HookemHorns

I can see the marketing spiel now...

"New, from the people who brought you the Size-Wise carryon measurement
system...a revolution in passenger width measurement...Wise-...!"

Just making light here - I do remember the days when the planes weren't so darn cramped, and when transatlantics not only had better width and pitch, but also a bar/lounge in them. Now, the pitch is so bad that two-year-olds can kick the seat in front of them - for those who haven't been there, two-year-olds can't be reasoned with, and by FAA reg, can't be checked as baggage. Of course, the FAs used to resolve the issue by trying to help harried parents by distracting the child with books, or little metal wings, or maybe even taking them up to see the cockpit.

In a similar fashion, GAs used to try to block seats next to portly passengers, and this often worked b/c the flights weren't always overbooked. And those flying next to a large passenger, well, sometimes they used to take the conservative assumption that their seatmate had one of the dozens of underlying medical conditions that cause uncontrolled weight fluxuation, and they made the best of it. I don't remember anyone worrying about safety issues in connection with large passengers - I don't reacall any headlines mentioning fatalities due to being wedged in by a large pax.

All the way around, flying has become very uncivilized - airplanes are truly just busses in the sky these days. I would have expected three-class domestic service to make a comeback, and I also would have expected reasonable fractional jets or charters to appear, but for now, enjoy the busride.

mcmmcm

Hey, how about allowing passengers who are of normal height/weight or ideal proportions who unfortunately and sometimes purposefully are seated next to (not by choice but rather due to unhappy airline personnel) be given the chance to DE-BOARD the plane and take another flight without penalty.

This should be an option for every passenger when seated next to an obese passenger without fail!

I have come to this conclusion after an incident during last years Christmas holiday in which I was flying US AirWays on Dec. 22. I had an accident 20 hours before my flight, I slipped and fell on ice and nearly broke my ankle. However I was able to (through sheer preserverance) make my flight after receiving assistance from a wheelchair. I did not have crutches but rather choose to wrap my ankle in an ace bandage and walk, albeit extremely slowly, to my flight.

After checking in for a 100% full flight, I asked very nicely of the gate aagent if there would be any way possible to please change my seat from a window (which I had previously selected) to an aisle as physically it was literally impossible for me to manueaver by 2 seats to get to the window. He was horrible, very much a sour puss and did everythign he could to be mean, rude and obnoxious for NO reason (witnessed by several passengers who seemed stunned at his behavior).

I decided to then ask if perhaps he could ask for a vlounteer to switch seats with me due to the full capacity. Long story short he, of his own accord, decided to allow me to switch to an aisle seat and gave me early boarding (which I never asked for).

I was grateful until I realized that the last passenger boarding the plane was over 350+ pounds, not to mention at least 6' -6" and was wearing a full lengthy down parka which he was not removing prior to sitting down. I looked at him, nearly became ill, and the girl who had been seated at our window row looked as though she would die at the sight of him. He proceeded to attempt to sit down in the middle seat WEARING his parka, and it was physically impossible. Before I allowed him to crawl over me (the thought turns my stomach) I struggled to stand up in the aisle, blocking his entry to the seat, and asked to take his coat and put it in the overhead bin. He appeared literally shocked that I would ask him, but I did so politely, diplomatically and very firmly stating that there is NO WAY you will fit in the middle seat with two of us and wearing your coat. He gave up his coat to me only due to the shock he experienced.

What other options did I have? The flight attendants were just staring and seemed to know that he was sent to sit next to me from the sourpuss gate agent, and of course were no help at all in this matter. The three of us, window, middle and aisle seat were jammed on top of one another for a flight from Pittsburgh to Tampa.

All I wanted to do was disembark the flight and wait for another through stand by even though that would mean my plans, friends picking up, etc would have been ruined.

Anyone agree that this should be an allowable option instead of hearing the pitiful ("were sorry" from one flight attendant while Im disembarking in Tampa?) Why should paying passengers be penalized through extreme discomfort and be subjected to DANGER from being seated next to the obese?

If there were any type of accident, turbulance, etc. the chance of being more severly injured is extreme when you have such weight seated next to and on TOP of you. It is impossible not to utilize the seats properly during the flight, etc.

Why is it not mandatory that the obese be required on all flights, on all airlines to purchase 2 seats? Even if that means a weigh-in prior to boarding?

Would love to hear opinions on this matter!

J-M

Now that's a terrible day! I couldn't agree with you more.

Diabo

Or use this revolutionary product from the SkyHigh catalog!

(btw, why aint SkyHighs FF program on flyertalk?)

