Refund for obese person taking up half my seat?
May 16, 2011, 2:28 pm
#16
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May 16, 2011, 2:33 pm
#17
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Well, at least you stayed warm throughout the flight.
May 16, 2011, 2:45 pm
#18
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May 16, 2011, 3:00 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2008
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Too bad you weren't headed to Dallas - you could have recommended this restaurant to your companion - http://www.heartattackgrill.com/diet.html
May 16, 2011, 3:01 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 628
I remember complaining, after the fact, on a NWA connection flight back around 2005 or so, about the ginormous guy seated next to me on a #$@$@ RJ flight. Flight was packed so nowhere else to move (I had asked the FA if there were any other seats available as a hint). He was so huge it would have been bad enough being in domestic first on a mainline. Had to basically half sit out in the aisle. I want to say OKC to MSP maybe?
Was not a fun flight. I can't remember if it was miles, or a small amount of NWA cert, but they did chunk something my way afterwards. It puts you in a tough spot because you don't want to be rude to the guy, but there has to be some point where the gate agent says "Uh, can I see your second boarding pass?".
P.S. - these large-flier threads never go well here on FlyerTalk.
Was not a fun flight. I can't remember if it was miles, or a small amount of NWA cert, but they did chunk something my way afterwards. It puts you in a tough spot because you don't want to be rude to the guy, but there has to be some point where the gate agent says "Uh, can I see your second boarding pass?".
P.S. - these large-flier threads never go well here on FlyerTalk.
May 16, 2011, 3:45 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Speaking as a "person of size" (6'7" 320lb), I try to be sensitive to any seat mates when flying, and have become quite adapt at folding myself up a bit to avoid flowing over. But by this description, it seems there has to be a line drawn somewhere, most especially in the exit row.
May 16, 2011, 3:45 pm
#22
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,426
Yeah, feel your pain, but the time to deal with this is is to deal with it politely on the plane. You can complain, but the people you will complain to are online, were not there, and have no idea what you dealt with. If the plane was full, and there was not a single other available seat, I understand that would be tough since there would be nowhere to move you. But, once again, failing that, on the plane is the place to fix this. Just a quick question about this to others; if you are on a plane and faced with this situation, where you basically do not have a seat to sit in because of the situation the OP was in, is there anyway to make this an IDB since you do not have the seat you paid for? Not trying to be a jerk or get something I'm not entitled to, but if you paid for a seat, you should get it. And to the MODS, I know a lot of these type threads get closed, but we are not rehashing the same stuff here, and perhaps we can let this one go on awhile. I am particularly interested in the IDB scenario and if the OP refused to take his/her seat because there was in essence no seat to sit in. Thanks.
May 16, 2011, 3:49 pm
#23
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Thanks. Kind of figured that was the case. If DL did give an IDB in this situation it would open up a can of worms as to judgment calls about what portion of your seat you did not get in this situation. Oh well. Back to everyone else's first suggestion, you have to discretely handle this on the plane.
May 16, 2011, 5:01 pm
#24
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May 16, 2011, 5:04 pm
#25
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Some FA's need a gentile note about their job requirements if this happened...
May 16, 2011, 5:13 pm
#26
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That makes total sense. If I read you correctly, the first choice of course is to move to an empty seat. If there is NO empty seat, then it will at a minimum be a VDB to somebody or possibly an IDB. Are you also saying that if no one takes a VDB to get off the plane to make an empty seat for someone like the OP, then the OP would in fact get IDB compensation if his seat were "unusable" and he had to get off the plane? Sorry for all the questions...just trying to get this right in case I am ever in a situation like the OP.
May 16, 2011, 6:08 pm
#27
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First, IDBs are specifically for oversold situations, clearly not the case here.
Second, the pax has a seat. Granted it sucks (and I would be the first one asking the FA to act). So there is no DB of any sort
I WOULD hope that if it came down to a pax having to leave the plane because no alternative was acceptable that DL would come up with a reasonable compensation..
May 16, 2011, 6:15 pm
#28
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Part of my letter to Delta from last month ...
