Comments on: “I’m normally not the type of person to complain, but …”

By: KT

KT — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:24:57 +0000

I can’t help but think Robin is not that smart. You say that they sell bigger seats in business or first class, but lets throw in a combination of lower class or middle class people who can’t afford a 3 hour flight for 1000 dollars or people who can’t afford to pay 400 bucks for two seats. Not everyone is made of money. Also, what about in people who are in my position. I don’t need the extra room, but I also decided to fly to Fl on vacation last minute. Whether I was 500 lbs or 90 lbs, I can only take what seats are left on the flight I need. When I looked at the seats available a week before my flight there were maybe 5 left and all of them in economy and most of them middle seats. Sometimes you can’t help where you get placed. Let me also point out, if you don’t like sitting next to a fat person YOU PAY for first class seating. Or buy someone who is obese a first class ticket. My brother is 6’4 250 and hes not fat at all, he’s built like a spiker for volleyball. He is uncomfortable as hell in airline seats. Not everyone has the money to waste on 1000 dollar business or first class seats.

This about it this way, as far as obese people go, when compared to the car you drive, since you brought it up, if you could afford a porsche wouldn’t you buy it regardless of whether u needed it or not? If I or any other person big or small could afford to fly first class or private jet everytime, then we would whether we needed the extra room or not. Maybe you should open up your wallet and get your fat hating friends to do the same and start an airline that flies only plus size passengers and their families.

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:10:22 +0000

I had this happen to me on an American Airlines flight. It was a 5 hour flight and I was in a middle seat- with the only empty seat on the plane was next to me. The man was so large that he couldn’t get seated without raising the armrest. When I said no- it stays down, the FA told me that if I continued to be difficult she would have me removed from the flight. I was flying home because my dad was in critical condition in the hospital and could not miss the flight. So I let them raise the armrest and gee, surprisingly it wouldn’t go down when the man was seated. For the rest of the flight I was IGNORED by the FA, no eye contact, no drinks (couldn’t raise my arms anyway). The man ordered whiskey, one after another (it was a 9am flight) and took every opportunity to rub himself against my side throughout the entire flight. I was sobbing by the time I got off the plane.

I wrote letters to the airline and the FAA about the safety issue. I received 1 call from the FAA, and a letter from the airline stating they were “sorry” about my discomfort, but they had no formal policy about large passengers. Oh- and they sent me a $50 voucher for a future flight. As if I would EVER fly their airline again.

This is not an issue of fat- I want the entire seat I’ve paid for. Period.

By: yogagirl

yogagirl — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:56:17 +0000

Oh and one other thing. I don’t consider myself IGNORANT and too large for first class is ENORMOUS. It may be sad and pitiable that the person is enormous but they still are. Facts are facts.

By: yogagirl

yogagirl — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:55:08 +0000

Also I fly constantly and it is my observation that the vast majority of passengers ARE able to put the armrest down. Why should this be so difficult? No armrest down, two seats. Period. No stealing space from another passenger. I really cannot understand how someone can defend the position that even if they are so large that they cannot put the armrest down and are taking someone else’s property in the form of their rented seat space it’s fine. If the armrest can be put down, I may not have the most comfortable flight if the person next to me is large, but then that falls into the category of making allowances for other passengers differences.

By: yogagirl

yogagirl — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:50:26 +0000

Shawna at least you tried to be thoughtful. I myself am really tired of being told I’m insensitive, mean spirited, etc. and so on simply because I feel I am entitled to the ENTIRE SEAT I purchased. I firmly believe that if a person cannot fit into ONE seat, then they should be REQUIRED to purchase second seat. I simply do not understand how anyone can defend taking a portion of someone else’s property because that is exactly what happens. I rent that seat, the ENTIRE SEAT, for the duration of the flight. People should have to rent the appropriate amount of space for their needs. I am not talking about tall passengers, husky passengers, etc. Seats are small and accommodations must be made for that. I’m talking about OBESE passengers who cannot put down the armrest. I feel there should be a rule on ALL airlines stating that if you cannot put down the armrest (which then means you are taking space you didn’t pay for, space that BELONGS to someone else), then you must purchase a second seat. Period. How about the obese person being considerate of ME and feeling bad for ME for a change? And not taking MY space that they didn’t pay for?

