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.

[ichkeria]

"Ickeria, you know what, it doesn't, but being wedged between two morbidly obese people on a plane was no fun, and neither was having to suggest i move, because sitting on the outside of the aisle didn't make any difference."

(It doesn't what?)
I sympathise - I don't like it either: but consider the options:
Move to another seat if possible; but if the flight is full be thankful fat people AREN'T given an extra seat or you might have had no seat at all.
Or is it a case that we can at least console ourselves that the nasty overweight person next to us is paying more for his/her obesity :-)

[B00]

But under and over the arm rests, there's gaps, and if the person starts oozing over onto your seat...

[sandyRoe]

Why has Boo's post suddenly brought to mind The Blob?

[emmie]

Ickeria, you seem to think its a dig at fat people, but as others have posted, if you are tall, you pay for extra leg room. And no it's not pleasant, and no i don't like the situation on any form of transport, most people if they were honest don't like their little space being invaded. Airlines are trying to make as much money as possible, and they have made the seating a good deal smaller, i'm sure. Very few people can afford business class and certainly not first class, so you go into economy.

[Euphemia]

Food for thought, Steve

[emmie]

its funny, at least it is on harry enfield, lol

[islasmum]

What about pregnant women? Should they be charged extr as well? I have to say that the last flight my OH and I took was extremely uncomfortable for both of us - yes I'm fat, but my OH is 5'10" and 12 stone (sorry, don't do kilos) which I think would qualify him as a "normal" size; he was very kind and kept the armrest up - what really annoyed us was the man (normal size) in the seat by the window who was reading one of the broadsheet sunday papers, with all the supplements falling out, which nearly hit my partner in the face every time he turned the page. My OH is not the most patient of people, so I had to swop my aisle seat for the middle before WW3 broke out. (and yes, I did ask him if he could take more care, to which I got a very brusque "sorry", with very little difference. I do think that a lot of the problem is attitude though, if you try to keep your seat and feet in your own space it is really very difficult to do, even if you are a normal size. Incidentally I do qualify as fat - but I am trying to lose weight so I can be comfortable as well as the person next door to me. Maybe you should provide your weight and height when you buy your ticket! Also bear in mind that the rate of obese people is growing rapidly in this country - maybe the "norm" for people will be "plump" in the next 10 years!

[B00]

That may be so islasmum, 10 years down the line, but it doesn't alter the situation now on a flight does it?

and that's what flip flop is asking- perhaps if you did provide your height and weight when booking a flight and you were over a "standard" then yes, you should be requested to book an extra seat for your weight/height should it be necessary. That, in my book, also includes pregnant women.

[jno]

islasmum, yes I did suggest several pages back that airlines are going to have to increase seat size as people get bigger. Basically though if you widen a seat a couple of inches you're going to lose a seat in every row, and that's going to mean prices shooting up.

What's probably going to happen is more airlines bringing in premium economy sections - not business class space or prices, but maybe 8 extra inches of legroom and 3-4 sideways. A few airlines have them already, eg BA ansd Virgin.

[LoftyLottie]

Should that be the case too BOO for buses, trains, restaurants.

As what is 'normal'?

Unworkable in my opinion.

[B00]

Maybe the can fit roof racks to planes and stick overweight/over tall folk on them?

[B00]

"Should that be the case too BOO for buses, trains, restaurants. "

Yes.

I've no idea what a 'standard' could be, im not educated in these things, but I'm sure some organisation somewhere can figure that one out.

[LoftyLottie]

Perhaps you should be graded according to size as you enter on a conveyer belt and then be packed in an appropriate container for your journey.

I would rather sit next to a fat person that a little smelly person!!

[LoftyLottie]

Little people could be packed in the hold BOO ;o)

[happyone2]

What about smelly people ? Or drunk people who swear ?

[B00]

i like that idea Lottie! See? I knew someone with brains would come along with a simple solution. Though I am warming to my roof rack idea, we can stick the smellys' on there too.

[LoftyLottie]

Just think planes full of Stepford wives, all looking and weighing exactly the same. No newspapers allowed, no fidgetting allowed, no snoring, leaning, talking, eating whilst on board, etc. etc. Great!!!

[jno]

they used to weigh you as you boarded aircraft in Samoa. People there are pretty large. They didn't turn you away but they tried to balance passengers, and their baggage, so the planes didn't fly on their sides.

Just to make it worse there was an old lady who always used to meet flights in Apia selling her homemade cookies, which were delish.

[LoftyLottie]

You could of course have one of those things you test your hand baggage in to see if it is the right size. A human shaped cutout as you check in. If you don't fit in you have to pay extra or disrobe until you do.