NoRefuge

Help. This is very embarrassing. We are flying with BA to the US soon and have booked to go economy. we were hoping to go Premium Economy but the seat armrests are fixed and... well how do I say it ... I am worried I am too fat for those seats!!
I have checked the size of the seats online but that really doesn't help without actually 'trying' them.
I am guessing it will be way too late to leave it until we get on the plane, but I didn't want to pay all that money to go Premium Economy and find I couldn't fit in. How embarrassing.

Does anyone have any ideas of how I can find out, short of waiting to see if there are any seats left once we are actually on the plane..?

We once paid for extra legroom on a flight and I was actually physically bruised by trying to squash into the seat and nobody would swap with me. It was horrendous.

NoRefuge

oh and forgot to say - also have a hip disability - which is why it is in this forum. But the real problem is I am too fat. My fault, I know

maurene

It would probably help if you posted your weight/height and perhaps your clothing size. That way people of similar or larger size can tell you how they fit in those seats.

NoRefuge

UK Dress size 32.. 350lbs :O(

slawecki

you expect a seat volunteer? what seat on the plane, other than a first class seat on an international flight will fit?

DeafFlyer

If you have a chair with arms at home, what is the minimum distance between the arms that you can fit in? You don't need to tell us, but compare that to the size of the seat on the plane. My chair is 18 inches wide, but the plane seats are 17 Inches wide on most of my flights. I still fit, but it's not comfortable. My wife is thin, so she didn't mind me putting the armrest up. If you sit by a stranger though, they will mind.

nux

Perhaps instead you should book a second 'comfort' seat in economy (I believe the armrests all go up).

You would need to do this over the phone, but you would only pay the base fare, not taxes (and I don't think the YQ - fuel surcharge).

NoRefuge

Most people are keen to get a free extra legroom seat - I didn't 'expect' a seat volunteer, I just know if I saw someone in difficulty I would do something to help.

i fit fine in the economy seats as my hubby puts the armrest up.

Thanks for your sympathy and understanding.

NoRefuge

Thanks for this advice..my hubby always prefers the armrest up too..

I will stick with what I know on this occasion- I have flown in economy lots of times.

NoRefuge

Thanks Nux.. I think I am a bit disheartened at the thought of being a nuisance to the crew or to other travellers - I will stick with economy which works fine with the armrest up next to my hubby.

abpat2203

@NoRefuge: I can understand where you are coming from. I am in a similar situation as you. I booked an economy exit row seat without realizing that the armrests were immovable and that would make so much of a difference. It was a miserable experience.

NoRefuge

Poor you. Actually it helps to know I am not the only person in the world who has had the experience.

I know now though!

NoRefuge

QUICK UPDATE

I was contacted by a BA crew member on here who very kindly gave me some fantastic tips and the journey was fantastic.

In the end economy seats were perfect as we were luckily on quiet flights and had extra seats (in fact could have had a row each if we wanted)

BA crew were lovely, 777 aircraft was fantastic and can strongly recommend flying with BA - will definitely be doing it again :O)

Katja

Thanks for coming back to update this thread, and I'm glad everything worked out!