Too fat to fly

[loobielousplaits]

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

That's nice dear

I would probably put up with getting squashed and complain to the airlines later, l'd hate to make someone feel shit over their size, considering the reasons for some obesity.

Complaining later won't do anything.
You paid good money for your seat, why should you not be comfortable in it?
Why should they get to make you feel shit cos of their size, have you questioning your rights to your paid for seat, disregarding your own comfort cos they fat?

I have no interest in the reason why a person may be grossly overweight.
I do care greatly if , when on a plane I am presented with half a seat that I paid for because of the size of the individual next to me.
Whatever the reasons and individual has for being a person of size, they are selfish( sorry) in expecting their seat mate to deal with it, and should book two seats.

I only recently faced this issue, went to my seat and found I was expected to cram myself into a third of it. As I have EDS- after a 10 hour flight of being unable to move at all, they would've had to stretcher me off the plane . I pointed this out discretely to a hostess , showed her the Dr's letter I carry with me ( due the medications I must cart around) and said they were going to have to move one of us, I didn't care who but that it was going to have to happen. She snidely said "So I expect you want me to move you to Business class", and I replied I'm sure he'd actually be more comfortable there. So off he went. Good outcome for both of us. I could move and he had more room.
If nothing had happened, I would've been fucked.

If you can't fit in your seat, and your seat alone buy two. And petition airlines re seat sizes.

To the poster who said people in Japan are fined for being overweight. They absolutely are not, www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.jacksonville.com/reason/fact-check/2016-09-16/story/fact-check-it-illegal-japanese-residents-be-overweight%3ftemplate=ampart

I was expecting a reasoned discussion about those who have their personal space invaded by obese people and what could be the answer to that.

We absolutely SHOULD be discussing obesity. However uncomfortable that may make 'fat' people feel!

OP, you sound like you want to discuss fat people without fat people joining in.

We should absolutely discuss obesity, but this thread sounded like an echo chamber at times.

I also think its interesting that you assume it was fat people who were offended and reported the thread. It all feels a bit 'us vs them' and for me, thats why obesity is such a difficult discussion to have.

I don’t think your discussion went much beyond “Me and dh can’t fit into our own seats, you’d be screwed if you got stuck in the middle”, Mummy
Oh, and the delightful “Why can’t the disabled person book an extra seat if she doesn’t want to share hers with someone who needs half of it because they spill out of their own”.
Not much reasonable discussion there.

You are actually following me around the thread and its very irritating, please take a break.

I actually do think the solution would be to have a seat you need to fit into so people don’t have to worry beforehand (like with cabin bags)

I hate the idea of fat shaming - it’s utterly vile. I also hate the idea of someone being forced into physical contact with a complete stranger. That’s horrible too. As is someone not being able to use the seat they paid for.

We are all used to the space to check cabin bag fits so I don’t think having a seat that people could check (or just have the measurements for so they can check at home) would be humiliating.

Unfortunately there is never going to be a solution that makes everyone happy unless the airlines increase seat size. They are hardly going to do that due to profit margins so it really is about making the best of bad options.

I actually do think the solution would be to have a seat you need to fit into so people don’t have to worry beforehand (like with cabin bags)

I'd find that incredibly embarrassing and anxiety ridden. I dont want people watching me to see if im too fat to fly. But i think it was you who said there should be strict weight and measurement requirements listed when booking, and if you werent within them you could ONLY book a larger seat (assuming there were several larger seats, as quite a few people would need them i think). It means the matter is only between you and the airline, no guesswork, no disgruntled passengers sat next to you.

I would feel much better knowing, catagorically that i did or did not fit in a seat. Some of the comments here are making me quite sure that whether someone is "fitting" in a seat is subjective, and perhaps decided by the person sitting next to you.

Yes that’s a fair point and I hadn’t considered how upsetting it might be not to fit.

I don’t think that was me but I think a measurement system so people know if there is an issue could help when booking. I definitely don’t think fat shaming is the answer just giving everyone as much information as possible.

I would feel much better knowing, catagorically that i did or did not fit in a seat.

Tbf airlines have seat sizes available. There is absolutely nothing from stopping someone to check the seat sizes.

Can you imagine the backlash if people had to provide airlines with for example waist measurements?