By: Sandy

Sandy — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:49:23 +0000

“On February 15th, 2008 GENIE said
wow, too large for FIRST CLASS? Now THAT is ENORMOUS!”

Now THAT is IGNORANT.

By: Shawna

Shawna — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:13:11 +0000

This is the reason I try very very hard not to fly because I am a plus sized woman and do not want to infringe on other peoples space. I have inquired about getting 2 seats before just for my own comfort and was told when I was purchasing the tickets don;t buy the second seat because this flight never sells out. Well I was on the one that happened to sell out there and back!

By: GENIE

GENIE — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 04:06:11 +0000

wow, too large for FIRST CLASS? Now THAT is ENORMOUS!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:10:26 +0000

I have my own weight issues, but I was once on a flight, in FIRST CLASS, where the other passenger was so large he couldn’t get over the armrests into the window seat. I had to take the window (I MUCH prefer an aisle and had pre-reserved the aisle seat). I could only bear to take one bathroom break because it was so painful to watch him get in and out of the seat.

I felt a combination of anger and pity for the guy.

By: GENIE

GENIE — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:55:40 +0000

The airlines bear A LOT of responsibility in this matter, but only because they either FAIL to make policies regarding ‘passengers of size’ clear from the beginning of the reservation process, or they fail to ENFORCE written policies already in place (like requiring obese passengers to buy two seats) The airlines ALREADY OFFER LARGER SEATS IN THE FORM OR BUSINESS OR FIRST CLASS. As a passenger, I’d love to always fly up front, but I can’t afford to, so when I fly coach, I’m assuming the restrictions of a smaller space. That said, I AM entitled to ALL OF THAT SPACE. Passengers KNOW if they will fit into a SINGLE SEAT with the ARMREST DOWN. If they do not, they THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BUY TWO SEATS, PERIOD. And the airlines should require anyone taking up more than their seat to either pay for another one or GET OFF THE FLIGHT. This is not ABOUT ‘intolerance” or “hatred” of obese people. This is a SAFETY issue as well as a COURTESY issue. The reason someone is obese is NOT my business, but it IS my business when the ‘size’ overflows into MY seat. I’ve been in this situation several times and the FA refused to do ANYTHING because every seat was filled. Until people demand that the airlines make WRITTEN policies regarding this problem available to everyone, and then ENFORCE them, it will continue to cause major problems. I fly Continental often and I carry their WRITTEN POLICY with me on every flight. If I encounter this problem again and the FAs refuse to remedy the situation, I’m going to use that copy. If that does not work, I will despute the charge on my credit card. The airlines want to sweep this issue under the rug, and to do so is not prudent. Remember, we are ALL responsible for purchasing sufficient ‘space’ to contain ourselves, and we are ENTITLED to ALL of the space we’re willing to PAY FOR.

By: Joe F.

Joe F. — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:58:20 +0000

To everyone who claims ‘health problems’ for their obesity and not simply too much food going in – I present to you the concentration and POW camps of WWII. I’m sure there were lots and lots of people with ‘health problems’ in the camps., but no one was fat. Obesity in 99% of the situations is from eating too much – and mostly carbohydrate – cookies, cakes, bread, stuff that was not readily and cheaply available in the last century and prior.

That might sound harsh, but it is the truth. If you exercised you would lose the weight. If you ate less, you would not gain anymore. You simply cannot tell me that 40% of the American public has a ‘health problem’ that makes they obese.

Finally, if you are obese, you need to voluntarily buy two coach seats. You are NOT entitled to spill over into someone else’s chair – no matter how much you think it is because the ‘airlines’ make the seats too narrow. The arrogance that attitude shows is self-indulgent and spoiled.

