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CNN Live Today

Family Denied Boarding Southwest Flight Due to Weight

Aired July 12, 2002 - 10:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Apparently size really does matter when it comes to flying. In New Mexico a family found that one out the hard way. It happened during a trip on Southwest Airlines.

Laurabree of our KAMR affiliate has the story, more on this long journey home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAURABREE AUSTIN, KAMR CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The long journey began here in Indianapolis. Andrea Kysar and her family were supposed to board a Southwest Airlines flight for Albuquerque, but 30 minutes before their flight, they are told because of their size they'll have to buy two more tickets. That was money they didn't have.

ANDREA KYSAR, PASSENGER: She wouldn't listen. She wouldn't listen to anything that we had to say. So, then she started telling me, I had no choice. We to buy two more tickets or we couldn't get on the plane. And, there is like strangers staring at us.

This one little lady said to me, that's OK honey, you can sit next to me. So, obviously, they were embarrassed for us. It was totally humiliating.

MARTY MCLAUGHLIN, KYSAR'S BROTHER: The hardest part for me is just the respect to an individual that you bring to Indiana without a problem but won't bring back to New Mexico on the same ticket.

AUSTIN: Instead, they have been riding from state to state on this bus, stopping in Amarillo, a far cry from their plan, which was to have flown home to New Mexico.

EILEEN KYSAR, DAUGHTER: I think that at first it was kind of scary, but now that I know I'm going to be able to get home, I feel a lot better. My mom is saying we're -- we are three really fun people and we will get home in a fun way.

A. KYSAR: Because we couldn't afford to buy another ticket. I think that the worst thing in the world is to be overweight and not be able to laugh at yourself, and still have a good self-esteem. So, you know, we are making jokes about it, being random fat patrol and we're the guinea pigs and they decided to pick us to enforce their big policy or change or whatever it is. And you know, good for them, but I just think they made a big mistake.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And in fact, McLaughlin and Kysar have indicated that they will sue for alleged discrimination. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines apologized for the family for the inconvenience and gave them a refund for their tickets.

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