Person Gets Trapped By A Plus-Size Woman On A Flight, Makes Her Cry After Asking To Switch Seats
Interview With Author
Flying, no matter what size, can be anxiety-inducing for many people. However, plus-size individuals face even more obstacles when traveling, often denying them the opportunity to experience things commonly available to others.
One is airplane seating, which this flyer unexpectedly learned after neighboring a plus-size woman on an 8-hour flight. It was soon clear that the seat couldn’t accommodate her, as she was taking up more and more space. Struggling with claustrophobia, the person next to her asked for a new seat, causing mid-air AITA drama to ensue.
Scroll down to find the full story, and a conversation with its author, who kindly agreed to tell us more about it.
Plus-size people face many more obstacles while traveling
Image credits: friends_stock / Envato (not the actual photo)
This woman experienced it firsthand when the lack of space became a huge problem mid-air
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Pew Nguyen / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Grubby-housewife
“I would better inform plus-sized individuals on the size of the seats on a flight”
Image credits: Longxiang Qian / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Bored Panda reached out to the author of the story, who kindly agreed to answer a few of our questions. Naturally, we were curious to know what encouraged her to post it in the Reddit community. She told us, “I was inspired to share my story online because I was so conflicted as to whether or not my actions had been inappropriate or wrong at the time. I hoped that by sharing my story, I could hear other perspectives on what happened.”
Surprisingly, such an incident was a first for this flyer. “For me, this was a one-off incident, though most people I know who fly often have dealt with unpleasant seatmates at one time or another. I doubt this will be my last unpleasant experience.”
If she could change something and prevent this from happening again, she would suggest letting people know about the seat size in advance. “I would better inform plus-sized individuals on the size of the seats on a flight and warn them in advance if they may need seatbelt extenders or a second seat to avoid any surprise or embarrassment caused by them discovering they do not fit correctly upon entering the plane.”
Airlines can definitely put more effort into making flights accessible to everyone
Unfortunately, the truth is that the current policies for passengers who need more room have not kept up. According to National Geographic travel host and award-winning content creator Jeff Jenkins, airlines can definitely put more effort into making flights accessible to everyone. “We are still waiting on the FAA to give dimensions for standard seat sizes for each aircraft,” he says. “We hope that they listen to us and make seats wider.”
What makes this even more complicated is that every big airline has a different set of rules dealing with what the industry calls “customers of size.” The passengers are often left to figure them out on their own, often resulting in frustration for both the client whose seat is too small as well as their neighbors, who may feel that their personal space is being invaded.
To try and combat this issue, plus-size travel influencer Jae’lynn Chaney launched a petition in April 2023 urging the FAA to instruct all airlines to establish a comprehensive customer-of-size policy that prioritizes the comfort and well-being of all passengers.
“We need the policies to be a little bit more standardized,” Chaney tells CNN Travel. “At the bare minimum, we need every airline to have a policy that tells people of size how to navigate their airline.” As a result, all plus-size passengers would be appreciative of clearer rules, which would eliminate many misunderstandings.
Image credits: Sarah Chai / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The good news is that some airlines are taking steps in the right direction
What is gaining more attention is the idea that plus-size passengers should have a second seat. And they shouldn’t have to pay for it because their weight is a disability. Chaney is reassuring that they aren’t looking for any special treatment, only asking for the same respect that a thinner person gets from an airline.
“People with smaller bodies get to pay one fare to get to their destination,” she says. “And we have to pay two fares, even though we’re getting the same experience. If anything, our experiences are a little bit more challenging.”
The good news is that some airlines are taking steps in the right direction. Southwest is often the most popular among the plus-size travel community due to its customer-of-size policy. It allows passengers to pre-purchase a second seat when they make their reservation. The cost of the second seat gets refunded after travel.
