Extremely Obese Seatmate on Full Aircraft

[Kal]

In a recent full capacity flight there were 2 extremely obese people sitting in the window and middle seats. A man with reasonable body size was in the aisle seat. He had to raise the aisle seat arm and hang over into the aisle. I was in the adjacent aisle seat across from him. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this situation aside from a very unpleasant discussion with the middle seat occupant if you were in that seat?

 

[theo]

In a recent full capacity flight there were 2 extremely obese people sitting in the window and middle seats. A man with reasonable body size was in the aisle seat. He had to raise the aisle seat arm and hang over into the aisle. I was in the adjacent aisle seat across from him. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this situation aside from a very unpleasant discussion with the middle seat occupant if you were in that seat?

Been there, done that (....no, not as the morbidly obese passenger). On a full flight, there are sadly no polite, viable solutions available.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I would have flagged down the flight attendant and asked for the situation to be corrected....esp if the window & middle seat persons had put the separating arm rests UP to infringe on MY seat space. "People of size" rules exist in the airline industry...it is a safety issue along with a comfort issue for fellow passengers.

It I was blown off or told I had to 'tough it out', I would have politely taken a picture (no faces) of my seat mates to document the situation.

Then I would have spent most of my flight time being the flight attendant's new BFF in their space.

 

[foundyoubyaccident]

In a recent full capacity flight there were 2 extremely obese people sitting in the window and middle seats. A man with reasonable body size was in the aisle seat. He had to raise the aisle seat arm and hang over into the aisle. I was in the adjacent aisle seat across from him. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this situation aside from a very unpleasant discussion with the middle seat occupant if you were in that seat?

I would have flagged down the flight attendant and asked for the situation to be corrected....esp if the window & middle seat persons had put the separating arm rests UP to infringe on MY seat space. "People of size" rules exist in the airline industry...it is a safety issue along with a comfort issue for fellow passengers.

It I was blown off or told I had to 'tough it out', I would have politely taken a picture (no faces) of my seat mates to document the situation.

Then I would have spent most of my flight time being the flight attendant's new BFF in their space.

I have heard before that if the airline over booked, they will drop their FAT PEOPLE policy to fix their mistake. This could be that issue.

You don't see the guy with extra long legs touching me, or taking up my leg room have to pay for an extra ticket. Or the person with broad shoulders can't keep their shoulders from touching me. So really the "passenger of size" rule is just a way to financially punish fat people for being fat, especially when they can be kicked off a flight before it starts unless they buy the extra ticket. It seems more to me that the passenger of size rule is only in effect when it is convenient for said airline.

Can you imagine how those extremely obese people felt sitting in that plane? Especially if they had to purchase 2nd tickets for themselves per policy?

 

[vacationhopeful]

Airlines can bump people (and airlines can make volunteer bumping attractive). It is a safety issue, not just a comfort thing.

Would the large size passengers have their seat belts fastened or doing the "fake out"? And it is within the ticketing terms, THEY can be required to BUY an extra seat (and since they are travelling together .. it would just be the 'middle' seat .. 1 ticket).

Sorry .. I am NOT a small person myself with my highest weight several years ago at 290lbs.

 

[Ironwood]

I recall suffering once sitting beside an extremely overweight gentleman... it wasn't so much the seat spillover but the wheezing and throat clearing that was uncomfortable. The plane was full and I just put up with it. A few years ago on a transatlantic flight in a three seat row I was sitting between my wife and a woman who had limited English. We had paid extra to ensure we sat together in economy. The woman's daughter who I would guess was 12 or 13 was seated 5 or six rows back on her own. Early in the flight I went to the bathroom to return to find her daughter sitting in my seat. The mother enveloped her daughter with her arms and wouldn't let go or give way asking me to 'go there' pointing to her daughters seat. When she would not yield, I asked the stewardess if she could arrange to find two seats together for them or us she said she would try, but never came back. I took the girls seat and we traveled separately to London. I don't mind giving up my seat or accommodating another when there appears to be a real need, but the girl did not appear to be in distress. I emailed the carrier upon return, but got no reply. I just let it go.... but maybe I should have at least pursued the reimbursement of the seating charge.

