What do you do when the passenger is quite overweight?
Mar 19, 2019, 9:20 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Upon reflecting on this I think that the airline should be required to provide two adjacent seats for the price of one (second seat free), for customers above certain size. There has to be some ADA type of accommodation. What is happening now is not fair to either COS or other passengers.
Mar 19, 2019, 9:23 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Wow...just wow. I can't believe that you would ask someone who CLEARLY is overweight to "contain themselves". I can't imagine how embarrassing requesting a seatbelt extension or being told you're too big to fit. I understand obesity is possible to control and sometimes it isn't. If "normal" sized people on here bellyache and complain about how uncomfortable flying is, how bad must it be for a COS. They obviously don't try to purposefully invade your space. It's uptight and inconsiderate people like you who make people feel like they need to apologize for everything they often can't control when flying and ultimately makes flying uncomfortable and almost traumatic.
Are you saying that the passenger with the oversized body should be allowed to ignore American's established policy? Are you saying that gate agents should be permitted to ignore enforcement of the established policy?
Mar 19, 2019, 9:27 pm
#18
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Mar 19, 2019, 9:33 pm
#20
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Mar 19, 2019, 9:35 pm
#21
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Mar 19, 2019, 9:44 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Upon reflecting on this I think that the airline should be required to provide two adjacent seats for the price of one (second seat free), for customers above certain size. There has to be some ADA type of accommodation. What is happening now is not fair to either COS or other passengers.
Mar 19, 2019, 9:50 pm
#23
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No, I don't think that's right. That's not the law nor does it sound like good policy. AA's policy of offering to sell a second seat at the original price of the first ticket (rather than charging walk-up fares), including on a different flight if necessary, strikes the right balance and seems to me that it would pass muster under ADA reasonable accommodation law.
Mar 19, 2019, 9:54 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 194
I’m 6’8” yet routinely fly in economy (Thank God usually MCE)... Sometimes you just have to accept the way you were made and be thankful that you can always reach the top shelf..
The only time I explicitly asked for a better seat because of my height was on VietJet Go but that’s literally where seat pitch is 28”.
The only time I explicitly asked for a better seat because of my height was on VietJet Go but that’s literally where seat pitch is 28”.
Mar 19, 2019, 9:57 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Indianapolis
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Posts: 7,377
Change the overweight passenger, they had no problem eating and paying for the excess food,
They wiill have excess health care bills,
They wiill have excess health care bills,
Mar 19, 2019, 9:57 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2004
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The current obesity estimates in the US are around 35-40% of the adult population, yet the airlines make the seats smaller and smaller, for profit, which is insane. It sounds like they are discriminating against a big part of the population. They should take some responsibility in dealing with the problem, and this could incentivize them to at least stop making the seats smaller.
I don't think that's what people want.
Many obese people can still fit in the seats without spilling over, it's only morbid obesity that requires the extra seat or a first class ticket. There is no good reason to internalize those costs and impose them on non-obese people who do not need more than one standard sized coach seat.
Also leg room has been declining but seat width has generally held constant at 17 to 18 inches. It's not like anyone's cramming 7 seats across a narrowbody or 6 across an MD-80. Width not pitch is the issue here.
Mar 19, 2019, 10:07 pm
#27
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If that's what the people want, legislation is the way to do it.
I don't think that's what people want.
Many obese people can still fit in the seats without spilling over, it's only morbid obesity that requires the extra seat or a first class ticket. There is no good reason to internalize those costs and impose them on non-obese people who do not need more than one standard sized coach seat.
Also leg room has been declining but seat width has generally held constant at 17 to 18 inches. It's not like anyone's cramming 7 seats across a narrowbody or 6 across an MD-80. Width not pitch is the issue here.
I don't think that's what people want.
Many obese people can still fit in the seats without spilling over, it's only morbid obesity that requires the extra seat or a first class ticket. There is no good reason to internalize those costs and impose them on non-obese people who do not need more than one standard sized coach seat.
Also leg room has been declining but seat width has generally held constant at 17 to 18 inches. It's not like anyone's cramming 7 seats across a narrowbody or 6 across an MD-80. Width not pitch is the issue here.
Airlines can use the money they spend on lobbying to pay for these seats.
Last edited by nk15; Mar 19, 2019 at 10:13 pm
Mar 19, 2019, 10:23 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Yes, there should be legislation for that smaller percentage that needs accommodations. Pitch and width probably have a cumulative effect to accentuate the problem. My sense is that seat width is also shrinking, such as 10 across instead of 9 on international.
Airlines can use the money they spend on lobbying to pay for these seats.
Airlines can use the money they spend on lobbying to pay for these seats.
Mar 19, 2019, 10:28 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: AA LT Gold
Posts: 3,646
I am by no means obese. On the contrary, I am 6' tall and work out regularly and happen to have a very wide frame/ shoulders, my shoulder width is >20".
I wouldn't say I spill over but I definitely invade my seatmate's space when I'm in a middle seat.
Athletes and some active duty folks have similar frames or bigger.
And of course there are regular folks, mom, grandpa, etc. who happen to be larger than average.
People come in different sizes.
How do you draw the line of who should get two seats?
Do you body shame the high school senior (soon to be the next Tom Brady)?
To the OP: Forget it, no compensation. If you don't want to deal with the possibility of a seat mate invading your personal space, buy a first class seat.
I wouldn't say I spill over but I definitely invade my seatmate's space when I'm in a middle seat.
Athletes and some active duty folks have similar frames or bigger.
And of course there are regular folks, mom, grandpa, etc. who happen to be larger than average.
People come in different sizes.
How do you draw the line of who should get two seats?
Do you body shame the high school senior (soon to be the next Tom Brady)?
To the OP: Forget it, no compensation. If you don't want to deal with the possibility of a seat mate invading your personal space, buy a first class seat.
Mar 19, 2019, 10:29 pm
#30
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Because it is unfair and discriminatory to charge them double than what others pay, just so they can sit in economy and just travel.