Extremely Obese Seatmate on Full Aircraft

[BellaWyn]

Nice try but probably in vain, unfortunately it's become the norm for most online forums.

Disagree. This is TUG, we can be better than "other" online forums. We just have to choose to be better.

Or a moderator will help us, gratefully.

 

[zinger1457]

Disagree. This is TUG, we can be better than "other" online forums. We just have to choose to be better.

Or a moderator will help us, gratefully.

You've been a member here since 2009, hope you're not holding your breath waiting for change.

 

[Jan M.]

Well threads often tend to get off topic for a bit and this thread is in the TUG Lounge so open topics. And at least no one is posting how they make $$$ per hour doing whatever it is that they do and you should sign up to do the same. LOL

 

[DeniseM]

Off topic is fine in this forum, but unfortunately, it's always the same handful of people who cannot just debate the issue, but must be rude and condescending to people they don't agree with.

 

[BellaWyn]

You've been a member here since 2009, hope you're not holding your breath waiting for change.

1) Still breathing
2) Still posting
3) Still believe in Humanity
4) Still choosing not to be a troll

C'mon Zinger, you could Human better than this.

 

[VacationForever]

I was on a full flight on Southwest Airlines yesterday, seated next to a slim and tall guy, who decided to spread his legs throughout the flight. I did not want to confront him, just kept my legs closed together and away from his. He was eating a large pizza when I sat next to him and after I sat down, I realized he smelled quite bad. Decided to tough it out, and as soon as he finished his pizza, he crossed his arms, spread his legs and went to sleep. Oh, he was a snorer too... My husband wanted to ask him to move his legs and I told him not to. I toughed it out for a little over an hour... The picture was taken an angle and it does not fully show how much his legs were in my space.

 

[Ty1on]

I'm with your husband. I would have said something. I try to be considerate of those squeezed into the can with me, and expect a modicum of consideration from others. Too bad they won't let you carry lysol onboard.

 

[moonstone]

I'm with your husband. I would have said something. I try to be considerate of those squeezed into the can with me, and expect a modicum of consideration from others. Too bad they won't let you carry lysol onboard.

I have tiny (about 1.5 or 2 inches high) cans of aerosol air fresheners that I found at our dollar store. They come in many different aromas. They fit neatly into my purse or toiletries bag & I have used them in public restrooms more than once. I have taken it in my quart bag on flights but thankfully have never had to use it!


~Diane

 

[VacationForever]

I have tiny (about 1.5 or 2 inches high) cans of aerosol air fresheners that I found at our dollar store. They come in many different aromas. They fit neatly into my purse or toiletries bag & I have used them in public restrooms more than once. I have taken it in my quart bag on flights but thankfully have never had to use it!


~Diane

I believe aerosol cans are now prohibited on planes!?

 

[Ty1on]

I believe aerosol cans are now prohibited on planes!?

Yeah, but they probably don't even notice a mini air freshener in someone's purse.

 

[moonstone]

Yeah, but they probably don't even notice a mini air freshener in someone's purse.

If I bring it on a flight with no checked bag it is in full view in my 1 quart liquids bag. Never had anybody take a second look at it.
I just pulled it out of my toiletries bag, it is Glade Ultra & there is no weight or capacity on the container (was probably on the outer packaging). It is only good for about 20 really quick sprays and if the canister exploded I doubt it would do much damage.

~Diane

 

[Tia]

Just talked to a friend last night who was on a recent Delta flight, middle seat, with a larger person window seat and and a huge person flowing into her space had the aisle . She had no arm rest either side. She called after the flight to c/o and got told she should of spoke up and told they would of put her on another flight. They gave her some air miles to compensate. She couldn't understand why they would not put the person who was taking up some of her space on another flight rather then her.

 

[Passepartout]

If we've learned NOTHING on this subject after over 110 posts, I think we can all agree that if you don't say something AT THE TIME your space is being compromised, the airline can't do anything to remedy the situation. You can push the call button for a flight attendant, you can inject some humor into it (best John Wayne accent: "Mister, this here seat ain't big enough for the two of us.") But the worst thing you can do if you expect some remediation is to sit silently and suffer. THE AIRLINE WILL LET YOU!

Jim

 

[BellaWyn]

If we've learned NOTHING on this subject after over 110 posts, I think we can all agree that if you don't say something AT THE TIME your space is being compromised, the airline can't do anything to remedy the situation. You can push the call button for a flight attendant, you can inject some humor into it (best John Wayne accent: "Mister, this here seat ain't big enough for the two of us.") But the worst thing you can do if you expect some remediation is to sit silently and suffer. THE AIRLINE WILL LET YOU!
Jim

Not speaking up in uncomfortable situations and just "riding it out" is pretty much true of most situations, not just plane rides. Unless you are sweating buckets or flailing about in distress, nobody will care about your discomfort but you.

Am a huge advocate of being polite in socially awkward situations, but not at the expense of a lengthy window of agonizing discomfort. There are many polite ways of requesting a change but nothing will happen if you don't speak up.

 

[clifffaith]

Just talked to a friend last night who was on a recent Delta flight, middle seat, with a larger person window seat and and a huge person flowing into her space had the aisle . She had no arm rest either side. She called after the flight to c/o and got told she should of spoke up and told they would of put her on another flight. They gave her some air miles to compensate. She couldn't understand why they would not put the person who was taking up some of her space on another flight rather then her.

