A change.org petition from plus-sized activist and influencer Jaelynn Chaney demanding that the FAA require airlines to offer multiple seats for free to passengers who don’t fit into a standard seat is gaining thousands of signatures.
She reports that on a United Express regional jet flight from Pasco, Washington to Denver she was “subjected to hateful comments” which is sad, and she had just a single seat with immovable armrests on another flight which was very uncomfortable. And so she wants FAA action.
- Free extra seats. And anyone plus-sized who buys more than one seat should be refunded for it, with a simple online procedure.
All plus-size passengers should be provided with an extra free seat, or even two or three seats depending on their size, to accommodate their needs and ensure their comfort during the flight.
- Additional assistance and priority boarding. As well as “larger bathrooms, seat belt extenders, and alternative seating arrangements.” Generally widebody aircraft have a larger bathroom, while narrowbodies do not which is also a problem for some wheelchair-dependent passengers.
- Government-mandated customer service training “on how to accommodate plus-size travelers, including handling sensitive situations and providing appropriate customer service.”
I don’t think anyone is going to argue that airlines should emphasize customer service and not just movement from one point to another. Asking for a customer service mandate from the government, handly known for customer service, may not deliver results.
Beyond that there are two key points, I think. Airlines let you purchase an additional seat if you wish already. And this petition is for larger passengers to be given extra seats for free.
- That means, by the way, that on a full flight someone else wouldn’t be able to travel because they’re taking up more than one seat.
- And the airline would be required to offer this at a loss, giving up the revenue for that seat. This isn’t free, it’s costly. That’s easy to dismiss in the abstract (these are ‘billion dollar companies’ and it’s ‘just one passenger’) but doing this for every large passenger, in a country of larger passengers adds up – and the money comes out of the pockets of shareholders which really means all of us. Public companies are owned by mutual funds and retirement funds, like the retirement accounts of teachers and firefighters. That’s who you’re asking to pay for this.
Southwest Airlines has a generous policy where if a passenger of size purchases a second seat (as required, so they don’t take up the space and intrude on the rights of another passenger) and the flight winds up less than 100% full, the airline will refund that seat.
That still comes at a cost to the airline. The larger passenger may have taken up discounted inventory with that second seat, causing the airline to price remaining seats higher. They may still have lost a sale – indeed, the flight might not be full because that passenger purchased a second seat and the airline is giving back the revenue from that purchase. Speculative, but plausible enough that on an expected value basis this isn’t free to do but a kindness offered by the airline. Should even that be required though?
I’m 6 foot 5″. I demand the airlines give me more legroom!!!
There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch…
Sorry
“Should even that be required though?” In a word, “no.” In two words, “hell, no.”
Glad I don’t run an airline!
Everyone has unrealistic expectations when it comes to flying. The luxury days are gone and so are the high prices. You want to board first, be served, have a row to yourself? It’s called a charter.. And what the hell does she influence and who is influenced by her?
There’s a slight mistake in this article.
Southwest now refunds the extra seat regardless of how full the flight is.
How about taking responsibility for her own problems by losing the fat??
Why is everyone else blamed for her personal problem?
Also forgot to mention that this is actually the law in Canada as it pertains to domestic flights.
If somebody requires additional seating, they can get it at no additional charge. There’s an approval process mind you, and the request has to be initiated by a doctor.
Not only will this not happen, but the opposite is inevitable.
Airlines will soon tie the ticket price to a passenger’s weight.
See https://brothke.medium.com/your-bmi-is-your-ticket-price-the-next-dimension-in-airline-pricing-c0592c755a8f
I identify as a Plus Size. I definitely deserve an extra seat on all flights going forward.
One of our friends is large. Her solution: Buy a FC seat. It is still very tight, but she doesn’t expect a free seat.
The self proclaimed influence needs to get over herself.
Airlines should have a campaign like Liberty Mutual. Pay for what you need. If one needs more space, pay for it. This also applies to those who need more legroom or need to work with more space.
