As if it wasn’t bad enough that plane fares have gone up exponentially in recent years; now we have to contend with the growing number of people who are overweight. And yes, while obesity is a massive problem in the United States (pun intended), is it really fair to punish those who are plump by not allowing them to fly the once-friendly skies?

As one report reveals, Kevin Smith, creator of Clerks and Chasing Amy, was reportedly removed from a Southwest Airlines flight on February 13th, simply based on the fact that he “weighed too much”. And while Smith was not the first person to fall victim to Southwest’s overweight policy, he most certainly will not be the last as other airlines have begun to adopt similar policies surrounding their more girthy passengers.

The subject of flying amongst overweight passengers is a touchy one as there are many average weight customers who have complained about “seat spillage”. The complaints were so far reaching that it actually caused United Airlines to change its policy regarding its overweight passengers. However, it should be noted that the United States has now become well known throughout the world for the growing number of people we house who are profoundly rotund. This, combined with the fact that most airplanes have to be weight balanced can be embarrassing for heavier passengers who are often asked to switch their seats or who have difficulty fastening their seatbelts or folding down their trays.

But what can be done about the situation? On the one hand, it is understandable that when you are flying in an airplane, in a closed (and often) close space with other strangers, you don’t want to get stuck sitting next to someone who is practically sitting on your lap. But at the same time, shouldn’t everyone have the right to fly? Is it really fair to charge an overweight person the price for two people; or worse yet, is it fair to pull them off of a plane so that other people may be comfortable?

Let’s take some time to really weigh in on these questions…