westcoastgal

I think this is an interesting thread and I agree with much of what's posted here and ways to deal with the situation. The post about the person in front of you reclining their seat all the way back gets me. I had a situation where I paid for my daughter's seat when she was a toddler and had her rear facing in the car seat for safety. The FA had helped me set it up correctly. My sister was on in the window seat, my daughter in the middle and I in the aisle.
The very large woman in front of my daughter had her seat reclined back so far that the back of my daughter's car seat was pushed and tipped forward. I nicely stood up, leant forward and informed the woman that my toddler was in her carseat and her seat was pushing the carseat into an unsafe position so could she please move it up a little bit. The woman was incredibly rude and said that she had paid for her seat and they reclined for a reason. I was astounded. I then tried the tack of "I understand but believe me, we'll all be more comfortable if my kid's asleep and you don't need to move your seat all the way forward, just enough so it's not touching the carseat." She refused again. My daughter started crying, of course, so I took her out of the carseat and ended up putting it in the overhead bin.
The woman took this as an excuse to recline her seat even more and so did her seat mates. My sister, who isn't so passive, moved into the seat behind the woman and of course, kept knocking her seat with her legs. The woman started loudly complaining to her son and friend beside her and turned around and had the nerve to yell at us about kicking her seat. My sister told her that if she insisted in practically sitting in her lap, then that's what she's going to get.
We'd asked her nicely to move her seat up but she obviously didn't care so my sister wasn't having it. The woman's son and friend got involved and leaned their seats further and we kept pushing their seats up with our knees. It turned into kindergarten and I am quite ashamed of it now. The woman and her son started swearing at us and I asked them to stop and said, "let's be reasonable, this is going too far, I have a young child here and we are adults." My hot head sister tells the women that perhaps if she wasn't so big, she wouldn't need to lean back so far to make room for her belly.
They continued to escalate and threatened with getting a FA. Where they were til then, I don't know. I agreed, that yes, a FA was needed so I pressed the button. This had gone too far.
Everyone around us was staring, and we were right fools by this point but our adrenaline was up. At least I wasn't swearing or talking loudly but I admit, I was just as snarky.
My sis and I tried to explain to the FA what was going on but the women, her son and friend kept interrupting us and when the FA asked them to move their seats up, turned on her in a very nasty way, refusing and threatening to make complaints. We let them bury themselves and keep talking. That was their mistake because up until then, we were all idiots. At least my sister knew when to shut up and play nice with the flight crew.
Another 2 FAs came over, and when we landed, they called the RCMP and the 3 in front of us were escorted off the plane by the officers. I have no idea what happened to them after that, if anything. I believe alcohol did a play a role in their behaviour but it's not an excuse.
I was pretty embarrassed by the whole thing and can't believe it went so far but I've seen worse on airplanes. This is the only time I've been a part of it.

TomMM

Well I am 6'2" and slim. If I am not lucky enough to sit up front I tend to select an isle seat at a bulkhead or exit row behind a limited recline seat.

Earlier this year I was on a EWR-LIS flight, seated in the isle seat with a girl next to me and her bf at window. They clearly had a few drinks before the flight and downed a couple more before she fell asleep and "encroached" my space by placing her head on my shoulder and holding my arm. The bf wasn't too happy.

Often1

Or deal with it before the cabin door closes. This is not just about comfort, it's about safety. A guy who can't fit in his seat on the aisle means that if something goes wrong, you are not likely to get out. There's a reason for the COC provision. The FA ought to have dealt with it on her own, but didn't. So, you force the issue.

Ringer909

I realize this is a UA topic, but I use this strategy on WN. Scan the cattle call ahead of me for POS's, find the fat ... seated in an aisle seat, make 'em hoist themselves out of the way so I can sit by the window seat. No one in their right mind will choose that middle seat, unless the flight is full, then plan has backfired.

westcoastgal

Don't most airlines charge more for exit row seats now? My brother in law is 6'4" tall and very fit but broad shouldered and wider build. He doesn't have any fat on him but still takes up a lot of space. He tries to get exit row seats too but told me that most airlines are charging for them.

