An obese woman from New York has died after being denied a seat on three flights that were headed back to the United States. 56-year-old Vilma Soltesz was in Hungary at the time of her death for an annual trip that she and her husband, Janos, usually take. Soltesz weighed 425 pounds, had only one leg, and was wheelchair-bound. Prior to the trip, their travel agent says that Delta Airlines was informed of her condition, and that she and her husband planned to return to the US on October 15 to continue treatment for a combination of kidney disease and diabetes.
According to Mr. Soltesz, his wife was already seated on a plane when she was asked to leave by KLM because they did not have the seat-belt extender necessary to secure her. They drove to Prague to take another Delta flight but were turned away because that plane couldn't accommodate a disabled person. On the third and final attempt, a local fire department was brought to help remove her from her wheelchair. After over an hour of trying to move her, the captain asked them to leave the plane.
The couple didn't seek medical attention because they didn't think a doctor in Hungary would be able to meet Mrs. Soltesz's needs. She died two days later, and attorney Holly Ostrov Ronai is considering a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the airlines for violating laws that protect the disabled.
[via Daily Mail UK]
