AIBU?
Flying when fat - help!
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 14:41
I'm due to fly soon and i'm overweight quite significantly. I have lost some weight but won't lose enough to feel confident on the plane by time I go. Has anyone recently flew who is overweight who can offer words of reassurance?
What has made me even more nervous is that I anticipated it might be a quiet flight (early evening) and I have just seen that two people have booked the seats next to mine despite there being a number of seats that are in the lines of three still vacant. Why oh why would anyone do that? They're not even the premium economy seats!
Am I being unreasonable?
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FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:19
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You have no idea how I got to my size so fuck right off.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:21
SnowDear · 10/09/2022 18:07
this is why you need to book a 2nd seat for yourself. Why didn’t you?
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 16:28
I didn't mean it in a horrible way, just imagine if another overweight person is sat next to me and our hips or side fat are touching!
Herecomestreble1 · 10/09/2022 16:08
This seems slightly hypocritical.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:13
You can book two seats in a flight but I'm confident I won't need two. I just hope another overweight person isn't sat next to me.
Because if a normal sized person sits beside me I won't need two seats. Thanks for your reassurance as I asked for in my OP though.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:24
Marvellousmadness · 10/09/2022 17:01
"At a size 22/24 you will fit fine."
Haha thats delusional pp
I hardly fit
And i am a size 10/12
'It’s a shame that airlines don’t offer some wider seats for an appropriate premium. It could avoid much anxiety and discomfort."
A shame? From them?or a shame that obesity is such a pandemic.
I've travelled at a similar size on a different airline and was fine. The insecurities rear it's ugly head up though. How did you not fit in the seat at a size 10/12?
Violinist64 · 10/09/2022 18:25
A few years ago, l was on a night flight with my husband. The aeroplane was probably 2/3 full and we had been allocated middle aisle seats very near a family with young children. We quietly and politely asked a member of the cabin crew if we could possibly sit in some empty seats on the side, a few rows away from the family, which we were. It might be possible to do this if you are still worried about the situation when you get on the plane. I am sure you will be ok, though and you are probably far more conscious of your weight than anyone else. You sound as if you are a lovely, considerate person.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:26
whynotwhatknot · 10/09/2022 17:45
im a 24 and fit ok i didnt need an extender belt but that wa 3 years ago i tend to prefer the aisle seat if im alone as i dont want to feel boxed in-how lng is the flight
Hello @whynotwhatknot , thanks for your reply. I'm glad you found it OK! The flight is three hours long.
SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 18:27
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:19
You have no idea how I got to my size so fuck right off.
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There’s really no need for that.
YellowTreeHouse · 10/09/2022 18:27
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 16:28
I didn't mean it in a horrible way, just imagine if another overweight person is sat next to me and our hips or side fat are touching!
Herecomestreble1 · 10/09/2022 16:08
This seems slightly hypocritical.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:13
You can book two seats in a flight but I'm confident I won't need two. I just hope another overweight person isn't sat next to me.
If your hips/side fat could possibly touch anyone, you need two seats.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:29
LobeliaBaggins · 10/09/2022 15:14
I am slim, fly a lot ( often long haul) and overweight people spilling into my e space is the least of my problems. Usually I am annoyed by screaming babies, whiny children, people talking loudly on their phones or dropping bags on me, eating noisily and so on. But I tolerate all these because you know, everybody deserves to fly. I feel sorry for OP feeling anxious.
Thanks @LobeliaBaggins . I really appreciate that I wouldn't be an annoyance to you 😊That's very reassuring.
SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 18:29
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:21
Because if a normal sized person sits beside me I won't need two seats. Thanks for your reassurance as I asked for in my OP though.
SnowDear · 10/09/2022 18:07
this is why you need to book a 2nd seat for yourself. Why didn’t you?
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 16:28
I didn't mean it in a horrible way, just imagine if another overweight person is sat next to me and our hips or side fat are touching!
Herecomestreble1 · 10/09/2022 16:08
This seems slightly hypocritical.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:13
You can book two seats in a flight but I'm confident I won't need two. I just hope another overweight person isn't sat next to me.
But if you aren’t encroaching into the next seat then a person the same size as you won’t encroach on yours either.
If you are too large to fit fully in your own seat then I do think getting a second seat would make sense.
BrownOrangeRed · 10/09/2022 18:30
Unfortunately airline seating styles mean that you're likely to be encroaching on the seats and the people either side of you. There's not really an easy way of saying this but if you're a bigger person you should book an extra seat, plus booking the next seat will allow you to use that fold down tray and just generally have room to do anything. No one wants to be squashed for hours, even on short haul flights it's a nightmare having a larger person next to you.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:30
YellowTreeHouse · 10/09/2022 18:27
If your hips/side fat could possibly touch anyone, you need two seats.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 16:28
I didn't mean it in a horrible way, just imagine if another overweight person is sat next to me and our hips or side fat are touching!