Some of these nasty comments aren’t helpful, but it is easy to make fun of heavy people–a discriminatory language not socially acceptable with other groups, and it shouldn’t be here. Some of these folks, incidentally, have severe glandular or other medical problems and for them it’s not a case of over eating. For that matter, Americans have gained about 20 pounds in a generation, thanks to huge portions and the corn syrup in everything (that goes back to Nixon pandering to that industry). So in the U.S. many of us are huge by world standards even if not “overweight” in a traditional sense.
I am sensitive to this topic because my wife was morbidly obese (she got by with a seat belt extension). One day she had enough, started a serious exercise and diet program, and over several years–no quick fixes!–lost and kept off half her weight. I joined in and lost a quarter, so we’re both now about right. In ours 70s we do the triathlon nationals together, as well as several other tris a year and 1/2 Marathons too. Change is possible but it takes commitment, reasonable goals (“attainable, measurable, and flexible” she says), time (the “biggest loser” is a stupid and dangerous way to do it), and a good medical/social support team. And no expectations of special treatment as an entitled person either.
[redacted -gl] And thus preventing other people from having a seat on that same flight. What makes her think she is more special than me or anyone who has commented on this? Just because she is a social influencer doesn’t mean shit and while we’re on that topic just who does she influence and on what? I miss the days when parents taught their kids to think for themselves.
watch the commercials for Ozempic, Wygovy, Mounjaro etc
There are more effective ways to lose weight than ever. Anyone that chooses to stay heavy should bear the consequences more than ever.
If someone in Canada can talk to their doctor to get a “prescription” for an extra weight, the doctor should be prescribing weight loss medications.
While genetics clearly influence one’s body type and metabolism, the body’s formula is pretty simple – when less goes in, the weight comes off. and that is true for EVERY body type and metabolism.
Obesity is simply not something that society should be forced to live with or fund.
Those drugs are extraordinarily effective. But the insurance companies are making it extraordinarily difficult to get them. Most will not cover them due to their being quite expensive.
I lost 50 pounds though even before that I didn’t need Two seats. But have some dignity and stop feeling entitled.
Take out first class and.put a nice comfortable cage for them with beds
And add a trough with unlimited food throughout the flight so they are well nourished
Anything less would be unacceptable
Good gosh I am big too but I still want to fit into my seat and hope to make it to old age
You don’t have to be slim but those who are disposed to obesity still have to make some effort for their own sake and financial well being And today they do have drugs if the person is hopeless.Obesity is now thought by many in the medical profession to be a disease and not fully thought to be all a persons fault through overeating The medical research is fascinating by some Harvard experts
This plus sized “influencer” is giving a bad name to less-entitled plus sizers. On my last flight, the seat next to me was occupied by a morbidly obese woman–she needed a seatbelt extender. She kept herself in her own area and didn’t even try to claim the shared armrest. It was a huge relief! The flight was only 2 & 1/2 hours, but would have been miserable had she overflowed into the space I paid for.
This has been the law in Canada for nearly 15 years now. Those who are “functionally disabled by obesity” and physically require additional seats must be provided those by the airline operator at no cost to the passenger.
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in CCD v VIA Rail that charging “disabled” passengers for additional seats imposed “undue hardship” on them, but the cost of providing these seats imposed far less hardship on the carrier. An carrier has a “duty” to provide equally accessible facilities, absent the ability to show undue hardship. It further ruled that while obesity prima facie is not a disability, obesity in the context of air travel should be considered as such if the passenger is unable to be seated without raising the armrests in a seat provided by the carrier and therefore those persons are entitled to special accomodation.
I have been trapped in between a husband and wife plus size people sitting in the aisle seat and the windows seat obviously they could not sit next to each other. The only seat left on the plane was in between those two , they didn’t want to sit next to each other but obviously they didn’t care then I was subjected to their bodies invading the seat that I’d purchased on the plane. If you’re too big to sit in your seat on an airplane you should buy two. Americans have gotten way too big compared to other cultures it’s shocking
Stuff her in a kennel and put her down in the cargo hold with the other dogs.
Simple solution here: Eat less Twinkies. TY
Lmao at all the old poor white boomers getting triggered, when airlines are the ones reducing seat size to make more money anyways.