On their website, the company indicates when a person should require extra room. “The armrest is the definitive gauge for a customer-of-size. It serves as the boundary between seats. If you’re unable to lower both armrests and/or encroach upon any portion of a seat next to you, you need a second seat.”
Chaney regularly shares many other tips on flying as a plus-size person on her TikTok account, and one thing that still surprises her is that a lot of individuals don’t know that seat belt extenders exist and that they’re all available on all flights. It might not be comfortable to ask others to accommodate your needs, especially when faced with unaware passengers or flight attendants. However, it has to be done in order to make travel accessible for everyone.
The author provided more information in the comments
People believe that the woman handled the situation as best as she could
Poll Question
Thanks! Check out the results:
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
You May Also Like
Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk
Do you think childless individuals should be expected to chip in for group babysitting costs during friend gatherings?
“They Saw The Blood Leave My Body”: Woman Refuses To Tip 10% At Bridal Store
How do you feel about the practice of tipping at a bridal store?
17 Y.O. Is Done Sharing Her Birthday With Her Late Twin, Parents Are Not Having It
Do you think the girl should be allowed to celebrate her birthday without the remembrance of her deceased twin?
the fact that she got defensive and accused OP of body shaming her when she never mentioned her weight means she was well aware of what she was doing and that she was causing a problem she should have paid for an extra seat the airline should have said something at check in
I'm morbidly obese. When I was released from prison, the prison bought me two seats. I was very grateful. Were I to need to fly again, I would definitely buy two seats.
I first misread that as the prison bought you two seals and I was wondering if we'd been led astray about Bouche and Audi's species...
Load More Replies...
I will never understand this. If you are a larger sized human being and you intend to fly coach, you know you will not fit properly in your seat and that you will inconvenience the person next to you. You can talk all you want about bodyshaming, but that doesn't change the fact that people will be impacted by your size through no choice of theirs. People are not required to have to fold into themselves just to avoid spill-over on your side. Why not just opt for making things agreeable for both parties? Book a second seat if you don't fit into one.
ok. I have been on different airbuses and boeings over the years and it varies by both the airlines and the configuration- American Airlines and United Airlines Airbus Neo Configurations are HORRIBLE (even my "tiny" coworkers felt trapped in the coach seats on those flights). That's problem one, you really don't know unless you REALLY research it (and then it may not matter, because the Airline can change out the plane at the last moment for whatever reason). How about we get the airlines to actually have seats that are accommodating to ALL folks instead of packing us in like sardines and rigging the system to force people to buy 2 seats for comfort?
Load More Replies...
Should airlines make bigger seats? Yep. Does that change the fact that if your size spills into the seat beside you, then you are a jerk. No. The person next to you paid for their seat, you are not entitled to fill any part of that seat. If you are big the you need to buy another seat. Fair? Not really but it's less fair for the person next to you to get half a seat and then be treated like the entitled one for having a problem with that
I really hate it when you can feel the heat from a stranger because you’re that close, I include trains and the tube in that too, but luckily those journeys for me aren’t usually as long as a flight.
This is BS. I was morbidly obese, myself, and I dreaded flying across the country to help a friend move back. Luckily I was in the bulkhead row and didn't have to sit next to anyone, but it is 100% your own responsibility if you are that big. I made sure to shower extra well, wore plenty of deodorant, and hoped for the best. I cannot stand the people that blame everyone but themselves when they can't stop eating and refuse to move around. My weight was due to trauma and a mental health disorder, but I wanted to change. That's it. You have to want to be better, you can't wallow in it and blame the world.
Good for you for wanting to change. Truely. However, not every single person that is plus size has their weight tied to trauma. I am a woman built like a linebacker, and despite eating healthy etc, i am still considered "plus size" and have a hard time (depending on the aircraft configuration) in some of these seats.
Load More Replies...
I’m a bigger person, but I’m also self aware. I would feel horrible if I was causing someone else to feel uncomfortable and I would do whatever I could to accommodate. I think they should have some sort of sample seat like they do the bag size things and if you can’t fit you should be required to get a second seat. Your weight problems shouldn’t have to be everyone else’s problem too.