During a recent flight from ATL->SLC (Fri 29APR DELTA 1590)1 was not able to utilized my seat. In fact, I did not even try. The reason is because while I assigned seat 14F the gentleman seated in 14E was extremely obese to the point that the arm rests were up with at least one seat belt extender in use (my observation when disembarking from the
plane). Further, though the gentleman was assigned to a middle seat he was leaning over utilizing the arm rest next to the window which would be my seat.
Rather than make any attempt take my assigned seat I returned to the front of the plane and approached the gate agent who was on the bridge way. I explain that there was no way I would be able to sit in the seat for the duration of the flight, approximately 4 hours and requested to be assigned a new seat The gate agent's response was that she could not discriminate against the passenger, the flight was full, it was my choice to leave the plane and she could not guarantee me seat on a
latter flight.
I have multiple concerns with the agent's response. First, I was not asking for the gate agent to discriminate against the obese passenger. I simply asked to be reseated. If any form of discrimination was taking place, it was against me. I purchased a seat and was being forced to share it with another passenger. As someone, who flies with a back pillow, sitting crammed up against the window due an obese passenger is unacceptable.
Second, the gate agent made no effort to accommodate me, she simply stated I could either take my seat or leave the plane. I asked if there was a gate agent available at the front desk who could assist. She stated there was but she was trying to get the plane out and could not help. Eventually, a pilot (dead heading??) who was the last person to board stated he would take my seat and I could have his seat. During the
flight I noticed that he was smashed up against the window due to the obese passenger.
After taking my seat, 33E (a middle seat in the very last row next to the lays), I noticed that in the seats around me were multiple Delta employees. I have no idea how many were flying with confirmed seats or as non revenue but it would seem to me that the gate agent would know if non revenue passengers were on board and could be asked to give up their seat for a paying passenger.
Third, the agent should have assessed the situation, confirmed it was unreasonable, and either moved non revenue passengers or guaranteed me a seat on the next flight with an available seat Again, she basically left it as take it or leave it and refused to appropriately deal with the problem at hand.
Given that there are going to be more and more situations with not just obese passengers but large passengers who exceed their seat space I am very surprised that Delta does not have procedures in place for dealing with passengers who are inconvenienced and forced to share their seat with the passenger next to them.
....
Delta's Response:
Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the service provided while traveling with us from Atlanta to Salt Lake City on April 29. On behalf of everyone at Delta Air Lines, I sincerely apologize for the discrepancy with your seating assignment.
I am truly sorry your seat assignment adjacent to a large passenger would affect your comfort and you requested to be moved to an alternate seat. We do care about the
and strive to provide everyone an enjoyable and comfortable cabin environment.
While Delta does not have a published policy to address this issue, let me provide an overview of the guidelines we follow in this particular situation. Based on availability, if a passenger has purchased accommodations in the main cabin, we will make every attempt to assign a large passenger a seat next to one that is vacant. If there is not a
vacant seat, we will ask a large passenger to purchase a second seat at the lowest fare class available, for their own comfort and safety. Rule 35 (7) of our Contract of Carriage states Delta reserves the right to refuse transport when the passenger is unable to sit in a seat with the seatbelt fastened.
Again, I apologize that our gate agent did not address this issue appropriately and can certainly understand your frustration when you observed several Delta employees on this flight. Understandably, these passengers should have been moved to accommodate your seat request and I apologize you were ultimately placed in the last row of the main cabin.
...
Summary, I was being proactive but was rebuffed by the GA. I was not happy about it regardless of the fullness of the flight. But I was being proactive. I thank the pilot who traded seats but thumbs down to the GA. Had the pilot not offered to swap seats and given the GA response I would have claimed IDB because the PAX significantly encroached into my seat.
During a recent flight from ATL->SLC (Fri 29APR DELTA 1590)1 was not able to utilized my seat. In fact, I did not even try. The reason is because while I assigned seat 14F the gentleman seated in 14E was extremely obese to the point that the arm rests were up with at least one seat belt extender in use (my observation when disembarking from the
plane). Further, though the gentleman was assigned to a middle seat he was leaning over utilizing the arm rest next to the window which would be my seat.