Why don’t you try getting a real job so you can afford first class and not have to worry about the slobs crammed in like sardines – I can’t even remember the last time I flew that my company *didn’t* cover first class
Who cares if it’s the law in Canada?
She wants the US airlines to do the same. Tough.
It seems obvious that if you did this, a similar rationale would hold for tall people.
@david A person with a disability is someone who:
has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities,
has a history or record of such an impairment (such as cancer that is in remission), or
is perceived by others as having such an impairment (such as a person who has scars from a severe burn).
Public transit systems must provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services. Disability discrimination during air travel is prohibited by the Air Carriers Access Act.
If you have a complaint about disability discrimination during air travel: File a complaint with the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.
A company is not required to make an accommodation if it would impose an “undue hardship” on the operation of the employer’s business. “Undue hardship” is defined as an “action requiring significant difficulty or expense” when considered in light of a number of factors. These factors include the nature and cost of the accommodation in relation to the size, resources, nature, and structure of the employer’s operation.
“and the money comes out of the pockets of shareholders which really means all of us. Public companies are owned by mutual funds and retirement funds, like the retirement accounts of teachers and firefighters. That’s who you’re asking to pay for this.”
No, enough of the stock is owned by the corporate bigwigs that they would never allow this. The money would come out of the pockets of every flyer via increased ticket prices to make up for the losses and keep the stock the same. Our make it go higher by using this as an excuse to raise them by more than is needed.
Ben
10% of Americans have type 2 diabetes and obesity is the #1 risk factor for obesity.
And even if insurance doesn’t pay Wygovy, is the same drug as Ozempic but marketed for non-prescription use. It also has a higher dose than Ozempic.
Mounjaro is not yet approved purely for weight loss but Eli Lilly is asking for approval and will undoubtedly get it.
Weight loss is expensive but these drugs are undoubtedly cheaper and more effective than many of the other diets. The Wall Street Journal recently had an article saying that Weight Watchers bought into a company that makes doctor referrals for the new diabetic injectables, a market that will be worth tens of billions of dollars in just the next decade and just in the US.
Disclosure – I own stock of Eli Lilly, marketer of Mounjaro.
Everyone should read ths Kurt Vonnegut short story “Harrison Bergeron” and ask if this is the way we are headed.
I also have a few questions:
1. What happens if a fllight is sold out? Who gets bumped, two average sided people or one obese person? Bumping the plus sized person would open up two seats for only one denied boarding charge. Hmmm.
2. If an average sized person wants an extra seat they have to pay for it. If a heavy person gets one for free isin’t that a kind of discrimanation?
3. Who sets the standard for who is considered plus sized in this case. A 250 pound 5 foot 6 inch person obviously takes up more space sideways than a 6 foot 2 inch 250 pounder. Or does the person involved get to claim to need the seat and get one based only on poundage.
4. What would be the mechanism for booking a plus sized person in two seats (probably just a programming problem)? Should a passenger be required to advise the airline in advance?
5. Would ground staff have the responsibility for deciding if a person really needed the extra seat for free? Who wins if the passenger is boardline in size and there is a disagreement? What if the boarding agent does a head count, sees an empty seat back and boards a standby passenger in error?
6. Given the “obesity epidemic, what happens when there are 10 or 15 plus sized passenger on one flight. Couldn’t this possibly cause the carrier to lose money on an otherwise full flight?
I’m sure there are many more questions that need to be answered. In the meantime, “extreme obesity is not an impairment under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).” according to several U.S. courts of appeal including the 2nd, 6th, 7th and 8th districts. The 9th disagrees and says obesity is an impairment. I guess this would have to go to the Supreme Court.
That photo looks like a Southwest Airlines cabin. Southwest already offers everything she demanded for anyone who asks and who needs a second seat.
Influencers always have an inflated opinion of their self worth
Influencers never realize opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one
Miss LardimusMaximus might want to contact Jenny Craig for assistance.
Further to my questions above:
1. Who pays for the plus sized rest rooms. It is estimated that it costs approximately $250,000.00 for a standard airline rest room. That is if is installed at the time of manufacture. That means an expense of over $200,000,000.00 for an airline the size of, for example, United, which has aprox 890 aircraft. Who knows how much it would cost to rip out the old small and install the new larger ones. Also, would the airline lose seat capacity. In 2019 it was estimated that each seat generated approximately $400,000.00 a year in additional revenue. $350,000,000.00 lost for the same airline each year. More loss to be covered by higher fares for the rest of the population or less money for new aircraft.
