Oct 8, 2015, 2:43 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
"Passenger of Size" (PoS) also sometimes referred to "Customer of Size" (CoS)
Both acronyms are in FT Glossary
Both acronyms are in FT Glossary
Customers requiring extra seating
A customer flying in the economy cabin who is not able to safely and comfortably fit in a single seat is required to purchase an additional seat for each leg of their itinerary. The second seat may be purchased for the same fare as the original seat, provided it is purchased at the same time. A customer who does not purchase an extra seat in advance may be required to do so on the day of departure for the fare level available on the day of departure. The customer may instead choose to purchase a ticket for United First®, United Business® or United BusinessFirst®, or elect to pay for an upgrade to a premium cabin if there is availability to do so. United Airlines is not required to provide additional seats or upgrades free of charge.
A customer is required to purchase an additional seat or upgrade if they do not meet one of the following criteria:
The customer must be able to properly attach, buckle and wear the seat belt, with one extension if necessary, whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated or as instructed by a crew member.*
The customer must be able to remain seated with the seat armrest(s) down for the entirety of the flight.
The customer must not significantly encroach upon the adjacent seating space. See our seat maps.
United will not board a customer who declines to purchase a ticket for an additional seat or upgrade for each leg of their itinerary when required.
*The average length of the seatbelt extension is approximately 25 inches. As the seat designs on our aircraft vary, it is possible that the seatbelt extension presented on your flight provides less than 25 inches of additional coverage. Regardless of the actual additional length the extension provides, if you do not meet the first criteria listed above when using the extension provided on your flight, it will be necessary for you to purchase an additional seat or an upgrade, where available.
Additional procedures
The additional seat must be available without downgrading or unseating another customer. If an additional seat is not available on the flight for which the customer is confirmed, he or she is required to rebook on the next United flight with seats available for accommodation. United will waive penalties or fees that may otherwise apply to this change.
If the customer is away from his or her home and must rebook for a flight for the following day, amenities including applicable meals and hotel accommodations for one night will be provided as appropriate. When the customer is able to rebook for a later flight on the same day as originally scheduled, amenities will not be provided.
A customer flying in the economy cabin who is not able to safely and comfortably fit in a single seat is required to purchase an additional seat for each leg of their itinerary. The second seat may be purchased for the same fare as the original seat, provided it is purchased at the same time. A customer who does not purchase an extra seat in advance may be required to do so on the day of departure for the fare level available on the day of departure. The customer may instead choose to purchase a ticket for United First®, United Business® or United BusinessFirst®, or elect to pay for an upgrade to a premium cabin if there is availability to do so. United Airlines is not required to provide additional seats or upgrades free of charge.
A customer is required to purchase an additional seat or upgrade if they do not meet one of the following criteria:
The customer must be able to properly attach, buckle and wear the seat belt, with one extension if necessary, whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated or as instructed by a crew member.*
The customer must be able to remain seated with the seat armrest(s) down for the entirety of the flight.
The customer must not significantly encroach upon the adjacent seating space. See our seat maps.
United will not board a customer who declines to purchase a ticket for an additional seat or upgrade for each leg of their itinerary when required.
*The average length of the seatbelt extension is approximately 25 inches. As the seat designs on our aircraft vary, it is possible that the seatbelt extension presented on your flight provides less than 25 inches of additional coverage. Regardless of the actual additional length the extension provides, if you do not meet the first criteria listed above when using the extension provided on your flight, it will be necessary for you to purchase an additional seat or an upgrade, where available.
Additional procedures
The additional seat must be available without downgrading or unseating another customer. If an additional seat is not available on the flight for which the customer is confirmed, he or she is required to rebook on the next United flight with seats available for accommodation. United will waive penalties or fees that may otherwise apply to this change.
If the customer is away from his or her home and must rebook for a flight for the following day, amenities including applicable meals and hotel accommodations for one night will be provided as appropriate. When the customer is able to rebook for a later flight on the same day as originally scheduled, amenities will not be provided.
