uncomfirtable journey

[planejourney]

Interested in people's opinions.
I had a recent journey from hell when an obese/morbidly obese person sat next to me on a flight for 6 hours.
He and his partner both booked aisle seats next to each other and both were morbidly obese. I was in a middle seat and another passenger in the window seat.
He struggled to get into the seat and had to rearrange himself and move bits around in order to get the armrest down. Once in place, the armrest disappeared. He basically overflowed into my seat and had to cross his arms for me to have any room. His right leg was in my space and his left leg was in the aisle. He was unable to get the table down in front of him.
Unfortunately I had to spend the full journey with body contact with this person. This not only invaded my personal space but was also really hot! It was a night flight and the flight was full, so I didn't want to disturb people sleeping by asking if a swap/move was possible. This person proceded to fall asleep and snore very loudly to a point where people were turning around. The trolley or people could not get past his leg in the aisle so he had to keep moving it. To make matters worse, the person in front reclined their seat right back. I felt trapped!
I had a few looks of pity and the staff could clearly see how uncomfortable it was.
AIBU to think he should have bought a second seat? Airlines should make it clear and consider the comfort and safety of all passengers. I paid for a seat and got half a one. Did this person lack consideration for others?

the airlines should take EVERY passengers safety and comfort into consideration. You shouldn't have to get off and get a different flight. Both the airline and passenger needs to take responsibility. We can't rely on passengers doing it so the airlines should enforce it

I was absolutely not saying that I SHOULD have to get a different flight, just that I WOULD do that if the airline couldn't come up with a solution. I'd rather arrive later at my destination in one piece than at the right time as a total wreck. And I would not think of suggesting that the obese passenger should change flights instead; it would be completely unreasonable.
I wish that the airlines would put something in place for this kind of situation.

You keep going on about it being a nighttime flight and everyone was asleep so you didn’t want to disturb anyone… so did the guy only appear half way through the flight? Because I’m sure he boarded when everyone else did at the start. And you had ample time to get out and speak to the cabin crew before take off, before lights out and before anyone was asleep.

The airline mustn't discriminate but they could add a question about how much width each passenger takes up and perhaps put very wide people in the window seats next to small children. Or they could upgrade them to business and first class if space is available.

Oh I can just imagine the rage posts on here if airlines start upgrading obese people to business or first class free of charge!

there was nowhere to go as ive already said. Noone would have swapped and i wouldn't leave my child. I choose to put up with it because of circumstances and not cause a fuss. That was my decision. However, the situation remains the same. The airlines need to do something about it. That's been and gone

Second, an obese person who didn't book that seat would logically have to be denied boarding. That would require a definition of "obese" which could be applied consistently. You know how Ryanair makes you jam your cabin bag into a metal sizer to show that it's not oversize? Well, something like that but for people. "I'm sorry Sir/Madam, your arse doesn't fit, it'll have to go in the hold".

Some theme parks these days have a seat at the entrance to a ride that is the same size as the seats on the ride. People are encouraged to try sitting on the seat to ensure they will fit and be able to do up the safety harness, before they join the queue.
Airlines need to do something like this.
Really feel for you OP, that sounds awful I'd struggle to cope with a situation like this.

I always love on posts like this that people forget fat people are humans too. Some people talk about them like they're worthless. Should fat people not fly or go on holiday? Should people with disabilities not fly because they'd be in the way during an emergency? I mean, come on.

He would have known he was in your space OP. And I am sure he felt awful about it. Fat people are aware they are fat and 'in the way'.

Airplanes are small and cramped for everyone. They just aren't made for comfort, I don't care what size you are. Of course steps can be taken to make it better for everyone but I truly do not believe they are made for comfort.

Also everyone says to book a second seat. Airlines can take second seats away even if you have paid for them so that does not always work. I booked the third empty seat between myself and my friend when we came back from holiday last year - she was pregnant and I'm big, so we decided to have a bit more space on the way home. At the gate, I was called to the desk and told they may have to give my booked seat away as someone may need it. Luckily they didn't take it in the end but they could have, clearly. So sometimes even when people try to take precautions it doesn't work out. That isn't the persons fault but the airline.

