Woman Dies After Three Airlines Say She’s Too Fat to Fly

Late last month, Bronx resident Vilma Soltesz and her husband Janos tried to board three separate airlines from Hungary to New York City, but they were repeatedly turned away. Why? Well, because they couldn't stuff Vilma's fatness into the plane, a seat, a wheelchair, an elevator — take your pick. This whole thing is a big mess and ends with a horrific twist. Vilma was was headed to New York to get treatment for kidney-failure to save her life, and since she was obviously unable to make the trip, she died. Ugh.

The couple originally travelled from their house in the Bronx to their vacation home in Hungary via Delta and KLM airlines. Their travel agent bought Vilma two tickets to ensure she'd have proper space, so it appears they were doing everything right per fat person flying protocol.

The return flight is where things get weird. On October 15, the couple attempted to board their KLM flight home for Vilma's meeting with her physicians about her kidneys. However, KLM didn't have the proper... I'm not sure what. KLM spokeswoman Ellen van Ginkel explained the set of circumstances that had them unable to take Vilma back home.

"It appeared on the passenger's return that it was not physically possible for her to board the aircraft, despite every effort made by KLM to this end," van Ginkel said. "A seat or belt extender did not offer a solution, either."

Wait, why didn't the seat belt extender work? What was difference between this flight and the ones that brought her to Hungary? I'm honestly confused.

So, after a five-hour wait, the couple was directed to Prague for a Delta flight but the wheelchair couldn't hold her. I'm guessing she had her own personal wheelchair, I'm not sure why that wasn't used? Also, allegedly the elevator couldn't hold her. 

Delta spokesman Russel Cason said that "despite a determined good-faith effort by Delta in Prague, we were also physically unable to board her on our aircraft."

Finally, the couple tried to board a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to New York on October 22, but issues "arose when the plane crew and local fire officials could not fit Vilma in a three-seat gap after 30 minutes of trying."

Via Jezebel