I’m sorry but of you know you need an extra seat, pay for it so if the flight is full you won’t impede on someone else’s space. Giving away a free seat to accommodate you should not be an option. Airline’s is a business and those regional jets are much smaller. Talk about entitled and privileged.
A plague on all your houses:
1) Having been morbidly obese (until I opted for bariatric surgery and lost 80 lbs), I’m tired of the fat-shaming, judgmental morons who actually think obesity is simply caused by a lack of will-power. That’s pure garbage! Metabolic disease is real. Look it up. Then, walk a mile in our shoes.
2) I have no idea what an “influencer” is, other than someone who is good at putting themselves out on the internet, and has managed to convince other cretins to pay them. Hey — G-d bless them — it’s just another variation on the “bigger fish” theory. Most advertisers I know are starting to realize that whatever is paid to these self-entitled Gen-Z (and soon, Gen-Alpha) cretins is money flushed down the toilet – generally, the number of sales for which these “influencers” account is minimal.. (The real question in advertising is: “Is your ‘Why buy’ message getting to those who can and may want to purchase what you are selling?” If they cannot buy your product, or have no intention of buying your product, why spend to sell it to them?)
3) If I want something, I will pay for it. If I can’t or won”t pay for something (usualy the latter), then I will do without. If I can’t do without, I will find a way to pay.
4) The most ridiculous word in the dictionary is “deserve”. You deserve what you earn — nothing more or less. Anyone who disagrees — tell me why you “deserve” anything.
I’m not obese, but I like an empty seat next to me, so I’m going to book the extra seat on SWA and have it refunded after the flight! They will have to allow that in order to not discriminate against me because I’m not large enough to ‘require’ 2 seats.
If you are fat, you are fat.
Asking you to buy 2 seats is for computer to calculate the balanced weight since you are twice or triple as heavy as other people. It’s for aviation safety concerns.
If you don’t want to pay for 2 seats, eating less chips, walking instead of Uber.
If you consume less food, people in Africa can receive more food.
Retired Lawyer: “opted for bariatric surgery and lost 80 lbs.. I’m tired of the … judgmental morons who actually think obesity is simply caused by a lack of will-power.”
Wut.
Rental car companies should be required to provide full size SUVs to large people for the price of a subcompact under this logic…
I agree with the comment from the tall person: they have for years paid for extra legroom seats. Those seats cost extra, and that tall person certainly didn’t make a choice to be tall. Even if one argues that obesity is genetic, which I truly believe it is to an extent (but also affected by lifestyle, etc), it’s not fair for someone too large to fit in the seat (obese or tall) to get free first class or two seats or free extra legroom that the rest of us must pay for. So if I get a doctor to write a letter that I’m claustrophobic, am I now entitled to free business class suites on international flights? If I let myself eat everything I wanted, I honestly believe I’d be 300 pounds, give me two free seats or first class. I’m impatient, I want to board with group 1 from now on. I get bored easily; I demand window seats for the rest of my life. I’m choosing to have children, so I want an aisle to ourselves so no strangers sitting next to my kids. But I’m going to buy basic economy which normally means middle seat at the back of the plane. Oh, and I like to dress well so I want two free checked bags, no weight limit on those bags, either. Everything has a cost, and in the long run, we all pay for it. Most airline passengers now demand dirt cheap tickets, and so that’s why we have no legroom, uncomfortable seats, and no food in coach. The airline industry is marginally profitable in the best of times, and very vulnerable to economic downturns, so as it stands, they are in no position to offer amenities that cost $1,000/seat for a $99 price. No industry is, yet we have people such as her publicly demanding first class service at a basic economy price.
Overweight is a health problem. If this so called influencer wants to do some good for her community she should focused on how to help them improve their health instead of asking for government help for free handout and turn other people against them.
