Flying at a size 26

[IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece]

I don’t know what to do.

I’ve been offered an amazing work opportunity that involved a 2h flight-a train was a possibility but just not viable due to taking 3h longer

I haven’t flown in 15 years, in a size 26 and would be flying with a good friend...which is almost worse due to the embarrassment

I literally don’t know whether to not go or go but face the embarrassment

You have chance to lose a dress size in that time. Go for it. Sit in an aisle seat.

I've flown at size 20 with a few different airlines. Never had an issue. Never had to have a seat belt extension. Most of my weight is around my middle too.

Could you say to work you'd pay the extra to go premium economy as it'll be a tiny bit more spacious?

You'll be fine though.

Well done on the weight loss achieved already. Better than I have managed this last few months.

I fly quite a lot and if I have to be next to someone who overflows into my seat I far prefer to be by the aisle rather than crushed between flab and window. It is also likely to be much quicker should they need to evacuate the plane.

Keep up the good work losing weight, go on the trip (window seat please) and if you enjoy it use that to help support your weight loss.

I've been offered an amazing work opportunity

Just do it. Go. As a pp said, I can't imagine a male going through all this anguish for a business trip

Who knows if it will come up again? Go for it OP. Don't spend the next while wondering what if and don't deny yourself that opportunity as who knows where it could take you. P.s Congrats on the weight loss

I flew with Thomas cook in October at size 24/26 and fitted comfortably in the seat without needing an extender. Go for it!

Op i'm another that flew ryanair at size 20/22 without a problem.

I was also flying witb a really good friend.

Stewardess handed me an extender without any one noticing even my friend.

Friend i was in the middle seat no one was uncomfortable not even me.

You won't have to book a second seat. Hopefully you won't get idiots like the minority of one next to you.

You'll be fine

Please don't give up this opportunity for this. There is no way you need 2 seats thats ridiculous, a extender yes but not 2 seats.
I am a size 22/24 and fly all the time, I've never needed an extender. Its a couple of hours out your life and you'll never see any of these people (passengers/crew) again.

Hi OP,

I used to be a very frequent business flyer. Admittedly, in later years I've been in the business/first class sections, I spent years earning my "wings" as it were in economy.

My biggest gripe was inconsiderate passengers.

I've sat next/between all sorts of people.

The ones that stand in my mind for negative reasons are not those who were overweight.

My personal experience is that people who are overweight are very aware of the space they taking and try and keep within their "zone".

On the other hand, men (and it's always men) spread bloody everywhere however slim they are. Legs/arms encroach in "my"
space. Elbows everywhere. No sense of personal space whatsoever - actually not true, they seemed pretty good about not encroaching on the man on the other side but my space was fair dibs until I made clear otherwise.

Worst are drunk passengers. I've had a women swigging duty free vodka next to me and vomiting in the footwell over my shoes. That was a highlight....(the cabin crew were fab though and really looked after me).

I've flown next to some people much bigger than you and frankly I'd rather sit next to a considerate overweight person than a manspreader or a drunk or a person that wants to chat endlessly, or the farty person, or the person constantly praying we don't crash, or the person who thinks you can do seat yoga, the parents with a screaming child they don't try to console....I could go on.....

I guess where I'm going with this is that you wouldn't even hit the top 10 of people I'd not sit next to on a flight OP - unless there's something you're not telling me

Don't lose this opportunity OP. It's only a short flight and you are not so large that you would encroach on another seat.
Besides, you are already losing weight and in 6 weeks time you would likely be a size 22/24, if not smaller!
Book an aisle seat and grab this wonderful chance.

If it helps save your embarrassment OP, you can actually buy your own aircraft seat belt extender from Amazon. Then you don’t even have to ask for one.

I bought one when I was a size 24. I sat in an aisle seat & had one of my DCs in the seat next to me. I did fit within my own seat though. No noticeable overspill.

Can't you take control of the travel arrangement? Tell the person who normally books it for the company, that you'll arrange your own flight, as you need to upgrade for comfort. That you'll claim back one economy seat.
Worth a try OP. Why miss the opportunity. As everyone says, you'll be another dress size smaller by then, so even less to worry about. This trip will give you a reward to look forward to after months of dieting/exercise.

Why wouldn't you book two seats (if you can afford it) check in paying the extra for two seats together then just be happily surprised the person next to you didn't show up? Then you can lift the arm rest after take off and have more space. No one is any the wiser.

Flown twice recently. Once BA, once Virgin. I'm a size 24 and was really concerned about needing an extender. I was fine and didn't need one on either flight. I'm always really conscious of not wanted to invade my neighbours space so get an aisle so I can always lean to one side if required.

I needn't have worried. Take the opportunity whilst you have with.

book 2 seats, I’m sure if you explained to work that you’d pay for one they’d be fine booking 2

You don't need 2 seats. You'll be fine.

I'm a 22 and 5 foot 9. I don't spill over the seats. Never have.

Please please don't let this stop you. It's heartbreaking that you're even considering not going.

OP or anyone else in a similar position.

Look up What Laura Loves on Instagram. She has a video on her IGTV all about this. Honestly I was dreading flying but after watching her video I am not now. Even after reading the comments on this thread.

I'm a similar size to you op, you can ask for an extension and it'll be fine. Don't let your size stop you living your life.

I'm a 24 and I fly regularly. I just ask for a seat belt extension, nothing to worry about. Also you can go online to see the dimensions of the seats of various airlines, to get an idea of the seat size. Have a wonderful time !

In my slimmer years (in now a size 22) I say next to a rather large man, like you he was mortified as he was on my side a little bit, but he had the last laugh as he was so comfy to sit next to that I fell asleep and dribbled on him (he was on his way to a wedding)
Like others have said don't sit in the middle and you will be fine.
Lots of larger people fly all the time, please please please don't pull out of this opportunity just because of your size and you could lose another stone or 2 before the flight.

Go for it OP, i've flown as a size 32 and fitted in the seat fine - needed a belt extender though. I slimmed down to an 18/20 and fitted with space to spare and the belt then had several inches of slack.

I've put weight back on to a 22/24 and still fit in the seat fine, but struggle to get the belt done up without an extender.

Must get my weight back down!

Hi did you fly? As im looking to go in june x

Hi! I can actually remember if I ended up flying on this trip, I did later that year. Needed a seatbelt extender and literally no one gave a shit. I’ve since flown a bunch more times, sometimes needed on sometimes not. It’s totally no big deal either way. Promise!

How did you fit in the seat? Im so scared they will say i am tol big i havent flown in 14 years!!

So since writing this post I’ve flown a bunch (I hadn’t flown in 11y before making this original post) and have been between a size 20- 24, carrying all my weight on my stomach.

I have fitted comfortably in the seat each time, that’s never been a problem.
I have needed an extender a couple of times, which honestly, I couldn’t care less about. No one gave a shit whatsoever.