WHEN will airlines wake up to the fact that they have to tackle the issue of seating and very overweight people?

[HuwEdwards]

I just endured a (shorthaul, thank god) flight seated next to a man who was plainly much too large for the cabin seat.

His thighs, hips shoulders and arms encroached onto my seat and into my personal space to such an extent that I've no doubt it was as uncomfortable for him as me.

So any suggestions about how this potentially emotive issue could be resolved?

I flew today, and noticed the stewardess giving a very large man a seatbelt 'extender' so he 'could be more comfortable'.

That was the first time I'd been aware that such things are generally available.

There have been a few court cases on this. One woman suffered significant injuries on a long haul flight from being squashed, and won a fair bit as I recall. As the proportion of obese people increases there are only a few options such as:
refuse to allow very over weight people to fly;
make very overweight people buy two seats; or
put in some larger seats at a premium and require those with a bum measurement over a certain limit to book those seats.

I do think if you are placed next to someone who is overflowing into your space on a long haul flight you have every right to kick up a fuss.

I started a Thread on this years ago - about a debate on charging for combined person/luggage. It got very heated with people saying "What about Rugby players/ ill people etc etc" but I too get annoyed that we are ALL charged extra to make up for the additional fuel costs of carrying a "growing" population, and my DH & DS are built like Gollum and get no allowance made the other way to offset luggage etc.