The obese rack up health care costs at a rate that’s $165 billion per year more than the non-obese, yet they (or their employer) pay the same health care premiums and Medicare is paid by for all taxpayers.
I DEMAND that this stops immediately.
Less krispy kreme donuts and more greens in your diet along with some daily cardio. It’s sad to think 98% of travelers will be made to pay/suffer due to the 2%’ers.
Is she also a “model”?
I’m not entirely sure if she is serious or saying that for internet views.
The cause of this problem is airlines cramming as many tiny seats into a plane as possible. Think about it for a second. If you, an “average” sized person feels awful and cramped, think about the 50% of the population bigger or taller than you. Everyone who flies should be supporting more space for passengers. They shouldn’t be allowed to shove people into seats they don’t fit in.
Sorry you don’t have enough self-discipline to put the fork down, but that’s not everyone else’s problem. Get off the couch and see what a gym looks like.
Agree with her or not, it’s a bit disappointing to see so many hateful comments.
When did we become unable to simply disagree with others without it becoming personal attacks?
She absolutely should have to pay for a second seat, and there are a lot of good reasons people have said for why that should be the case, but we don’t need to crap all over her in the process of stating well reasoned arguments for why this would be terrible policy.
You know why flying sucks? Just read these comments. Regardless of the validity or lack of real discussion it shows you that 90% of the people you are flying with are just hateful people.
@Tim Dunn please stop shilling these dangerous and ineffective products just to pump your stock portfolio. There’s tons of data that shows despite amazing weight loss initially, most patients gain back a significant percentage once stopping use of these injectables. Of course this means the drug companies and stockholders like you LOVE these products; it’s bound to keep ppl on the hamster wheel of using it for years
For those decrying the “hateful” comments, it’s not coming from a place of hate. It’s coming from being tired of being responsible for one’s own actions and lifestyle and watching those who aren’t complaining until they get what they (think) they deserve. Morbidly Obese influencers try to tell the rest of us that they’re not unhealthy z that they’re being “fat shamed” etc, but want concessions for their “disability”.
Fine, if a doctor verifies that you’re 5’2″ andc280 lbs because of a “glandular problem”, then maybe a law allowing for a discounted second seat is fair. But if you’re merely one of those “Healthy Heavy People”, buy your extra space. Next up, all of the fake service animals.
305
these drugs were developed as diabetes drugs and there is no cure for diabetes but these drugs have been remarkably effective at reducing blood sugar by stimulating the release of insulin.
These drugs also have an effect of slowing gastric emptying which helps make one feel full longer.
It is precisely because they have been shown to be very effective in reducing weight loss via hunger suppression that there is likely some sort of longer term support needed. There is also abundant evidence that the return of hunger will occur if the medications are stopped suddenly. There are a growing number of people that have weaned off of these drugs so the notion that you have to stay on them long-term in order to maintain weight loss is simply not accurate.
Yes, the drugs promise to be very lucrative for their makers – the market is largely controlled by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly – but the reason for both diabetes control and weight loss is because these drugs do what they are intended to do.
Someone noted that they had stomach banding in order to obtain weight loss. These drugs have been shown to lead to a 20% or greater loss at far lower cost than bariatric surgery.
Nobody is fat-shaming anyone – but there is medical help available for those that are obese. Obesity is costly in terms of health – and lower weight does mean less food consumption.
And if you throw in the extra cost of 2nd airplane seats – which should NOT be allowed at no cost for the reasons noted above including height – then the cost gets higher.
The introduction of Lasik was something of the same thing. It was costly at first but saves enormous amounts of money later in life.
As a personal trainer it amazes me that people feel entitled because they are overweight. There are so many healthy ways to lose weight, extend your life, and not impose on others who keep themselves in shape or want special treatment.
I’m 6’4′ and I need extra legroom when I fly, otherwise my knees are jammed against the seat in front of me. I currently pay for extra leg room. Should tall passengers demand extra legroom seats for ‘free’ from airlines? No.
I am tall, its not my fault I was born this way, can I get a petition signed for free business class seats?
