This story just make me shake my head in disbelief.
Thai Airways Denies Business Class Seats To Three Passengers After Humiliating Them
Huhana Iripa travelled with her two daughters, Renell and Tere, from Auckland to Bangkok so that the two ladies could have weight loss surgery. They flew economy class on the outbound journey, but splurged (~$1700USD) for business class on the return.
Or so they thought…
Upon checking in for their return flight at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, the quickly realized there was going to be a problem.
Here is how Huhana described what happened to the New Zealand Herald:
“We went up to business class check-in and the member of staff on the desk looked at us and said ‘sorry you can’t.’
“The next thing, there were about five members of staff all around talking in their native language, shaking their heads and looking at us as if we’d committed a crime.
“A staff member then came forward and started saying ‘no, you’re too big, you’re too big.’
“She then pulled out a measuring tape and wrapped it around my daughter Renell, moving her arms outstretched, before trying to do the same to me and Tere.
“At this point, I broke down in tears. Everyone was just standing staring at us. The whole thing was disgusting.”
Why would Thai Airways do this?
Thai Airways On The Defensive
Thai claims that the business class seatbelts on the 787-9 have airbags and cannot be extended for safety reasons. These reverse herringbone seats are not unique to Thai Airways and there is no physical limitation against adding an extender. I’ve also not heard of such a restriction on other airlines.
But Thai Airways aggressively defended its action:
“The new 787-900 Dreamliner aircraft used on flights between New Zealand and Thailand is fitted with integrated airbag seatbelts in business class.
“The extension seatbelt normally used to accommodate oversize passengers cannot be fitted to the airbag seatbelts; therefore passengers not able to fit the standard airbag seatbelt cannot be carried in business class.
“As this issue involves passenger safety, I am sure you will understand that we cannot compromise on this.”
First, it’s the 787-9, not -900.
Second, fine. Let’s assume that this was a legitimate concern. Why oh why would Thai Airways publicly shame and disgrace these ladies at the check-in counter? They became a spectacle. Ironically, they were shamed during a trip they took to address the weight issue. That should never have happened, even if their size prohibited them from flying in business class.
Compensation + Full-Refund
The Iripas requested a full refund of their ticket.
Instead, Thai Airways refunded them the difference between between economy and business class, about $800, and also offered them about $300 in compensation. They flew home in economy class.
They also found the compensation offer offensive.
“For their rudeness, their disrespect and the trauma of what they put us through, how could they identify that price as compensation?”
But Flight Centre, the online travel agency they booked their tickets through, did offer them a full refund when they were made aware of what happened.
I’m not sure that was warranted as much as a sincere apology for humiliating them, if that did indeed occur.
CONCLUSION
I’ve never heard of such a safety requirement, but we cannot fault Thai Airways if this was indeed a legitimate safety concern. But I absolutely will fault Thai Airways…and call them shameful…for making a spectacle out of the whole incident and making three passengers feel very bad. Not only was it unnecessary, it was just mean.
image: Huhana Iripa
Thai Airlines’ statement is entirely correct, surrounding the airbags in the lap belts. however, it seems Thai Airlines informed and reimbursed the customers in a way that is not conducive with good customer service practices.
That was my only point. Do you think they would have really complained if an embarrassing spectacle did not occur at check-in?
Disagree 100%. Yes it should have been disclosed at booking. But they are not entitled to extra compensation because they are fat. And I don’t see any evidence that Thai shamed the passengers. In fact their own complaint, read in the light most favorable to them, shows no evidence of shaming. “no, you’re too big, you’re too big.” is a factual statement. If the passengers were offended by it, that’s on them.
I never argued they were entitled to compensation…
I’ve witnessed so many fatties play the disabled card in the US and get special treatment. Nice to see obesity treated like the lifestyle choice it is. I wish the US carriers would treat these over eaters like Thai airways.
I can’t agree more!
I am appalled by the comments from so many. I workout daily and suspect I’m in better shape than most of the people in this thread. Likely from the close-mindedness I’m reading in so many of the comments, I’m probably better educated as well.
What happened to even the slightest sense of empathy or humanity?? Most people who are overweight have complex issues, whether it be physical or psychological.
I too regrettably sometimes think negatively when I have to sit next to someone overwrought on a plane. But I at least have the good sense to feel ashamed myself for those thoughts.
Oh okay you’re right about that. Sorry.
