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Original poster

Too fat to fly

968 replies

loobielousplaits · 02/04/2019 23:55

Is anyone/has anyone watched this?

It's a documentary about massively obese people being interviewed about being taken off flights/too fat to flight.

While I absolutely agree it's a 'fat shaming' programme - I can't agree with some of the comments from the interviewees that have complained they had to leave the plane due to an armrest not being able to go down - a woman wasn't able to visit the toilet, another who couldn't understand why someone would be offended that half their seat was taken up by overspill - a 32 st man was offended that he was asked to leave the aircraft because he couldn't safely fit in the seat and should have paid for two - pilot decided he wasn't safe to fly.

I'm torn - I absolutely understand weight is a huge issue (I was anorexic in my teens) and it is not easy to control your weight but come on - seriously? You cannot expect to be OK to fly if your weight affects health and safety and you can't fit safely in a seat

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 04/04/2019 07:38

Rottnest buy two seats then

Crankybitch · 04/04/2019 07:41

I remember talking to a morbidly obese person who was complaining about people bringing luggage onto flights - how they were taking up space etc as it couldn’t fit in the overhead compartment and had to go in the footwell. He said they should have to pay extra for this and did not see the irony in that at all...

I think when booking you should get an allowance (say 100kg + baggage of 20k). Then have to pay extra above that.

Those saying you should have bigger seats won’t work - I would happily pay more for a bit more space if I don’t want to pay as much as business class

A quick thing airplanes could do is stop people booking window & aisle seats in the hope that they get the middle one free. Fine in the plane isn’t full but if it is they should be made to sit together and have the aisle seat free for the other passenger

Kennehora · 04/04/2019 07:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kennehora · 04/04/2019 07:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AlaskanOilBaron · 04/04/2019 07:52

It always amazes me on these threads to find out that literally no one is overweight through any fault of their own.

I know, it's MN lore.

From an evolutionary point of view, it's difficult to stay thin and active because modern life offers so many tempting alternatives.

Getting fat has become the default setting for most as they settle into adulthood (and sadly, childhood).

Brefugee · 04/04/2019 08:03

I fly long-haul for work and i go premium economy which is lovely. Until you have to be re-booked because the airline mess up somehow (missed connection last time) and you can only get re-booked into economy. If you fit in the seat and so do your neighbours it's a relatively minor irritation (except - meh) but if you have booked premium economy because you're on the large side (body size, leg length, whatever) then you're a bit stuffed. (my most recent case the next available premium economy with the same airline - which is the only thing the airline would book in the same class - was 4 days away with the airline only providing one night in a hotel).

Also, if travelling for work, having a short or long-term injury caused by having to sit in an awkward position opens a whole other workplace health & safety issue, doesn't it?

HolyForkingShirt · 04/04/2019 08:23

I have no doubt that you will continue to argue that since you lost a few pounds everyone can

Yes, unless they have an actual physical condition that prevents it completely (like a metabolic disorder, which is rare), they can.

Mental illnesses and conditions are not reasons for being fat. Eating junk food and a sedentary lifestyle is the reason. It's actually pretty patronising to say these people are so helpless and can't possibly do anything about their weight because of these conditions - turning them into victims with no personal responsibility.

RottnestFerry · 04/04/2019 08:39

Rottnest buy two seats then

That isn't always possible. I used to fly a fair bit for work and sometimes you have to book last minute and there may be only single seats available dotted around the plane. Getting another plane isn't always practical. Even if there is another carrier on that route, the next available flight with space might be the following day.

PoesyCherish · 04/04/2019 08:43

Getting another plane isn't always practical. Even if there is another carrier on that route, the next available flight with space might be the following day

@RottnestFerry that's really not the issue of the non-obese person in the seat next to you though!

Boysey45 · 04/04/2019 08:43

@HolyForkingShirt.No your wrong, a lot of the actual medication for mental health conditions can in itself cause weight gain. Its one of the side effects. Look it up.

