Half price seats for obese Canadians

Obese Canadians are to be given two seats for the price of one following a ruling by the country's highest court.

In January this year the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) announced the nation's two largest airlines - Air Canada and WestJet – would have one year to implement the so-called 'one-person one-fair' arrangement.

The Canadian supreme court has now declined to hear an appeal against the decision, ensuring people "functionally disabled by obesity" will benefit from January 2009.

Following convention no reason was given for the supreme court's decision.

The Canadian 'one-person, one-fare' policy already exists on other types of public transport, including buses, trains and ferries.

Chris O'Toole