krpjr

Always, and there is a word for that, avoidance .

onboarddavid

I once found myself seated next to a passenger who was so large that it was impossible for me to lean against my seat back. I ended up going to the front of the plane and speaking to a flight attendant who suggested that I talk to the gate agent. So, I went back into the terminal and explained the situation to the gate agent who obviously was aware that there was likely to be a problem with this particular passenger. Much to my surprise the gate agent boarded the plane and removed the passenger. I felt terrible about the whole thing but I have a bad back that would have been made even worse after a flight spent in a contorted position. After the passenger had been removed, I returned to my seat (an aisle) and noticed that the middle seat where the 'large' passenger had been sitting was piled high with blankets. The purpose of the blankets was to elevate the passenger's posterior above the armrests because he couldn't fit between them. Much to my surprise the passenger reboarded and sat in a window seat somewhere behind my row. I think the middle seat in that row was occupied so I'm not quite sure why the gate agent reseated this person.

libuser

My uncle once complained, got deplaned and got $300+ in IDB vouchers. Well after reading many posts on FT that is. : )

Ancien Maestro

Yeah should have brought it up that you couldn't sit in your seat properly..

Poor lady, she must have been wall paper by the end of the flight.

HookemHorns

I had the aisle seat a few months back, and a POS was occupying the seat next to me (and oozing into half of mine). The poor lady couldn't even put her tray part-way down. Being from the gentile old-school of travel, I made the best of it, but the FA came by and said "Sir, you can't have your feet out in the aisle". I looked at the FA with disdain, looked over at the POS, and shrugged. The FA said rather loudly "Just put the armrest down - that'll help wedge her in there".

Sooo, after the fourth or fifth letter to Delta last year that resulted in a "Thanks, but we don't see it your way" reply, I've been trying out some other options this year.

petez85

suppose an old tiny lady comes on the flight with a suitcase and has to pay for luggage. let say her weight 80lbs suitcase 40lbs = 120lbs. Guy who is 3 times than that does not pay extra....

I think there should be policy making obese people buy extra seat. But I think airlines are afraid to implement it....

ramalama8

Agreed. It's not so different from paying more for car insurance for riskier drivers. If you require more, pay more.

Doesn't B6 have a policy similar to this?

GMill

Was the FA from the Jewish old-school of travel?

Recreation

The GAs should be able to easily size up which passengers are going to spill out of their seat and work on seat reassignments prior to boarding. Other passengers shouldn't have to complain before a solution is worked on.

I don't know why the airlines don't implement a size rule on passengers like they do with their carry-on luggage. Seriously. Heck, they could even put in sample seats into the waiting area with a sign notifying passengers that if they don't feel that they will comfortably fit into the space, then they should see an FA for special arrangements. Ideally, there will be an empty seat on the plane and the passenger can sit there. If not, then they need to come up with a Plan "B" as sensitively as they can.

If all airlines had black-and-white policies on their books and enforced them, then fellow passengers wouldn't be put into these literally and figuratively uncomfortable positions. Simply put, if you cannot contain yourself to one seat, with the armrest in the down position, then you should buy a second seat. No need for embarrassment. Just offer it as an option on the online booking tool or have the reservationist ask "If you feel you might require a second seat because of size constraints, please let me know in advance so that we can better accommodate your needs."

QueerEyeForDelta

I'm a big proponent of installing the A@@-Sizer at the gates, right next to the SizeWise for carry-ons. If a POT (Person of Thinness) decided to lift the armrest and sit between two seats, taking up seat B and half of C, would anyone allow that? NOOO, of course not. So why do we allow POSs to do it? Enough of this PC stuff. If a POS can't fit, the POS can't fit and needs to buy two tickets. Another pax should NOT have to subsidize the POS... by purchasing half a seat for them and relinquishing their own comfort.

Every time this happens you should notify a GA and FA immediately.

You should also pull out your phone, smart phone, or camera and TAKE A PICTURE. If the situation is not corrected by the GA or FA, send the photo to Richard Anderson.

If children over 2 yrs old have to purchase a seat of their own, then POSs have to purchase a ticket for the portion of their a@@ that won't fit in their seat.

Stop being PC, put your foot down, and do your part in putting an end to Obesity in America.

mrredskin

you're really comparing these two??

GunsOfNavarone

Thats my problem, I have very wide shoulders and a 32" waist. I am very sensitive about it. I prefer an aisle, but I am either going to consistently rub shoulders with the FA, or the PAX next to me. Because of this I have switched to widow seat and lean my body into the window. This does work, not the most comfortable, but I feel it is the right thing to do. It also is simply uncomfortable to have body parts touch during a flight.

I recently flew AS from ORD to SEA and was assigned a aisle seat in a 737. The window seat was a very large woman and the middle seat was a very large man. I assumed they were husband and wife as they melted into each other. I was wrong, they didn't know each other... eeeewwwwwww

DAL-767

I regards to Delta employees traveling non-rev to get to their duty station...I continue to see that their travel is a priority over the paying customer. They also expect to board first and get the overhead space.

I sat around a group recently and they weren't shy about discussing this around us, the paying folks.

jamesteroh

Southwest does have that policy. If the flight isn't full and there are unsold seats anyway it gets refunded, which is fair. The problem is they only have to pay a childs fare (11/2 price) for the second seat, so if the flight is full WN is losing out on revenue by only selling a childs fare seat if they could have gotten a full fare adult revenue out of it. There was an incident on WN last year where a POS got to the gate at the last minute who had only purchased one ticket and they determined at that time she would need the second seat, and a standby was forced to give up his seat for the POS. I know the POS was a teenager and IIRC she was young enough to be an unaccomonied minor, so that may have been why they booted the other passenger for her.

I think it's a good policy, but I would hate to be the gate agent or whatever employee that has to tell the POS they have to buy a second ticket.

BadTime

Interesting... and they shouldn't let short/small people into exit or bulkhead seats. Actually even in first class they should have smaller seats for PNOS (People Not Of Size). Of course in fairness all tickets should then be priced by size/weight.

I think it would be kinda of funny to have my 5'2" girlfriend with the leg room of 8 inches so she would be in the same kind of discomfort I have at being 6'3".

Of course the logistics would be to much so perhaps they should get rid of first and business class and just reserve it for POS.