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Large people on planes.
187 Answers
I popped over to Budapest at the weekend to see a friend who is working there, and on the flight I sat next to a lady who must have been at least 20 stone - she was huge.
In addition to taking up her own space, her size meant she was taking up probably about a third of my space as well, which made for an extremely uncomfortable flight.
This isn't the first time this has happened to me.
Should there be a booking condition whereby if you are over a certain weight you have to purchase 2 tickets - and if you don't, you don't fly?
The current situation is not fair on those of us within a 'normal' weight band who are made to suffer because some people can't control their eating.
In addition to taking up her own space, her size meant she was taking up probably about a third of my space as well, which made for an extremely uncomfortable flight.
This isn't the first time this has happened to me.
Should there be a booking condition whereby if you are over a certain weight you have to purchase 2 tickets - and if you don't, you don't fly?
The current situation is not fair on those of us within a 'normal' weight band who are made to suffer because some people can't control their eating.
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Many airlines make a big issue of excess baggage. They have strict limits (and I’m talking about the overall limit, not the “per item” limit which is obviously imposed for the safety of the baggage handlers) and they make hefty charges for anyone who goes a few kilos over the limit. Then along comes a passenger weighing 60 kilos and another weighing twice as much and they both travel for the same fare! Sixty kilos of excess baggage would cost anything up to £600 or even more, but the larger person takes this amount of weight on board for free.
I’m completely with flip_flop on this one. It is extremely unfair that a carrier which bases baggage costs on weight is quite prepared to carry anybody of almost any weight for the same fare. But more than this, it is, as flip_flop points out, extremely inconvenient to travel by air whilst sitting next to somebody so large. Space on an aircraft is tight. Everybody knows it is anad it must come as no surprise to any passenger. I find it hard to understand why this question has somewhat degenerated into a slanging match, with accusations of insensitivity and the like. People are overweight for many reasons but whether it is their own fault or not they must realise that their size presents others around them with a problem on board an aircraft. The airlines need to act collectively and impose some regulations about just how large you can be to travel in only one seat. There will be howls of protest from the usual suspects, but I believe the rights of passengers who do comfortably fit into one seat must trump the rights of those who do not.
I’m completely with flip_flop on this one. It is extremely unfair that a carrier which bases baggage costs on weight is quite prepared to carry anybody of almost any weight for the same fare. But more than this, it is, as flip_flop points out, extremely inconvenient to travel by air whilst sitting next to somebody so large. Space on an aircraft is tight. Everybody knows it is anad it must come as no surprise to any passenger. I find it hard to understand why this question has somewhat degenerated into a slanging match, with accusations of insensitivity and the like. People are overweight for many reasons but whether it is their own fault or not they must realise that their size presents others around them with a problem on board an aircraft. The airlines need to act collectively and impose some regulations about just how large you can be to travel in only one seat. There will be howls of protest from the usual suspects, but I believe the rights of passengers who do comfortably fit into one seat must trump the rights of those who do not.
The reason people get charged excess baggage is because it's a handy way to deter people from carrying too much.
Charging heavier people more money for their ticket is the sort of thing I'd expect cowboy operators like Ryanair to do. It would probably not encourage people to lose weight, and the seat nextdoor would not be any less comfortable for whoever was in it. And it would encourage the airline to see even more of its overpriced onboard junk food to make people even fatter :-) And charging people for two seats would mean no seat at all, no matter how uncomfortable, for the person next door!
Charging heavier people more money for their ticket is the sort of thing I'd expect cowboy operators like Ryanair to do. It would probably not encourage people to lose weight, and the seat nextdoor would not be any less comfortable for whoever was in it. And it would encourage the airline to see even more of its overpriced onboard junk food to make people even fatter :-) And charging people for two seats would mean no seat at all, no matter how uncomfortable, for the person next door!
i agree flip flop, you paid for your place and have someone take up some of your space, making you uncomfortable, i too would be mad, they are invading your space, it would be different if you knew the person. but i also dont blame the person it is the airlines problem! they try and squeeze as many people as they can into these flights, the chairs should be bigger, people shouldnt have to be squeezed in like sardines
Yes Leanne, but you cannot expect the airlines to ensure all their seats are capable of accommodating people who weigh twenty-five stones plus. That would make the cost of travel unreasonably high for everybody. There is certainly a case for charging heavier people more to fly because, unlike a train or boat, the cost of operating an aircraft is heavily dependent upon the weight carried. Let’s not get carried away with cries of discrimination and the like. It is purely a practical matter which needs addressing for everybody’s benefit.
