"He was very apologetic," Berkowitz, 57, told ABCNews.com. "When he boarded, he said: 'I'm your worst nightmare.' " ...
"My issue first and foremost is that this was a safety issue," Berkowitz said. "The airlines and regulatory bodies need to have protocol when it comes to this."
He said he brought the problem of his large seatmate to the flight attendants' attention and asked if he could sit in one of their jump seats.
They apologized and said there was nothing they could do and that sitting in their seats was against FAA regulations.
Berkowitz told consumer advocate Christopher Elliott that his "polite" request to US Airways for a refund of his $800-plus ticket was met mostly with indifference from officials. Repeated correspondence netted him a $200 voucher from the airline. A company spokesman, speaking to ABC News, actually blamed Berkowitz for violating airline safety rules by not wearing his seatbelt.
Read more about Berkowitz's ordeal at ABC News and Elliott.org.
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