How does a 400 lb man fly?
 

Not a joke! A friend wants to use his FF miles as a gift to send his 400 lb brother to his homeland in Australia from NYC, but doesn't know if special arrangements have to be made to accomodate him comfortable for this long, or any, flight. Any serious suggestions?

Two seats.

+ seat-belt extender

Also need to remind the reservations agent when booking the 2 seats (if in economy class) that you need them to be located in a row with movable arm rests.

From a medical point of view, can this be considered a true 'gift'? I am serious.

There could be medical problems associated with such a long flight.

Plenty of heavy people fly places! I have weighed as much as 340 before, and still flown coach. No, I did not cross into my neighbor's "space" either. The guy should probably have two seats if he's flying coach, but I doubt he'll suffer any medical difficulties as a result. This all depends on his height, too. If he's 5-3, he's got a real problem.

There are football players and sumo wrestlers that size or bigger who fly all the time. Being 6-3 and fat is a heck of a lot better than being SHORT. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Feel sorry for them, not fat people!

Konishiki, a former American, now Japanese, sumo wrestler, stood 6'3" and weighed in at over 600 lbs. When he would fly from Tokyo to Honolulu, he would be seated in first class in the first row (two seats).

As he was physically unable to enter the lavatory, part of the first class galley was outfitted with floor to ceiling curtains so that if he needed to use the lav, the curtains could be drawn for privacy.

Konishiki is still large and still travels. JAL and ANA on certain planes have sets of seats where the middle armrest partition is removable so that Sumo wrestlers can fly in comfort. They experience greater difficulty on other carriers which do not have removeable armrests.

Mr. Spudman from Idaho:

Ahem, short people must NOT take this comment sitting down...

Top 10 reasons it's GREAT to fly short:

* Fit in Y seats easily, with room to spare for sleeping or curling up with a good book
* No one bats an eye when a short person stands on a seat (first removing shoe) to access the overhead bin
* Standing all the way upright to stretch is a piece of cake, no matter what seat you're in
* Really easy to fit inside the blue room
*Nobody asks you to help them store their stuff in the overhead bins
* Your head doesn't have to rest where everyone else's does
* Tiny commuter aircraft...just my size
* Stuck in Y on an overseas flite? Grab a row of 4 open seats and stretch completely out for a full night's sleep
*Actually use the area under the seat in front of you to store a briefcase or bag and NOT suffer
* LEGroom! LEGroom! LEGroom!

And I'm sure my SHORT brethren and sisteren... can add to this list. I've spent my whole life short http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif and frankly, it's great.

Spud- You must have flown in F and not in today's typical coach seat?! Anyone weighing 340 lbs. is fooling themselves if they truly believe they didn't infringe on their neighbors' space.

Sorry, sometimes I forget that there are women members too. My fault. I don't think short women it as bad as short men.

If someone short asks if I could reach something from a high place, I always help them -- so long as they agree to pick up anything I need off the floor. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Sport,

I fly coach about half the time, and don' t ever recall that being an issue. I'm very careful not to let any part of me cross the line into the next seat. Plus, I'm tall enough that I never use the armrests. The person next to me gets it for themselves. It has been a few years since I weighed that much anyways.

That said, I still avoid 737s like the plague. The Airbus is far more comfortable!

Y class to Sydney is a bloody long way no matter what size you are. To get back to the original question, two seats are certainly preferable but it would be cheaper to book one J class if you are using miles.

If you are certain that you are booking one Y class seat with miles then I suggest the following:

1) Do a stopover to get a good nights sleep. (United in LAX, Air Pacific QF in Fiji, Air Canada in Honolulu)

2) Contact csa and have notified on passenger record that your Bro is a good natured BIG Aussie http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

3) Request advanced seat assignment for at least a Exit row seat but preferably an exit row seat with extra leg room (depends on aircraft type)

4) Request some lounge passes for your bro from fellow flyertalkers. (depends on airline and generosity of FTers - If Air Canada is your airline from New York to Sydney with stopover in Honolulu using United points then contact me!)

Cheers,
Dave - London

The 400 lb guy is high risk for DVT (I am at 315lb!).

I just had a sports medicine doctor instruct me on the best exercise to combat DVT (econo class syndrome) : periodically flex the feet so as to pump the calf muscle. That's all.

It is something that I have been doing instinctively over the years but it was nice hearing it from a top medico.

"how does a 400 pound man fly?"

. . . humans can't fly http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Yet! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I don't know if they will assign an exit row seat once you explain the circumstances.

