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Home » Travel » Is This A Sick Joke? Airline Refuses To Give “Disabled” Woman Two Free Extra Seats
Travel

Is This A Sick Joke? Airline Refuses To Give “Disabled” Woman Two Free Extra Seats

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 22, 2025January 22, 2025 15 Comments

a woman looking at a cell phone

A woman has gone viral for a telephone conversation with an airline in which she demands two extra seats for free due to her disability…claustrophobia. Is this some sort of sick joke or could it actually be real?

Woman Demands Two Extra Airline Seats For Free, Claims She Suffers From Claustrophobia

A viral conversation purports to re-create a genuine interaction between a woman and an airline, during which she:

  • demands two extra seats for free so she can have a full row to herself
  • likens her disability to a peanut allergy
  • claims that because she has a “genuine medical note” from her doctor, she must be accommodated
  • remarks, “I shouldn’t have to pay for something if it’s a medical condition.”

The airline agent ultimately says, “It’s a very unreasonable request,” and I would agree.

To the woman: the gravest medical condition you have is a sense of entitlement. If you want extra space, pay for it or stay home.

Contrary to what some of my readers may think, I’m not stupid…and I’m also not posting this knowing it is fake. We live in a world of confusion and it would not surprise me if such a request was genuinely made. After all, Southwest Airlines gives up to two free extra seats to the morbidly obese, so why not try it for claustrophobia as well?

Claustrophobia is a real condition…but the premise of accommodation is that is reasonable and not an undue burden and a viable solution exists for those who want a little more space: purchase extra seats or upgrade to business class.

This is not a lack of compassion or a “parade of horribles” fallacy but a simple observation that accommodation laws were not envisioned to help people game the system for extra space onboard. It is people like this who will ruin accommodation for everyone…we see that with dogs and now we see it requesting extra space onboard.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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15 Comments

  1. derek Reply
    January 22, 2025 at 11:16 am

    Mental conditions have no limits. For example, one could genuinely have a fear of strangers that is calmed if they have an entire business class or section of it to themselves. Not reasonable for the airline.

    How about someone with a broken leg that pays for a business class seat. Should they get it free? No.

    Accommodation should be required for genuine conditions that do not place too much a burden on the airline or other passengers.

    I expect someone to someday demand free food due to a medical condition. I am surprised that hasn’t been reported.

  2. Santastico Reply
    January 22, 2025 at 11:18 am

    Oh my! So if claustrophobia is a disability anyone can simply become disable any time. You just have to say you suffer from claustrophobia. She might need a service animal for that.

    • Moe Reply
      January 22, 2025 at 12:24 pm

      Can she bring an elephant and a hippo as service animals?

  3. Frank Reply
    January 22, 2025 at 11:56 am

    It’s interesting, if real, that a person with claustrophobia would want to travel in an inclosed metal tube at 30,ooo+ feet in the air with no way to get out. Maybe she should take a “Fear of Flying” class which is designed for persons just like her .

  4. Andrew Reply
    January 22, 2025 at 12:03 pm

    In Canada, under the one-person-one fare policy, I wonder if the airline would actually have to adjudicate her request? From my understanding, the CTA requires people with disabilities to only pay for 1 seat, including if they require an attendant in flight for personal care or safety, or if they require additional seating for themselves, including if they’re disabled due to obesity.

    https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/highlights-one-person-one-fare-policy-decision

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 22, 2025 at 12:15 pm

      I was wondering about that as well…

    • Win Whitmire Reply
      January 23, 2025 at 9:45 am

      I clicked on that link and read the ruling. THAT is one reason that Canadian airlines aren’t making money. That ruling is like telling a super market that they can’t charge for groceries for food going to a live in nurse, dog food for a service animal, making a theater give an additional seat for the attendant. Socialism at its finest.

  5. Jerry Reply
    January 22, 2025 at 1:07 pm

    I suffer from serious anxiety and the only way I can fly is if I have an unlimited supply of Krug or Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle. TATL I always book BA First, so I’m fine but next week I need to fly from Miami to Topeka. Do you think if I contact AA they’ll make sure to stock it for me? Honestly, I’d even be OK with Bollinger if that’s all they’re able to get. I’m willing to accept a reasonable accomodation.

    • Christian Reply
      January 22, 2025 at 5:53 pm

      I know, people can have serious but unusual medical conditions. My wife becomes anxious if she can’t smoke on an airplane. I think the airlines need to agree to her requirements.

      • Win Whitmire Reply
        January 23, 2025 at 9:35 am

        You have GOT to be kidding. Gawd, I hope so. Charter a jet and she can smoke like a chimney. Wait…most charter companies don’t allow smoking on their jets either. I guess she can take the train. Wait…AMTRAK doesn’t allow smoking either.

  6. Adam Reply
    January 22, 2025 at 1:23 pm

    1. I don’t think airlines owe anyone free extra accommodations regardless of obesity, claustrophobia, etc.

    2. I think it would be nice if airlines made it simpler to reserve an extra seat. Depending on capacity, perhaps this would or would not be at a discount to simply purchasing a full additional ticket. But regardless the price would be the same for anyone whether you want it because you’re obese or simply want the extra comfort

  7. flying100 Reply
    January 22, 2025 at 2:23 pm

    There are many business class seats that are claustrophobic (ex: Virgin 787 and a330-300). Would she accept an upgrade to those (or similar) business class seats?

    • Dave W. Reply
      January 26, 2025 at 12:27 am

      What would she do in a DL 767 J seat?

  8. Win Whitmire Reply
    January 23, 2025 at 9:30 am

    For gawd’s sake. This is the biggest diaper load I’ve ever heard. You are too big for one seat…buy another seat. You have claustrophobia…buy another seat. You are allergic to peanuts…charter a plane, take the train, take a cruise. If an airline…heck any company catered to every nuance phobia, they would go bankrupt. I wonder what these whiners do when they book a hotel room or a table at a restaurant?

  9. emercycrite Reply
    January 24, 2025 at 9:20 pm

    She should be sterilised.

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