I don’t even think they’re entitled to an apology. Does a child get a formal apology when they fail to be this tall to ride? Of course not! Perhaps we can start a class action for these discriminatory theme parks who get off on swindling and then mocking the height-challenged. Give me a break!
I agree with you on this, there is nothing Thai Airlines could do in this situation.
If airlcrafts consume more fuel based on weight then fat people should have to pay more.
Far people eat more, emit more co2, pollute the environment more. They should be paying more taxes just to account for that. Also people that eat meat. They should have to pay more taxes for the same reason.
Beef eaters should pay more and vegans get a tax refund.
They also cause numerous injuries among emergency responders and health care providers. Their health care costs are many times what a normal BMI person incurs. They are an incredible drain on society yet they seem to be the most entitiled, as evidenced by this article.
ROFL!!!
ROFL
TG is owned and controlled by the government and run by the Thai Air Force. Most of the people who work there are political/military cronies, and couldn’t care less about passengers, much less the airline’s brand or reputation. TG is already insolvent, and will just get another bailout courtesy of Thai taxpayers to continue this horrendous exercise by which poor Thai people subsidize an airline that mainly serves rich Thai people as well as richer northern european tourists.
Based on the statements here by the passengers, and no statement by the counter staff to counter point, I don’t agree that what Thai did is necessarily mean. Nor do I see that the staff meant to ridicule or offend the passengers. They were trying to determine if the passengers would be able to fit into the business class seats. Whether or not the seat belt can be extended, Thai Airways has chosen a policy that they will not do so. There is no report of the staff laughing or making fun of the passengers, so while the passengers may have felt defensive and offended, it seems to me like the staff were just trying to figure out a solution. There is probably a better way to have handled sizing the passengers, though, but come on, it’s not like the actions of the staff caused any onlookers to suddenly realize how large these passengers are, it’s pretty obvious already that they are definitely above average in size. I think the moral outrage is undue here, Thai refunded the difference in their fare and gave them a little extra to boot.
Thai needs to watch out for the safety of their passengers, as well as weight restrictions (remember, folks, this is a plane not a freight train!). This is not fat shaming. Imagine the lawsuits and claims that would hit TG if one of these persons of size flew through the cabin during turbulence – the damage to people and property could be quite substantial. Also, the airbags would not function properly. This is the same reason why we don’t let kids ride in the front seat of the car…
The way Thai Airways handed it at the counter could have been better… also seems like they’re one of the few, if any airlines that prohibit extenders on the airbag seatbelts from what I was able to find.
Also appears using an extender disables the airbag for safety since it would be off center of the person now, but at the same time a catch-22 situation since it’s compromising safety by the airbag being disabled.
But they’re fat!
If they were going to wrap a tape measure around them, they could have at least discreetly asked them to follow them into an office or some other area so they wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of a crowd of people.
Maybe the way Thai Airways handled it could have been more subtle and empathetic. The “measuring tape” part need not have been done in public. But there was no purposeful fat humiliation going on, no laughing or pointing, though I do understand that the passengers felt singled out. Thai would do good to give its employees more sensitivity training. But based on the information, I don’t agree with your sentiment that they made a “spectacle” out of it. Rather, the passengers shamed themselves by blowing up the incident and making themselves look self-entitled.
“Shame” is a feeling, not an action. These people felt shame, as they should if they are going to go through life grossly overweight. This can’t be the first time for them.
Thai people are nice, but also direct and non-judgemental. This is the land that openly accepted transgender people long ago. The workers were just doing their jobs, dealing in facts. The fact is that they exceeded their size limit.
It’s not the world’s responsibility to shield you from feeling bad about your own life choices. For most this experience would be motivation to lose weight, but for these people it’s just further cementing their victimhood mentality. That is the real shame here.
Oh, and this story broke weeks ago did it not? Way to be on the ball and timely! I guess it’s like your meal of the week series? Victim of the week maybe?
Shame is a feeling and an action. Don’t mistake my championing of human dignity with an abrogation of personal responsibly. If the weight problem is indeed simply due to their poor lifestyle choices, then I call upon them to change their lifestyle. But I put myself in their shoes and would hate to be ostracized for a physical defect in public when it could have been done in a less obtrusive way. I don’t really care if Thai culture is “direct”. I don’t really care if they are totally to blame for being obese. The incident unnecessarily caused pain and could have been accomplished in a better way.