So your friend fits in her space but has to take another flight if she points out (at the time of the flight) someone is overflowing into it. Unbelievable! And I'm not some skinny whinny, I'd have to lose 70 pounds to get down to my marriage weight, but I for darn sure fit in an airline seat. I call myself "fat" and Cliff regularly says to me "look around, you are not fat compared to many folks, no matter that you should lose at least 40 pounds to see if that helps your back issues". I don't know what the answer is, and I bet if I complained I'd be the "fat" person that had to get off the flight.

BTW, I think "old people" shouldn't get to sit in the exit row. On our way to Hawaii last month I'm looking across the exit row we were sitting in to a woman that had to be at least 75 (I'm 61, I compared her wrinkles to mine). She might very well be able to open that door and move much more quickly than I, but there ought to be an age cut off. In fact we shouldn't have been sitting there with Cliff being two months shy of 79 -- the airline doesn't know that he regularly carries 50 pound boxes of blinds in our business. I think there should be an age cut off for the exit row to relieve the flight attendant from having to make a visual determination. She booted our butts quickly enough on the return trip when I showed up walking with a cane (needed for distance at the airport, performing exit row duties would have been no issue but she was right to move us). And we are glad she did -- Airbus A321 has two exit rows in the middle, one behind the other, and the row behind, IMHO, has no more leg room than a regular row. Only the person sitting in the window seat in that row has leg room because there is no seat in front of him. We were much more comfortable in a row further back with an empty seat between us. I swear there was more distance to the seat in front of us there.

 

[am1]

Just talked to a friend last night who was on a recent Delta flight, middle seat, with a larger person window seat and and a huge person flowing into her space had the aisle . She had no arm rest either side. She called after the flight to c/o and got told she should of spoke up and told they would of put her on another flight. They gave her some air miles to compensate. She couldn't understand why they would not put the person who was taking up some of her space on another flight rather then her.

The middle should always get two arm rests.

Thankfully I have never had this issue on a plane. But the thought of some strangers invading my space for hours is horrifying.

 

[x3 skier]

BTW, I think "old people" shouldn't get to sit in the exit row. On our way to Hawaii last month I'm looking across the exit row we were sitting in to a woman that had to be at least 75 (I'm 61, I compared her wrinkles to mine). She might very well be able to open that door and move much more quickly than I, but there ought to be an age cut off. In fact we shouldn't have been sitting there with Cliff being two months shy of 79 -- the airline doesn't know that he regularly carries 50 pound boxes of blinds in our business. I think there should be an age cut off for the exit row to relieve the flight attendant from having to make a visual determination.

What a silly idea. I'm 75, ski 40 days a year, cycle regularly, go to the gym at least 5 times a week and sit in the exit row. I doubt the airlines want to invite a suit by instituting such a rule. Besides, FA's are more than capable of determining who can or cannot function properly in opening an emergency exit.

Cheers

 

[Jan M.]

Common courtesies cost nothing. When I have an aisle or window seat I always let the person in the middle seat have the armrest between us! When I sit in the middle if the armrest is offered to me by my fellow passengers on either side then I take turns, only using it for half of the flight. Sometimes the person in the window seat is leaning against the window sleeping for the greater part of the flight in which case I feel free to use that armrest for as long as they are sleeping leaving the armrest on my other side open. Upon occasion I've been seated next to men who although not fat are big guys through the chest and shoulders. I've sat through 2.5 hour flights with my arms crossed over my middle and had no chance of using the armrest but it wasn't a big deal. Once I'm settled in my seat with my noise cancelling headphones, my neck pillow and my book, I'm good. I'm less understanding when someone takes the whole armrest for the entire flight not out of actual need but just because they are inconsiderate.

When I have the middle or aisle seat I tell the other people in my row not to hesitate to wake me if they need to use the restroom or stretch as I usually fall asleep quite easily on the planes and don't even have to be tired. I say that I'm always happy for the chance to stand up and stretch so they are not inconveniencing me in the slightest. IMO it is just so rude to make anyone feel bad for having to ask to use the restroom.

I will insist on moving seats right away before the flight takes off if someone around me has bathed in perfume or cologne. I don't need a migraine!

 

[BellaWyn]

Common courtesies cost nothing. When I have an aisle or window seat I always let the person in the middle seat have the armrest between us! When I sit in the middle if the armrest is offered to me by my fellow passengers on either side then I take turns, only using it for half of the flight. Sometimes the person in the window seat is leaning against the window sleeping for the greater part of the flight in which case I feel free to use that armrest for as long as they are sleeping leaving the armrest on my other side open. Upon occasion I've been seated next to men who although not fat are big guys through the chest and shoulders. I've sat through 2.5 hour flights with my arms crossed over my middle and had no chance of using the armrest but it wasn't a big deal. Once I'm settled in my seat with my noise cancelling headphones, my neck pillow and my book, I'm good. I'm less understanding when someone takes the whole armrest for the entire flight not out of actual need but just because they are inconsiderate.

When I have the middle or aisle seat I tell the other people in my row not to hesitate to wake me if they need to use the restroom or stretch as I usually fall asleep quite easily on the planes and don't even have to be tired. I say that I'm always happy for the chance to stand up and stretch so they are not inconveniencing me in the slightest. IMO it is just so rude to make anyone feel bad for having to ask to use the restroom.

I will insist on moving seats right away before the flight takes off if someone around me has bathed in perfume or cologne. I don't need a migraine!

Aroma migraines are the worst! Hate those and they are a bear to get rid of because that aroma memory gets stuck in your olfactory system. Ditto to insisting on a move because of an intense aroma due to cologne masking.

Would be more willing to endure a physical spacial intrusion than one that messes with my brain chemistries. I can handle people bumping or unintentionally touching me more than I can putting myself at risk for migraine.

Migraine + altitude pressures = NO Bueno!