Flying when fat - help!

A body builder would NOT take up as much room as someone who was size 24, they would not have fat spilling under arm rests. Noise or flapping is not touching, physically disabled people are not touching, Stags and hens are not touching, people swearing, arguing, playing loud music, people not dressed appropriately?? are not touching, never seen anyone smoke on a flight but even by some miracle they did, they are not touching.

Someone who is grossly overweight who tries to wedge themselves into a seat that is too small and in doing so takes over some of MY space and makes My travel uncomfortable due to them spilling over to my side is something else entirely.

I wonder if all these people posting about the inconvenience of travelling next to a larger passenger (who can fit in the seat, armrest down) would feel the same about being sat next to say a person who severe autism or learning needs who may may make noise or flap, how about babies or children just under two years old but big for their age that sit on their parents lap, what about a body builder that is huge and takes up as much room, are physically disabled people who may have to sit in a certain position to be comfortable inconsiderate for not booking an extra seat?

It is public transport, many people can cause problems/ uncomfort eg hen/ stag type groups, children, people who play loud music/ films etc, couples arguing, people swearing, people with bo, people who don't dress appropriately, people who have drunk too much in the airport but the ground staff want rid so board them anyway, people smoking (incredibly dangerous on a flight).

Extra seats aren't guaranteed even when booked and paid for. If the flight is oversold or there is an aircraft swap the airline can use the seat if needed (this applies when people pay for a seat for an infant to use during the flight too who has to be on a lap for take off and landing). Op can book one and if she gets it great but it isn't guaranteed and if she did if should be for her comfort not others.

Airlines usually have a welfare team which can make adjustments for those who need it through disability. I'd give these a call op, they may be able to give you the best advice and help to resolve any issues.

Given what a pp had said (thankfully now deleted) to cause that reaction in the OP, I'd say it was an understandable reaction.

Ryanair seats are a particular problem as they don't recline, not even an inch!

Most people could squash their large bottom into a seat but what about the upper body? I sat next to a very large woman who had very big arms and I spent the mercifully short flight leaning to the other side. She encroached into at least 20% of my seat.

Ryanair are the narrowest seat width I’ve experienced. Google suggest 16-17in depending on aircraft. Can you measure up a chair at home @FattyAirways and see if you fit within it comfortably? Otherwise may be best to enquire re price of comfort seat for your own reassurance

I would like to respectively ask the people who are size 24 who have travelled with no problem......have you thought about the person you are beside or do you mean you could actually manage to wedge yourself in the seat and do up the seatbelt? So I am alright Jack. You might not think you are infringing on others but you more than likely are at that size especially on a Ryanair flight.

This is from their website..

Extra seats can be purchased for comfort
How to book an extra seat
To book an extra seat for comfort go online and select 2 seats. The first seat should be booked in the actual passenger's name and the extra seat should be entered as COMFORT SEAT as the Last Name and EXTRA as the first Name. The name EXTRA COMFORT SEAT will then be displayed on the reservation and online boarding pass.

I'm a 24, I've just flown twice with no issue. I've also had a fear of flying for decades, which I was able to cope with on my last 3 flights. Sending you very best wishes. Anxiety can be tamed with time and support. Enjoy your trip.

Airports are difficult. I do use headphones, dark glasses/eye mask and my queue jumping lanyard - and I buy the required space to accommodate my body, aka one seat. It’s manageable, tiring, but sometimes necessary. They sometimes let disabled people have jobs where we have to travel internationally, and some of us have family abroad. I’m not sure ‘be permanently grounded’ is a reasonable accommodation we should make for someone’s fat.

I brought up the sensory issues situation to illustrate that overspill isn’t just an issue of mild discomfort for some of us, as there isn’t always awareness of this and it’s perceived as annoying but tolerable. I didn’t really want to initiate a debate of ‘should the disabled be barred from travel to accommodate the fat’. There’s room for us both, if everyone is considerate.

I don't have sensory issues, but I sure as heck did at the end of the flight I described in my earlier post - the sense of a soaking wet leg and a very painful back. I know it's a difficult and embarrassing problem for someone who is too big to fit in their own seat, but my 37 inch hips had nowhere to go when someone else's nether regions had encroached on a large proportion of my seat!

I have not got sensory issues but I will be damned if someone sitting beside me who is obese spills over onto the seat that I paid for because they are too big for the one they are in. That impacts ME and MY comfort on a long journey. Nobody wants to be wedged in their seat because the person beside them is using the space that they paid for. Nobody wants to be touching thighs with a stranger.

How does someone with sensory issues affect you?

Not comparable in the slightest.

If you are too big for a one seat and spill over and touch another person you do the decent thing and buy 2 seats. That is not discrimination, that is just basic manners.

@TirisfalPumpkin with all due respect if you have sensory issues are you sure an airport and plane are the most ideal way to travel? Public transport is just that public. Ones needs does not trump another.

I do not know how a person with sensory issues would cope with the airports currently long ques, standing within close proximity to people, people going ahead of the queue despite you being there before them.. and the delays.

You cannot just discriminate whatever the reason may be.

People have different body shapes and carry weight differently so 52” around the hips is average not necessarily why an individuals hips are.

I am a size 28 and carry my weight on my tummy so I fit in airline seats even the ones with fixed sides. The issue I have is the table as I “spill” to the front. I personally chose and pay for extra leg room seats, premium economy, club and even business class if I can afford it as you usually get more room.