That is hogwash. Boeing airline cabins on narrow body aircraft have been the same width since the Boeing 707 = 727, 737, 757 – all have been the same width and have had the same WIDTH seats. The only thing that has changed is the width of the passenger sitting in it. Seat PITCH [distance from seat back to front] has changed and gotten smaller, by as much as 5′, but people have gotten wider, thats all.

You are entitled to the space you rented from the airline – no more – and certainly no less. If you cannot afford two seats, or a business class or first class seat, then how is that the problem of either the airline or your seatmate? Then the issue is your finances and perhaps, given your size, you cannot fly commercially in coach. You may not be able to do anything about your wealth level but you CAN do something about your size.

By: Arizona Road Warrior

Arizona Road Warrior — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:02:06 +0000

I am usually upgraded to first class but when I select my seat in Coach, I select an exit row seat because most of the exit row seats on the US Airways planes (the old America West planes based in PHX) have solid enclosure between the seats; therefore, no can invade your space that you paid for.

I have been on two flights (Horizon Air) where the FAs removed really obese individuals from the exit row in the name of safety…neither individual objected.

By: robin

robin — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:29:58 +0000

Lets face it the airlines have a seat size for everybody. If you require more room, they sell bigger seats in business and first class. People just don’t want to pay for it. They would rather complain and blame the airline that they don’t fit into their tiny seats rather than open up their wallet.Well, if comfort and service is important to you. Buy a larger seat. It is simple. Price is important to me, that is way I drive a Honda Civic but I don’t complain every time that I get into it that it is not a Cadillac. Come on people don’t expect the airline to compensate for your size or girth!

By: Jimmyk9

Jimmyk9 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:53:45 +0000

Seriously all of you saying “lets ignore the fact that this complain is about fat people and focus on its economic component”, are either being obtuse or just don’t understand the issue. The issue is what is average? “The vast majority of people fit just fine in the seats?” What are you basing your assumption on? I won’t ask for specifics because that would just be silly, but of the respondents here all of the claimed to be impacted by the seating on airlines, from the person who is “5′10″ and well under 140 pounds has a hard time fitting her legs into the seats, don’t you think that’s a sign the airlines have gone too far?” to the obese poster the issue here is the size of the seating. My suggestion is to do something about a factor that is within our control, the size of the seats and to stop hammering away at a factor that is not within our control, the size of the passengers.

J.K. your idea has utilitarian merit…charge for what is used, but the people factor would shut that one down…how many people are willing to be measured like a commodity and charged accordingly before travelling? Please step onto the scale ma’am/sir…please submit to our measuring process…o.k. you are 25% larger than what WE have determined is the “average” and your bill will reflect that accordingly…real human dignity there, economically effective sure…but is it how you want to be treated?

By: Chuck3

Chuck3 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:14:47 +0000

By all means, always copy the FAA/DOT in on your complaint letters (especially in baggage, safety or disability related incidents). The airlines usually try to handle all complaints “in house” so that they do not escalate to a level that requires the customer to report their grievance to the Feds. Why? Numbers. Stats. Those wonderful DOT rankings that come out every month- the airlines that are usually at the top of the lists (best ratings) are the ones that avoid the escalation of their complaints to a higher level than their airport staff or customer resolution staff. Why do you think Southwest, the nation’s largest domestic carrier, has such a low complaint ratio? Because the complaint letters that would count “against” them, are handled “in house”- never even seen by the DOT. To their credit, they are pro-active in resolving the complaints before the customer has a chance to take it to a higher level. Just remember, when you get that piddly $50.00 flight voucher for your inconvenience, airline-caused delay, or torn apart baggage- and you sign your name on it- guess what? You just signed away any right to take it any further. Case closed. If the DOT saw even a quarter of the complaints that are received by the “top ranked” carriers, that monthly list would be a whole new animal.