Remeber that some exit rows do not have moveable armrests. That would defeat the purpose of 2 seats...

Define Short?

Dianne, although I'm 5' 8", I love your attitude. You may be short on stature but
long on class and wit http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

------------------
lennon

It's cheaper and more effective just to get one business class seat - it should be plenty wide enough, and very comfortable, and costs 150% or an economy seat, not 200%.

Actually Biz seats often cost 1200% more than an economy seat. Where have you been since 1978?

I think he was referring to the mileage cost of a business class seat versus coach class.

[This message has been edited by RChavez (edited 05-14-2001).]

Just checked with UA and they will not sell one person two seats, cash or with miles, and will not seat such a person in an exit row (two reasons...arm rests are fixed and problem of possibly blocking the exit in an emergency). Looks like upgrading to business class is only option.

Okay, what is the logic of not selling someone two seats? Knowing that they are 400+ lbs, and cannot comfortably sit in one seat, United still will not sell the extra seat?

As a plump person myself, NAAFA has some good readings on how to travel with a heafty figure. The main recomendation, if you can afford it, is to book two seats adjoining. Sounds like united is against fat people! Wait til NAAFa hears about this http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Spud Brother,

One must surely take your comments regarding short people as being somewhat in jest. Poor taste, yes. But, probably unintentionally and at least mildly humorous.

Not surprisingly, there are many people who would rather be short as opposed to being a 6'3" lard-butt. By definition, one half of the population base is going to be of below average height. I doubt that they are going to run out and jump off of a cliff after recognizing the fact that they are short.

Best be tending to your cholesterol and lard butt, rather than harranging those darn short folks. P.S. No, I am not one of those dang short people. Nor am I a 6'3" porker, either.

Well, Continental apparently will sell you as many seats as you want. When I flew EWR-HKG Mar 9, there was a guy sprawled out sleeping on all three seats in the middle row. It was a crowded flight and when people complained, the FA checked and then we noticed that he had all three boarding passes placed in the seatbacks of the row in front of him so people wouldn't bother him. The FA told us that he had said that he had to go to work immediately on arrival and wanted to ensure some sleep.

This is another reason why I really like Continental.

Here a man had a need to sleep and he had no restrictions placed on him about buying three tickets together so he could sprawl out. Continental fulfilled his need and probably gained his loyalty. This is what a smart business is supposed to do. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I find it very hard to believe you called UA. Very hard to believe in deed!

What the heck is deal with some of you people? I swear that some of you people LOOK for any and all politically incorrect statements, no matter how minor or inconsequential they are, and decide to make a comment about it. I was HARRANGING short people? Cummon...

Butcher: I made a general statement about short people in jest, and you launch an attack on ME PERSONALLY? How can you justify calling me out on my harmless comments, and then call me nasty names in the same post? That, my friend, is in poor taste, unkind, AND intentional, and not at all humerous.

If I made fun of people with red hair, would you take the time to berate me in this thread also?

[This message has been edited by SpuddBrother (edited 05-18-2001).]

Q: How does a 400-lb man fly?

A: Anyway he wants http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

No, that is not my being hyper-sensitive, as you imply. I did (and still do) acknowledge that your comments were probably meant somewhat in jest. That having been said, a big old hoss (such as yourself) who slings out such remarks must surely have broad enough shoulders to take the same (very intentional) ribbing back.

Guess not in this case. Maybe not such a tough, big old hoss afterall.



[This message has been edited by Butcher Bird (edited 05-19-2001).]

Not only will United sell you two adjoining seats, but the carrier has a new policy to give you FF credit for both seats. You have to submit the second boarding pass separately (it's not automatic.)

Even these days, some of the first class and business class seats aren't wide enough for larger people. Delta currently has some FC seats that are 18.5 inches wide - only a half inch wider than the coach seats. Width is usually the biggest issue for large passengers. Legroom is great, but width is critical.

I buy two coach seats if I can't upgrade, although on some (alas, not all) planes, the aisle armrest goes up, which is a HUGE help too.

Of course, if airline seats were only 1-2 inches wider, this issue would be moot for larger people, and those who are smaller would be even MORE comfortable in coach. Everyone would win! Well, except the profit margins of the carriers. Airbuses are more comfortable because the fuselage is several inches inches wider than a 737, so each seat is 1 inch wider. Just think if the fuselage was 15 inches wider! Not enough to cram another seat, but enough to make each seat much more comfortable.

Makes you wonder why the lucky FT's who got $22 tickets to CDG didn't buy 2-3 seats per traveller to get (1) tons of miles and (2) a bed to Paris...