Whatever the real story is, it should be noted that seats and aisles are in fact narrower by 2-3 inches than they were a few years ago (well, like 5 years ago). They’ve gone from about 20 inches to 17 inches, a decrease in pitch, and of course a decrease in leg room. Remember - not only is it uncomfortable to endure, but these changes were championed by the same execs who instituted clear profit over safety policies.
I really wish the DOT would force the airlines to redo the seats. I remember seeing this show of a futuristic set up where the seats were like double decker and you were practically standing. Unless someone steps in we will get there.
Load More Replies... What the hell was this quiz? Should plus-size passengers be required to purchase a second seat without additional cost? Should the airlines offer the second seat without an additional cost? Or should the plus size traveler book one for the standard cost? Anyway, poor OP was so polite in this situation!
As someone who barely fits the airplane seats, what I really want is for the carriers to recognize that a significant portion of their passengers are larger than the tiny seats they offer, redesign and stop this nonsense. Also the op is deffo NTA and I wouldn't blame someone for not fitting next to me. I'm obese, but not morbidly and not that tall so there are a lot of people bigger than me who are considered normal
I blame the airlines who don’t accommodate people with different body types. You paid for a full seat and should get a full seat. But you should have dealt with this before the plane took off.
As a plus sized person the biggest Ahole is the airline - cause they make the seats smaller and smaller and closer and closer together. Second Ahole - the woman - she KNEW exactly what she was doing. She was gaslighting you. Big people know they are big, we know when we can't fit in/through something. She did not want to pay. And i get that, Plane tickets are expensive and again - if their airlines weren't trying to shove more people into each flight like sardines, less people would have to purchase that second seat.
If you are so huge that your body spills over, buy 2 seats or drive.
NTA, I'm obese myself, but also quite muscular, so my shoulders need sometimes more space than a seat can provide. I will always try to give the person next to me all the space they deserve and that works out fine. I don't get how people can be so oblivious to the amount of space they take up (or so entitled they ignore it).
As someone who spent most of her life overweight, none of what OP did was rude or offensive IMO. The obese woman knew she was in the wrong and just didn't want to admit it, from the sounds of it.
OP needs therapy to learn how to be more assertive. Seriously, SHE feels bad because a histrionic obese woman is consuming half of her seat and then lies to the flight attendant, breaking into fake tears and saying that OP was fat shaming her the entire flight?
Flight to Australia from UK, I had aisle seat and very large woman and young son the middle and aisle. From the outset she was all over my seat..I asked similarly for her to keep to her own seat space and suggested if she needed more room to lift the armrest next to her son. She made an almighty fuss, called over the attendant. They immediately moved me and I got a row of 4 to myself. Slept lying down most of the way!
If it was me, when she started making accusations of body shaming that would be the point were I snapped. "I haven't been body shaming you before this. But I'm sure as hell going to start now!" I don't believe in body positivity, but I'm in support of body neutrality. I'm never going to see a morbidly obese body as beautiful, but I can and do feel nothing about it. As long as it doesn't affect me directly why would I care how big another person is? But in this case their size IS directly affecting another person.
Honestly, being overweight is a medical issue as much as a social issue. My mother has PCOS and has had it the majority of her life, obesity is a symptom due to insulin resistance. By treating it as a medical issue they should be accommodated like any other medical condition when flying, i.e. they should be granted a second seat without paying for it. This would honestly solve everyone's issue.
So much this. Obesity is a medical issue. They're still figuring out underlying causes, but no healthy person deliberately eats so much they become morbidly obese. Insulin resistance is an issue, and on the mental health side, trauma is a huge issue. Either cause, it's medical.
Load More Replies...
Immaterial if it was body shaming or not. If your a*s can't be contained by the footprint of the seat, you buy two seats. Or eat a few less cheeseburgers, your choice.
