Man Charged For Being Too Tall
We all know that flying sucks for tall people. Extra legroom is a luxury for the rest of us, but a necessity for them, lest they wind up with their knees up around their ears.
Taller people have a few winning options, and will often plan ahead and reserve seats in certain rows with a bit more wiggle room. Alternatively, aisle seats can offer some relief, and sitting next to empty seats can allow them a lot more freedom.
Unfortunately for Richard Mountain, a 6ft 6in (1.98 m) tall man from New Zealand, none of these options were made easy on his Hong Kong Airlines flight.
Before you shout "Oh well he knows how tall he is - he should've planned ahead!" He did. Mountain requested a seat in a roomier row, and was assured that he'd have one, but was inexplicably seated elsewhere in a normal aisle seat. This might've sufficed for someone else, but the length of his 6'6" frame was still too much to handle.
According to the Otago Daily Times, Mountain said:
"They put us at the back of a section so that I couldn't put the seat back easily and I couldn't fit in. My legs were in the aisle which is actually an aviation hazard because the aisle was completely blocked."
He was run into by a stewardess 3 times before takeoff, and he was advised that when they brought out the snack cart he would have to stand as it passed.
"She banged my knee quite hard and I complained and asked if I could move. I asked them how are they going to get the trolley past and she said I'd have to stand up and move each time."
Justifiably thinking this was ridiculous, Mountain proposed that they allow him to sit in the row of four empty seats immediately behind. Genius! Problem solved!
Nope.
Apparently those seats were in a different section that cost more, so Mr. Mountain would have to pay an extra $100 if he wanted to move back. Remember, this is after he specifically requested a seat with more legroom at check-in, was assured he'd have it, and then wasn't allowed to sit in it.
"They said 'We're not upgrading you for free. You've got to pay'. I ended up having to pay $100 New Zealand dollars to sit in a seat which would otherwise be unoccupied."
Richard Mountain politely protested as much as he could but ultimately gave in and paid the fee so he could sit in peace for the rest of the flight. He's picking up the fight again on the ground and plans to submit a formal complaint to the airline to get his $100 back.
"I always get extended leg room for free. I've been to 35 countries, over 200 flights in my life and I've never been asked for money for sitting somewhere I can fit in. But to charge me extra money for being tall, It was an absolute disgrace."
What do you think? Fight the system and get that cash money back? Or suck it up buttercup?
We need a YLS/YDI button on this one!
1. He’d rip my head off if I argue against it
2. He actually made a request and was told he would get it or at the very least tell him before that he’d have to pay extra
Honestly I’m not to fond of airplanes and I’m 5’7” weighing about 175 lbs and I feel like I’m being stuffed into a sardine can every flight. I can’t imagine what it’s like for a person over 6’
This brings back that documentary of Andre the giant.. the dude literally had to shit in a bucket because he couldn’t fit in the bathroom on the flight.