'Too fat' to fly
01.09.06
A 29-stone man was taken off a plane at Newcastle Airport because he was 'too fat to fly', it has been reported. Dave Brown, 58, from Middlesbrough, had to abandon his holiday after he could not fit into any of the seats.
Mr Brown was due to fly to the Turkish resort of Altinkum with his wife Margaret, 53, but was shocked to find he could not fit in any of the plane's seats. He said he had warned Thomas Cook that he was 6ft 6in tall and weighed 29 stone, contacting them three times, but was told he could still fly. He even arrived at the airport 4 hours early, and was again told that it would be okay.
But problems arose once Mr Brown boarded the plane. The airline said it had offered him a row of three seats at the front of the plane but he was unable to fit in any of them. The couple then had to get off the plane, which was held up for 45 minutes.
Mr Brown, from Middlesbrough, said: 'Everybody was looking at me, and everybody knew because of my weight I could not fit on the plane. That was really making me feel bad. I was just sweating and going all white. It was an experience that I don't want to go through again, or ever thought I would have to go through.'
The couple paid £736 for the holiday and have since received a full refund from Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook Airlines said the crew were unable to seat Mr and Mrs Brown in line with take-off safety regulations and the couple had to leave the plane.
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