Obese Flyer Sues Southwest

Obese Flyer Sues Southwest

August 25, 2004

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP)--A cosmetics company CEO has sued Southwest Airlines (LUV), alleging that she was unfairly subjected to its policy of requiring large passengers to buy two seats because she is black.

Nadine Thompson, president, CEO and co-founder of Warm Spirit Inc. beauty and wellness company in Exeter, sued the airline in federal court in Concord last week, saying the company does not uniformly enforce its policy requiring obese passengers to buy two seats.

The lawsuit said "a disproportionate number of women and persons of color are subjects of Southwest's policy requiring a passenger to purchase a second ticket.

"But for the plaintiff being a large African-American woman, she would not have been subjected to Southwest's policy of requiring a passenger to purchase a second ticket."

The lawsuit said, "Similarly sized white male passengers are not subjected to Southwest's policy requiring a passenger to purchase a second ticket."

-snip-