For many people, the fear of flying sometimes stops them from ever getting on a plane. J.R. Hill says in his case, it was something else.

“And the lady stops and says, ‘Sir, you need to have another ticket.’ And I said what for and she said, ‘because of your size.’”

At the time Hill, a real estate agent, weighed 435 pounds and was traveling on Southwest Airlines.

“I said I've never had to have one before. I fly you guys all the time,” Hill recalled. “I fly you for business, for personal. I was just in Denver a few months ago and nobody's ever said anything to me like this.”

Hill bought the second ticket for nearly $200.

On its Web site, Southwest Airlines says some passengers have complained about "large" customers crowding their seat space.

Southwest said, "These customers had uncomfortable (and sometimes painful) travel experiences, and it is our responsibility to seek resolution to prevent this problem."

Hill says for him that meant being pulled out of a line in front of more than 100 passengers and being told he was too fat.

“I hate to admit it but I was in tears,” said Hill.

Hill decided to speak out after hearing about a woman who claimed Southwest made her " cover up" with a blanket, and about another woman whose mini skirt was said to be too provocative to fly.

While the women were told to put "more" on - Hill's actually been taking it off. Pounds that is. He has lost 50 pounds so far and counting.

And now that he's lost some weight, Hill's not sure if he'll have to buy two tickets for his next flight.

As to determine who is or isn’t too fat to fly on its airline, Southwest's Web site says if a passenger can't lower the armrests because of their size they'll have to buy an extra ticket.

We called Southwest about Hill's case, so far we've not heard back from the airline.