MKEbound

Why should the normal sized person be penalized because their seat mate is oozing into their space?

as219

You are EVIL!!! But I liiiike it!

SirDomino

Was this the one in Virginia? IF so then it was me. THey gave me a ticket to go to the head of the line and apologized. It was only because my chest/shoulders were too huge, but yah, I am chubby. I was 320 lbs at that time, and now I'm 290. Working on it.

If it wasn't me, then well. oh well.

Green Dragon

mcmmcm, that was an awful experience, and I feel for you. Perhaps you could have, as an earlier poster said, complained to the FA that you couldn't sit in your seat as someone else was already (mostly) in it?

I am a POS myself, but can sit next to someone else with the armrest down. It's uncomfortable, but I don't need an extendor. I am female, 5'9", and my knees are uncomfortable in coach. I can't bring the tray table flat some of the time.

However, I usually sit next to a guy who's 6'4" and 350#, ex-football player with bad knees -- my husband. We always book seats together (in 2s if possible) so no one else is bothered by us. I think only once in the last 6 flights has that not worked, and that was a full flight where there was no seat sets of 2 -- and we were able to arrange it so a child sat next to me (his mother across the aisle). This allowed them to sit together as well, which they couldn't before.

We try to be polite at all points, to the FAs, GAs and the other passengers. Sometimes a GA will be nice and place us in a 3 seat set with noone between us -- ideal situation if the plane isn't full.

We are losing weight -- DH has dropped 30 lbs, and I'm down 50. We don't choose to be this way: it sucks. It sucks worse when you dread flying because of the looks you get when you walk down the aisle, no matter how considerate you try to be. Both our sets of parents are overweight (and diabetic to boot). Their parents are all overweight. Even when husband was in shape, he was 6'4" and 275 -- football player in college with shoulders wider than a goalpost, at 8% body fat. Perfect shape! Comfortable in any airline seat? Not on your life!!!

1/3 of the people in this country are obese (not just fat -- obese). Plenty of us are over 6' tall. These seats may fit the majority of people...barely. I'd say they probably fit (reasonably comfortably) 60%. At most. Is it healthy to be cramped like that for 9 hour flights? not! Is it something most people are willing to do? Less lately, but there are few other options. I don't know a solution.

I actually wouldn't mind paying by the pound, as long as it wasn't an extra $1000 per pound! I wouldn't mind paying slightly more for a slightly larger seat. However, having to pay twice as much for a seat is a bit much... Paying $3000 for a first class seat is even more much, especially as my husband doesn't even fit into those (no moveable armrests).

So, if my normal fare is $400, and I need a seat 10% larger, I'll pay $440, no problem. Does that mean I'll actually GET a seat that's 10% larger? right. And if someone is thinner, I have no problem with them getting a discount of 10% for only using 90% of their seat. How about moveable armrests??

cj001f

Because airlines charge by the person, not the body size. If you'd like to revolutionize the industry and charge by weight, feel free to ascend Everest sans Sherpas.

This decidely not POS with broad shoulder wouldn't mind and extra inch or two of seat width so his shoulders wouldn't exceed his seat

mcmmcm

thanks for your post, but to be honest what happened has nothing to do with how many people are overweight and how many are not. It has to do with safety and believe me if there was any type of turbulance I was not seated safely.

Complaining to anyone on that flight would have done not even an ounce of good, and believe I will complain when it is necessary. But to be so rudely treated for no reason whatsoever is unacceptable and them to purposefully be seated next to someone so large was unbearable.

If I could have been able to walk I would have walked right off of that flight.......but for me to move around was nearly impossible. My ankle was taped with 3 ace bandgages to give a tiny bit of support since I had no time to get myself to the emergency room.

The flight was booked, every seat............being asked to be moved again wasnt going to happen. All of the flight attendants seemed to be quite aware of what was going on, and the fact that no one did a thing about only serves to reinforce my belief that US Airways has offered the WROST customer service for years, and that is pathetic considering I am based in Pgh, and do all I can to avoid flying them.

Just the other day I needed to call and re-book a ticket, I was actually told to "shut up and dont speak until I (the agent) is done talking, then I can speak" What an unwarranted comment when I went out of my way to be nice and simply attempted to ask one single question.

This same agent then proceeded to put me on hold, although I thought she had disconnected me since there was no asking if she could place me on hold, she then must have thought she was talking with a friend or something, and picked up my line again, screaming into the phone something incomprehensible to me. I asked what was going on, and she said "oh, hold on" then put me on hold again. I waited until she came back on and when I asked her what was going on she wanted to know what I was talking about.