“Free seats for plus sizes” is the exact same thing as many of other minorities are demanding the world accommodate them. “I have a peanut allergy” therefore NO ONE can eat peanuts on the plane. “I must bring my support pig on the airplane.” Thank gawd the airlines and FAA stopped that madness. Less than 1-5% of the population has XXX or YYY issues, They are in the minority. YOU MUST ACCOMMODATE…blah blah. If you take up two seats…you pay for two seats. It’s not the carrier’s fault that you don’t fit. Atlas, Kalitta and other similar airlines do have room, I’m sure.
Jaelynn Chaney sounds like a drag name! (‘Jailin’ Cheney)
If you need 2 seats, pay for 2 seats. No one else should absorb the cost of your poor decisions. On 1 flight I had to sit beside a man who must have weighed over 350. His sweaty fat was on my tucked in arm and taking 1/2 of my seat. Thankfully it was a short flight.
All this would do is cause seat pricing to go up for everyone.
Fuck her for trying to make her problem everyone’s problem. I shouldn’t have to pay more because she feels entitled to special treatment.
Just another silly “influencer” trying to drum up likes, followers and sympathy.
My initial reaction is no, of course not. However…considering how the airlines got something-for-nothing from taxpayers, why not? If babies get to have their run of the plane and ‘families’ get free priority boarding and seating, then why not let larger people get two seats, particularly when the flight is not full? We’re not talking luxury accommodations here people – we are talking seats that have 17″ of width and some even less than that (Boeing planes for certain). If families are too cheap to buy seats together and expect that to happen for free, then why not the same thing be extended here? Again, we are talking seats that are less than a foot and a half wide. That is the real shame here — seats that are far too narrow and sandwiched together way too close.
So, so many things I could say here.
Sweetie, first up: get off the Cross, someone else needs the wood. Second, have all of your physical health issues looked at and follow what the doctors say to do because you are headed for MAJOR physical problems. Third, no one is entitled to anything in this world so get over yourself. I am not paying for your seat.
You are acting like the witch I saw yell at a clerk that wouldn’t vash her WIC check so she could make her car payment. I saw what car she got out of with the stickrr still in the window. She is spending 5 years in the car of the prison system for fraud. The car? Top or the line with all the bells and whistles Porche turbo. She claimed support for seven kods and didn’t even have one. But like you, she thought she was entitled to that car and to have our tax dollars pay for it.
The people you really need to make aware of the size problem are the ones who actually make the aircraft like Boeing and Lockheed- you will be heard by them. Airlines are only responsible for buying the planes not how they are constructed.
I told them last year that they needed to correct their parameters because several of us had bruises on our hips from the seat being too tight.
If you are going to make a stink about it, at least make sure it goes to the right people.
As for a free seat?! Rent an SUV and drive. You will be more comfortable. The rest stops have also been greatly improved with the highway improvements so you don’t have to be as skinny as high fashion models to fit in the stalls. I am not paying more for my seat because you feel entitled. You want an extra seat then ask if they will give it to you for half prive instead of full. That may be more doable in their eyes than free.
We pay enough through the nose for shoplifters, DES abusers, and the criminals who should have had the death penalty carried out.
We are NOT paying more so you can feel entitled.
Now, go schedule with your doctor. I am sure your family and friends would love to have you around a lot longer than you are currently headed for at this time.
I would really like to pay for one seat but use an entire row so I can throw my legs across it after tucking a pillow under my head. I am going to start a petition.
Stop siding with the airlines. They are discriminating against big and heavy people. Will is not enough to lose weight. As time went by and the average weight and size of people went up, the size of the seats and leg room have gone down. Today you can’t even have a laptop on the table in most airplanes. I have wide shoulders, and not big, i have to travel with arms crossed to not boder my neighbors. It is getting dangerous, the seats are so packed that it take several minutes for people to abandone the plane. If more than 50% of the passengers don’t fit in a seat, something should be done. After the big and heavy they the next group are the claustrophobic… Look for the next generation of seats and you’ll see what i mean.
I say free seat for families with children so they can sleep better.
It just makes sense
Is she also demanding extra meals to keep up her weight?
