Kevin Smith Attacked In Global War On Fat: Too Wide For The Sky
THE director of such cult classic films at “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” and “Chasing Amy” didn’t exactly get A-list treatment by Southwest Airlines last night on a flight between Oakland and Burbank, writes Anorak’s Man in LA. Kevin Smith is “Too Wide For The Sky“.
Kevin Smith was actually thrown off his flight because he physical size was deemed by the pilot to be a security risk.
Smith took to Twitter to vent about the situation, owning up to the fact that he’s overweight, but pointing out that he still fits within the seat’s arm rests and doesn’t require a seatbelt extender.
Dear @SouthwestAir – I know I’m fat, but was Captain Leysath really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated?
Southwest has since Twittered and telephoned an apology to Smith, along
with a $100 gift certificate toward future Southwest fares.
After the inital Tweet, Smith wrote:
Dear @SouthwestAir, I flew out in one seat, but right after issuing me a standby ticket, Oakland Southwest attendant Suzanne (wouldn’t give..last name) told me Captain Leysath deemed me a “safety risk”. Again: I’m way fat… But I’m not THERE just yet. But if I am, why wait til my..bag is up, and I’m seated WITH ARM RESTS DOWN. In front of a packed plane with a bunch of folks who’d already I.d.ed me as “Silent Bob.”
Later he writes a great Tweet:
Wanna tell me I’m too wide for the sky? Totally cool. But fair warning, folks: IF YOU LOOK LIKE ME, YOU MAY BE EJECTED FROM @SOUTHWESTAIR.
It’s all publicity for SouthWest – and there is nothing a corporate likes worse than looking bad:
Hey @SouthwestAir! I’ve landed in Burbank. Don’t worry: wall of the plane was opened & I was airlifted out while Richard Simmons supervised.
(1/2) Hey @SouthwestAir? Fuck making it right for me just ’cause I have a platform. I sat next to a big girl who was chastised for not buy-(2/2) ing an extra ticket because “all passengers deserve their space.” Fucking flight wasn’t even full! Fuck your size-ist policy. Rude…
Hey @SouthwestAir! Here are two more “recent recognitions” for your Twitter home page: “Loather of the Wide” or “Pissin’ on the Portlies”. Via @Ajax517 “Don’t let them muzzle you, time to make them burn for all the fatties out there without a voice” Amen, sir.
And on it goes, Smith even tossing bit of PR for his new show. Only, then SouthWest explains:
Mr. Smith originally purchased two Southwest seats on a flight from Oakland to Burbank – as he’s been known to do when traveling on Southwest. He decided to change his plans and board an earlier flight to Burbank, which technically means flying standby. As you may know, airlines are not able to clear standby passengers until all Customers are boarded. When the time came to board Mr. Smith, we had only a single seat available for him to occupy. Our pilots are responsible for the Safety and comfort of all Customers on the aircraft and therefore, made the determination that Mr. Smith needed more than one seat to complete his flight. Our Employees explained why the decision was made, accommodated Mr. Smith on a later flight, and issued him a $100 Southwest travel voucher for his inconvenience.
He bought two seats and they had one? Not too side for the sky, just in need of better seats – two of them. Oh, the celebrity life is good…
Posted: 15th, February 2010 | In: Celebrities, Key Posts Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
