The issue of how to approach a POS (passenger of size) is always a delicate one. As the debate rages over how much personal control some obese people really have over their weight, it is important to approach this topic in a respectful tone. How an airline should deal with an obese person is not easy ascertainable--especially when the plane is full. One thing is clear, though: by ignoring the problem it does not go away. US Airways should keep that in mind.

Arthur Berkowitz, 57, was ...

No--this is not a post where I pick on "passengers of size." I do have my fair share of XXL seatmate stories, but they are not nearly as funny as this self-deprecating travelogue by NY Times columnist Rob Goldstone. Here's a few excerpts:

Discreetly, I point toward my stomach, offer a half-smile and wait for a nod. Once I’m in my seat, I prepare for the “handoff.” Without making eye contact, the flight attendant ...

Apparently, Kevin Smith (who the heck is he?) didn't like being told he was too big to fly on Southwest.

David Lazarus, a reporter from the LA Times posted this commentary on YouTube:

BS or insighful?