Anyone have any good tricks/advice what to do when your "personal space" is invaded on a flight? Sometimes it's really easy if someone's arm is leaning over the armrest, but what if they are just so large that there's no way for them to avoid invading your space?

From previous discussions on this topic, there are many different opinions on how to address this situation. Personally, I'm not going to get too upset if the passenger is slightly 'over my line' due to their size as long as they are pleasant. What really bugs me are chaps who feel that it is their 'right' to take all of the armrest for the entire flight--even in F. I usually don't use both armrests but will when I feel the other passenger is really taking advantage of my space.

When one guy was getting settled, he place his laptop on the shared armrest in F to the point that it extended way over my lap (I couldn't cross my legs without knocking it). I was amazed when he didn't move it after a few minutes and opened his book instead. Having already accidentally hit it with my knee, I finally asked him to move it. He was pissy and acted like he didn't want to relocate it to his side of the seat; however, he decided it was to his advantage to move quicker when the FA brought my drink and I sat it on top of his laptop. I had no where else to put it--no little "extender trays" on this flight and said laptop prevented use of tray table.

Since similar situations are somewhat common, I'm now more proactive. I usually place part of my elbow on any armrest until all parties are settled and I can see what kind of attitudes I am traveling beside that flight.

I push them out of the way or fart-if they are a pissy acting/looking type.
Otherwise I ask them nicely to move a bit prefaced with an "excuse me" in whatever language needed relating to the airline/country. I have never had an issue asking people to move a bit.

Ciao,
FH

Tell myself I need to lose weight!

I find letting a really juicy F::T go folowed by a wafting of the menu card in their direction works wonders - then when they look at you shrug your shoulders and say loudly "what"

I throw up the elbows and do the "funky chicken meets a tornado" move. Haha, j/k.

Oh goodie!Our weekly "MAAAAA Johnnies fat stomach is touching my elbow and giving me fat cooties"thread
Belive me-there are worse folks to be sitting next to.It is a public mode of conveyence,some members of the public are fat,some smell bad/lack good grooming habits,some are chatterboxes.

That's all and good, but the second that someone extends part of themself into the space that another pax paid for, they need to be able to remove that part of themself from that space. If that's not possible, they would need to buy two seats or pay for F/J.

If someone is 'invading my space' to a fairly large degree, I'll use the putting pressure on thieir arm, leg etc-- leaning into them. What I really hate is when someone falls asleep and keeps leaning into me sound asleep-- with that the usual 'pressure' only seems to work to wake them up a bit, they then generally fall right back asleep-- drool, snoring & all! YECH...

PS- when I first read this topic, I thought it was about the 'kissy, huggy types of hellos--- which I also hate, even when I know someone--- I am not a HUGGER, and always feel embarrassed when people I sometimes barely know (and even those I know well) do the kissing, envading personal space thing!

As we have abundant threads about relating to persons of size on a flight, some in this forum and others in specific airline forums, (for just one example, see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=701709), we'll close this now. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.