Passenger Has to Stand for 7-Hour Flight

Another dismal travel tale from the world of packed airplanes: A US Airways passenger flying from Anchorage to Philadelphia had to stand for nearly all of the seven-hour flight, reports the consumer advocacy blog Elliott.org. The problem? The airline booked a late-boarding passenger who weighed in the neighborhood of 400 pounds without requiring that he buy a second seat.

Flight attendants were apparently sympathetic and acknowledged the gate agent's error, but couldn't do much because the plane was fully booked. “It did not allow me to use my seatbelt during takeoff and landing as well as required me to stand in the aisle and galley area for most of the seven-hour plus flight,” says the out-of-luck seatmate. US Airways offered him a $200 voucher for another flight, but he wants a full refund. The blog has taken up his case: "This might be one of those rare cases when a full refund is in order," writes Christopher Elliott. (More strange stuff stories.)