 

[tompalm]

If you see this situation happening to you and want to make a change to your seat, you need to complain to a flight attendant as soon as possible before the flight fills up. Most of the time, full flights are the result of non-revs, or company employees getting on the aircraft and flying for free. The airline should be giving that bad seat to a non-rev and the gate agent will make the adjustment if they know about it. If the flight is sold out or overbooked, you might have to decide on taking another flight or just surviving the situation that you are in. What defines too obese for one seat is not in the books yet. Maybe each company has their own policy or standard. But when a passenger goes online and buys a seat, there is not a question about how much they weigh and the airline does not know the situation until they see it at the gate or someone complains about it. If fact, don't expect the gate agent or flight attendant to do anything until you complain about it.

I like the idea of invading a FA's space on the the flight, but that doesn't work and making them angry at you solves nothing. This problem has existed for years and nothing has been done to correct it. Expect the situation to continue. It is an unpleasant situation to deal with. But most overweight or obese people understand and they don't like being crowed either. So don't feel bad about asking a person flying for free to get off the aircraft so you can have a nice seat that you paid for.

I used to fly a lot for business and often found myself in undesirable seats. Today I only fly when going on vacation and sit next to my wife that weighs 100 lbs and make every effort to sit in a wide body with a 2-5-2 configuration. We always reserve the two seats by the window and enjoy our ride. But, if for some reason we end up in a crowded seat next to an obese person, I will do what I suggested above.

 

[Phydeaux]

I have heard before that if the airline over booked, they will drop their FAT PEOPLE policy to fix their mistake. This could be that issue.

You don't see the guy with extra long legs touching me, or taking up my leg room have to pay for an extra ticket. Or the person with broad shoulders can't keep their shoulders from touching me. So really the "passenger of size" rule is just a way to financially punish fat people for being fat, especially when they can be kicked off a flight before it starts unless they buy the extra ticket. It seems more to me that the passenger of size rule is only in effect when it is convenient for said airline.

Can you imagine how those extremely obese people felt sitting in that plane? Especially if they had to purchase 2nd tickets for themselves per policy?

No sympathy from me for the obese. It's the lifestyle choice they made. No one is holding a gun to anyones head telling them to eat more. Charging for 2 seats when they spill into a second seat only makes sense. Further, airlines charge more for extra checked baggage the way it is, because extra weight = extra operating costs for airlines. Only makes sense to charge more for unchecked (passenger) excess weight. Having several million frequent flyer miles under my belt, I cant' recall an instance where someone with broad shoulders or "extra long legs" ever encroached on my space. Suggesting airlines punish fat people for being fat is absurd. The only thing worse than being stuck next to the space-hogging fat person is the one that can't seem to control their flatulence.

 

[clifffaith]

No sympathy from me for the obese. It's the lifestyle choice they made. No one is holding a gun to anyones head telling them to eat more. Charging for 2 seats when they spill into a second seat only makes sense. Further, airlines charge more for extra checked baggage the way it is, because extra weight = extra operating costs for airlines. Only makes sense to charge more for unchecked (passenger) excess weight. Having several million frequent flyer miles under my belt, I cant' recall an instance where someone with broad shoulders or "extra long legs" ever encroached on my space. Suggesting airlines punish fat people for being fat is absurd. The only thing worse than being stuck next to the space-hogging fat person is the one that can't seem to control their flatulence.