I have encountered much slimmer people with wide hips who spill into my seat under the arm rest. In one case by at least 4”, and it was impossible for me to sit down properly. I had to perched on the edge of the seat which I could do because I had a seat belt extender. Fortunately there was a delay and the flight was half full and I was allowed to move seats. Had there not been a spare seat I don’t know what the flight crew would have done as I looked big but fitted in my seat but she was much slimmer and did not fit in her seat. She should have had to purchase an extra seat but I feel I would have been fat shamed.

@FattyAirways I just googled. Ryanair seats are 17" wide between the armrests.

I believe you book the second (comfort) seat by calling the airline generally.
They are slightly cheaper sometimes due to the airline taxes, etc. I think, but not always.

Not all airlines let you book these online.

If you’re travelling with RyanAir I would definitely book a second seat. Their seats are 17 inches wide so without trying to be unkind, it will be more comfortable for you if you have two seats.

@FattyAirways

I'm a bit confused after reading all your posts. What was your original question, why you posted?

You were nervous because someone booked seats next to you, but you're confident you won't encroach, so what makes you nervous about sitting next to someone if you definitely, 100% won't spill onto their side?

I'm surprised OP is so confident about it now that she plans to come back and tell us how well it all went before it's happened. She started the thread because she was so worried. And now it turns out money is no object to a second seat? So why wouldn't you just book it?

Unfortunately OP has decided she'll be "fine" so she won't book a second seat. So so unfair towards the unfortunate person sitting next to her. I would make some annoyed noises to be honest - and imagine her having to go to the loo (thankfully the Ryanair seats in front can't recline). I have an issue with one of my joints and that's why I mostly travel business or at the very least I choose and pay for an aisle seat on the left side of the plane to accommodate my joint.

The majority of people here is telling you to buy a second seat - please do the decent thing and buy it - people will breathe a sigh of relief on the plane I can guarantee you. And next time book business which means the middle seat is vacant and you can spill there

Travel by tube and train regularly, also a regular flyer. There is a big difference between someone touching you, as in grazing your arm or leg due to lack of space, something you indeed have to suck up when travelling in rush hour, and a very overweight person physically sitting in part of your seat so that you have much less space than you otherwise would if said person wasn’t there.

If you have joint or spinal issues, the discomfort of having to accommodate two bodies in one seat, with the already paltry amount of space provided for your own body, can be excruciating, as I have experienced personally with a slipped cervical disc. I hobbled off the plane and an issue that was slowly improving relapsed.

OP, pls don’t risk causing discomfort to your fellow travellers, Ryanair seats are pathetically snug, your physical presence will, without doubt, be felt by your immediately neighbouring passenger, book the comfort seat 🤷🏻‍♀️

It's not as simple as that.

There are sometimes ground loading restrictions on a handful of types that mean they occasionally board front first but for reasons well beyond the scope of this forum you ideally load the aircraft up with the weight (strictly the centre of mass) towards the rear of the aircraft for performance reasons. Probably not something that's a major issue with short haul flights but it certainly was done on Long Haul flights at some airlines.

However I've seen a few seat maps/plans over the years and what seems to happen is if given a free hand the public seem to like selecting seats up front, for reasons we can only guess at (ease of embarkation/disembarkation, avoiding loos, galleys, etc), even if that means squeezing into an already partly occupied row.

You'd quite often see flights where the majority of forward rows were absolutely full, then there'd be stacks of free seats and even entire rows free towards the back of the aircraft....

As an aside, the idea of a ‘comfort seat’ is actually a nice one - I can see reason to book it even if not required for fat storage. Could put my bag/book there, use the space to stretch and move, do a bit of seat yoga, pretend I’m in business class.

I suspect those saying ‘I’ve done it and it was fine’ mean they spilled, but their neighbour preferred to endure pain and distress quietly rather than point out to cabin crew that a stranger is fat and it’s causing a problem. I mean, it’s not an easy conversation to have.

and yeah, the leg sweat is grim. Let’s not do that to strangers. Fat isn’t a moral issue until you ruin someone’s day with it through inconsiderate behaviour.

whole of one side of my trouser leg was soaked in her sweat where she was squashed against me.

^ that's gross.

I’m a Ryan air frequent flyer. I am size 18( in multiple difficult brands with my weight fairly evenly distributed) Their seats are particularly small and my bottom only just fits in the seat. The seatbelts are also small than average and for me to use is at the maximum.
OP I do think you should be mentally prepared for a problem. I would also advise an aisle seat. I hate it when people have to get past for the toilet .

You can’t just touch people because you won’t pay for a second seat. Nobody should have up put up with this.

I would agree that it is not at all unkind to say that spilling into someone else's seat is unreasonable.

A few years ago, I was in the seat next to a very overweight lady whose thigh spilled under the armrest and would have occupied a good third of my seat, before any compression/squashing. I'm a size 10, for reference.

She was very friendly and we ended up chatting during the flight. She even confided that she was relieved when she saw that her seat neighbour was slim, as she always had a problem fitting into airline seats.

Lovely as she was, I had a very uncomfortable flight, with back ache for a while after I left the plane. The whole of one side of my trouser leg was soaked in her sweat where she was squashed against me.

So I am of the view that it really is not ok to encroach. The solution seems to be to book an additional seat and/ or alert the airline to the fact that you might not fit into a standard seat, and see what they recommend.