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?

I did get a flight once where the captain had debated whether to allow two passengers to fly as they were so large. They let them and me and my friend ended up next to one of them for a 10 hour flight. It was horrendous. The passenger couldn’t lower her table at all, and was taking up over half of the next seat. The air stewards ended up letting us sit on jump seats during the flight but that was far from ideal.

There were some rows with just two seats together - I never understood why they didn’t just make them sit together in a pair of seats rather than across the aisle from each other encroaching on others, although it’s probably because it just wouldn’t have been physically possible.

Oh shit, i fear my 6"4 , 19st ds would be priced out of flying 😮

They do. You just booked business or first

Is Premium Economy not standard seats but with more leg room, rather than width?

Balance of the plane maybe?

Actually that might be why they don't offer extra wide seats.

A couple of very big pax won't be an issue on an average airliner when it comes to weight/balance.

There might however be ? about other safety issues.

I had this last year. A very obese couple who had booked aisle seats next to each other, guessing because at least they’d have extra room in the aisle. It was awful. One of his legs was in the aisle and the air hostess couldn’t get the trolly past. The other was in my space. He spilled over the top of the arm rest and contact with me, both his leg and arm. He fell asleep snorting away, so loudly people were turning around to look. It was an awful 5 hour flight. The people the other side of me had the same.

The problem with using a seat belt extender as a measure of sorts, is that very few people actually need them

I was 20 stone and didnt need one. I always booked the large seats but the large seats are in the emergency exit aisle which means if you do need a belt extender, you're not allowed to sit there, so each flight I was wracked with worry that for some reason I might get a short belt and need an extender but never did.

Well said! Seats on planes are all about profit, look at old airline pictures, there was plenty of space to actually enjoy travel … I flew a few years ago with a meniscus tear in my knee and it was absolutely unbearably painful as no room to stretch my leg

They’re very slightly wider, admittedly not massively. The leg room really helps.

Is this a serious post?

Of course there was plenty of space because people were smaller

This. The airline shouldn't have to provide larger seats which would not be used on flights where there is no obese person.

Depends how large they are doesnt it? If you are too big for one seat then the gap in the middle is still under your bum but maybe just to the side instead.

If you buy 2 seats then your bottom ( or shoulders) wont be on one side totally

People would buy them for comfort.

Absolutely this.

50 years ago I was a size 14 - 36 inch bust, 28 inch waist, and 38 inch hip, look at vintage sewing patterns. And that was considered curvy.

They might be used by people who want more space?

Seats were wider too though. So it's a double whammy of narrower seats and wider people....

https://www.popsci.com/science/why-are-airline-seats-so-small/

I'm quite prepared to accept that she told me that to make me feel better, but she did say it. 30+ years ago.

She also said they had particular problems with Robbie Coltrane.

Oh, bless, you're talking about the days when the plebs spent their holidays on Brighton beach building sandcastles in the rain and only people with money could afford to fly.

I remember them well.

Well they could weigh you along with your luggage and you pay per kg. Or they could offer bigger seats at a higher cost but they can't police the size of the person choosing to buy them.

Sympathies OP. That sounds entirely miserable.

I have an issue with train seats when I commute to work. They’ve gotten progressively smaller over the past few decades, whilst people have gotten larger!

I refuse to angle/contort/hurt myself to accommodate larger passengers, so have had plenty of journeys with my back firmly against my seat, even if it means the arms/legs of the person spilling into my space squished against mine 😮‍💨 Too many times of twisting myself awkwardly and then getting a neck/back strain.

Agree that airlines should charge per weight of passenger.

I had a Ryanair flight where I was in the window seat and the middle and aisle seats had two obese passengers in them so I was squashed in half my seat against the window. I asked the cabin crew if I could move as I felt claustrophobic, she took one look at the row and said yes and moved me. Those people needed three seats between them.

I’m small framed but DH is average and his shoulders spill into my seat (and DS’ seat) but I don’t mind that. It bothers me a lot when it’s a stranger so if I’m not flying with family I pay to choose an aisle seat so I have some space and the ability to get up easily.

I would support a luggage plus weight all in one package as I do find it irritating when I’m reprimanded for being 1kg over on my hand luggage but other passengers are easily 20kg more than me. I’ve worn the extra clothes before to pass their arbitrary test then back in the case they go!

I've had the "squashed up next to window, legs pressed against mine, can't use armrest" flights before and have a (probably daft) question. If obese individual purchased 2 seats, how would that work for actually sitting? You wouldn't be able to sit comfortably on the middle bit of 2 seats - even with armrest up. So would that mean still being wedged into the one seat but spilling over into the spare seat purchased next to you?

Yes, absolutely.

Because obesity is a lifestyle choice, not a disease. And I say that as someone who was clinically obese for many years but is now a healthy weight (without the use of drugs).

Fatties have two options if they are struggling to fit into standard aircraft seats : 1, Pay for an upgrade. 2, Lose weight by accepting responsibility for what they choose to put in their mouths.

Presumably you just put the arm rest up and sit comfortably.

But I suspect a lot of these “I’m so squashed” post are shit and it’s just a leg touching yourself