Plus they would have to take into the account different body shapes. Someone is wider, someone has a belly towards the front. And lets not forget pregnant women. It's just too complicated

seat widths of all airlines. It's not difficult to see the size of the seat you're going to be travelling in. As I e said numerous times on this thread people know if they won't fit comfortably into a seat. It's CFery at its best getting on a train/plane/bus and expecting others to share their seat.

Yeah, but what does "fit" mean? I dont feel like i fit, people have acted like i dont, but i can certainly put an armrest down. So the airline might think i do? Will that stop someone complaining about me? I am not halfway into someone's seat, but im definitely not solely in mine. The last two flights i went on i didnt need a seatbelt extender on one but did on the other, so am i acceptably sized or not?

I think the discussion is aimed toward the extreme end of obesity - not just those a bit overweight.

There are an increasing amount of obese people that know they will need a seat extender and that they won't fit easily into a seat.

I think it is selfish to know you will significantly extend the size of your seat, yet still travel encroaching onto others' space. It's unfair to fellow passengers if their space is so limited that they are physically uncomfortable.

If you know you're really very large, buying two seats for your own comfort seems sensible and courteous.

The last two flights i went on i didnt need a seatbelt extender on one but did on the other, so am i acceptably sized or not?

I think if you knew you would be taking up significantly more room than your own seat, then buying two seats would mean you were most comfortable.

That would eliminate any anxiety or self -conciousness in your part, if you were worried about a fellow passenger having enough room.

But I know you said upthread you travel with your DH and daughter so you have a row of 3 on a plane, so that's ideal because you don't have to worry about being self conscious or uncomfortable.

Personally if I was obese and on the cusp of needing seatbelt extenders and definitely not fitting comfortably into a seat, I would buy two seats.

I would be mortified to affect anyone else's comfort.

So if i book a flight based on those measurements, am i allowed to tell someone to gtfo when they complain? Im being a bit tongue in cheek, but also not really. It would be lovely to have an official source declare if i was fit to fly. Takes all the anxiety out of it.

Although yeah, there would be backlash. But the only people boycotting would be those who are officially too big to fit in a seat, soooo.

I think that the onus should not be put on the passenger at risk of being encroached upon by a larger person, the airline employees should do something before boarding. Ideally at point of checking in, if they see somebody who arguably would struggle to contain themselves in the seat they have booked they should be asked to purchase a second seat (if there are two available) or if the plane is full, for the safety and comfort of other passengers, they need to either pay for an upgrade or fly on a different flight. Surely that would be less humiliating than it being raised on the plane?

Why should the person whose space is being invaded be put in an awkward position (physically) and by having to raise it as an issue.

It would be lovely to have an official source declare if i was fit to fly. Takes all the anxiety out of it.

But you don't need an official source, surely you know if you're obese? You know if you fit easily and comfortably or not into a seat.

Virgin Atlantic says most "spatially challenged" passengers know they need to buy two seats. Asked what happens if they don't, the airline said this was "not really an issue".

This was said after they paid out £13,000 to a passenger who was crushed by a 'spatially challenged' passenger 🙄

It would be lovely to have an official source declare if i was fit to fly. Takes all the anxiety out of it.

If you're in doubt book 2 bloody seats then.

I am not halfway into someone's seat, but im definitely not solely in mine.
Unless you are travelling with someone smaller who doesn't mind sharing their seat so you can be solely within your seat and theirs, not encroaching on another passenger's space, you need to book another, or a bigger seat.

Yeah, alright. I will buy two seats, because even if i technically fit in my one seat according to the host, i cant guarantee the person next to me agrees and i dont want to be yelled at and humilated.

I know people dont want to be squashed. Dont want to squash them either. Some people just dont want to sit next to me though; they find me distasteful. That was what i was trying to get across originally.

I dont want to pay extra because i dont believe some people's objections are genuine, and i think saying "buy two seats then, selfish" allows that sort of behaviour to continue unchecked.

If it was written in stone that i was Too Big, then its entirely objective and anyone who says i dont fit when i DO can go eff themselves. And if i realky dont fit, then thats tough titty on me. I know it might be hard to understand, but it would be very liberating.

Mummy, what size are you? Because I am confused. Once you fit, once you don't a bit.
As I said, I am size 20, 170cm. I fit Ryanair seats well. I do always book a window though so I can be extra comfy and person next to me doesn't have to worry too.