trooper

I don't care if it's obesity or just sheer size..... if you cannot sit in a standard economy seat without intruding on the space of those seated next to you ("elbow wars" for armrests excluded! ) then you need to make arrangements YOURSELF to ensure you do not inconvenience others...

Southwest (and some others apparently) enforce such "consideration" it by selling you a second seat....... and refunding it if it isn't "necessary"...

Good approach.

I was forced OUT of my exit/aisle seat on a QANTAS flight a few years ago - LAX-SYD (yup.. 14 hours!) by an immensly obese man.... Had I stayed in that seat - constantly leaning to one side to avoid the parts of him that rolled OVER the armrest into "my" space, I would have needed a backboard and stretcher to deplane.... ended up in a bulkhead seat instead with zero leg room.... If whining about that means I will be seen as "lacking civility to fat people" then that is a title I will happily accept!

P.S. It was the cabin staffs lack of assistance in that situation that put me off QANTAS big time!

HonestABE

It has been amusing reading the responses to my OP.

I wrote to US CS today (as it was a USX flight) asking for their specific policy with regard to such situations. I did not ask for, nor do I expect any compensation. What I do want to know is what each airline's policy is, so that, if and when the situation arises again, I will know exactly what I ought to do.

Secondarily, if a particular airline gives me some sort of fuzzy, non-committal, "unwritten rule" type of response, I'll be less inclined to patronize that airline.

In my experience POS (or COS, or whatever the appropriate term may be) are usually uncomfortable knowing they are causing others discomfort. A known policy, such as at WN, is helpful to all - and reduces the possibility of a thoroughly avoidable confrontation.

oldpenny16

Americans (and folk from other lands) are getting fatter and fatter. This problem is only going to get worse. I am a small person. It is very easy for some bigger person to ease over into my space on a plane. I hate it.

We need protection not excuses for why some people are so fat.

james318

What kind of protection are you referring to? Guns? Condoms? Some sort of barbed metal divider that goes up in the middle between the seats?

ChinaMeng

Since POS sounds wrong, can we just call them 1Ks and 1K lites? That way they could board first through the red carpet lane and sit down. Then if you see them next to your seat, you can avoid an awkward situation and go straight to the FA/GA without the 1Ks knowing that you were supposed to sit next to them.

GenevaFlyer

Hi,

I recently had a nice experience in this area with KLM. I was on a flight from AMS to Montreal, and a sizeable (not enormous) person shows up to sit in the middle seat next to me (and I was on the nice front row with extra legroom).

As the plane was getting ready to depart, I noticed that a number of seats were still free, so I asked the FA if I would be allowed to move. She says, 'Well, the mothers with infants will be given priority' .... she then looks at my neighbour and continues, '... but I can see why you're asking ... would it be even better if I moved your neighbour?'

You can guess my answer ... and so my neighbour was moved ahead of the mothers with infants. That's what I call great service.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

Marathon Man

Well, someone DID mention being 1k!


Annnnyway, if THIS GUY sat next to me, I would not be so upset about it! Too bad he's no longer with us, the big Hawaiian!...

http://www.google.com/products?q=iz+...oogle&ct=title

james318

I personally love the look of dread that a CORPSE (Customer Of Reduced Personal SizE) gets when they realize that they will be seated next to me. And the satisfaction of knowing that I don't encroach on to them and they were expecting the worst.

I've also had CORPSE's next to me confess they were worried about my size and how the seats really are too small. (I don't know if it makes THEM feel better to confess it, but it doesn't matter to me.)

One day the fat people of this country will unite and take take on the world. Well, maybe we'll just meet at a buffet somewhere and take them on first. But god help that buffet!

nsx

Southwest uses the term Customer of Size. The more accurate "Passengers Who Require A Second Seat" has an even worse acronym than "Passenger of Size".

richard

Let's stay cool and on course with this thread, so we don't have to close it.

--richard, moderator

TrojanTraveler

While I mostly agree with PTravel, I think the whole situation is kinda sad. Last year I was in the window seat of the coach exit row on an MD-88 (on the two seat side), and a large woman was uncomfortable in her middle seat further back and the FA moved her to the seat next to me (the only one open). She was very pleasant and aware that her size made travelling difficult, but she had to travel by air for her job, and she also seemed to be comfortable with (or maybe resigned to) the issue. While I felt bad for her and tried to make the best of it, I was stuck between her and the window. Even leaning my body to the right for several hours, she was still pressed up against me. It was very uncomfortable, and when I got up to get off the plane I realized that sitting in that position had somewhat wrenched my back, and had back pain (though not severe) for several days. And I'm in good shape.

I shouldn't have to go through that. The large person should be the one making the accomodation. But all the solutions seem draconian: gastric bypass, buying two seats or first class (very expensive), or don't travel by air (I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't). It doesn't seem like there's an easy button here.

trm2

It is an uncomfortable situation for all involved. POS does seem to be a bad acronym, why don't we go with Seatmate Of Size (SOS), it would seem to get the point across all by itself.

SJC1K

There's also self-discipline--taking in fewer calories and/or expending more calories on a routine basis.

I'm heavier than I'd like to be, though not nearly to the point of encroaching on space I haven't paid for, but at least I acknowledge that my excess weight is my own responsibility. Food rarely jumps off the plate into my mouth, and people seldom shackle me to prevent my exercising.

Yes, there are people who are big in a way over which they have no control. I knew a guy in college who seemed to be about 120% of normal scale in every linear dimension (well, the ones I could see, anyway), and I would be pretty uncomfortable next to him in an economy seat. But 99% of the customers of size I see in airports are people with normal-sized frames. Can't they take responsibility for the consequences of their own actions?

james318

Yes, that is correct for some obese people (myself included). If I ate less and excercised more, I wouldn't be obese. I know that. But I also know from my own past that if I do this, I will get into a self-destructive behaviour and cause myself MORE problems. I don't think you can come in and make blanket statements like the ones above...

A good chunk of the obese have mental or physical problems that prevent them from being able to overcome whatever obstacles they have in losing weight.

I know I have my own issues with food. Where a thin person can look at a meal and eat until they feel satisfied and STOP, a lot of fat people don't have that mental trigger to do it. Some are too embarassed to join a gym. I've often thought I should open a gym JUST for the obese, and once you reach a place where you are not considered fat anymore, bam! Get kicked out to a regular gym.

dmitzel

And later studies are pointing at heredity, the bodies (in)ability to handle stress and overloaded work schedules leading to less and less sleep (which causes the body to store excess calories) as problems leading to excess weight gain and retention. So, let's not prejudge and ...ume that all overweight people are just lazy and have no self control.

IMHO, if you have the time in your schedule to work out on a regular basis, I need to find out more about your career choice and employer. Heck, I'm happy just to get 4-5 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.