I’m a BWW but not by bad choices or bad eating habits. I’m 5’8″ at 220lbs ( also go to the gym 3x a wk for exercise)so yes I’m large and I know there’s plenty larger than myself. There’s actual medical reasons why some people are larger. For some folks it’s a disability. I believe the seats are a tight fit for me, I have never bought an extra seat nor am I saying the airlines owes larger people a free seat, but I am saying instead of criticizing maybe stop and think why some folks are larger ……its not always because they are lazy or have bad habits. Rant over
Most people who are overweight, including myself, are personally responsible for their obesity. Why should the airline bear the cost for passengers lifestyle choices? One could argue that disabled passengers and families with young children are even more deserving of free seating than overweight passengers. Let’s carry our own weight rather than expect others to shoulder our burdens.
I weigh 170, but I identify as someone who weighs 655. I also demand a free second seat to accommodate my weight. Do it or I’ll stomp my feet and call you a racist, body shaming, fat-phobic nazi.
I work in airfreight. I demand I pay the same price to the airlines for a 300 kilo shipment as a 100 kilo shipment
Acquiescing to these insanely entitled demands isn’t “siding with the airlines,” it’s merely being aligned with common sense and reason.
Not only will this further inconvenience those of us who aren’t vaguely planet-shaped, because we’re the ones who would invariably bare the burden of your defacto first class accommodations, but because this will continue the pernicious societal trend of making your problems everybody else’s.
Oh wow. I think we fit folk should be refunded for being impeded upon by the obscenely robust. I like my flights without the sweat, snorting, and faint smell of old cheeseburger.
How does that rub ya?
Dumb,dumb,dumb
The money has to come from somewhere to accommodate these larger people and supply them with free seats, which means air travel costs will be increased for everybody else, maybe they should just charge travellers by bodyweight?
How about airlines have an area of business class with “plus size seating” for a weight over a certain range? One set fee. I saw this on another flight forum and honestly I think this would be a better proposal. I’ve been on several flights now where the economy seat was broken down to the metal of the chair due to over weight passengers repeatedly being seated there. Not only is this uncomfortable it’s also not fair to the individuals who fit those seats and also not safe as the floatation devices in planes are under the seats and most definitely broken.
I have been on planes that hosted plus size passengers and as they complain to the flight attendants how small the chair is they were bragging about all the money they saved not upgrading to business class when about half the bc seats were empty and made to accommodate much larger individuals.
Honestly I do agree airline companies need to address the subject of plus size passengers but not hand outs especially because if they aren’t able or willing to float money back into fixing the planes i e those broken seats I mentioned, they will start to lose regular fliers.
I’m not a plus size flier but my partner is and he is well aware of the seat sizing and we have agreed to do the larger seating even though it’s more so we aren’t part of the issue.
And as for her priority boarding request…..again upgrade to business class.
Can understand if airlines are being asked to treat
medically certified extreme morbid obesity as a disability.
Special accommodation Should be made to someone with a medically certified disability in that case. Why? Just like as a society and the businesses that operate within that society accomodate and support the physically disabled – with redesigned entrances, buildings and facilities access, public transport access.
(I hope) nobody here would vehemently oppose Those measures, but I suspect 40 years ago they’d have written in and attacked those w equal vehemence, citing the cost to businesses to make structural alterations, or how loading/unloading and carrying a wheelchair-bound passenger on a train/bus, eg “would slow down everybody else trying to get to work, and they take up twice the space of a Standing person, which means someone might have to wait for the next bus and be late for work – F them I gotta feed my family” etc etc and etc. 60 years ago they might have written in opposing sitting next to a minority citizen on public transport. 100 years ago it’d been dangerously licentious unchaperoned women being the imagined bane of their lives.
But for those passengers who are just delightfully oversized, airlines already have policies in place, with additional seat purchases possible.
With the price of food skyrocketing, I do not know how obese people can afford to swallow all that food and still fly. She must be very rich. Can she even fit in the toilet?
Southwest airlines refunds the second seat whether or not the flight is full. In fact, you can show up at the gate without having purchased a second seat in advance and still be given one.
Cut back on the Slurpies and you’ll have the money for an extra seat. Better yet …. walk.