OK. Inappropriate story alert. Years ago when they used to feed you on airplanes we were served breakfast on a morning flight. Apparently the reconstituted scrambled eggs didn't agree with Cliff. He was on the aisle, I was in the middle, and a man whose family was elsewhere on the plane was at the window. After breakfast the man went to sleep. Eventually a god awful stench eminates from Cliff's direction and I gave him the evil eye. Then the man next to me wakes up and says "I thought I was having a nightmare!" So Cliff does his innocent act and the man says "Not I, said the pig". I absolutely lost it and was literally laughing hysterically in this strange man's arms. The thing is "Not I said the pig" is a favorite line of Cliff's (who will help me bake the cake?, asked the little red hen), and to have a stranger use it just tickled me to death. We got rerouted and ended up in Tulsa for awhile before we could go on to Oklahoma City. In the airport we ended up on the moving sidewalk going one direction and saw the other passenger going the opposite direction with his family. Of course he points Cliff out and his kids are laughing and I ended up in stitches again too.

 

[dioxide45]

This isn't the first time this discussion has come up.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/on-airplane-now-large-woman-spilling-onto-me.168684/

 

[isisdave]

It wasn't clear in the OP whether the two larger people were traveling together or not. I suppose they were. I would imagine it's as difficult for them as for their neighbor. I had some ideas for them:

* try to get into a 2-across seating aisle
* buy 3 seats for two people if you know you have to be in a location that's not 2-across
* don't sit together; try to get two aisle seats in different rows that have minimal restroom traffic​

It could be worse: on a trip home from Rome to LAX once, our seatmate opened and ate an onion sandwich soon after takeoff. I am not kidding! And nearly every traveler has endured a seatmate who considers bathing a rare treat.

And Phydeaux probably doesn't believe this, but obesity is not always a "lifestyle choice." Medical conditions can contribute. And different people's bodies process food differently. I know families where (for example) only one of several children was way above average size by the age of 18 months and still is, yet they were all raised and fed identically. Other conditions can make close quarters unpleasant for neighbors, too, but we're all in this together, especially on airliners.

[My prediction for the future is that we'll travel anesthetized in horizontal tubes, kind of like the pods they show on those interstellar travel movies, only much closer together. Just think, they could load us into a 3x3 matrix of those in the terminal, and then convey them automatically into a cargo-type aircraft. No need for entertainment, food, or restrooms! I should patent this idea before Ryanair thinks of it.]

 

[Big Matt]

Very simply......have the same rules for people as for carry on luggage. It either does or doesn't fit into the little sample size checker outside in the terminal. If it doesn't fit, you have to check the bag. Not sure what the equivalent for this is, but I can't imagine putting a person in the hold. This is not a discrimination thing. You are buying a seat/space on the plane. Have obese seats that people can reserve. Don't charge more, just offer. My guess is that very large people will fill them. Check at the gate and make sure they are big enough. If no obese folks show up then give them to the rest of the passengers standing by.

 

[Phydeaux]

And Phydeaux probably doesn't believe this, but obesity is not always a "lifestyle choice." Medical conditions can contribute. And different people's bodies process food differently. I know families where (for example) only one of several children was way above average size by the age of 18 months and still is, yet they were all raised and fed identically.]

Phydeaux happens to know just a bit about this subject, having been on a professional team that treated the obese in the medical field. No, they were undoubtedly overfed identically. Science is rather pure on this subject.

 

[Pedro]

I had a 5+ hour-long flight a couple of evenings away, in an aircraft with a 2-3-2 configuration. I had an exit row seat on the 2-seat side, where the armrests can't be lifted. My seatmate boarded a little after me and he tried to seat down, and he just wouldn't fit unless he was sideways. He asked the guy across the aisle from him if he would change seats, and I ended up with a normal-sized seatmate. He had to lift the armrest on his new seat, and he was obviously encroaching onto the space of the person seating next to him. It was a full flight so there was no room for re-accommodations. I felt bad for the person who had to spend more than 5 hours with limited space and seating on a middle seat.

