What do you do when the passenger is quite overweight?
Mar 19, 2019, 10:32 pm
#31
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
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, 10:46 pm
#32
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Yes, they can follow the existing or similar criteria about where to draw the line, and the airline just pays for the second seat. This could be even optional, and should be done with discretion.
Mar 19, 2019, 11:47 pm
#33
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Join Date: Oct 2014
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What is unfair is allowing someone to use not only the seat that they paid for, but also part of the seat that someone else has paid for.
Mar 19, 2019, 11:55 pm
#34
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,313
1st thing i do when i board coach is put down the armrests in my row. if a POS shows up, they have to shoehorn in their own space not mine. If they spill over, it'll be easy for a FA to see if I have to notify, and then the FA can handle it.
Mar 19, 2019, 11:57 pm
#35
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Those tiny 737 max lavs that Doug installed must be pretty discriminatory, too, from what I heard....Hopefully this plane gets grounded for good, lol...just for the seats and lavs alone should be banned.
Mar 19, 2019, 11:59 pm
#36
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: perth
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I used to be big (peaked at 140 kg now a svelt 88kg) but always selected an aisle seat and tried to lean aisle side as much as possible. I never had anyone complain.
Mar 20, 2019, 12:05 am
#37
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I think of the same when I see a thin person walking on except I'm saying, please,please,please….
Mar 20, 2019, 12:14 am
#38
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 152
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.
i had a similar issue recently on a flight on an ER4, customer next to me spilled 3-4 inches into my seat, I had the aisle and tried to be discreet with the FA, I did get to move luckily to the one open seat in the back of the plane which was also an aisle. If it was a full plane I would have lost 15-20% of my space or had to I guess take a different flight I guess. As a broad shouldered person it would have been impossible to fly next to the POS.
Mar 20, 2019, 1:09 am
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: United, AA
Posts: 44
This happens to all of us but try to remember the person next to you is a human being. Yeah it sucks they are invading our space but how do you think that person feels
i sat next to a guy who was spilling over and I was near pressed against the wall. The entire flight he kept his arms wrapped around his body to contain his invasion. Flight sucked but I felt bad for him
what aa and all airlines should do though is require a second seat be purchased and if they don’t boarding be denied. Airlines are quick to measure and weigh our bags
i sat next to a guy who was spilling over and I was near pressed against the wall. The entire flight he kept his arms wrapped around his body to contain his invasion. Flight sucked but I felt bad for him
what aa and all airlines should do though is require a second seat be purchased and if they don’t boarding be denied. Airlines are quick to measure and weigh our bags
Mar 20, 2019, 1:17 am
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: United, AA
Posts: 44
I'm surprised that no one is addressing the real answer to this question, which is posted above. AA does require this passenger to book a 2nd adjacent seat. There is nothing wrong with requesting that AA follow their own policies. This passenger should be moved to a seat with a vacant adjacent seat, or, of unavailable, be asked to deplane. Really this is on the GA -- they should not have been allowed to board (IMO it is much better for all involved to handle this situation with private conversation at the gate than a public one on the plane)
Mar 20, 2019, 1:18 am
#41
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For the record, I was not rude to the overweight passenger and I understand that it's not comfortable for them. I suppose I could have made a big scene but that's not the person I am. However, I am a paying pax and I do deserve to have full use of my seat. I couldn't even put the armrest down. That's not fair to me or others in the same position. Economy is uncomfortable enough as it is.
Mar 20, 2019, 1:59 am
#42
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 969
If someone pays for one seat but gets two, I want two too. Why should I be discriminated against because I'm not obese? Why should I subsidize another passenger's travel if they get a free seat and I don't?
Mar 20, 2019, 2:15 am
#43
Moderator: SAS
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My take: The are guidlines: Armrests down. If there is a lot of spiling over into my seat (I can deal with a little), but I’m talking about 1/3rd of my seat taken by them. I do not like being touched and I will ask for a seat change. None available: Offloading them it is.
Call me heartless, but frankly I don’t care: Most airlines offer to block a second seat, sometimes even for free in advance. And don’t start with medical: Not always but most of the time this is just used as an excuse.
Mar 20, 2019, 2:16 am
#44
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I'm disappointed few have actually bothered to answer my question. This particular situation was made more sticky by the fact that it was full and the next one wouldn't be flying until the next day. I needed to get to my destination on time and the rude flight attendants made me hesitant to act. Some in this thread have advocated going to the FA or GA but my only concern with that is if I stand my ground, the FA/GA doesn't care and actually ejects me from the plane for being difficult instead of the offending passenger. Given how airlines treat pax (like the way they dragged that pax off United), it's not an impossible possibility...
Mar 20, 2019, 2:41 am
#45
Join Date: Jun 2017
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I have had this happen twice, both on United. I calmly got up , grabbed my roll aboard and swam upstream against the loading passengers
when asked at the door what was going on I said, “ I have time to take a different route as my seat is being filled by my neighbour”
2 outcomes, the first, I got a refund and put on the next flight , 3 hours later
the second they found an economy row for me with an empty middle and a passenger by the window
i have no idea what became of the POS situation but I removed myself from that equation
i get that this worked as I’m a flexible traveller
when asked at the door what was going on I said, “ I have time to take a different route as my seat is being filled by my neighbour”
2 outcomes, the first, I got a refund and put on the next flight , 3 hours later
the second they found an economy row for me with an empty middle and a passenger by the window
i have no idea what became of the POS situation but I removed myself from that equation
i get that this worked as I’m a flexible traveller