If the news is to be believed, there are more fat people in the U.S. than thin people ("average people" still have a hard time fitting in those cramped little seats too). But I guess that the airlines can survive with only 40% of the population flying, so no need to cater to fat people by, say, making the seats a little bigger.
Oh wait, the airlines can't survive anything, and only live on thanks to multiple government bailouts. Of course, that's their whole reasoning for their anti-customer rules and regulations anyway. They know if they go bankrupt again thanks to their ridiculous policies, the government will just bail them out again. I think there was a whole Southpark episode dedicated to the ineptitude of airline management.
Anyway, I never fly southwest in the first place. Like hell if I'm going to fight against other passengers to get a damn seat on the airplane. Assign me a seat so I can get to the airport when I damn well feel like it (a no first class? thats a fat guys last refuge).