An Australian political commentator who was aboard an American Airlines flight to Dallas caused an internet stir when she “rage-tweeted” about being “wedged between two obese people.”
Sydney Watson published photos of two passengers sitting next to her on her 3-hour flight from New York with the caption, “I am currently — literally — WEDGED between two OBESE people on my flight. This is absolutely NOT acceptable or okay. If fat people want to be fat, fine. But it is something else entirely when I’m stuck between you, with your arm rolls on my body, for 3 hours.”
She flagged the Fort Worth carrier in a later tweet. American Airlines’ Twitter account responded to Watson: “Our passengers come in all different sizes and shapes. We’re sorry you were uncomfortable on your flight.”
Watson then continued to tweet at the airline, “I just experienced getting sweat on, touched without my consent, smacked in the face and subjected to hours of no personal space. And your response is essentially “too bad”? Is that what I’m getting here?”
After the Oct. 10 flight, Watson tweeted “every flight attendant apologized” and that the crew told her they would have given her free alcohol if she asked.
Watson posts conservative commentary to her 763,000 subscribers on YouTube. She took to her channel on Saturday to explain her side of the story. She has appeared on One America News, America Tonight and America First, and contributed to Human Events and The Post Millennial, according to her website. Her story has gathered attention from news sites like the New York Post and the Independent.
She said on YouTube that when people took interest in her tweets because they were “funny,” she continued to post.
“There is a reason why it is extremely challenging to fit into normal-sized things in society because being these sizes is not OK,” she told her YouTube followers.
American Airlines’ Twitter account also said the Fort Worth-based airline offers “a variety of seat sizes and styles, so our customers can select what works best for them.” It linked to its seat options, which included more expensive business-class seats. According to iFly.com, American’s policy can include requiring overweight passengers to buy a second seat.
Social media reaction to Watson ranged from supporters who urged the airline to refund her to critics who attacked her for “fat shaming.”
“I’m totally fine with being in the news for fat shaming,” she later Tweeted to her 327,000 followers.
———
