When is one equal to two?

Answer? Whenever a bloated federal agency gets involved.

Canada's major air carriers have been ordered to offer disabled travellers the same fares as everyone else.

Under a Canadian Transportation Agency ruling, travellers who need additional seating because of their disabilities will no longer have to pay more than a single fare for domestic flights.

Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz and WestJet have one year to bring in a "one-person-one-fare" policy for people with severe disabilities -- including the severely obese -- who require two seats to accommodate them.

The ruling also applies to disabled persons who need a medical attendant seated with them on flights.

The CTA stresses the ruling applies only to people with severe disabilities.

So what were those cruel airlines doing before?

Currently, Air Canada offers a 50-per cent discount for some attendants travelling with disabled customers on flights within North America.

Yes, that's right, when the CTA rules that "airlines must bring in a one person one fare" policy it really means that rather than charge a full fare for one person and a half fare for the second person, both persons must be allowed to travel on the single fare.

Meanwhile, complaintant Joanne Neubauer "said the ruling means she can finally hold her 'head up high.'" Well, she would hold her head up high...if she wasn't unable to hold her head up high due to being fat and in a wheelchair.