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?

Must have been about four and a half, five years ago?

You paid for a full seat; you didn’t get the benefit of a full seat.

The time to address it would have been as soon as people were seated. That didn’t happen and is a failing of the ground staff who should have insisted he paid for an extra seat. He’s not blind - he knows he is too large for the seat (as was his travel partner on the other side!) but is a CF who didn’t want to pay the supplement. The next failing is on the cabin staff - a sympathetic look counts for FA. They need to manage these situations.

After the fact the airline needs to address its policies and at the very least should offer you compensation to the value of your flight.

Ive had similar happen to me and will no longer have my comfort within my own space impeded by others’ selfishness.

Airline staff are paid decently
and they are very well trained in flight safety
and no way do I believe they see you couldn’t buckle your seat belt and didn’t mention or offer you a free extender!!

Then don’t claim that you never allowed your weight to become someone else’s problem.

why not? for what its worth, ive been what is classed as obese myself, although im not now. I am however considerate of others and would have bought 2 seats if I had have been in his position. I do think Airlines should address this.

I’d like to think that I’d have asked the wife to swap seats with me & explained why.

YADNBU.

Airlines have received subsequent medical claims for similar events.

I had a similar problem on a flight last year. Morbidly obese man in aisle seat me in middle, DH in window. He was really huge and needed special assistance to get onto the plane. He also didn't seem to be in the best of health as his breathing didn't seem normal.

DH, who normally doesn't worry about anything, was a tad anxious about the 'if we need to evacuate' scenario as we would have had to somehow climb over him or something. He couldn't move without assistance. As in the OP, the flight was full apparently but I didn't feel I could ask to move as it would have seemed really rude!

He also couldn't use his tray as he filled the entire space. He bought some food and asked if I would mind him using my tray for his sandwich and drink. Of course I said not a problem because I thought it would be rude to say anything else and I did have empathy for him and his situation. Really really difficult scenario to navigate for airlines I'm sure and of course both I and the man had a very uncomfortable flight!

I had a similar experience recently. The heat from the passenger next to me was really uncomfortable on top of my own hot episodes. There was no escape! Also in a middle seat although travelling with my adult daughter, we had to put the arm rest up to try and fit me in without feeling like I was wearing the other passenger. Horrible experience for all 3 of us. Sending my sympathy to you OP.

Yep, sounds like he was sitting in two seats so should have to pay for two seats

I think you should have raised it at the time.

They should all publicise their seat pitches and seatbelt lengths and make you book extenders etc ahead of time. To be honest it should be like theme parks. You should have to prove you can fit in the seat before you board, just like you do with your luggage.

@mamaisonno you wouldn’t. If it was a three three seating then if you booked next to each other one would be in the middle. Getting two aisle seats across from each other means you can still talk if you want but neither are in the middle.

When people say they could buy two seats, do you mean they could buy two full tickets, or when you book a seat you can also book the one next to you for the fifty pounds or so that's charged for booking a seat?

Are you sure there were no seats in first class, OP? I would have refused to sit with only half a seat!

Was the plane completely full, including first class and business class? If there was a spare seat there I would have thought it would be fair to swap you over, rather than make you endure a dreadfully uncomfortable flight.

To be clear

The stewards saw you were unbuckled and didn’t mention providing you with a free extender?

If you cannot fit in one seat then you have to book and pay for two seats. If you can’t afford it then don’t fly.

I’ve explained this to you multiple times. They barely checked. Just quickly ran their eyes over, didn’t notice and didn’t say anything.

Yes, so you say

And quite why would I lie? It’s not exactly something for me to be proud of.

I have no idea.

So you admit you’re making baseless accusations because you don’t like that something like this occurred?

how claustrophobic. Lucky you didn’t have an anxiety attack

The two fatties should have booked three seats between them

I mainly feel sorry for the larger flyer. It can be very embarrassing knowing you are bigger but also knowing there’s “no way but through” for getting to your destination. My ex was a very big man and he used to dread flying. Even asking for seatbelt extender mortified him. Did your fellow passenger need a seatbelt extender OP? I’m assuming yes? (If not you’re making a mountain out of a molehill). To be honest economy seats are not the roomiest - above a size 16 arse and most would be a bit crammed in!