Over the weekend a large Los Angeles man, Kevin Smith, posted this on his Twitter page: "I'm way fat, but I'm not there just yet," and "If you look like me, you may be ejected from Southwest Air." He also posted a picture of himself sitting on the plane with his cheeks puffed out and make a podcast slamming Southwest Airlines for kicking him off.Smith started this online rampage after a pilot ejected him from a Southwest Airlines flight, saying he didn't fit properly in a single seat. If you were Southwest Airlines, would you think his post is a big deal?
I'd say yes, because we've seen the impact social media can have and how famous it can make someone. Plus, this man is already famous for his work as a director (you may recognize him as the director of the new Bruce Willis movie "Cop Out," and he previously directed the films "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy". Furthermore, obesity is a hot topic right now.
Southwest handled the issue by doing the following:
- Stating that their "Customer of Size" policy requires travelers must be able to fit safely and comfortably in one seat or make other arrangements
- Issued an apology first from its own Twitter account
- Later issued another apology on its website titled "Not So Silent Bob," a jovial jab at the Silent Bob character Smith plays in many of his films
- Will accommodate Smith on a later flight by giving him a $100 voucher
- Another apology - this time by phone
It should be mentioned that Smith and the airline stated that he had bought two seats for his original flight from Oakland, where he had spoken at the Macworld Expo conference. However, he was flying standby in order to catch an earlier flight and only one was available. Smith insisted that he was still able to put both armrests down and buckle his seat belt, which is Southwest's standard.
I think that Southwest Airlines did a good job handling the issue right away and taking responsibility for their decision.
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