Herecomestreble1 · 10/09/2022 16:08
This seems slightly hypocritical.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:13
You can book two seats in a flight but I'm confident I won't need two. I just hope another overweight person isn't sat next to me.
I am confident I won't be encroaching on anyone elses space.
Day20 · 10/09/2022 18:32
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:05
@ClocksGoingBackwards What reasons would they be though? I cannot fathom why when there are lots of other seats to choose from!
Don't focus on this. I'm not sure if I have misunderstood but the planes are usually full anyway so all seats are often taken.
YellowTreeHouse · 10/09/2022 18:33
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:30
I am confident I won't be encroaching on anyone elses space.
YellowTreeHouse · 10/09/2022 18:27
If your hips/side fat could possibly touch anyone, you need two seats.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 16:28
I didn't mean it in a horrible way, just imagine if another overweight person is sat next to me and our hips or side fat are touching!
Herecomestreble1 · 10/09/2022 16:08
This seems slightly hypocritical.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:13
You can book two seats in a flight but I'm confident I won't need two. I just hope another overweight person isn't sat next to me.
You can’t be confident about that if you’re worried that if someone else your size sits next to you you will be touching.
If you fit into your space it wouldn’t matter what size the person next to you was.
BigChesterDraws · 10/09/2022 18:34
Aprilx · 10/09/2022 15:11
You can’t book two seats on a flight.
Iguanainanigloo · 10/09/2022 14:49
Could you not change your seat now to an empty row and possibly book two seats? If you genuinely think your weight is going to cause that much of an issue that you will be encroaching on the person next to you, then this is likely your best option.
Actually you have to if you can’t fit into one seat and keep the arm rests down between you and the other passenger for take off and landing. It’s known as a “comfort seat for a person of size”. It’s cheaper than 2 separate seats as only set of tax and there is no additional luggage included. But it is a thing.
angelikacpickles · 10/09/2022 18:36
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:30
I am confident I won't be encroaching on anyone elses space.
YellowTreeHouse · 10/09/2022 18:27
If your hips/side fat could possibly touch anyone, you need two seats.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 16:28
I didn't mean it in a horrible way, just imagine if another overweight person is sat next to me and our hips or side fat are touching!
Herecomestreble1 · 10/09/2022 16:08
This seems slightly hypocritical.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:13
You can book two seats in a flight but I'm confident I won't need two. I just hope another overweight person isn't sat next to me.
Then it won't matter what size the person next to you is.
BigChesterDraws · 10/09/2022 18:40
OP, it’s possible that the seats in your toe are not taken but have been blocked by the carrier. Only the airline website the seats will show as “unavailable” whether they have been booked by a passenger or blocked by the airline. If you use the Seat Alert app you will see whether they are blocked or booked. Airlines block certain seats if flights are not full to ensure weight distribution. They also block others to have space to move people around at check in should that be necessary (for example, someone is booked in a seat that has an infant oxygen mask and they don’t have an infant but there are infants booked on the flight - the airline will need to block seats to move people to in order to accommodate such specific seating needs).
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:43
BigChesterDraws · 10/09/2022 18:40
OP, it’s possible that the seats in your toe are not taken but have been blocked by the carrier. Only the airline website the seats will show as “unavailable” whether they have been booked by a passenger or blocked by the airline. If you use the Seat Alert app you will see whether they are blocked or booked. Airlines block certain seats if flights are not full to ensure weight distribution. They also block others to have space to move people around at check in should that be necessary (for example, someone is booked in a seat that has an infant oxygen mask and they don’t have an infant but there are infants booked on the flight - the airline will need to block seats to move people to in order to accommodate such specific seating needs).
Hello @BigChesterDraws thank you for your kind and reassuring post. I do hope that's what's happened! :)
RichardOsman · 10/09/2022 18:43
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:21
Because if a normal sized person sits beside me I won't need two seats. Thanks for your reassurance as I asked for in my OP though.
SnowDear · 10/09/2022 18:07
this is why you need to book a 2nd seat for yourself. Why didn’t you?
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 16:28
I didn't mean it in a horrible way, just imagine if another overweight person is sat next to me and our hips or side fat are touching!
Herecomestreble1 · 10/09/2022 16:08
This seems slightly hypocritical.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 15:13
You can book two seats in a flight but I'm confident I won't need two. I just hope another overweight person isn't sat next to me.
Why would I give reassurance that your size won’t cause issues for the person beside you, Id be lying 
. You’ve said since that you’re confident you won’t encroach on the seat next to you and yet you started a thread asking for reassurance that your size won’t cause issues? Which is true?
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:45
SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 18:27
There’s really no need for that.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 18:19
You have no idea how I got to my size so fuck right off.
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Was there a need for the poster to say that I had a choice when I ate yourself to the size of two people?
rookiemere · 10/09/2022 18:51
It seems OP that you just want posters to say that this will definitely be ok and it's possible seats won't be used. But no one can really say that for certain.
Can you pay the extra and get an emergency exit seat, that way you'd have a lot more room in front.
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