I'm also claustrophobic and that's why I always book the aisle seat. I feel like if this person is really claustrophobic, there's no way they would sit on the inside. I also feel that everyone should stay in their own space and if you take up more than that, buy two seats.
I always book the exit row aisle seat to manage my claustrophobia. Yes, I'm paying a bit, but it's worth it for mental wellbeing.
Load More Replies...
My husband and I are tall and have to pay for extra leg room so we don't poke passengers in front of us with our knees. If you're too wide for a single seat you have to pay for an extra. Yes airlines should in general provide more room and comfort for all passengers, but this is not the currently the case, and it can never be ogte passengers problem that a standard seat won't fit us. And no, flying isn't a human right.
I'd have more sympathy with the other party had she not said it was up to OP to get an extra seat, not her, even though she was obviously the one who needed it. I think the airlines need to address the issue. They should have plus sized seats at a slightly higher charge available. And if a person is too large for a regular-sized seat (and these seem to be getting smaller and smaller) this needs to be addressed. I had a long flight recently and a similar problem, though the large person was nice and did their best. But there was no way to use the armrest or to sit without being squished against them. Neither of us was comfortable, and there really should be better options.
I almost agreed with you except for the upcharge bit. Historically the airlines have been making the seats smaller and trying to get more seats on each plane. Maybe the government needs to step in to halt this practice all together, because guess what? even if if you have a plane full of "normal" people, too many people in an evacuation situation is going to be problematic.
Load More Replies...
I'm fat and I'm very careful about staying in my seat. One time though I got stuck next to a massive guy who ended up halfway in my seat. I had to lean in to the aisle for the entire flight. It was miserable. Luckily it was only for 1.5 hours and not a long one!
Okay BP you are really pushing these airplane issues of late. You had to go back a FULL YEAR to find this one on Reddit? DO BETTER.
My last flight a guy tried to push my leg deeper into my space, so he could take up half of my area. What he didn't know is that I walk 6.5miles a day for work (letter carrier) and these thighs are all muscle. I did not take over his space, but I set my leg so he couldn't push me and have him my very best crazy person smile when he started to complain.
A guy tried that with me. My legs were straight out in front. He was doing the manspread thing, where he wanted half my leg space. Nope, not happening. I was on social media on my tablet, and I made a comment about "I can see his hands; he doesn't need that much room." I could tell the moment he saw it, because he slowly slid his legs back together and didn't look at me for the rest of the trip.
Load More Replies...
People are all shapes and sizes and shoiuld be accepted, but when you're so fat as to take up two seat spaces, then you are probably morbidly obese. An alcoholic would be urged to get help, so should a morbidly obese person.
I agree with you to a certain extent. However, not everyone that is larger can control this. Sometimes its due to medication, sometimes, guess what? even with eating less/exercising etc the weight still doesn't come off. Me personally? I am built like a line backer and even if i had zero for body fat, I would still struggle in some of these seats because of the sardine like configuration on the plane
Load More Replies...
If the other passenger was physically touching OP, was told not to, that it's making them comfortable, and continued to do so for any reason (seat size be damned) that is assult. The woman was physically in another person's space so much that the OP was on the brink of a panic attack. The attendants should have done something when the the armrests couldn't be lowered and the passenger was 'spilling' into the aisle as that's a safety hazard if there's an emergency. The large passenger should have been moved to the free seat or one that didn't cause her to obstruct the aisle before the plane took off.
I've flown weighing 350 lbs. With the armrest down, my hips tilted, my arms positioned right... it was possible to not touch the person next to me. You basically have to hold your fat in front of you. It's not comfy, but it's possible. This woman was not even attempting to keep her flesh to herself. She wanted to get into a confrontation where she could feel like a victim.
Load More Replies...
