started sobbing. The flight attendants were so lovely and one of them actually started crying too. They both had no idea that Air Canada has this policy and were amazed that I didn’t have to pay for the extra seat. They snapped into action and, as discreetly as possible, moved the other passenger to another seat. I then had to do “a walk of shame” to my seat with my face stained with tears and bright red. I again spent the entire flight super anxious and upset about the next flight.

We arrived in Toronto with plenty of time to spare until our next flight to Ottawa. We waited in our gate’s boarding area. As soon as I saw a representative set-up camp I approached him. I explained everything calmly and asked him for assistance in ensuring that this doesn’t happen again. He looked up at me and said “What do you want me to do about it?” I can tell you that this was one of the lowest moments in my 29 years of life. I felt unworthy, embarrassed and pathetic. I mustered up all courage I had left after such an arduous ordeal and I said the following; “I am asking for your help as you are an Air Canada Representative. This problem I’m having is on YOU and not on ME I am a paying customer and I did everything I was supposed to and your system has failed me greatly. I feel like I am being discriminated against.” He then asked me if I was willing to be separated from my husband. I answered no as we were travelling with a 16 month old and I needed help with her. He then said “oh wait wait wait....the other seat is blacked out that must be for you”. I just walked away at this point because I was, once again, completely on my own. We boarded the plane (Flight AC 456) and I immediately approached the two flight attendants. They assured me that no one was seated with us but were also unaware of Air Canada’s Policy on passengers who are obese.

 

In theory your advertised corporate policies would appear to be inclusive of persons requiring the kind of assistance I needed but, either through neglect or intent, you have a systemic unawareness of the accommodations you have told Canadians you will make.

This letter NEEDS to be taken seriously and dealt with in the appropriate manner. A copy will also be sent to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division and if need be I will take further action. I need Air Canada to know that this experience was horrifying. No one can possibly understand what it feels like to be too big for the world. I started crying the moment I started writing this letter and my tears have not stopped. I did everything that Air Canada required of me (including getting my buttocks measured by my Doctor). I am somebody’s mother, wife, daughter, aunt and sister. I am a hard working contributing member to society. I am a good person.

 

Air Canada your system has failed me immensely and you should be ashamed.

 

 

 

 

Aidan Morton

 

 

This was the lowest moment of my life and is what "sealed the deal" for me to have gastric bypass. I still can't even think of those days without tearing up. As far as I know I won't be flying anywhere until April 2014 but I am already anxious!

   

    

smallisland
on 5/17/13 1:36 am - Canada
VSG on 10/30/13

I think that it was very brave of you to write the letter.  So many people just endure and put up with such treatment.  Sometimes all it takes is for someone to stand up and say this is very wrong.  You have probably made a difference for someone else dealing with the same issues. I have had to write a similar letter but to a hospital...believe it or not...about some comments made in the ER about my weight that where completely inappropriate..."I looked fatter with my clothes off"....such treatment shouldn't be tolerated by anyone.  Congratulations!! angry

    

Referral Feb 2012, Orientation at Guelph Nov. 29/12, RN, SW and NUT Feb. 13/12, 2nd RN, SW and NUT April 26/13, Dr. Agarwal May 7/13, SW May 22/13. HW 334lbs, CW 269 lbs. Post-op nutrition course August 1/13, Dr. Jules Foute Nelong Sept 9/13, PATTS Oct 9/13, Opti Oct 16/13, Surgery Oct 30/13.

aidan
on 5/17/13 1:45 am - Canada

Wow what a horrible thing to endure especially in a medical setting. Discrimination against obese people seems to be so widely accepted.

   

    

Corinna H.
on 5/17/13 1:54 am - Guelph, Canada
RNY on 07/03/13

Ok I want to say that this story is heart breaking and frustrating. I am SO sorry you had to go through this. I have been in a similar situation and I am just so looking forward to not trying to navigate the world through obesity.

***hugz****

HW: 293.4 SW: 261.4 CW: 161 Referral - Dec 5/12.  Orientation: Feb 21/13. Upper GI and Ab u/s March 7/13. RN, NUT, SW Apr 8/13. 1st appt Dr. Klein Apr 11/13. fu NUT May 2/13. Dr. Glazer May 27/13. 2nd appt Dr. Klein June 3/13. Opti June 19/13. PATTS June 20/13 . RNY - July 3, 2013   

      

    

aidan
on 5/17/13 3:17 am - Canada

Thanks. I am too!

   

    

Monica9811
on 5/17/13 2:07 am - Peterborough, Canada

I am sorry that you had to go through this but good for you for writing to Air Canada and telling them about your terrible experience.  Did they respond to you?

            

aidan
on 5/17/13 3:21 am - Canada

About 6 months later I received a call from their customer care dept. The woman was very apologetic and seemed genuinely interested in the specifics making me feel, at least, like it was being taken care of. She offered me a voucher for 15% off. I probably could have persisted for more....but I don't want anything except for them to know how much this scarred me.

   

    

gwynnkitty
on 5/17/13 2:16 am - North York, Canada

angry This letter is amazing. Good for you. I sure hope they responded to you. 

Referral to Surgeon: February 12, 2013 Appointment with Surgeon: April 24, 2013 Endoscopy: April 30, 2013 Referral sent to Bariatric Registry: May 2, 2013 Orientation Appointment: May 27, 2013 Dr Klein Appointment: June 6, 2013 Second Upper GI Series: June 11 Dr Glazer: August 12, 2013 RN/RD/SW: August 29. 2013 Follow-up With Dr Klein: September 23, 2013 Start Opti: October 23, 2013 Surgery Date: November 14, 2013 

      

aidan
on 5/17/13 3:22 am - Canada

Thanks it took me a long time to articulate just how horrible the experience was. Read in my response above about their response.

   

    

Patm
on 5/17/13 2:24 am - Ontario, Canada
RNY on 01/20/12

What you endured should not have happened. They need to better educate their staff. I hope they responded appropriately. Just to let you know flying after weight loss is much better and you will fit into the seat

  

 

 

 

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