"Passenger of Size" (PoS) - What's the policy, experiences, issues, ...[Consolidated]
Jan 30, 2019, 10:04 am
#301
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,352
TBF UA needs to put everyone through a seat sizer just like they do with the carry on luggage. If they keep slimming down the seats they have to make sure the tikets they sell to pax will fit. Otherwise they should refund and accommodate for selling a faulty product etc. or being forced to disclose who fits in what seats as you are booking. oh the salt that would flow lol Changes you will like UA brings this on themselves with the slimlines
Passengers are getting wider; seats are getting narrower.
This video/situation will repeat.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:23 am
#302
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
Airline seats on the 737 haven't changed width since it was introduced. Pitch, sure, but an extra inch or two of legroom don't make that much difference in the available space at the shoulders or waist.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:27 am
#303
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: YYZ/YHM/BUF
Programs: AA Plat, HH Gold, MR Plat
Posts: 4,212
I have to agree that both sides are to blame for this outburst. The victim could've quietly gotten up and asked the flight attendant to be reseated without resorting to openly commenting on them in her phone conversation. The crew probably would've been more willing to figure out a solution. The obese woman (that Daily Mail article put it in perspective - wow, they sure eat a lot of Popeyes!) didn't need to swear. And I thought it was funny how she tried to act all fancy by saying "I'm Platinum" and "I don't want any negativity in the new year", yet she didn't think to maybe buy an extra seat since she flies so often?
Jan 30, 2019, 10:38 am
#304
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
Jan 30, 2019, 10:42 am
#305
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
And this was an exit row - so even if PsOS could shapeshift to be longer and slimmer - seat width wasn't an issue here. It was too much person for 3 seats.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:58 am
#306
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
TBF UA needs to put everyone through a seat sizer just like they do with the carry on luggage. If they keep slimming down the seats they have to make sure the tikets they sell to pax will fit. Otherwise they should refund and accommodate for selling a faulty product etc. or being forced to disclose who fits in what seats as you are booking. oh the salt that would flow lol Changes you will like UA brings this on themselves with the slimlines
Jan 30, 2019, 11:09 am
#307
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
A non-slimlined seat would not have fit those three people comfortably in one row. It simply wasn't going to happen.
Jan 30, 2019, 11:17 am
#309
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellingham/Gainesville
Programs: UA-G MM, Priority Club Platinum, Avis First, Hertz 5*, Red Lion
Posts: 2,808
+1. The width of seats on widebodies has been decreasing as UA tries to cram an additional seat in each row. Fortunately that's not viable on the narrowbodies.
And this was an exit row - so even if PsOS could shapeshift to be longer and slimmer - seat width wasn't an issue here. It was too much person for 3 seats.
And this was an exit row - so even if PsOS could shapeshift to be longer and slimmer - seat width wasn't an issue here. It was too much person for 3 seats.
Jan 30, 2019, 11:40 am
#310
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7
It seems, after recent incidents, the policy is to sardine can the normal sized passenger and if she complains...just throw her off the plane, thus showing her who the boss is. It is way beyond the reasoning skills of United to either move the smaller person or one of the obese people
Jan 30, 2019, 12:14 pm
#311
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,023
It seems, after recent incidents, the policy is to sardine can the normal sized passenger and if she complains...just throw her off the plane, thus showing her who the boss is. It is way beyond the reasoning skills of United to either move the smaller person or one of the obese people
Jan 30, 2019, 12:18 pm
#312
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,213
No one wants a middle seat, but it can be avoided by either paying for another seat assignment, booking earlier, ...... the question was what she could have done. And my answer is to plan better to not end up in the situation
Jan 30, 2019, 12:32 pm
#313
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Indianapolis
Programs: Hilton-Diamond Lifetime Platinum AA UA, WN-CP, SPG Gold.
Posts: 7,377
People are fatter..they take up more room.l
Only had a problem once,
Made the best if it, bought the fat lady a drink, all was fine
Short flight, she was nice,,
Only had a problem once,
Made the best if it, bought the fat lady a drink, all was fine
Short flight, she was nice,,
Jan 30, 2019, 1:17 pm
#315
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,656
I think SW has a mildly aggressive one, but I don't know for sure. You don't have to be a POS per say and not fit in a seat, as majority of the NFL don't fit in a economy seat, however they are very fit. Buy a first class seat if you are large, broad shouldered, etc. Your size, whether by choice or because you are a star linebacker in the NFL should not be my problem.