Don't know how long you've lived, flip-flop, but as you go through life you will find that some people are big, some very small, some have dark hair, some fair, some have beards, others are clean-shaven .... we're all DIFFERENT. Just because someone is a different size or shape to you, doesn't mean you have the right to belittle them or ridicule them. It's what's on the inside that matters. You are implying that a thin person is "good" and a fat person is "bad". I would say that self-righteous, arrogant and narrow-minded people, like yourself, are probably the worst kind. You have a lot of growing up to do.
Big Jenny - I am 40.
I did not belittle the lady and nor did I ridicule her.
Redhelen suggested I should have spoken to a stewardess about the issue - even if there had been other seats available I would not have done so because that would have made the lady feel awful.
I haven't implied anything - the thrust of my argument is that because of this lady's size I was extremely uncomfortable and that I felt it was unfair that I was having to share my space with somebody else.
From your insults you've obviously taken it personally (I assume from your name that you are fat) and that really doesn't help anybody.
It is a very real issue that needs to be properly addressed.
I did not belittle the lady and nor did I ridicule her.
Redhelen suggested I should have spoken to a stewardess about the issue - even if there had been other seats available I would not have done so because that would have made the lady feel awful.
I haven't implied anything - the thrust of my argument is that because of this lady's size I was extremely uncomfortable and that I felt it was unfair that I was having to share my space with somebody else.
From your insults you've obviously taken it personally (I assume from your name that you are fat) and that really doesn't help anybody.
It is a very real issue that needs to be properly addressed.
By the way peeps, it isn't just heavier people who sometimes take up a lot of space in an aircraft! Sometimes it is loutish, average sized people ( in my experience mainly business men) who feel they have the right to spread themselves all over the place and often parents who have unruly, noisy children!
I do sympathise with those whose space is encroached by others. It isn't nice and on a long haul flight can be dreadful. Even a few larger seats doted around the aircraft would certainly help.
I had to be brought back from the US after a snake bite once and the airline (Lufthansa) was fantastic! They gave me a full middle row (3 seats) in 1st class and a personal stewart to watch over me the whole flight back. I had not asked for help, but the pilot was worried about me and went a little overboard ... well, I say overboard ... not literally of course!!! (whew!) :o))Luckily the flight was not full up. Nobody complained! Those were the days when airlines still cared about their customers!
I do sympathise with those whose space is encroached by others. It isn't nice and on a long haul flight can be dreadful. Even a few larger seats doted around the aircraft would certainly help.
I had to be brought back from the US after a snake bite once and the airline (Lufthansa) was fantastic! They gave me a full middle row (3 seats) in 1st class and a personal stewart to watch over me the whole flight back. I had not asked for help, but the pilot was worried about me and went a little overboard ... well, I say overboard ... not literally of course!!! (whew!) :o))Luckily the flight was not full up. Nobody complained! Those were the days when airlines still cared about their customers!
"you cannot expect the airlines to ensure all their seats are capable of accommodating people who weigh twenty-five stones plus."
Yes and no. I have no statistics on this, but I believe airlines used to allow less legroom. Ten years ago I flew back from Seattle on BA swith my knees splayed apart; and I am not particularly tall. In recent years I haven't had this problem, which suggests to me that BA, and other airlines, are losing a row or two of seats.
Why? Well, jno jnr is much taller than his parents - and so are most of his generation. I doubt many of them would have fitted onto my Seattle flight without extreme discomfort. Some people would no doubt tell them "Well, don't fly, then" - but no airline can afford to annoy or ignore a generation of potential travellers.
What's true of height is also true of girth: people are getting bigger all over. Airlines will have to adapt if they want to keep in the mass transport business. Eventually seats will be bigger, even if it means fares go up.
Yes and no. I have no statistics on this, but I believe airlines used to allow less legroom. Ten years ago I flew back from Seattle on BA swith my knees splayed apart; and I am not particularly tall. In recent years I haven't had this problem, which suggests to me that BA, and other airlines, are losing a row or two of seats.
Why? Well, jno jnr is much taller than his parents - and so are most of his generation. I doubt many of them would have fitted onto my Seattle flight without extreme discomfort. Some people would no doubt tell them "Well, don't fly, then" - but no airline can afford to annoy or ignore a generation of potential travellers.
What's true of height is also true of girth: people are getting bigger all over. Airlines will have to adapt if they want to keep in the mass transport business. Eventually seats will be bigger, even if it means fares go up.
