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?
AIBUYou have one vote. All votes are anonymous.
forgotoldusername · 10/09/2022 19:45
So @FattyAirways you answer positively to people who agree with you but get aggressive with those who don't.
I would DREAD sitting next to you. I know 3 hours isn't long but it's still 3 hours of my life when your fat is likely to spill on my seat. I would be trying to move as soon as boarding is complete but I would be really mad at your lack of consideration.
Call the airline and get that second seat please, I think you don't want to do it because of money but then save a bit more or whatever.
Sorry but it's absolutely unacceptable I already feel sorry for your flight neighbour
BuildersTeaMaker · 10/09/2022 19:48
Newmum110 · 10/09/2022 19:17
OP I really think an aisle seat would be better in your situation. Is it possible for you to rebook your seat? I highly doubt the 2 next to you will be empty & if you arrive and two people are seated & belted you may feel awkward.
Aisle seat is actually worse- you get pushed into the aisle and are then bumped into byvtrolleys. Stewards and passengers for the entire flight. You cant “spill out” into an aisle 🤦♀️
Window seat is far better- there’s around an extra 2 cm at seat height vs floor height you can squish into and push yourself against to avoid spilling into other passengers.
FattyAirways · 10/09/2022 19:51
forgotoldusername · 10/09/2022 19:45
So @FattyAirways you answer positively to people who agree with you but get aggressive with those who don't.
I would DREAD sitting next to you. I know 3 hours isn't long but it's still 3 hours of my life when your fat is likely to spill on my seat. I would be trying to move as soon as boarding is complete but I would be really mad at your lack of consideration.
Call the airline and get that second seat please, I think you don't want to do it because of money but then save a bit more or whatever.
Sorry but it's absolutely unacceptable I already feel sorry for your flight neighbour
I won't need a second seat. If I can fit on tiny bus and train seats without encroachment of my neighbour, i'll be fine on a plane. So glad other overweight posters on here have reassured me!
I'll report back afterwards and tell you how much I didn't need that second extra seat! Oh, and money isn't an issue!
Oinkypig · 10/09/2022 19:55
@FattyAirways you should be fine. For people saying just book another flight you need to be careful rather than just book a seat with either your own or another name. The airline needs to know the seat is in use otherwise someone else could be put in it if “other you” doesn’t actually turn up to board. Or depending on the airline they can cancel the return.
I don’t mind if someone spills over as they usually are very apologetic and I usually can’t stand being very near people whether I know them or not. I accept if I’m using public transport and not in business/first class it’s the price (non-monetary) you pay!
I find men who can’t possibly keep their legs together so they are in contact with me for no good reason and hogging armrests much more of a problem.
Enjoy your trip!!!
holidaynightmare · 10/09/2022 20:21
@FattyAirways
Firstly there are lots of size 24 people about you are not to worry about that
I work with a lady who's bigger (probably nearer a 28) and she always books a seat with extra legroom as there is more room to get round as the space is bigger in front of them - is that an option?
Newmum110 · 10/09/2022 20:54
BuildersTeaMaker · 10/09/2022 19:48
Aisle seat is actually worse- you get pushed into the aisle and are then bumped into byvtrolleys. Stewards and passengers for the entire flight. You cant “spill out” into an aisle 🤦♀️
Window seat is far better- there’s around an extra 2 cm at seat height vs floor height you can squish into and push yourself against to avoid spilling into other passengers.
Newmum110 · 10/09/2022 19:17
OP I really think an aisle seat would be better in your situation. Is it possible for you to rebook your seat? I highly doubt the 2 next to you will be empty & if you arrive and two people are seated & belted you may feel awkward.
Fair enough @BuildersTeaMaker I didn't realise window seat was slightly bigger, I always feel claustrophobic in there!!!!
Anyways either way OP you will be fine, if anyone else has a problem let then be the ones asking to move. You are entitled to travel.
BusySloth · 10/09/2022 21:19
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 why would that matter? If you are confident you don't need an extra seat - i.e. you will be fully contained in your own space and not encroaching into the space of the person next to you - then surely it doesn't matter what size they are as long as presumably they would also stay within their own space (otherwise should have booked a comfort seat themselves).
RichardOsman · 10/09/2022 22:38
BusySloth · 10/09/2022 21:19
But why would that matter? If you are confident you don't need an extra seat - i.e. you will be fully contained in your own space and not encroaching into the space of the person next to you - then surely it doesn't matter what size they are as long as presumably they would also stay within their own space (otherwise should have booked a comfort seat themselves).
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.
indeed! worrying that her seat neighbour will also be too fat for the seat would only make sense if OP admitted to herself that her size means she’ll encroach on her neighbour’s space
TheSpringyGuyAndTheCheeseEater · 10/09/2022 23:24
You are entitled to travel.
Of course she is. But should book appropriate seating. The OP's comments have been somewhat self-contradictory: she is asking for reassurance she will fit in the seat then later says she is confident she will and will not encroach into a neighbouring passenger's space. Then expressing her wish for a slim person not a fat person next to her, but not explaining why this matters if she is going to be contained in her own space anyway? If that is true, there would be no physical contact with a neighbouring passenger whether slim or fat, provided they also keep to their own booked space. The thread is rather odd, oscillating from the OP asserting one thing and then implying the opposite. She also said she didn't want other passengers looking at her thinking "I hope she isn't sitting next to me". If she is confident she is small enough to fit in her own space, why would they think this? And she then - utterly hypocritically - said she'd be hoping other fat passengers weren't sitting next to her.
I don't understand it, to be honest. Many, many posters have suggested the obvious solution, to ensure the comfort of all and relieve the OP's anxiety, which is to book the additional "comfort seat" but unless I've missed it she has avoided these suggestions rather than saying she will do so. Why?
I also found it very depressing that some posters said it is "the other person's problem" if she does encroach on another passenger's already cramped space. How entitled, when OP now knows she can book an additional seat to avoid any chance of this but doesn't seem to intend to. And that when a poster described how distressing this could be for another passenger e.g. with sensory issues, this was ignored. So the OP wanting to avoid an additional charge for her own comfort and also out of respect for other trumps other people's needs or disabilities. Lovely.
SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 23:47
Boujisboo · 10/09/2022 23:41
I’m 22 stone and was fine! Seat belt went round and was fine in the seat. I spilt over a bit but not too much
“Spilling over” into the next seat is definitely not “fine.”
What a ludicrous thing to claim. How could anyone think that that’s even vaguely acceptable? If someone next to me did that I’d be folding your bits back onto your side of the arm rest.
SianNotAMan · 10/09/2022 23:51
arthurfowlermood · 10/09/2022 23:48
You were fine but was the person beside you ok with the spillage?
I had this happen once, years ago, on a flight back from New York. She was only around twenty, but spilling over the armrests on either side.
She actually tried to lift the rest up to ease the pressure on her at the expense of spilling further on me, so I had to ask her what the fuck she thought she was doing.
IWishIWasABaller · 11/09/2022 00:18
I'm a size 24 and spill over onto the seat beside me which is why I always book a window seat and then my husband sits beside me in the middle . We lift up the arm rest between us. Have flown aerlingus and tui recently and it was ok but I did spill over as I said . I would have been very uncomfortable had I been sitting next to a stranger and very embarrassed also. I don't fly Ryanair as their seats are smaller than standard . Hope you have a comfortable flight op and that the seats beside you are empty
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