Large people on planes.

[flip_flop]

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.

[islasmum]

Maybe the airlines could increase the size of the toilets when they are making some seats wider! incidentally why should this thread be suspended? I can't see that anyone has been out of order on it?

[ChuckFickens]

We could suspend everyone just for the hell of it though, B00...

Do you want to suspend the blokes, I'll start on the women (leave the unsures until last)

[jno]

still wouldn't be enough for Gerard Depardieeu, islasmum.

[China Doll]

Maybe they should isla, their toilets are quite small. Why is it such a bad idea for bigger seats to be provided? It would be meeting a requirement.

[jno]

only that they wouldn't fit, CD. Add an inch or two width per seat and you'd have to junk one seat in every row. A very good idea imho but the prices would have to be a lot higher to make up for the shortfall if you lost, say, one passenger in eight.

Or maybe instead of stewardesses going up the aisles with dutyfrees they could just send them along overhead wires to the seats.

[B00]

Ahhhh, the man with a plan, i like your thinking chuck....we'll take turns? You, then me, then you....

TWR- did your post on this topic get abusive? As ive said ,I've seen nowt on this post worth suspending.

[cazzz1975]

its about money, making more comfortable seats would inevitably be at the cost of extra passengers they can squeeze onto a flight, so they are unlikely to do it imo

[Frank97]

Perhaps if they did away with first class and business class every one would have enough room.

[China Doll]

Maybe they could just do it for the front two rows. As I said, at the kind of weight implied, there's clearly some sort of need and not just a case of 'who ate all the pies'. It's not very dignified for either person if a very large person is squashed in to their own chair and half of yours.

[jno]

it's first class and business class who are paying for the cheap seats in economy. Do away with them and you'll really know the meaning of "sky-high".

[joko]

assuming that there are a few large people on each flight, perhaps they could have a few special seats that turn from 3 into 2...but moving the armrests and shaping them differntly, then the person could pay something extra to take up 1 and half seats?

i realise that this would mean all large people would have to sit next to each other, but if the people in the other seats must compromise and suffer somewhat so should the overweight person perhaps? it would also mean they may not have to pay for a whole extar seat...

[cazzz1975]

well I suppose its a couple of large people now, going on the weight gain trend forecast for the next 20 years, I am guessing that couple will increase significantly.

[Frank97]

I was just wondering if might actually be the case. Oh well.

[Frank97]

@jno

[jno]

they do that in business on some short-haul flights - six seats become five in business (and the aisle moves sideways a bit). But asking the portly to pay business class prices is a non-starter; business class is aimed at people who don't pay for their flights, as the name implies.

[China Doll]

Well what about the standard fare and say £50 more or something to hire a larger chair, possibly increasing in price for the longer the trip. To me taht seems reasonable.

[tara20]

That sounds reasonable, CD.
At the same time they could charge for excess hand luggage.
It never ceases to amaze me (with one large handbag to put my jacket in) what people take with them in the cabin.
Last time a man next to me had a trolley, an overcoat, a cabin bag, laptop, two bottles of duty free whisky, a second duty free bag and two newspapers! He took up most of the locker.

[Le Chat]

Went away with Jet 2 this summer and noticed that there was more room generally than most flights I've been on. Strange as it's budget. The toilet was very small though, I struggled to open the door, close it and get in position bending forward, as I'm not going to sit on the seat ever!! I'm only a size 10/12...well a 10 on the way out ans a 12 on the way back!!

[jno]

yup, sounds like you've invented premium economy, CD.