An American Airlines passenger stuck in a middle seat for a three hour flight wound up with “neck [and] back.. wrecked” because they were seated beside a passenger who couldn’t fit inside their own seat’s space. That customer flowed over into the man’s space, forcing him into contortionist positions for the duration fo the trip.
American’s response is that “customers come in all shapes and sizes.” However, that is not their policy.
My neck n back are wrecked!
Hey @AmericanAir, i respectfully asked to be moved on a full flight after spending 3 hours physically contorted in a middle seat and was told nothing could be done. If a passenger cannot fit within one seat space, there has to be a solution!? pic.twitter.com/6ZgAIZzRaJ— Savage Gentleman Victor Benjamin (@RealSavageGent) May 6, 2026
We sincerely regret the enjoyment and comfort of your flight was diminished due to another customer exceeding their seat’s space. We understand that our customers come in all shapes and sizes, and we do our best to avoid uncomfortable seat situations. DM your confirmation code,…
— americanair (@AmericanAir) May 6, 2026
American’s policy here is clear, but was not enforced:
- If a passenger “need[s] more than one seat to travel comfortably and safely,” they must book an additional seat.
- American will sell them two seats, with the second seat at the same price as the first.
- If they didn’t do this, and two seats together aren’t available any onger, then they nede to move to another flight.
They previously told me that their policy to require passengers of size to buy an extra ticket is as follows,
To ensure the comfort and safety of all customers, our policy is that an extra seat will be required at the time of booking if the customer requires a seat belt extension and their body extends more than one inch beyond the outermost edge of the armrest.
I’ve never actually seen this enforced, but I went looking through social media and did find cases where a passenger spoke up and that prompted American to enforce their policy.
- On a flight from Chicago O’Hare to Tampa, a large passenger in an extra legroom seat was told they needed needed to get off the aircraft because the flight was full, there was no set of two empty seats together where they could sit, and they hadn’t purchased enough space for themselves. Eventually they were put them back onto the same aircraft in a different row and promised a refund of the Main Cabin Extra upcharge.
- A large American Airlines passenger in a middle seat couldn’t fit inside their space once the window and aisle passengers put their armrests down and “had to be moved” by a flight attendant – and there were empty seats for them to move into.
Generally it seems that when a passenger complaints, with door still open, American sometimes tries to move the passenger of size and find them two seats or rebook them – sometimes.
Passenger sizers, similar to bag sizers, are long, long overdue.
Policies, rules, norms, laws, etc. are human constructs. Enforcement is what matters. AA should have enforced its policies, and hopefully they make it right for the guy who had to endure this.
This is becoming a very oversized problem. All the airlines need to take it seriously. The longer the flight the more tortured the trip becomes for the innocent seat mate.
I’ve had to sit next to large passengers who probably did not qualify for an extra seat and it can still be quite uncomfortable.
@David P — You’d like to think with all the GLP-1s this would be less and less of an issue. Note how the ‘body positivity’ and ‘healthy at every size’ phenomena disappeared quickly once those miracle shots made everyone who could afford them thin over-night, practically… (Gary, toootally unrelated, but, just sayin’, you’re lookin’ good these days, bud!)
I’m not sharing any of my seat with oversized encroaching passengers. Passengers being crushed need to be assertive by speaking up promptly and demand AA enforce their own policy.
I saw what you did there…
Got’em!
This is why even Silver status keeps you out of middle seats.
But be forewarned that DL is ‘upgrading’ to Comfort+ middle seats – even from exit-row aisle or window. This happened to me, despite my account preferences to reject an upgrade to a C+ middle. I found that my preferences had been reset, and I had to go to the DL website (not the app) to fix it.
Some forums indicate that I was not the only one with this reset problem.
I wonder if keeping a copy of the airline’s policy PRINTED with the company logo in one’s suitcase…just in case! Show that to the flight attendant. It might not work but…If you don’t try, they “ain’t gonna” respond. Be polite but insistent. If that doesn’t work, then write a SNAIL MAIL letter to the customer service department, certified, return receipt and DEMAND compensation. Ask for the full dollar amount plus 50%. CC: the FAA airline’s CMU. Nothing worse for the airline than the certificate management unit getting involved!
If I could not afford to pay for cash upgrades or first outright I would be flying/traveling far, far less. Even if you’re in a window or aisle if there’s a two ton tubby next to you, get ready to be squeezed. And it’s only going to get worst.
When I retire in August 2029 traveling will be down to like every other month and again premium or premium economy only. Too old to be treated like a ripe tomato at one of Mamdani’s city run grocery stores.
If you can’t fit in the seat with the armrests down, you should have to buy two. I know airline seats are ridiculously small almost too small for non-obese folks. But with that in mind, if a large passenger is spilling into my seat, then my already small seat is that much smaller.
had the same issue on a flight.
the poor man’s stomach literally spilled over into my seat crushing my arm.
i had to pull it out and hold my arm to my chest for 3 hours.
AA gave me the exact same message.
it’s just wrong.
@George Nathan Romey — Thankfully, as you’ve said a few times on here, you still “work for a living,” so you can “afford to pay” for the finer things. As for NYC, you’re always welcome, and the tomatoes are indeed delicious…
Make friends with the tubbies! No need to contort oneself. Just lift the arm rest and lean into it. I swear I got the best nap in 2009 when I decided to do just that.
I had that happen to me. I was reluctant to say anything because I am smaller and could still fit in my seat, but I paid for a seat and the person next to me was sitting in part of the seat that I paid for and was touching me. I put the armrest down, and he kept putting it up.