I am not an idiot, her voice was very distinctive and I am certain it was her...........whether it was an agent from a foreign country or not I have no idea, but it does go to show that US Airways could care less about their flying customers.

Personally I really wanted to see them go under, they truly deserve it! Not once have I been offered decent customer service by them.

mcmmcm

Actually I should probably clarify more of the terrible customer service received by me from US AIRWAYS.

Prior to my getting to gate for my flight, I had to ask for assistance from their special needs desk, I could have never made it walking through the airport since my ankle was so badly injured (several torn ligiments, etc).

I had to request assistance from their wheelchair help. Keep in mind I am in my 30's and have never in my life been in a wheelchair. I approached the desk asked what I needed to do, told to add my name to their list...........while talking to me the agent interrupted me and walked over to two elderly women who had just walked in (3 minutes after me) she immediately put their name on her list then came back to me and added mine after theirs, I knew this meant I would be waiting longer, and there is no reason why she did that to me.

I was told to wait, whne another agent showed up to take individuals to their get by wheelchair he went in order of their names on the list, again I was put after these 2 women. WHen he took them 3 more women showed up, and added their names to the list, when he returned it was to be my turn, but instead he ignored me and my name which was next and took two of them.

I couldnt help thinking what was going on, nothing to do with flight times I am certain.

Then a second agent showed up took the third women, then the original agent returned and decided to take me, at that point another fourth women quite elderly and a nun no less was also waiting, he then decided to take us BOTH. Now, as I mentioned I have never been in a wheelchair before but I have never seen one man pushing 2 wheelchairs through a busy holiday airport, and I knew this was not the right thing to do. Before I could say a word he bagen pushing me with one arm and pushing her chair with another.

Now the nun, turns out had dementia or alzheimers and was on her own, she had no idea where she was or where she was going to...........

the agent attempts to push 2 wheelchairs into the elevator, I get slammed into the wall, and I screamed, because I barely had time to move my foot out of the way. I lunge forward and he says, ooops..........yeah right.

I told him to be more careful, he then proceeds to take us off the elevator, and slams me into another wall, this time I was prepared and had already rearranged my feet but nearly dropped all that I was holding on my lap, this time Yelled at him to be more careful.

I doubt he heard since we were again whizzing through people, he would yell out for them to "look out" but they barely had enough time to jump out fo the way, in the meantime I was becoming nausous from the speed, and listening to him talk about how he used to be a marine seal........but now works for US Airways..........whatever.

I then get slammed into another wall next tot he people mover, since he was having a lot of difficulty directing my wheelchair but evidently not the nuns wheelchair. He also was laughing at her and saying he could take her to any gate and she wouldnt know any better, and he doesn know how she will make it onto her flight anyway................

I finally made it to my gate and then had the problems with the rude gate agent (see above).

I cannot think of how any part of my experience could have been any worse, if I had tried. I fly on a regular basis, Im polite and I know how to take care of myself without bothering anyone of course.

What the he@! is wrong with US AIRWAYS?

andrewsheehan

I agree completely, the standard coach seats are just fine, and I would like to keep paying the discount coach rate, if the seats get larger so do the rates...

I don't mean to sound insensitive or offend anyone, I was overweight at one point and understand how POS's feel, enough trips to Madrid and seeing the slims Europeans made me change my life, I lost around 50lbs now weigh in at 160 lbs, never felt better!

-Andrew

SlickRick

Isn't a big plus of travelling to experience new and unexpected things? Well the OP certainly experience something unexpected!

What if you got on the plane and Heidi Klum or George Clooney sat next to you?

The difference? The first was an unpleasant surprise. The second was a pleasant surprise. Take the good with the bad. As Forrest Gump said, "Life is a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Rebelyell

SlickRick,
For Pete's sake, if George Clooney sat next to me and insisted on sitting all over me and touching me I would not consider it a pleasant surprise.

I really wish they would make the armrests stationary, or at least harder to raise, and completely solid underneath. This would help people to stay on their side of the border.

Wallstreet10006

A little off-topic, (amd maybe deserves its own thread), I weigh 250 and am pretty much always in First, and I find that the length of seatbealts vary - sometimes quite wildly.

At least three times on CO (737s) in the past 3 months (in first) the belt JUST fit - and once it was downright uncomfortable. I know it's not me - I lost 30 pounds in the last year, but the belt seems to be getting tighter (while my waist has gotten smaller).

I also fly Avianca (Colombian airline) and their seatbelts in Coach as well as First fit me with plenty of room to spare - and Colombians are substantially smaller than Americans.

Are seatbelts getting smaller? Anyone else notice this?