(CNN) -- Many tall fliers know: Those precious exit row or bulkhead seats now often come with a price as airlines charge for the extra bit of legroom.
That's not sitting well with Malcolm Johnson, a 6-foot-7-inch architect from Edmonton, Alberta, who says they should be available to tall travelers without the added cost.
Johnson is on a mission to get Air Canada -- the airline he flies most -- to stop charging the fee.
He filed a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency last year, but it was rejected in December on the grounds that he didn't fully qualify as a disabled person with a special condition, he said. Johnson is vowing to appeal the decision.
"It's a penalty for tall people ... to pay for those seats -- they're the only seats on the craft that we can fit into," he said.
Air Canada has not responded to a request for comment.
Johnson flies on the airline from Edmonton to France twice a year, but since there are no direct flights available, the journey usually requires four legs for a round-trip. He was always able to get a fairly comfortable seat at no charge, but that changed when the carrier implemented the fee about two years ago.
Air Canada charges up to $50 for a coach seat with extra legroom on each flight, so Johnson ends up paying $200 extra, he said. If his wife comes along and wants to sit next to him, the couple ends up paying $400 extra.
via www.cnn.com
