AIBU to think airline seats no longer fit average-sized adults?

[Frequency]

Do any airlines have adult-sized seats? Not obese adults, just regular adults?

We've just flown with Jet2 and my back is still in agony from the trip there. I was in the middle seat between my friend, who is slightly overweight but also short, so proportionately, she is not much wider than an average height, average weight woman, and a man who was maybe bordering on obese, his ass fit in his own seat, but his shoulders took a good three/four inches of my seat. My friend's shoulders took maybe a cm or 2 of my seat.

I'm not on the small side myself; I'm not overweight, but I am not what you'd describe as skinny. I needed all my shoulder space to myself. I was unable to sit back the entire flight because I literally didn't fit. I had to hunch forward with my shoulders rolled in.

On the way back, I was sitting between my friend, a short, slim lady. I could sit back, but I was touching both people on either side of me, and there was no elbow space or wriggle room.

For next year, I need either my shoulders shaved down and a few ribs removed or actual, people-sized seats. Do such seats exist?

I blame Uber Eats

We fly several times a year with various budget airlines and all of my family fit fine. I'm average height and build as is my daughter. My son and husband are both 6 foot and average weight with long legs. Seats are definitely wide enough to accommodate people generally, although my son's legs are about to become more uncomfortable if they get longer!

I never use Uber Eats. Can you book flights with them now?

We booked through Jet2, so it wasn't Uber Eats at fault this time, it was definitely a Jet2 issue.

Overweight is not “normal size” though. My husband is 6”2 but healthy weight and can fit in seats fine. He does get uncomfortable with his legs so books seats that have more room if he can but he can still fit in the actual seat fine. I’m only 5”5 so it’s clearly more comfortable for me who needs less leg room. He never encroaches onto other peoples seats?

I’m 5’9” with broad shoulders and completely understand what you mean. I end up sitting a bit lopsided.
Maybe we should turn the table on all the people mistakenly trying to ‘fat-shame’ by asking if they’re represent the ‘skinny shoulder brigade’ 😉

Flying is no longer a comfortable experience, on the other hand I would like it to be as cheap as possible so I am not sure what the airlines can do really. I do draw the line at eating revolting airline food but otherwise I mentally prepare myself for feeling like a heifer being transported to market and look forward to arriving on my holiday.

I went prem economy to Mexico & lucky had an empty set next to me so plenty of room,

been to other Caribbean isles and never had an issue fitting in seats, one trip the couple sat next to me were really overweight, but other than the woman pressing against my leg most the time it wasn’t uncomfortable. Now had it been a ryanair flight!!!

I would pay for an extra-wide seat if it were an option, but the only option seems to be extra leg room. I had leg room; it was my shoulders that needed room.

I think next time I will just pay for the middle seat also and then use my fat, kettlebell shoulders to batter anyone who tries to take it from me .

have another think about this. You pay for your flight & seat before flying. If you didn’t pay for your seat then its allocated before check in.

how you suggesting this would work. 300 people being weighed, then half the people who got weighed have to be found bigger seats, pay extra money. Then the other half get their seats allocated.

no flight would take off on time.

fat people are entitled to fly & enjoy a normal life without weirdos like you judging them and asking them to be treated in such a degrading inhumane way

I’m 5 foot 7 and normal weight but my god is Ryan air uncomfortable 😣. It’s not necessarily the width it’s the lack of padding in the seats 😫 one of my bum cheeks hurt for about 3 days after ! I’m not doing it again would rather pay a bit more.

How can airlines squeeze more seats in widthways? They all use one of two or three planes which are the same width - I can’t think of any short haul which does anything other than three seats on both sides.

Planes should have a test seat at check-in, much like the ones at theme parks that riders can sit in and see if they fit.

Anyone that doesn’t fit should have to pay for an extra seat instead of encroaching on the passenger next to them.

I don’t want airlines to increase seat size. Bigger seats = fewer seats = higher ticket prices.

As a size 8 and perfectly healthy young woman in my 20s, I found them uncomfortably small! It's not got any better, either.
I never did try to fat shame, but it's quite sad now how many people moan about others overeating, as the people I know who are overweight eat very little. One put on stones after treatment for a brain tumour, one after cancer, one has hormone issues-no, these things don't affect everyone in this way, but we seem to have become less caring and considerate.

Surely, they can just go back to what they used to be before they started shrinking the seats?

I fly regularly for work (easyJet) and have never had this issue.

The 737 has been flying since 1967. The seats are exactly the same width as a they've always been, the plane hasn't got any smaller.

I’m a bit confused by this thread - I’m 5’6” (so not particularly short) and very definitely overweight and fit fine with no overspill - it must depend on whether you’re “wide” or “outward fat” maybe? I must be the latter!!

Seat size is fine if you are a healthy weight. Leg room however is not.

I am 5’4” size 16 and have had no issues
Usually fly jet2

Is that sitting next to another man, of a similar height? The average shoulder allowance is 17 inches. The seats rely on people of different heights and build (not weight). Three of my Nigerian friends (Igbo) , or even my weight lifting, two son-in-laws and DD (mixed heritage), struggle. None are overweight, but have bigger frames. The shoulder allowance doesn't suit many people of different heritages.

Google says the average seat size used to be 18.5 inches wide with 33-35 inches between rows, and it is now 17 inches wide with 31 inches between seats, so they have definitely shrunk.

To clarify again, no one was obese. The man was maybe at the very edge of overweight, bordering on obese, but my friend is definitely not obese. Nor am I. Everyone's arsecheeks fit on their own seats. Their shoulders did not.

Even if they could my point stands. You want cheap air fares? You put more passengers on.

Unfortunately a lot more people are overweight nowadays but think they are normal weight. For example my DS is 23, he is 6 ft tall and weighs 11.5 stone. His BMI is around 21 - 22 which is in the normal range. He looks so skinny but this is actually normal but we are now so used to seeing bigger people we think this is normal. Seating hasn’t got smaller, people have got fatter. Eating too much. I am overweight by about 3 stone. I know I eat too much and don’t exercise enough.