She had the audacity to tell OP to buy two seats if she needed the extra space. I get it. I'm on the heavy side myself and some airlines have become less generous when it comes to legroom and seat width. But it's just plain inconsiderate to lean further into someone else's seat on purpose.
As unpopular as my statement about trauma often causing obesity was, the woman's behaviour just makes it more apparent that's her issue. People with untreated trauma deliberately seek out situations where they can victimise others and feel victimised themselves. That's what this woman was doing. She wanted to feel like a victim. She is in dire need of help, and I feel sorry for her.
Load More Replies...
Only one person in comments pointed out that the airlines are rigging the system here. I use to fly a TON for work. I am a bit on the larger side, but always found a way to fit comfortably and not take space from my seatmates. The exception are the Airbus Neo configured flights (which i actively avoid on UA and AA). Those are SO BADLY CONFIGURED- a coworker (who to be honest is like a Size 2) even was uncomfortable and struggled in those seats. Just because you are larger you should *NOT* be forced to buy 2 seats. Its the Airlines fault from the jump
The real AH is the airline. For all we know the lady did buy two seats and the airline overbooked. But even if that’s not the case, I’m old enough to remember when an obese person could fit in one airline seat, even while flying coach.
I disagree with the person that it needs to be like how tall people pay for extra legroom. The extra legroom is not the cost of a whole other ticket. I do agree that very large people need another seat on a flight though. That's why Southwest has a person of size policy where large people get the seat free, bit only when checking in so they see you're not trying to get a free seat for someone or something. Heck, for other airlines, I think even offering half cost of the ticket would help so they can afford to pay for another seat. I do agree this large lady was at fault. She clearly knew how large she was and got overly defensive. I'm in a plus sized travel group and I know most plus sized people truly try to take up the least space possible and it's super embarrassing. The difference the people in that group actually think about how they could be affecting others and try to lessen their impact.
Another story where people don't have the basic common sense required to get through a day. Get out of your seat, and have a discreet conversation with the cabin crew right from the get go. I don't know how some people get through life at all.
I am a larger person who you used to get embarrassed when asking for a seatbelt extender. Never again as I take my own :-)
I have my own issues in life, and understand that other people have theirs, and mostly we're all just trying to make our way through the world. I try to make sure that my issues don't affect the people around me, which is what the overweight woman in this story failed to do. There was absolutely no fat shaming going on in this story. If I was OP, I would absolutely have a problem with a stranger hanging over into my space, especially to the point of *feeling them sweat*. It's not okay. That woman should have booked two seats.
Load More Replies... the fact that she got defensive and accused OP of body shaming her when she never mentioned her weight means she was well aware of what she was doing and that she was causing a problem she should have paid for an extra seat the airline should have said something at check in
I'm morbidly obese. When I was released from prison, the prison bought me two seats. I was very grateful. Were I to need to fly again, I would definitely buy two seats.
I first misread that as the prison bought you two seals and I was wondering if we'd been led astray about Bouche and Audi's species...
Load More Replies... I will never understand this. If you are a larger sized human being and you intend to fly coach, you know you will not fit properly in your seat and that you will inconvenience the person next to you. You can talk all you want about bodyshaming, but that doesn't change the fact that people will be impacted by your size through no choice of theirs. People are not required to have to fold into themselves just to avoid spill-over on your side. Why not just opt for making things agreeable for both parties? Book a second seat if you don't fit into one.
ok. I have been on different airbuses and boeings over the years and it varies by both the airlines and the configuration- American Airlines and United Airlines Airbus Neo Configurations are HORRIBLE (even my "tiny" coworkers felt trapped in the coach seats on those flights). That's problem one, you really don't know unless you REALLY research it (and then it may not matter, because the Airline can change out the plane at the last moment for whatever reason). How about we get the airlines to actually have seats that are accommodating to ALL folks instead of packing us in like sardines and rigging the system to force people to buy 2 seats for comfort?
