...to ask how you decide if someone is 'fat' ?

[MaisyMooCow]

Here

So the 'fat' passenger paying more argument continues.

My question is, how do you decide when someone qualifies for the 'fat seats'. What happens if you book a normal seat, get to check-in and they say 'Sorry madam but you're fat' . Are you expected to get on their scales for a weigh in?!!

If it would mean their profits would improve, they would.

They're not running a "let's help fat people" charity.

Well their profits might improve if people felt more.comfortable in aeroplane seats

Broadly (no pun intended!) speaking what you pay for when you buy an airline seat of any class is a defined space. Paying for a Premium Economy ticket buys you more space than an Economy seat, a Business Class ticket more space than a Premium Economy one. So if you don't for whatever reason fit into the space you have bought the airline should not allow you to sit in that seat, using space bought by another passenger unless that other passenger (perhaps your skinny or short DP) consents.
Airlines are not charities - they have made a calculation that people will be prepared to pay £x to sit in a space of a particular size - and if you occupy a greater space than that you should pay for it. If you cannot afford to do so then (whether by upgrading or flying with a more expensive airline with broader seats or a greater seat pitch in Economy) you should not expect to be allowed to occupy space someone else has paid for.

just eat less and move more

For the most part this is what needs to happen, consume less calories and burn more of them off, the way to lose weight is straightforward, doing it is hard and takes self control.

Yellow: quite agree (hadn't seen your post before I posted!)

Fanjo: airlines are already making these calculations based on their profits. The more expensive airlines think they'll make more profits by giving passengers more room, the budget ones think they'll do better squeezing on as many people as possible.

ComposHat.."doing it is hard and takes self control" yes, and there are many other factors involved too..this should be acknowledged more IMO

i am aware they are not charities and looking to make profit btw, but thanks for the business 101 lesson :)

You're really up for a fight tonight, aren't you, Fanjo?

Fanjo: if you are aware of that then what are you suggesting the airlines should do?

no I am not up for a fight at all. I am merely disagreeing with you, which is allowed :)

sorry..next time if I don't agree I just won't discuss things and keep quiet.

I didn't say it wasn't allowed, but there's not really any need for snide comments, is there?

well, there wasn't any need to patronise me either :)

i am merely replying to acerbic comments in acerbic fashion. Anyway carry on, cos a fight is furthest thing from my mind and I am off to watch telly

".."doing it is hard and takes self control" yes, and there are many other factors involved too..this should be acknowledged more IMO"

But the airlines don't give a toss. They just want to sell seats and make a profit. If overweight people are uncomfortable because the seat is too small, or tall people suffer because there isn't enough legroom or passengers next to an overweight person are being squashed to death they don't care - they just want our money.

yes, you are spot on Bunbaker..they don't..but I feel maybe they should.

icelolly I would like a questionaire like that!

right, the sofa beckons... and yellow,seriously, telling me airlines aren't charities was a bit snide in itself, so you started it etc

Last time I flew I was 5'3" and 9 stone and I was bloody uncomfy, the seat itself was ok for me but the legroom was MEAN. My DP is 6' and 11 stone and the seat was too small for him, and obviously his legs were really squashed. The man on my other side was about 5'8" and a slight build (we got chatting and he said he was a fell runner so more fat on a butcher's pencil) and he didn't fit in the seat too well either and was poking his feet into the aisle.

Seats are a bit small regardless of who is sitting in them.

note my last post was tongue in cheek

Suddenly, if you thought it was worth paying more to be more comfortable then you would have done so. On short flights most people would rather save money and endure the discomfort. More space means higher prices - I don't think many airlines are making big profits at the moment anyway so theres no alternative but to raise prices if we refuse to be squished in like cattle.

I didn't mention price, just saying that economy seats are very small. I would love to go business or whatever and if I had the money I would pay it.

Post bellum.
I am yet to see any medical advice saying you should stick to a high carb diet. Low fat yes, but mixed protein, carb, fibre, veg, fruit ...eating healthily across the food groups! Just ecause carbs are on sale does not mean we have to shovel them down our throats. Carbs are also perfectly healthy mixed with vegetables for a cheap meal. Some pasta laden with red peppers, chilli, and tomatoes is hardly tricky or pricey. Carbs are also not some evil food group. They do not have to be refined carbs, or sugary or sweet drinks. Wholewheat carbs are perfectly healthy. Nowhere does it say to eat cake, biscuits, coke, chocolate as you suggest. It is not a conspiracy, I bloody wish some people would accept responsibility for their own bodies and lives.

well the average size of the population from my point of view is a 10-12 I am an 8....if you eat too much you get fat, therefore you pay for two seats !

they had to change the fuel calculations as the averafe weight had gone up - it actually caused a plane to crash - dp likes "air crash investigation" - we now don't really go abroad after seeing too many of hese haha