Bear4Asian

How on earth did you get into the cockpit?

This and see below

Here's how to find those seats! UA has a page on their website that is VERY helpful to plan to sit in an aisle seat. It shows in detail by plane type which seats have aisle-side armrests that can be lifted up.

See: http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...0/default.aspx

I use this especially to choose seats on TPAC flights. It is a lifesaver. Instead of using the seat back in front of you to pull yourself up you simply swivel out into the aisle and push up on the bottom of YOUR OWN seat.

It also gives you more hip space. Try it you'll like it!

catocony

I would have politely told you that, unfortunately, you didn't buy the space behind my seat, and I'll recline it as far as it will go. You were in the wrong.

The OP didn't do that, so as I stated, once you're airborne, there's nothing to be done if all of the seats on the plane are full.

ycc777

I had one experience 5 years ago from Chicago to San diego and the person came last to board the last middle seat next to me. He probably was on standby. I was in isle seat and needed to sit sideway due to his upper body and shoulder. It was a few other passengers nearby telling me To call FA to deal with it. The first FA came and pretended she saw nothing wrong until the 2nd FA came telling me about the seat belt and arm rest rules. The guy clearly was experienced so he then sucked it in to buckle the belt but his upper body was still on my side past the arm rest. FA said there's nothing they could do since he just accomplished it. I wasn't going to take this long flight like this so I requested to be removed and take the next flight which is the next morning. By rule I should take care of my own hotel but the GA offered it since I asked nicely. I was not happy but I do know this was probably the only thing they could do per the rule.

Baze

How would this solve the problem on a full flight?

westcoastgal

Do you realize how far back she had her seat reclined in order to push up a baby's car seat so that my daughter's face was pushed into the seat in front of her. When my sister switched seats, the women's seat was so far back that it was on my sister's lap. That's plain discourteious and uncouth so ok, if I was wrong, then I'm wrong. I guess politeness and respect of other's personal space is wrong.

jacobac00

I had a similar situation to this many years ago. I'm not even sure I knew elite status existed back then and I certainly didn't have any. I think I was on a DL CRJ (50 seat), last row. I get back to my seat and there was a POS+ in the window, I had the aisle. He was old and very grumpy looking. The FA was standing right behind the seat and just looked at me as I gave her a pleading look of what should I do? To top it all off his carry on, which looked to be a COS (Carry-on Of Size) was underneath my leg area. Thankfully the row in front ended up having an empty seat and the person there was nice enough to let me crash their free seat party. The FA was useless, but I didn't say anything beyond, "what should I do?".

The only part that really bugs me about that is the FA did nothing. At least now with a lot more experience I know to be more (respectfully) insistent with the FA if I'm in the same situation again.

cova

This really needs to be dealt by the GA when the POS is getting ready to board. If the passengers appears to be too large to sit in the seat with the armrest down, the GA should ask as they get ready to scan the boarding pass - are you able to sit in the seat with the arm rest down?

If they say no - then the GA should say that you will need to buy a second seat and pull then aside without scanning the BP. If there are no extra seats then the GA will need to suggest that POS will need to get rebooked.

If the POS says yes (can sit with arm rest down) but it is obvious to GA that they can not, then the GA should let the passenger board - but then go to the seat after boarding and see if arm rest is up or down. If up - then the GA should ask the adjacent passenger if it is OK - it not the passenger would be asked to deplane.

The airlines really need to enforce this.

The OP's situation has happened to me as well.

Neil35

Borrowing the ideas from jacobac00 and cova, I would suggest that United install a Passenger Sizer at the gate to stop POS in addition to the Carry-On Sizer to identify COS.

pmarrsouth

As the larger individual, imo, will be a lot less likely to sit down in the middle seat, preffering an aisle seat. Also, again imo, larger individuals who have travelled before are more likely to choose their seat in advance, so if in your row on your side of the plane there is only the middle seat left as an option, they will choose a different location.

jewels421

I'm with you except for this. I don't really think it's fair to put it on the adjacent passenger. If they can't put the armrest down, they can't put it down, end of story.