Load More Replies... Should airlines make bigger seats? Yep. Does that change the fact that if your size spills into the seat beside you, then you are a jerk. No. The person next to you paid for their seat, you are not entitled to fill any part of that seat. If you are big the you need to buy another seat. Fair? Not really but it's less fair for the person next to you to get half a seat and then be treated like the entitled one for having a problem with that
I really hate it when you can feel the heat from a stranger because you’re that close, I include trains and the tube in that too, but luckily those journeys for me aren’t usually as long as a flight.
This is BS. I was morbidly obese, myself, and I dreaded flying across the country to help a friend move back. Luckily I was in the bulkhead row and didn't have to sit next to anyone, but it is 100% your own responsibility if you are that big. I made sure to shower extra well, wore plenty of deodorant, and hoped for the best. I cannot stand the people that blame everyone but themselves when they can't stop eating and refuse to move around. My weight was due to trauma and a mental health disorder, but I wanted to change. That's it. You have to want to be better, you can't wallow in it and blame the world.
Good for you for wanting to change. Truely. However, not every single person that is plus size has their weight tied to trauma. I am a woman built like a linebacker, and despite eating healthy etc, i am still considered "plus size" and have a hard time (depending on the aircraft configuration) in some of these seats.
Load More Replies... I’m a bigger person, but I’m also self aware. I would feel horrible if I was causing someone else to feel uncomfortable and I would do whatever I could to accommodate. I think they should have some sort of sample seat like they do the bag size things and if you can’t fit you should be required to get a second seat. Your weight problems shouldn’t have to be everyone else’s problem too.
Whatever the real story is, it should be noted that seats and aisles are in fact narrower by 2-3 inches than they were a few years ago (well, like 5 years ago). They’ve gone from about 20 inches to 17 inches, a decrease in pitch, and of course a decrease in leg room. Remember - not only is it uncomfortable to endure, but these changes were championed by the same execs who instituted clear profit over safety policies.
I really wish the DOT would force the airlines to redo the seats. I remember seeing this show of a futuristic set up where the seats were like double decker and you were practically standing. Unless someone steps in we will get there.
Load More Replies... What the hell was this quiz? Should plus-size passengers be required to purchase a second seat without additional cost? Should the airlines offer the second seat without an additional cost? Or should the plus size traveler book one for the standard cost? Anyway, poor OP was so polite in this situation!
As someone who barely fits the airplane seats, what I really want is for the carriers to recognize that a significant portion of their passengers are larger than the tiny seats they offer, redesign and stop this nonsense. Also the op is deffo NTA and I wouldn't blame someone for not fitting next to me. I'm obese, but not morbidly and not that tall so there are a lot of people bigger than me who are considered normal
I blame the airlines who don’t accommodate people with different body types. You paid for a full seat and should get a full seat. But you should have dealt with this before the plane took off.
As a plus sized person the biggest Ahole is the airline - cause they make the seats smaller and smaller and closer and closer together. Second Ahole - the woman - she KNEW exactly what she was doing. She was gaslighting you. Big people know they are big, we know when we can't fit in/through something. She did not want to pay. And i get that, Plane tickets are expensive and again - if their airlines weren't trying to shove more people into each flight like sardines, less people would have to purchase that second seat.
If you are so huge that your body spills over, buy 2 seats or drive.
NTA, I'm obese myself, but also quite muscular, so my shoulders need sometimes more space than a seat can provide. I will always try to give the person next to me all the space they deserve and that works out fine. I don't get how people can be so oblivious to the amount of space they take up (or so entitled they ignore it).
As someone who spent most of her life overweight, none of what OP did was rude or offensive IMO. The obese woman knew she was in the wrong and just didn't want to admit it, from the sounds of it.
OP needs therapy to learn how to be more assertive. Seriously, SHE feels bad because a histrionic obese woman is consuming half of her seat and then lies to the flight attendant, breaking into fake tears and saying that OP was fat shaming her the entire flight?
