Woman enraged on flight for having to sit between two self-proclaimed "plus-sized" people

I would be enraged as well - why are these people allowed to merely purchase one seat each - they are self-described "plus-sized" -- they are each close to 400 pounds IMHO

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6642561/Rude-flyer-meltdown-United-Airlines-flight-sitting-middle-seat-big-passengers.html

You know what always perplexed me: Someone who weighs 400lbs. and checks in a bag weighing 50lbs or under has no additional overweight baggage fee but, another person who weighs 150lbs trying to check in a bag that weighs 60lbs will have to pay for those extra 10lbs of baggage — something does not add up -- perhaps there should be a total weight allowed per person (all in -- meaning body weight + baggage weight) before an additional charge occurs?

Quote: aceofspades

I would be enraged as well - why are these people allowed to merely purchase one seat each - they are self-described "plus-sized" -- they are each close to 400 pounds IMHO

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6642561/Rude-flyer-meltdown-United-Airlines-flight-sitting-middle-seat-big-passengers.html

They were big but if you can fit in a seat with the arm rests down, you don't have to buy another seat
My team has sold 2 seats to one person but its real rare.
3 across, I put the husband and wife in an aisle and window hoping the middle stays empty and then they have room to stretch
Usually if somebody takes the middle, the couple switches to stay together. Looks like this one did not which is their right

The middle seat person knew ahead of time knew she was in a middle seat.
I have had clients change a flight just for that reason.
Don't want the middle, buy bus class, use points to upgrade, buy premium economy ect

When I took a short flight on a small plane in Costa Rica they charged you by the total weight, including yourself. You actually stood on a scale in the airport. If an airline did that here, I would applaud it.

I was kind of in that woman's situation on a flight in Europe. I discretely switched to another seat as soon as the the plane leveled off and got scolded by a flight attendant over it in broken English. I was in a middle seat with a huge man on one side and normal-sized one on the other. I didn't want to shame the fat guy by asking to switch right in front of him, although I'm sure he knew the reason I left.

In my opinion, if you pay for a seat you should get a full seat. If the airline can't move people around, then either compensate the passenger who is getting squeezed in or make the big people get off the plane. They are taking a risk of that happening if they buy one seat only.

I voted for "rude but right."

They were together, but they booked a aisle and window seat, knowing that they'd be forcing someone to get squished between them? Should have paid for that extra seat in between them.

Southwest lets fatties get an extra seat for free...

Quote: terapined

They were big but if you can fit in a seat with the arm rests down, you don't have to buy another seat
My team has sold 2 seats to one person but its real rare.
3 across, I put the husband and wife in an aisle and window hoping the middle stays empty and then they have room to stretch
Usually if somebody takes the middle, the couple switches to stay together. Looks like this one did not which is their right

The middle seat person knew ahead of time knew she was in a middle seat.
I have had clients change a flight just for that reason.
Don't want the middle, buy bus class, use points to upgrade, buy premium economy ect

I sat on a flight last year next to a couple who were in the 300-350 range - the husband was at the window, the wife in the middle and I was on the aisle -- the woman's thighs encroached under the armrest onto my seat and her back encroached onto the upper part of my seat -- unless I wanted to be in constant contact with this woman's thighs and back the entire flight, I had to not only lose the portion of my seat she was taking up, but also move another inch or so away


Why is it supposed to be someone else's problem (i.e. having to purchase or use points for an upgrade) when these people are so obese that they cannot fit within their seat (and I do not mean the way the woman I was sitting next to was seated)? Perhaps they should have dividers instead of armrests then there can be no encroachment at all

Quote: ams288

Southwest lets fatties get an extra seat for free...

Where in the booking process do they ask this? I know a very heavy man, I mean huge, who flies Southwest. I think he makes sure to board early and then nobody ever chooses to sit next to him. I'm sure he prays the flight isn't completely booked every time.

They obviously knew that sitting next to each other would be uncomfortable so, rather than discomfort themselves, they chose to take up the extra space of a third person's seat and cause them discomfort

I sat next to a big guy for 4 hours. I had the aisle. The guy in the middle was not fat, just real big like Dolph Lundgren. The armrest between us was up the entire time. I just dealt with it. sold out flight as they typically are flying nonstop TPA to LAS

Quote: Wizard

Where in the booking process do they ask this? I know a very heavy man, I mean huge, who flies Southwest. I think he makes sure to board early and then nobody ever chooses to sit next to him. I'm sure he prays the flight isn't completely booked every time.

You can either buy an extra ticket in advance, and then they refund it after the flight. Or you can just purchase one ticket and ask the gate agent before boarding for an extra seat.

https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/extra-seat/index-pol.html?CLK=SITESEARCH

They let them pre-board.

Whenever I fly Southwest, I always watch for any "customers of size" who are pre-boarding. Then I try to sit in their row on the plane because I know the middle seat will be empty.