Which is exactly whst ive said all along, it is the airlines fault. I recognise obese people are human, i was one. I was decent, the bloke the other side with the obese partner wasn't. im not sure on the rules around seats. However some people on this thread have commented the booked extra seats and it worked out

They already have this; it's called Premium Economy (or similar) and Business Class - the latter being expensive, but IME not usually twice the price of a single seat in Economy

Trouble is, some simply don't want to pay more and up to a point that's understandable - except when the alternative's to cause great discomfort or even risk to others, when IMO they should either be obliged to pay for whatever extra space is available or simply denied boarding

TBH, I would contribute to a whip round to upgrade any passenger wider than the width of their seat!

I avoid booking middle seats unless with DC either side.

You need to just book the seat you want, in another row, and don’t worry about sitting next to your husband.

It’s fine for him to want a window seat - and it is the best seat for tall people as it has that bit of extra room - but no reason you should have to sit beside him. Just book in another row, because it’s awful to be stuck between a couple.

OP, YANBU at all. I wouldn’t have coped with that situation at all. I’m claustrophobic and also have a bad back which means I need to sit square in the seat. No way would I have put up with that. I would have had to speak to the flight crew.

I always booked aisle for myself though as I can’t cope with anything else, unless it’s on the front row.

You’ve probably already said, but were you travelling alone? I would prefer to be bumped to a later flight than be stuck like that.

I haven't read all the replies on the thread, but who forgot that the obese man is human, too? The op sat incredibly uncomfortably without saying anything so as not to offend him. This isn't poking fun at someone with a big belly or being mean for the sake of it...his leg was in her space, trapping her in even if there had been an emergency, his sides were spilling over into her seat squashing her and then he fell asleep and his arm was squashing her, too. Its dangerous! How is that acceptable? If a stranger came and stood so close to you that his body was all over you and you were trapped, embarrassed, hot and covered in both yours and his sweat for 6 hours, how would you feel?
Planes are not made for comfort, no but if you know you're going to take up more than one space then I'm afraid you need to book suitable seating. Everyone I know that is very tall makes sure they book extra leg room seats and would never dream of just getting a standard seat and sticking their legs in another passengers space. Has anyone said obese people shouldnt go on holiday? The discussion is only about suitable seating and how it should be dealt with. And its not a disability, I dont think its fair to compare.

If you book a second seat as a ‘comfort seat’ then the airline will not take it away from you. It sounds like you didn’t do that.

The overweight passenger should have considered his own needs, not relied on a passenger to not make a fuss.

I think the situation could be seen more clearly if you considered what you would think was reasonable if a person who was 6 foot 3 plus and didn’t fit in the seat.

Well if you are tall ( my husband is very tall and has a short body) you don‘t take any more room. You can’t expand lengthways into the person in front of you. You just have to sit in an awkward sideways position. We pay extra for extra leg room seats. The ones next to the emergency exit are great because they don’t allow obese or unfit people or children. You don’t get asked to swap because someone is not sat next to their child. We fly business for long haul so don’t do it too often. We certainly could not have afforded it before our children grew up.

Wow

Wow what?!

@Inthebitterend

and how did this person “treat” others.

He booked a seat knowing he would make the life of his neighbour very uncomfortable on a long haul flight

He specifically booked an aisle seat and his companion and aisle seat because it made THEIR lives easier but others journeys more uncomfortable

He treated others with not an iota of thought or consideration.

Why “wow” seems reasonable enough to me

That person would be terribly uncomfortable but wouldn’t make the person next to them uncomfortable too.

I'm never particularly bothered whether I'm sitting next to my husband or not as he falls asleep as soon as the plane takes off. We don't talk or pass things back and forth.

I shouldn't think anyone would have wanted to swap anyway!

Exactly. My DH is 6’3” and we regularly have to fly long haul economy. Sometimes he sits across the aisle with strangers if there are not four seats in the middle for our family. He never makes contact with another person or takes their space.