Is it unreasonable for airlines not to provide wider seats for obese passengers?

[Kag13]

I have today spent a four and a half hour Jet2 flight seated next to a young man who was at least 20 stone, probably larger. I could not use the left hand armrest as his body (fat) buldged over it and into my personal space (which on a budget airline is not that large) and his leg was resting over part of my seat.
Luckily I am only 5’2” and not that big but what would happen if someone of the same size was seated next to him?
it made for a very uncomfortable flight for me. Am I being unreasonable to think this is not right?

That sounds very uncomfortable for you, if they’re that big then they should be charged for two seats!

I hate this. Surely if you can't fit into one seat you should be asked to purchase two? You paid for your flight and have the right to ALL of your seat.

Totally agree it’s not right but not sure why it should be up to the airline to provide a wider seat specifically for obese travellers?

Anyone has the option to purchase more than one seat for their comfort, presumably wider seats would come at a higher cost so some people would probably still not pay. It would be reliant on people disclosing their weight, height, size etc at booking… not realistic

But how can they check before you buy a single ticket?

what size do you think they should keep having to make seats up to?

You’re being unreasonable in your tone and wording, for a start.

Airlines have made seats smaller and smaller to get more people in, people are getting bigger, for a multitude of reasons (very few people are bigger because they chose that option).

You’re not going to get airlines making seats bigger, and you’re not going to get people booking two seats while money is tricker, so it’s a stalemate.

We all have to weigh up different social scenarios and whether we partake in them based on our various tolerance levels for things, if this is something that you can’t tolerate, then you can make that choice; just as others choose not to travel on the tube/go to big concerts etc based on how other humans occupy those spaces.

If you just came for a “fat people are gross” whinge, then crack on, but at least be upfront about it.

IMO it’d be a good idea to provide them, for the sake of non-obese passengers, but in that case people should state that they need one when booking, and pay a higher fare. Because obviously it’s going to mean that the airline can fit fewer seats into the plane.

I have every sympathy for what must have been a horribly uncomfortable flight for you but I think the problem lies with the obese passenger who should have bought an extra seat rather than with the airline.

If airlines did make wider seats then they would be able to fit in fewer seats so would sell fewer tickets and make less profit. Businesses exist to make money so it's not really reasonable to expect them to do that.

It’s not down to the airline. People should take personal responsibility. at over 20 stone I booked two seats. Much more comfortable for me as well as who I am sat with.

If tall people have to pay for more leg room, then it would be grossly unfair to give wider seats for free.

I do find it somewhat unfair that if I as a 50kg woman, am being charged more for my suitcase because it’s over 22kg, when combined we still weigh less than many adults who paid less than me and my suitcase combined.

not sure what the answer is though as people can’t be and shouldn’t be penalised due to nature. It’s impossible to be fair.

I once went to an event with allocated seating and it was really long (like a flight) and getting up and moving wasn’t an option. The seats were already not great/comfy. I was a size 16, the lady next to me was larger maybe a size 20. We basically ended up stuck in those seats, compressing each other in the hip and thigh for hours against a metal part of the seat, it was so painful, I was all bruised. I vowed that day to lose weight so I did not have to ever endure that again, and I went on to lose 5stone. I do think people should buy a 2nd seat if they need it due to size. Making the seats wider will make all the seats more expensive as less passengers can get on the flight

I wonder what would happen if you were the same size as him OP. Surely both of you would not have been able to fit in the space.

I would have found that very difficult to deal with. I can’t stand being touched at all. The thought of having a stranger pushed against me for hours is a nightmare. I do think individuals should be made to buy a second seat rather than encroach on others.

I would imagine if the airlines took a row of seats and made them larger seats, and charged more for them, a lot of larger people would purchase them if they had the means to.
as a previously larger person I would of done , airline seats arnt that fun to be squeezed into and I always hated the thought of upsetting the person next to me.

I once flew premium economy and it was full of larger people (in all directions) so they do provide larger seats (long haul anyway) and larger people who can afford them do pay more to sit in them as it’s massively uncomfortable not to.

I don’t know what the answer is.

I once asked to be moved on a flight because the person next to me was so big, spilling into my seat and as a result I was contorted to the point that a 4 hour flight in that position just wasn’t going to be endurable. It wasn’t nice asking, the fellow passenger knew why I’d asked to be moved but that’s how it is. It’s not a nice memory, I felt awful but their hurt feelings don’t take priority over genuine physical pain I ended up in. I also wasn’t that big, 5 2 and about a size 10.

I suppose they had the choice of booking 2 seats or sitting with the rest of their group and spilling over into their chairs. I’m a bit annoyed that they didn’t do that.

What happens if the larger seats run out, do larger people have to get the next flight or can they book any other seat? How do you police who can book the seats - make sure they are booked by larger people and not people who just want more space?

I’m not.a size 10 now. If it had been current fat me then it would have been extra awful. FWIW I’m not flying again until I know I’m not going to be the overspiller.

Airports could have a seat at check in, like in rollercoaster queues. If you can’t fit in it and haven’t bought two tickets then be made to buy another of available or get turned away?? Harsh but it would work.

Why isn't there a 'seat checker' in the same way there's a bag checker for most economy airlines?

If you don't fit the seat checker, then you're allocated an additional seat and charged accordingly. Seems fair?

Its nothing to do with fat grossing. It seems to be the norm in USA that obese passengers will buy 2 seats out of consideration. The way our booking system is, doesnt allow for that.

Yes some people are obese through medical issues but many are not and its unfair to the passenger sitting next to you.

It’s definitely not right that your comfort was affected by another passenger in this way. I’d be complaining about this. But I do wonder how the airline should have dealt with the situation. Kicked the guy off the plane? Refused him boarding? Maybe their T&Cs allow them to do that?

As it happens, I flew with Jet2 today and was really uncomfortable in my ridiculously narrow seat. And I’m a normal size

Op YANBU.
I've been thinking that they should have seat and half options, so instead of three seats in a row you'd have two.
Extra wide economy just as you have premium economy.

I think more obese people would be willing to pay seat extra wide economy than are willing to pay for two seats

They should book two seats. DH had this issue on the way back from the family holiday last year, awkwardly she was someone he used to work with years ago as well! She had to have a seatbelt extender which is nuts in itself but yes made things tight for DH the whole way back.

I recently flew from Charlotte to Heathrow (8 hrs) in economy next to a very pleasant but absolutely enormous man.

We touched arms and legs for the entire flight. And bonus! He had sleep apnoea due to his fatness so snorted, choked and spluttered throughout the entire night flight.

I don’t understand why baggage is weighed and measured, but passengers aren’t.

Yes I agree with this. Or obese passengers should pay for two seats. It’s not fair on others to be squished into already very small spaces.

tall people have to pay extra for leg room so it is fair in that respect.

i would have thought obese people would want the extra space too.