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Thai Airways Bans Obese Passengers And Parents With Young Kids From Business Class on Boeing 787 Dreamliners

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Obese passengers and parents with young children have been banned from flying business class on Thai Airways' new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The ban was explained on Friday by the airline's director of security and flight standard division, Flight Lieutenant Pratthana Pattanasirim, The Bangkok Post reported. (www.traveller.com.au) More...

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lwr
lwr 8
Clickbait headline, which could have simply been: “Airbag seatbelts on Thai 787-9 unsafe to extend beyond 56 inches in length”

Here’s another alternative: “Thai airways installs dozens of explosive devices on 787-9 fleet”**

** assuming these airbags are similar to automotive airbags, with explosive inflators.
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vegad
David Vega 7
This is another example of the press wanting to alarm vs inform. The article implies don't trust the airline. The reason for the ban is because they don't like "fat passengers and young parents", not because "seats have been installed with new airbag systems and safety belts, which cannot accommodate passengers with a girth wider than 56 inches (142.24 centimetres)." Tomorrow we will see a follow up article titled "Thai Airways discriminates against coach class passengers on their new Boeing Dreamliner 787-9".
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beilstwh
beilstwh 2
The only reason that they would have installed small seats with smaller sized equipment is so that they can jam more seats into business class. I suspect that the business class will resist being jammed into a small area and sitting in their neighbors laps and will vote with their dollars by going to another airline.
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RECOR10
RECOR10 3
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha......awesome!
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pilotjag
pilotjag 2
Three more great articles...
http://www.secretflying.com/posts/thai-airways-bans-obese-passengers-infants-business-class-dreamliners/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/102451676/thai-airways-ban-obese-flyers-and-young-kids-from-business-class-on-new-dreamliner
https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2018/03/18/thai-airways-bans-fat-passengers-lap-infants-new-business-class/
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21voyageur
21voyageur 1
Interesting. So, if I interpret this correctly, only business class pax (assuming any 1st as well) have the extra protection of a seatbelt? Are the poor folks in the back are considered expendable to some degree? I do not see car rental agencies offering lower cost cars that are not equipped with seatbelts. Perhaps laws have to catch up with the aviation agencies. Or for that matter, what kind of F'ucking seatbelt would provide any protection other than a minor event on the runway or gate? Perhaps I have missed something here but why seatbelts for business other than for marketing and sales?

Regards
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WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 1
All seats have a seat belt. The ones in business class have an airbag on them. See my post below for a link with a picture of the seat and seat belt.
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opteria
Timothy Rayworth 1
Poor engineering! They should equip some seats with longer belts or a belt extension. You could also equip some seats with standard belts. Use your head man!
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WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 1
How is it poor engineering? The airbag is actually on the seat belt as seen in this picture. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=40227&stc=1&d=1505898969 . With business class offering different seating configurations that include the ability to create a bed of sorts so one can sleep. With the configuration that Thai Airlines is using, they would have to change to a 1-1-1 seating arrangement and higher prices if said seat was wider, or shrink the aisle (no drinks or food carts and harder to get through for large people) to have a wider seat for the 1-2-1 configuration that they are using. I mean Thai Airlines could go back to a basic seat, but business class fliers expect more for the fares they pay.
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jdrpc
Joao Ponces -6
This is RIDICULOUS! Just STOP flying THAI! That is what they are asking for! It'll go to my banned airlines list...
What next? Stop you because you are white? Red hair? Christian? Tall? Big nose?
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WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 3
You should really rad the article and not base your assumptions on an article title made to make people mad. It all has to do with the type of seats and safety equipment not being able to handle larger people.
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WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 2
Read, not rad.
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bpanther
bpanther -2
Well said. We are all God's creatures, large and small.
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peterlmaas2
Peter Maas -2
Very good. No-one will get stuck in the bathroom door because of being "Fat".
And business people can do their "work" in a quiet atmosphere.
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jgrasso
John Grasso -3
I can see banning children since it's illegal to hire minors and its impossible they are on business but obese people?
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shrudini
shrudini -6
And why are they doing this?
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PSUAth
Supercool Marmol 7
the business class seats have newer "airbag" safety belts on them. They are not rated safe for people with a waist over 56? inches. Also they are dangerous for infants on laps.

So this is a policy that stems from the equipment used. not a "we just don't like these people" policy.

click baity title though...
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ToddBaldwin3
ToddBaldwin3 5
Their reasoning was explained in the article.
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