Obese people have to pay for two plane seats

[mateykatie]

Overweight passengers who cannot squeeze into a single plane seat are to be charged double to fly with Air France.

People who cannot fit into a standard seat will be asked to pay for two seats, or not be allowed on board for "safety reasons", according to the airline.

link

You have to pay extra for emergency exit seats IME as OH and I are both tall, is that fair? I guess it is? But then again, I wouldn't be happy if i was inadequately provided for in any other situation where i had paid to be....

wasn't

I have sat in an aisle seat with two substantially larger people in the two seats next to me and I fumed for the whole trip as I couldn't sit upright in my chair due to 'overlap'! I actually think though the airline seats are too small and generally they need to be made a more confortable size for all of us not just to charge extra for fat people!

My DH is 6'5" and has usually managed the space OK but it is not comfortable, especially long haul.

What is it with all this PC crap these days? Since when has it been okay to be obese? It's not okay, it's disgusting. It's just greed on the part of those people. I'm a bit overweight and I know it's my own fault and I don't expect anyone to jump through hoops for me because of my lack of self-control. And for that tiny minority of obese people who DO have a medical condition that they can do nothing about, then I'm sorry. But on the whole people are very fat because they eat too much crap and don't take enough exercise. If you can't be bothered to make yourself into the shape and size of a normal human being, then why should anyone else bother to help you? Sorry, but I hate all this tip-toeing around fat people. And I am fully expecting to be attacked for my views and I don't care.

You don't always have to pay for emergency exit; depends on which airline you fly, and where your departure point is.
IME, for Air France from Paris to Jo'burg, you don't have to pay extra (just be SUPER fast in the online check in, and pre-select your seats). From Jo'burg to Paris, you may have to book them online, and pay EUR 50 extra, unless you manage to convince them once you're on the plane that you have no legroom (bitter experience of ten hour flight with DP). I do kind of think that priority for emergency exit seats should be given to those over 6 foot, particularly on long haul flights, as there are potential health implications. My uncle (also over 6 foot - I come from a tall family) always tells them that he cannot adopt the crash position in an emergency, so they move him.

I don't see a problem with it, tbh. If you take up two seats, you should pay for two seats.

And I have to point out, as a normal heighted person, travelling with a tall person can be awesome, as you get to sit next to them in the emergency exit
Not so awesome if they don't, and you have to sit through x number of hours of whinging about their kneecaps getting crushed everytime the person in front puts their seat back/moves/breathes

didn't ryanair chunter on about weighing passengers recently?

I'm 5'1" and several times have been given a seat in an emergency exit row. I try to change it because there's no footrest and you can't put your bag down to use as one and its most uncomfortable! I found this out when sitting next to my boss, I wriggled around so much trying to get comfy he said it was 'like travelling next to a bagful of ferrets'

Tallies, do shorties a favour and book those seats!

I saw a Poirot recently in which passengers were being weighed along with their baggage. Presumably in the early days of flight they had to calculate carefully but it seems like quite a good idea. Allowance for person+bags would mean you could take loads of stuff for the kids!

GrimmaTheNome,

I think having a total weight limit for person+luggage is a fantastic idea!

Agree!

Does Bonsoir Anna work for Air France, parce que?

This isn't new is it? I though large people had to pay for 2 seats anyway.

Don't think it is up to the airline to prvide a selection of larger seats (obv they already provide more space in different classes but that is a different issue). How would you allocate those? Tall people have to cram themselves in (I am 6 foot and economy is no joke).

Aicraft space is limited obviously and I don't think teh airline should give obese people 2 seats gratis.

I though large people had to pay for 2 seats anyway - not that I'm aware of Ryan Air muttered about it but withdrew.

I think I agree with Grimma - being weighed would be a great idea! Also being measured and getting the emergency exit seats. DH is very tall and hates being squished into a seat - he's so unhappy about it that it makes traveling with him a misery.

I'm also with the camp that says if you require two seats, you should pay for them. I've sat next to enormous people and been squashed by them, and have been forced to say to the flight attendants, politely, "this person hasn't paid for any part of my seat but is occupying just about half of it, please either move me or move him/her". Repeated politely but forcefully a few times, if necessary with increasing volume (without shouting) usually gets results. To be fair, I've also acknowledged to the person beside me that I appreciate that he or she has no immediate control over their size and that there is nothing personal in my protest, but that nonetheless I've paid for an entire seat, not half of one, and expect to fly in what I've paid for.

Many do not have a medical condition, however.

It's hiring space. Like I said, you have to pay for a whole seat for a baby or children who don't use a whole one, so I don't see why someone who uses more than one seat shouldn't have to pay for it.

Fat people by stealth.

Oh look, another fuckwit slagging off fat people. Putting a after your fuckwittery doesn't excuse it you know, "Surprise". No surprise there

i think people who call others disgusting because of food are the disgusting ones

GrimmaTheNome I am 4'11'' and also hate emergency exit seats as I like to put a bag on the floor for my feet, it is so uncomfortable with your feet in midair! One of the benefits of being short, I find economy seats fine in terms of space. DP is a lot taller (6'3''!) and would love emergency exit row seats but at the moment is impossible because of the DC.
Another reason I don't like those seats is I can't reach the overhead locker so like to have my bag by my feet, otherwise I have to keep asking DP to fetch it down because I want something out of my toilet bag or a different book or DC want something and DP gets fed up, makes me wait 15 minutes between requests!

It sounds pretty fair, tbh. If you don't like it lose weight.

how tall do you have to be for the exit seats?