To me, it’s the principle that I paid for a seat and am entitled to the full use of it. If the person cannot fit in the seat that the passenger paid for, then it should be vacated to pay for a seat that can be seated in
@ Win — You apparently have flown AA. They would laugh at your demands. They really don’t care.
@ 1990 — After shopping at my local WalMart for groceries today, I can assure you that the GLP-1 market has only scratched the surface. I saw several 300-400 pounders on my trip today.
@Gene — Phew! And, to think… our ‘Dear Leader’ is a mere *215 pounds… (self-reported, Fulton County, August 2023).
At the very least choose an aisle seat and if you have to pay, then pay. Check the seat map or ask the gate agent in case you can improve your seat to be next to an middle.
@ 1990 – He’s also 6’5 and has the skin of a baby….rhinoceros.
@Gene — The only horn that can ethically be poached… I’m being told, actually, it’s more of a mushroom… “allegedly.”
I don’t understand why anyone ever flies AA knowing how awful they are. I know it’s victim blaming but you are kind of asking for it at this point.
AA is very strict with their FAs on pax not moving, but they can bend the rules , especially if you are nice. I was compelled to fly AA from LHR-BOS as my boss has the misfortune of being an AA 2MM. My MCE row with empty aisle and middle suddenly became full t boarding, and the 2 pax in the row both needed extenders. I slid up to the FA to ask for a seat switch, she declined at first, until she was asked for the extenders, and then she placed me in the exit row (middle seat, because this being AA the aisle seat was broke), and of course the IFE was also Inop in accordance with AA policy to never fly a fully functional aircraft
In your good article, it says:
“American’s policy here is….
If a passenger “need[s] more than one seat to travel comfortably and safely,”
they must book an additional seat.
American will sell them two seats, with the second seat at the same price as the first.
Well, that is a rip-off because all fares include substantial taxes which are levied per
passenger. Because the taxes will not be incurred by the airline for allocating an additional
seat to the ONE passenger, they must (should) only charge one additional BASIC fare,
not including taxes, airport charges, etc.
Stick an AA pilot in that seat as he flies to his next destination and I’m sure it would be enforced!
I’m a big dude – 6’3″, 300lbs. There’s no way I can fit in a coach seats. Consequently, I always pay to fly up front. No problems flying business/first class. What blows my mind is when I’m seated up front and the rest of the plane is loading, I see people waddling down the aisle that make me look small. They can’t fit in the aisle! How are they fitting in their seat? Obviously, this is a problem for them and everyone around them. I’ve never seen an airline stop any of these people, though.
@Some Guy — Good on you for actually paying to sit up-front; however, it is likely those other ‘people waddling down the aisle’ likely cannot afford to pay 3-5x the airfare to do the same. (Maybe, we just need better standards for all airlines, and for airlines to actually enforce their own policies…)
I knew 1990 wasn’t going to be able to keep himself from making this about Trump. Pathologically pathetic.
I assume he’s that Jet Blue stew who pulled the emergency slide and jumped off that aircraft.
First, airlines have been packing more tiny, cramped seats into the cattle car section to entice the payment of huge upgrades to get quasi-comfortable. But some of America is getting deadly huge — you don’t see a lot of 70-year-old 400-pounders — they have been planted in some wide box in the dirt. Disney found that out a few years ago — their “It’s a small world” boats were designed for the 1970 flavors of big people to float around. They had to refurbish for another foot of water to keep that 500-pound dude in the left rear corner from bottoming out the craft and stopping the ride.
@Tom Mariner — Are you @Ken A?
On a flight from Rome to the USA, I was seated in a window seat in a two seat (each side) row. at the rear of the plane. My seat companion was of regular size and I’m small by today’s standards. After we were in the air, my seatmate changed with a guy behind us. This new seat mate was 300 pound plus and was half in my seat even with the armrest down. I asked the American Airlines flight attendant to move one of us and she refused. I spent 8 hours contorted in what was left of my seat. It was the most miserable 8 hours of my life. I was sore for days after.
I dread going overseas again knowing this can happen. Airlines don’t care even when you complain. They need to do something before these obese passengers even get on the plane.
i have a and c so i buy the middle seat due to my size now if united trys to takes my seat i just paid 800$ for it good luck.I do have to scan 2 boarding passes though
being big is not like getting a hair cut or a tattoo. these folks did not wake up one day and say “you know what I want to be huge”. I know the world thinks its easy to just not be fat, but that is about as easy as saying just don’t be short. its unreal how we treat this disability compared to others in our culture. the hate here should not be focused on others it should purely be focused on the airlines who has refused for years to make accommodations for any passenger to be comfortable on a very expensive flight. the airlines have prioritized profit over client comfort in general.
@big guy, I respectfully disagree…being big and being short are very different things. Short of leg-lengthening surgery, we have no control over our height once we’ve reached maturity. Trust me, I always wanted to be 3″ taller since I play basketball recreationally, but I’m not that desperate be taller.
However, weight can be very controllable even if one has terrible genetics and metabolism. As someone trying to get leaner myself, I can see the effects when I eat unheathy or skip exercise. Just eat healthy and exercise in whatever form is manageable. Health is a journey…you don’t have to do it overnight. I lost 30 pounds over 3 months by walking at least 10k steps every day. I lost even more when I increased it to 100k a week. And, as I age and my metabolism slows, I adjust my behavior accordingly (eating less junk).
@Also Big Guy — You’re an inspiration! When I moved back to NYC, I lost weight because I walk everywhere here.