 

[Pedro]

Back in the 90s I had a coworker who certainly was obese (he needed 2 scales to take his weight) and he was in his late 20s. Since we always walked to the cafeteria together, I always had a chance to see his eating habits. More often than not he'd order:

• two double bacon cheeseburgers
• an order of fries
• an order of onion rings
• the largest piece of chocolate cake he could find
• and to top it all: diet coke (to cut down on calorie intake)

From my point of view, that is a lifestyle choice and not a pure genetically-caused problem. Plain physics here! I never met an obese person who had salad for lunch and a small meal for dinner.

 

[dioxide45]

he needed 2 scales to take his weigh

How do you use two scales to take your weight? Seems like it would be highly unreliable. You can't just stand on one with one foot and one with the other and add the two amounts together.

 

[Jason245]

I have found it very easy to deal with large people trying to encroach on my space. . It involves me doing lots of fidgeting. . Pulling out a laptop or book and having my elbows protect my space. . And or finding other ways to make their encroachment uncomfortable for them. Ultimately, if you want to invade my space I will do the same to you. I paid for a seat and ultimately if you didn't pay for enough space for you that was your mistake.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[Phydeaux]

From my point of view, that is a lifestyle choice and not a pure genetically-caused problem. Plain physics here! I never met an obese person who had salad for lunch and a small meal for dinner.

And if you ever did, I can assure you, there was a LOT of eating going on between those witnessed meals. This really isn't rocket surgery. It's a disorder. There, I said it. If that offends anyone, get over it.

 

[dioxide45]

And if you ever did, I can assure you, there was a LOT of eating going on between those witnessed meals. This really isn't rocket surgery. It's a disorder. There, I said it. If that offends anyone, get over it.

I am only offended by the term "rocket surgery".

 

[Pedro]

How do you use two scales to take your weight? Seems like it would be highly unreliable. You can't just stand on one with one foot and one with the other and add the two amounts together.

Actually, you can use multiple scales and then add the individual weight shown on each scale to obtain the total weight. It is a linear equation.

 

[Pedro]

I am only offended by the term "rocket surgery".

Hey, I work with rockets! (and none of them are heavier than they have to be)

 

[dioxide45]

Actually, you can use multiple scales and then add the individual weight shown on each scale to obtain the total weight. It is a linear equation.

Guess you can. It has been a long time since physics class. I learned this is how they weigh aircraft at the gate.

 

[clifffaith]

I'm still over reading the other thread while pausing to dab at my eyes from laughter. But I wanted to ask -- someone mentioned buying three seats for two people because it was a fraction of the cost of Business Class. But what do you do to "own" those seats and make sure the airline doesn't either give them away as a no show, or a flight attendant doesn't try to move some poor soul squished up next to an obese person in another row into the vacant seat?

 

[dioxide45]

I'm still over reading the other thread while pausing to dab at my eyes from laughter. But I wanted to ask -- someone mentioned buying three seats for two people because it was a fraction of the cost of Business Class. But what do you do to "own" those seats and make sure the airline doesn't either give them away as a no show, or a flight attendant doesn't try to move some poor soul squished up next to an obese person in another row into the vacant seat?

Southwest actually has a very liberal policy on customers of size where in the past they were the scorn. A customer of size buys two seats and has two seats reserved. They are given a card, that really looks like a boarding pass, to place on the seat indicating it is reserved. They are also permitted to board the plan ahead of Group A. After completion of the flight, they can request a refund of the fare, even if the flight was sold out.

 

[easyrider]

We fly Alaska Airlines for most air travel. Their policy requires a person who can not fit within the 17 span between the arm rests to purchase two tickets. If they didn't purchase two tickets they are asked to disembark if some one complains. On a trip last year we had a lady who couldn't fit in her isle seat. It was a six hour trip but we let her stay because she was very clean and almost could fit in her seat. If it were some one gross we would have complained.

Alaska Airline policy for people too big for the seat.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/seating-customers-of-size.aspx

Bill