To expect people not to take over my seat on the plane

Gosh, I guess it doesn’t matter if taking up other peoples space makes them uncomfortable really then.

Yeah, bog standard manspreading. Nothing to do with being on a plane.
I probably would have asked him WTF he was doing around about the resting-arm-on-top-of-tablet point

Fuck that, he doesn't get to make me more uncomfortable because he's failed to ensure he sits in a legroom seat.

Would a neighbouring passenger really agree that he fits in his seat though? That's a very tall person with an obese BMI. I'd be shocked if he actually fits within the parameters of a standard airline seat.

See, you're still missing the point. It's not all about bulk. I don't care what kind of seats your 'mate' can sit in, I know from personal experience that it's also very difficult for people with long legs to sit in a cramped seat without feeling the urge to spread. Personally I never encroach into anyone else's leg space because I know how annoying it is, but many people are less polite.

And I've seen plenty of people (mostly men), who don't have any 'roles' (sic) of fat whatsoever spreading into the next person's space. Indeed, OP has clarified that this has nothing to do with the person's weight.

HTH.

Well what else is it about?

A mate is 6ft7, lifts weights, VERY muscular (over 20 stone) and can he fit in a standard seat on a budget airline.

Only an absolute minority would fit into a category other than obese that wouldn't fit into a seat, so I am not being prejudice, I am being factual.

And even professional body builders know they need to pay for an extra seat if they can't fit. They choose to be that big so fair enough. And this is only a very teeny tiny % of the population.

My MIL pays for 2 seats as she is obese. She wouldn't dream of spilling over into someone else's seat.

This is the only good thing about perimenopause. I feel like I’ve finally found my voice. I have zero patience for CF’s and will happily tell someone if they are being rude and bothering me.

My uncle books an extra seat as he can't fit in a standard one. So they book 3 between him and his wife
He's not obese but just so big he can't wedge himself in!

Did you tell them to stay within their space?

Maybe, what of the others comfort he takes?

Which is fine if it is you next to him and you don’t mind.
Or are you saying it’s ok to make another passenger uncomfortable so that he is not?

Interesting the way you automatically assume this is about obesity so you can jam your prejudices into the narrative. Larger people aren't the only ones who 'spread' in cramped seating, not by a long chalk.

Then he needs to purchase seats with extra leg room. They are readily available at a cost. If he chooses to not pay for them then he’ll just have to be uncomfortable and not encroach on other people’s space.

How can it be both “little known” and a convention. Surely for it to be a convention people need to know about it in order to habitually do it.

Also, I disagree.

Someone suggested in a similar thread, that when a spreader's legs enter her seat space she pops her handbag onto his thigh as a handy table...

Last flight I was in middle and both armrests taken up by two average sized women with sharp elbows encroaching into my seat space...always happens, I never get the armrests but defend my seat space territory...it was increasing pressure the whole way...sigh

I'm not one to suffer in silence and have absolutely no problem kicking up a fuss so these types of situations very rarely affect me. I think you must learn to speak up OP.

I would develop similar wide elbows and spread my shit out. Then lock eyes if they push back. A few ...Excuse me could you please not encroach on my seat space ..etc and if ignored then shove back hard..

Have had this on the tube in London and at the theatre. Tube I was already in my seat so i just copied his posture and spread my legs and pushed against his so he moved. In the theatre , he was in his seat manspreading into my area so I just sat down and when my bottom/legs sat on his legs he moved them immediately. So just assert your space If this had not worked I would have just asked him to shut his legs.

I am though a 52 year old with grey hair so appreciate my tolerance is low but also what I can get away with is high.

I would say on a plane you can have a conversation, what are they going to do? Perhaps with a joke, you really like my space don't you.

My dh is 6'2" and my ds is 6'5". Both have very long legs. Neither encroach on others as they are not gobshites. Dh always books an aisle seat so he can spread a little that way. Ds just suffers unless he's on an airline that doesn't randomly allocate seats.

Little known fact. The convention is the middle seated person gets the use of both armrests. I only found this out recently.

However there is no excuse for overspilling into another's space.

This is making me think of the manspreading driving test examiner I had! Kept bashing his knee every time I changed gear; it was super distracting and I failed the test.
Next test the examiner was a very overweight man who therefore found it harder not to spread, but the moment I accidentally brushed his knee he apologised and crammed himself away from me and stayed like that for the rest of the test.

Men can do it, they just choose not to.

People sometimes seem to think that if they can physically sit in the seat, it means they fit, ignoring the fact that their arms are covering the arm rests entirely and they’re in someone else’s space. Airlines should routinely ask if people need comfort seats and hold people accountable if they say no when they should have said yes.

Ridiculous my partner is the same height, he crosses his ankles so his legs fit in his seat space. Your man is very entitled!!

Omg. I had this happen on the last flight I went on. A man was proper manspreading and his entire leg was right up against mine and he was using both arm rests. I swapped seats with my husband and surprise surprise, it totally stopped.