RottnestFerry · 04/04/2019 08:45

A quick thing airplanes could do is stop people booking window & aisle seats in the hope that they get the middle one free. Fine in the plane isn’t full but if it is they should be made to sit together and have the aisle seat free for the other passenger

I have flown with an airline that did that. Virgin Australia, I think it was

PoesyCherish · 04/04/2019 08:46

No your wrong, a lot of the actual medication for mental health conditions can in itself cause weight gain. Its one of the side effects. Look it up

Yes @Boysey45 which means we (yes I include myself) need to be extra conscious of what we eat and how much we move. And no amount of MH medication makes you morbidly obese - some weight gain maybe but not to the extent of going from a healthy to morbidly obese

RottnestFerry · 04/04/2019 08:53

@RottnestFerry that's really not the issue of the non-obese person in the seat next to you though

Or mine if the airline had allowed a normal sized person to book an extra-wide seat on the plane when skinny seats were vacant.

MarshaBradyo · 04/04/2019 08:55

No matter the excuse it is not ok to encroach on someone else

Plan early, tell work they have to plan early, upgrade - the onus is on the person who needs the extra room

PoesyCherish · 04/04/2019 08:59

@RottnestFerry wow what an entitled attitude. If you're overweight enough to encroach on somebody else's space and this would have an impact on you're ability to do your job (I.e. the airline won't let you fly and therefore get to your meeting on time) then it's really time you did something about it and is your issue

WhoAteMyNuts · 04/04/2019 09:04

RottnestFerry then the solution is if you can't fit in any available seat on the plane (at your cost) without impacting other peoples space then the airlines should not let you fly.

I think it might end up coming down to this eventually especially if people who are impacted and can show it affected them start to sue airlines.

Driftingthoughlife · 04/04/2019 09:08

I am slightly overweight because I love chocolate. Not other reason so some people do admit it

TheRumor · 04/04/2019 09:20

This has always been a fear of mine.

Although I have never been too big for a plane seat, and never experienced any problems in that area - I have read lots of experiences of fat passengers and it makes me desperately said.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their personal space. But for many who are aware of the space they take up, even booking 2 seats doesn't always mitigate the risk of being placed next to someone who views you with nothing less than disgust and contempt.

I can't imagine treating any human being that way. I can't imagine shaming someone for the room they take up.

As someone who is letting go of diets and investing in healing my relationship with food, weight gain is now a very real prospect. And I find it utterly terrifying that this might change the way people treat or view me.

RottnestFerry · 04/04/2019 09:24

@PoesyCherish

I suspect that you are reading my posts out of context. Read back a page or two.

I'm not overweight! I'm tall... and pay extra for space to accommodate something I genuinely have no control over.

RottnestFerry · 04/04/2019 09:26

*RottnestFerry then the solution is if you can't fit in any available seat on the plane (at your cost) without impacting other peoples space then the airlines should not let you fly.

I think it might end up coming down to this eventually especially if people who are impacted and can show it affected them start to sue airlines*

If the alternative is for them to have to fit wider seats throughout economy, I suspect you might be correct.

MarshaBradyo · 04/04/2019 09:27

Rottnest so you don’t mind it when someone too big for their seat sits next to you?

RottnestFerry · 04/04/2019 09:35

Rottnest so you don’t mind it when someone too big for their seat sits next to you?

I'd much rather they didn't. I'm not sure why you might think I wouldn't mind.

Luckily, despite having flown a fair bit, I can only think of one occasion where it was an issue. On a very small and narrow prop plane from Glasgow to Belfast. Thankfully only a short flight.

MarshaBradyo · 04/04/2019 09:37

Well why argue for not booking two seats

I don’t see the point of conjuring up these situations. I’ve flown for work, as have many others and I don’t know anyone who required two seats so the last minute fly for work excuse is mostly a red herring

PoesyCherish · 04/04/2019 09:52

@RottnestFerry okay my apologies. I amend my previous statement to

"If a person is overweight enough to encroach on somebody else's space and this would have an impact on their ability to do their job (I.e. the airline won't let them fly and therefore get to their meeting on time) then it's really time they did something about it and is their issue

RottnestFerry · 04/04/2019 09:57

Well why argue for not booking two seats

I don't believe I was. The scenario was one where an airline had provided extra-width seats but the seats had all be taken by "passengers without size", leaving no extra-width seats for a "passenger of size". I was arguing that some means of prioritising seat allocation would be necessary to make sure everybody was comfortable.