Flight to Australia from UK, I had aisle seat and very large woman and young son the middle and aisle. From the outset she was all over my seat..I asked similarly for her to keep to her own seat space and suggested if she needed more room to lift the armrest next to her son. She made an almighty fuss, called over the attendant. They immediately moved me and I got a row of 4 to myself. Slept lying down most of the way!
If it was me, when she started making accusations of body shaming that would be the point were I snapped. "I haven't been body shaming you before this. But I'm sure as hell going to start now!" I don't believe in body positivity, but I'm in support of body neutrality. I'm never going to see a morbidly obese body as beautiful, but I can and do feel nothing about it. As long as it doesn't affect me directly why would I care how big another person is? But in this case their size IS directly affecting another person.
Honestly, being overweight is a medical issue as much as a social issue. My mother has PCOS and has had it the majority of her life, obesity is a symptom due to insulin resistance. By treating it as a medical issue they should be accommodated like any other medical condition when flying, i.e. they should be granted a second seat without paying for it. This would honestly solve everyone's issue.
So much this. Obesity is a medical issue. They're still figuring out underlying causes, but no healthy person deliberately eats so much they become morbidly obese. Insulin resistance is an issue, and on the mental health side, trauma is a huge issue. Either cause, it's medical.
Load More Replies... Immaterial if it was body shaming or not. If your a*s can't be contained by the footprint of the seat, you buy two seats. Or eat a few less cheeseburgers, your choice.
I'm also claustrophobic and that's why I always book the aisle seat. I feel like if this person is really claustrophobic, there's no way they would sit on the inside. I also feel that everyone should stay in their own space and if you take up more than that, buy two seats.
I always book the exit row aisle seat to manage my claustrophobia. Yes, I'm paying a bit, but it's worth it for mental wellbeing.
Load More Replies... My husband and I are tall and have to pay for extra leg room so we don't poke passengers in front of us with our knees. If you're too wide for a single seat you have to pay for an extra. Yes airlines should in general provide more room and comfort for all passengers, but this is not the currently the case, and it can never be ogte passengers problem that a standard seat won't fit us. And no, flying isn't a human right.
I'd have more sympathy with the other party had she not said it was up to OP to get an extra seat, not her, even though she was obviously the one who needed it. I think the airlines need to address the issue. They should have plus sized seats at a slightly higher charge available. And if a person is too large for a regular-sized seat (and these seem to be getting smaller and smaller) this needs to be addressed. I had a long flight recently and a similar problem, though the large person was nice and did their best. But there was no way to use the armrest or to sit without being squished against them. Neither of us was comfortable, and there really should be better options.
I almost agreed with you except for the upcharge bit. Historically the airlines have been making the seats smaller and trying to get more seats on each plane. Maybe the government needs to step in to halt this practice all together, because guess what? even if if you have a plane full of "normal" people, too many people in an evacuation situation is going to be problematic.
Load More Replies... I'm fat and I'm very careful about staying in my seat. One time though I got stuck next to a massive guy who ended up halfway in my seat. I had to lean in to the aisle for the entire flight. It was miserable. Luckily it was only for 1.5 hours and not a long one!
Okay BP you are really pushing these airplane issues of late. You had to go back a FULL YEAR to find this one on Reddit? DO BETTER.
My last flight a guy tried to push my leg deeper into my space, so he could take up half of my area. What he didn't know is that I walk 6.5miles a day for work (letter carrier) and these thighs are all muscle. I did not take over his space, but I set my leg so he couldn't push me and have him my very best crazy person smile when he started to complain.
A guy tried that with me. My legs were straight out in front. He was doing the manspread thing, where he wanted half my leg space. Nope, not happening. I was on social media on my tablet, and I made a comment about "I can see his hands; he doesn't need that much room." I could tell the moment he saw it, because he slowly slid his legs back together and didn't look at me for the rest of the trip.