Rather than make any attempt take my assigned seat I returned to the front of the plane and approached the gate agent who was on the bridge way. I explain that there was no way I would be able to sit in the seat for the duration of the flight, approximately 4 hours and requested to be assigned a new seat The gate agent's response was that she could not discriminate against the passenger, the flight was full, it was my choice to leave the plane and she could not guarantee me seat on a
latter flight.
I have multiple concerns with the agent's response. First, I was not asking for the gate agent to discriminate against the obese passenger. I simply asked to be reseated. If any form of discrimination was taking place, it was against me. I purchased a seat and was being forced to share it with another passenger. As someone, who flies with a back pillow, sitting crammed up against the window due an obese passenger is unacceptable.
Second, the gate agent made no effort to accommodate me, she simply stated I could either take my seat or leave the plane. I asked if there was a gate agent available at the front desk who could assist. She stated there was but she was trying to get the plane out and could not help. Eventually, a pilot (dead heading??) who was the last person to board stated he would take my seat and I could have his seat. During the
flight I noticed that he was smashed up against the window due to the obese passenger.
After taking my seat, 33E (a middle seat in the very last row next to the lays), I noticed that in the seats around me were multiple Delta employees. I have no idea how many were flying with confirmed seats or as non revenue but it would seem to me that the gate agent would know if non revenue passengers were on board and could be asked to give up their seat for a paying passenger.
Third, the agent should have assessed the situation, confirmed it was unreasonable, and either moved non revenue passengers or guaranteed me a seat on the next flight with an available seat Again, she basically left it as take it or leave it and refused to appropriately deal with the problem at hand.
Given that there are going to be more and more situations with not just obese passengers but large passengers who exceed their seat space I am very surprised that Delta does not have procedures in place for dealing with passengers who are inconvenienced and forced to share their seat with the passenger next to them.
....
Delta's Response:
Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the service provided while traveling with us from Atlanta to Salt Lake City on April 29. On behalf of everyone at Delta Air Lines, I sincerely apologize for the discrepancy with your seating assignment.
I am truly sorry your seat assignment adjacent to a large passenger would affect your comfort and you requested to be moved to an alternate seat. We do care about the
and strive to provide everyone an enjoyable and comfortable cabin environment.
While Delta does not have a published policy to address this issue, let me provide an overview of the guidelines we follow in this particular situation. Based on availability, if a passenger has purchased accommodations in the main cabin, we will make every attempt to assign a large passenger a seat next to one that is vacant. If there is not a
vacant seat, we will ask a large passenger to purchase a second seat at the lowest fare class available, for their own comfort and safety. Rule 35 (7) of our Contract of Carriage states Delta reserves the right to refuse transport when the passenger is unable to sit in a seat with the seatbelt fastened.
Again, I apologize that our gate agent did not address this issue appropriately and can certainly understand your frustration when you observed several Delta employees on this flight. Understandably, these passengers should have been moved to accommodate your seat request and I apologize you were ultimately placed in the last row of the main cabin.
...
Summary, I was being proactive but was rebuffed by the GA. I was not happy about it regardless of the fullness of the flight. But I was being proactive. I thank the pilot who traded seats but thumbs down to the GA. Had the pilot not offered to swap seats and given the GA response I would have claimed IDB because the PAX significantly encroached into my seat.
Last edited by FlyingUnderTheRadar; May 16, 2011 at 6:22 pm
May 16, 2011, 7:59 pm
#29
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Standard response. . . . . .
What if the pax was at an aisle seat and blocking service of the carts?
What if. . . . . ?
What if the pax was at an aisle seat and blocking service of the carts?
What if. . . . . ?
May 16, 2011, 8:47 pm
#30
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This is just like the oversize carry ons issue.... GAs do not enforce because they do not want to deal with the fallout... so they pass it on to the FAs who say it is not their issue and then it falls on us...