At 6-feet, 7-inches, Malcolm Johnson thinks it's unfair that he has to pay Air Canada for extra leg room when people who need extra horizontal space don't have to pay more for that accommodation.
He's got a point, especially when you consider that flying for long periods with your legs cramped can cause a very painful temporary condition that can be fatal - deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - also known as "economy class syndrome."
AirSafe.com cites a number of articles written in the UK a decade ago, claiming airlines have been aware of the problem for some time and that DVT, at that time, had caused an estimated 300 deaths in the UK alone.
And DVT is exactly what Johnson says he deals with. People have told him, says CNN, to "sit down, suck it up, and shut up," but apparently they've never experienced DVT.
Tell Air Canada to take flight-related health issues seriously. Stop denying tall people sufficient leg room.
We, the undersigned, agree with Malcolm Johnson that the need for sufficient leg room on flights is not a trivial matter, especially for tall people.
According to reports, the flight industry has known of the serious risks of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) during flights, and more so when insufficient space is provided for leg movement. Long flights are known to be one of the major causes of this painful condition, which can also be fatal and cause problems for the unborn if the mother develops DVT.
The Mayo Clinic's website adds that tall people are more at risk for developing the condition than others, which is another reason to give tall people sufficient leg room during flights.
Since you do not charge those requesting extra horizontal space, there is no justification to discriminate against a passenger who is tall.
The Canadian Transportation Agency's denial of Malcolm Johnson's complaint on the grounds he did not qualify for disability, if true, is unfair and implies he could achieve disability status based on his height.
We request you take flight safety, in general, seriously and understand that cramped conditions can be risky for any passenger, much more so those with longer legs.
We ask that you allow sufficient space for tall passengers without making them pay extra for it, and we thank you for your consideration of these requests.
