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, 1:20 pm
#316
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Short version
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.
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.
Jan 30, 2019, 1:37 pm
#318
Suspended
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Originally Posted by prestonh 
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
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, 2:13 pm
#319
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Jan 30, 2019, 2:19 pm
#320
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Besides, despite all your planning you could be in the window seat and squished by an obese person in the middle seat. What are you going to say to that? Don't fly at all? Or buy a business class seat to avoid such a situation?
(PS: I already see that someone else has recommended that people buy first class seats to avoid this situation. This discussion has truly taken a bizarre turn. It's your fault, I guess, for finding yourself next to a big person who overflows into your space.)
Last edited by thebakaronis; Jan 30, 2019 at 2:23 pm Reason: Added PS.
Jan 30, 2019, 2:39 pm
#321
Join Date: Jul 2011
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Sorry, your response makes no sense. Why should it be my burden to take a priori defensive action against potentially being stuck between two large people? I have every right to expect that the seat I'm assigned to is mine and not partially occupied by my neighbor. How often have you had to travel at short notice on popular routes when you just can't get a good seat regardless of your FF status? There are so many situations that you don't control when you find yourself in a middle seat.
Besides, despite all your planning you could be in the window seat and squished by an obese person in the middle seat. What are you going to say to that? Don't fly at all? Or buy a business class seat to avoid such a situation?
(PS: I already see that someone else has recommended that people buy first class seats to avoid this situation. This discussion has truly taken a bizarre turn. It's your fault, I guess, for finding yourself next to a big person who overflows into your space.)
Besides, despite all your planning you could be in the window seat and squished by an obese person in the middle seat. What are you going to say to that? Don't fly at all? Or buy a business class seat to avoid such a situation?
(PS: I already see that someone else has recommended that people buy first class seats to avoid this situation. This discussion has truly taken a bizarre turn. It's your fault, I guess, for finding yourself next to a big person who overflows into your space.)
Jan 30, 2019, 2:45 pm
#322
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: New York NY
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Yes, supplied in the thread's wiki with links to the UA website.
Short version
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.
Longer version see the wiki or united
Short version
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.
Longer version see the wiki or united
Jan 30, 2019, 3:24 pm
#323
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Guys and Gals, This discussion is getting absurd....READ THE QUOTE ABOVE FROM THE UA WEBSITE!!!! Some of us have referred to it numerous times...it's also in the Wiki. READ IT??? UA has a very clear policy. The quishee gets the seat that they booked. The squisher needs to buy a second seat or a FC seat. Period!!!!!....The problem is enforcement. . . . . . . .
So far as I can tell, and I'll admit living in DFW United is not my most probable airline so maybe I missed it, the airline has said nothing. Which might be better than some breathy PR quote and a chorus of corporate happy songs, but they are passing on a really good, even obligatory, chance to clarify the issue. Either enforce, or ignore by plan and get a handle early on seats to be blocked.
Jan 30, 2019, 3:32 pm
#324
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Really could stop right there. The problem being "enforcement" never happens. By pretty much anybody except apparently Southwest.
So far as I can tell, and I'll admit living in DFW United is not my most probable airline so maybe I missed it, the airline has said nothing. Which might be better than some breathy PR quote and a chorus of corporate happy songs, but they are passing on a really good, even obligatory, chance to clarify the issue. Either enforce, or ignore by plan and get a handle early on seats to be blocked.
So far as I can tell, and I'll admit living in DFW United is not my most probable airline so maybe I missed it, the airline has said nothing. Which might be better than some breathy PR quote and a chorus of corporate happy songs, but they are passing on a really good, even obligatory, chance to clarify the issue. Either enforce, or ignore by plan and get a handle early on seats to be blocked.
Jan 30, 2019, 3:34 pm
#325
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: USA
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Been thinking about this article and situation and I'm no longer even in the camp that refers to the woman in the middle as being rude. She didn't direct verbal abuse toward the POSes on either side until they directed it at her. Yes, she was talking to someone on the phone and wasn't taking care to not be heard but it's not like she could have moved after being squashed between those two. I'm not svelte myself but I don't overflow like the guy obviously must have and the negative experience goes from inconvenience to outright torture with the square of the flight time.
Jan 30, 2019, 4:47 pm
#326
Join Date: Sep 2010
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I suppose there's less liability in accusing a normal sized person of fat shaming someone than to accommodate them appropriately in the first place. Our society has become so "tolerant" that everyone is a protected class. What happened to common sense?
Jan 30, 2019, 7:42 pm
#327
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I was mildly on the side of the POS'ers until I saw their full pictures in one of the news articles. I don't know that the woman is oversize, I would guess not. But the gentleman is easily 375-400 lbs, and could have been easily evaluated at the gate for his non-compliant size. But as I've noted elsewhere in a post, United staff (both gate agents and onboard) have been loathe to call out anti-social behavior the last few years. Something which I believe is merely "doing their job".
Jan 31, 2019, 5:54 am
#329
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Of course whether one chooses to fly when only middle seats remain is another question ...
Jan 31, 2019, 9:26 am
#330
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Or, whether or not UA honors your seat request. Or if there's a flight cancellation and you're rerouted onto a flight you didn't select in the first place. You never know why someone has a poor seat assignment; it's not always their fault.