Also, if they felt so much shame and embarrassment, why then are they peddling their sob story around every media outlet? If you felt so much shame and embarrassment you would have sulked away, heads down, and never mentioned it again. It can’t be because you’re going to sue in Thailand, that’s for sure, because you will lose. No PC culture there. It can only be because these people enjoy playing the victim card.
Or maybe they don’t want the same thing to happen to other people?
I don’t think they’re “playing” the victim when they’re actually the victims.
As an aside, Thai airways really should reconsider their response for another reason. Medical tourism is huge business in Thailand. Gastric bypasses cost about $18,000 USD in Thailand, so people looking into one of these procedures have access to money but also are investing too much into the surgery to risk missing their flight. People looking into these surgeries definitely communicate with one another about the best hospital and best surgeons, so they’ll talk about this news item, too. I can’t imagine wanting to fly with Thai Airways biz class if I were a patient considering bariatric surgery after hearing this story; that’s a lot of business to give up.
You’re asking for a sound, logical, considered, ethical, coordinated plan from TG in Thailand? Water from the moon…
This should never be allowed ever, unless I have the seat next to them.
I do remember that one airline (couldn’t remember it was TG or not) disclosed that because of this type of airbag-equipped seatbelt, they would not be able to provide extensions.
Business class/Firstclass seats doesn’t mean wide seats. Some large size person cannot fit in the seats. Better option is 2 or 3 economy seats is more comfortable. Same for bulkhead seats in economy. If you have 48+ waist size..you ain’t going to fit in solid armwrest seat. I see a measuring tape will be used if you keep arguing that you are going to fit.
Thanks, Matthew – I totally agree with you. The public humiliation was not deserved at all, and it’s shameful on the part of Thai.
Wrapping a tape measure around a passenger in public is some all-world brutal. If that happened in the states there would be a riot. Awesome.
This is old news. Any reason to come back to it now?
I saw it for the first time today.
What if this had been a hiso Thai? Maybe a politician ( several come to mind)? A solution would have been found, without the public shaming. Female, fat, foreign, of colour…not a priority.
We do not have the story of the check in staff. It is very possible that a first discrete remark from the staff on being too fat to fit in was met with tantrum.
Those girls with the tape must have come from somewhere right. Thai is not standard taping passengers during check in. Means the taping girls were called to measure them up. And that means there is a part of the story on what happened before the taping missing here.
My experience with Thai people is they are courteous, but direct.
Its all possible that the 3 women were so proud of the flabs that had been cut away, that they thought to be slim already and were just insulted by the fact they were not recognized as slim.
‘Huhana Iripa travelled with her two daughters, Renell and Tere, from Auckland to Bangkok so that the two ladies could have weight loss surgery.”
So… Even after the surgery they are still too fat to fit in business class seat? Is the operation a failure? Not even one commenters aware of this fact? Not even the writer which claim has a law degree?
Offcourse your source was New Zealand Herald, which portraying its citizen as victim of Thai Airways. Who is bullying who actually? Lol
It’s bariatric surgery , aka gastric bypass, ie not an instant result like liposuction. It is gradual weight loss. You don’t arrive a porker and leave as a runway model.
I would bet cash that I’m thinner than every other commenter in this thread (I’m 5’5, I weigh 100lbs, and I’m a 00 in the US), so when I say this is appalling — as are many of the comments — know that it’s because I have compassion, not because I’m a person of size.
Even if there was a real safety concern, doing this in public and making a spectacle of the passengers is unacceptable. And to then refuse to apologize, just adds salt in the wound.
It takes no effort to be kind.
Thai Airways handled this poorly but I do think cultural differences were part of the problem here. I am glad to see the other issues being discussed because I have had two terrible experiences flying with a fat person in the adjoining seat. One could not possibly sit in his seat without his hot, fat leg actually spilling over onto mine. I tried putting a magazine between us but, honestly, it felt like a sexual assault and I broke out in hives before we landed. The other incident was on an international flight and the man was way bigger. I spoke with the purser and asked to be rebooked as I could not possibly tolerate that on a long-haul flight. He moved me to a an empty row, thank goodness. I think these people have a lot of nerve booking a seat they can’t sit in without touching their neighbor.
Can someone direct me to a bus blog? You airline people need to get a life
The seatbelts with the airbags in them cannot use seatbelt extenders. So if the passengers are too fat to fasten their seatbelts, it absolutely is a safety requirement. Behavior of ground staff aside, they were literally too fat to fly business class. I suspect if you couldn’t buckle your seatbelt on AA, they wouldn’t let you fly either.