Canadian carriers cram to obey obesity ruling

The Canucks are starting off the new year insanely stupid.

"You’ve dawdled this whole year. Now stop all that bellyaching and get on with it.'

That, in essence, is the message Canada’s Supreme Court gave the country’s major airlines late last month. Now, after spending a year trying to weasel out of it with repeated court appeals, Canadian airlines are scrambling to figure out how to meet the January 10th deadline for complying with “one-person, one-fare” policy mandated by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). It is groundbreaking legislation some hope — and others fear — may spread to the United States and beyond."

"Groundbreaking" as in that's what happens when overloaded aircraft plummet earthward.

Now why would the aircraft get overloaded by following a “one-person, one-fare” policy?

"Under the new rules, applying only to domestic flights, Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet cannot charge more than one fare to persons with disabilities who cannot fly without the help of an attendant.

Few people will take issue with that.

What some folks are taking issue with, however, is the part of the ruling that also promises a complimentary second seat to passengers who are 'determined to be functionally disabled by obesity.'"

It is not really one-person, one-fare.

It is one-being, one-fare. So elephants pay the same as cheetahs.

How unique are the Canadians in their foolishness?

"'No other country in the world has told airlines to do this,' WestJet spokesman Robert Palmer said. 'We’re in uncharted territory here. We know how to run an airline. But we’re not experts on at what point obesity becomes a disability.'

Yet, come January 10th, Canadian airlines will be expected to have it figured out.

They’ll have to hurry."

Indeed.