Load More Replies... People are all shapes and sizes and shoiuld be accepted, but when you're so fat as to take up two seat spaces, then you are probably morbidly obese. An alcoholic would be urged to get help, so should a morbidly obese person.
I agree with you to a certain extent. However, not everyone that is larger can control this. Sometimes its due to medication, sometimes, guess what? even with eating less/exercising etc the weight still doesn't come off. Me personally? I am built like a line backer and even if i had zero for body fat, I would still struggle in some of these seats because of the sardine like configuration on the plane
Load More Replies... If the other passenger was physically touching OP, was told not to, that it's making them comfortable, and continued to do so for any reason (seat size be damned) that is assult. The woman was physically in another person's space so much that the OP was on the brink of a panic attack. The attendants should have done something when the the armrests couldn't be lowered and the passenger was 'spilling' into the aisle as that's a safety hazard if there's an emergency. The large passenger should have been moved to the free seat or one that didn't cause her to obstruct the aisle before the plane took off.
I've flown weighing 350 lbs. With the armrest down, my hips tilted, my arms positioned right... it was possible to not touch the person next to me. You basically have to hold your fat in front of you. It's not comfy, but it's possible. This woman was not even attempting to keep her flesh to herself. She wanted to get into a confrontation where she could feel like a victim.
Load More Replies... She had the audacity to tell OP to buy two seats if she needed the extra space. I get it. I'm on the heavy side myself and some airlines have become less generous when it comes to legroom and seat width. But it's just plain inconsiderate to lean further into someone else's seat on purpose.
As unpopular as my statement about trauma often causing obesity was, the woman's behaviour just makes it more apparent that's her issue. People with untreated trauma deliberately seek out situations where they can victimise others and feel victimised themselves. That's what this woman was doing. She wanted to feel like a victim. She is in dire need of help, and I feel sorry for her.
Load More Replies... Only one person in comments pointed out that the airlines are rigging the system here. I use to fly a TON for work. I am a bit on the larger side, but always found a way to fit comfortably and not take space from my seatmates. The exception are the Airbus Neo configured flights (which i actively avoid on UA and AA). Those are SO BADLY CONFIGURED- a coworker (who to be honest is like a Size 2) even was uncomfortable and struggled in those seats. Just because you are larger you should *NOT* be forced to buy 2 seats. Its the Airlines fault from the jump
The real AH is the airline. For all we know the lady did buy two seats and the airline overbooked. But even if that’s not the case, I’m old enough to remember when an obese person could fit in one airline seat, even while flying coach.
I disagree with the person that it needs to be like how tall people pay for extra legroom. The extra legroom is not the cost of a whole other ticket. I do agree that very large people need another seat on a flight though. That's why Southwest has a person of size policy where large people get the seat free, bit only when checking in so they see you're not trying to get a free seat for someone or something. Heck, for other airlines, I think even offering half cost of the ticket would help so they can afford to pay for another seat. I do agree this large lady was at fault. She clearly knew how large she was and got overly defensive. I'm in a plus sized travel group and I know most plus sized people truly try to take up the least space possible and it's super embarrassing. The difference the people in that group actually think about how they could be affecting others and try to lessen their impact.
Another story where people don't have the basic common sense required to get through a day. Get out of your seat, and have a discreet conversation with the cabin crew right from the get go. I don't know how some people get through life at all.
I am a larger person who you used to get embarrassed when asking for a seatbelt extender. Never again as I take my own :-)
I have my own issues in life, and understand that other people have theirs, and mostly we're all just trying to make our way through the world. I try to make sure that my issues don't affect the people around me, which is what the overweight woman in this story failed to do. There was absolutely no fat shaming going on in this story. If I was OP, I would absolutely have a problem with a stranger hanging over into my space, especially to the point of *feeling them sweat*. It's not okay. That woman should have booked two seats.
Load More Replies...
36
102