United Charges a Fat Tax

United Airlines today announced that it would start charging overweight passengers for a second seat if they can't fit into a single seat, can't buckle their seat belts that have an extender attached to them, and can't put down the armrests when they're in their seats.

Robin Urbanski Janikowski, a United spokeswoman, told the New York Daily News that the airline received more than 700 complaints last year from travelers who complained about the person next to them spilling over into their seats. The airline began enforcing the rule today on flights out of Chicago.

United will either get praised by the seat-deprived or blasted by those who defend the rights of the obese. "Due to this news I will now begin buying Jetblue stock," wrote one commenter on the Daily News story ... But more comments were along the lines of this poster: "This is so overdue. sorry it has to come down to this, but those defending the overweight on this charge, i'd like you to sit next to them on a plane voluntarily. its quite disgusting to have to fly that way."

Should more airlines get on the "too fat to fly" crusade? Should airlines start policing other infractions like passengers with offensive body odor or passengers with screaming kids? Should any of the above be kept out of the front of the plane, where business travelers prefer to be? Offer your views below.