As someone who has been in the airline industry most of my life, the way these people feel they’re entitled to Fortune 500 companies giving them whatever makes them comfortable. They don’t realize THEY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANYTHING! Other “fluffy passengers” have no issue buying a second seat to ensure their comfort! She’s an influencer not anyone important! Come back to reality people!! ♀️♀️♀️
I have social phobia and don’t like being near other people. Give me a free extra seat too
This comment section is extremely hateful.
What no one had pointed out is that airline seat sizes have shrunk 40% since the 80s. The size of today’s domestic first class seat is what the size EVERY seat was on planes in the 80s.
If airlines worked to make their customer more safe (good luck evacuating a plane during an emergency with today’s ultra tiny seats) and more comfortable, we probably wouldn’t have as many plus size customers asking for bigger seats. I am 6’0″, 190 lbs and I struggle to fit comfortably in a regular economy seat. Forget about “putting my smaller bag under the seat in front of me”. My legs have to squeeze in their somehow.
@Denise R – “What no one had pointed out is that airline seat sizes have shrunk 40% since the 80s. The size of today’s domestic first class seat is what the size EVERY seat was on planes in the 80s.”
That is simply not true. Take a Boeing 737, it was 3 seats on each side of the aisle in the 1980s as it is today. Seat width really hasn’t changed. 777s which came out three decades ago are perhaps 10% narrower. Meanwhile seat pitch (legroom) is ~ 6% less than it used to be.
Peoples asses are a lot bigger as well. Have noticed the popular ass implants and the fact girls want to look like Lizzo?
Yes, some of these comments are rather nasty. And yes, seats are too small given the reality of the population. But what bothers me — and I suspect most of the critical contributors — is the position “give ME something at the expense of everyone else”. A free seat for wide people (because it’s never gonna happen for tall people) will be paid for by higher costs for everyone else — and everyone else won’t benefit. I would be more sympathetic, and even supportive, of a campaign to pressure airlines to make ALL seats wider with more legroom — again recognizing that the cost of flying will go up. But at least EVERYONE who flies will benefit.
Of course lower income folk will feel the pinch of higher costs, but any solution that involves more room for anyone will mean higher costs.
Growing up poor in the 60’s and 70’s the poor didn’t fly. Also 20 year old kids were not jetting off to Mexico and Vegas for the weekend. We don’t know what poor is anymore. I fly weekly and can’t believe some of the people flying. It really got bad with the stimulus checks during COVID. People spent that money on vacations. Kids are using student loans to finance glorious weekends for their Facebook and twitter accounts.
Thing 1; yes! Also, airlines could keep a few rows with narrow seats and short leg room in the back at a lower fare for those who prefer that, perhaps college kids on break and other smaller size people who don’t care about the tight space. That would be fair/fare for all.
I’m 6’4 and “demand” more legroom. So th airlines need to push the seat forward to accommodate my long legs.
If they dont, their Tallphobic, and I’ll sue them for being heightists……
And yes, that’s exactly as rediculous as this whale of a person is making this sound.
Get a grip lady, you’re bot special. Its absurd to think you deserve anything special just because your obese.
Suck it up buttercup, grow thicker skin and suffer like the rest of us.
There should be weight limits on passengers. 225 lbs for men and 175 lbs for women. If you weigh more then that you pay extra. If my bag weighs more then 50 lbs I’m required to pay extra so why not also the passenger.
More weight = more fuel
If the seat in the plane isn’t big enough take a bus, train or automobile……. Problem solved!
I’m a large person myself, and I think she is being ridiculous, not to mention encouraging some of the hateful rhetoric I have seen just in this comment section. Even though some of it is regulated by the government, the airline industry is a for profit entity, and telling them to take a loss on an extra seat is a non-starter. Why do you think they jam people together like that in the first place? Personally, I think the loss of legroom is more troubling from a comfort and especially safety standpoint. I also use a cane, and my ability to get out of my row could mean life or death. Anyway, if I have to fly, it’s going to be two seats. The biggest fear I have with that is the airline may get stupid, bump my extra seat and put someone in it anyway, kicking off two people’s worst nightmare. I haven’t tried it yet, I prefer the train or driving. But since my friend moved overseas, trying to fly somewhere is becoming a real possibility. Oh, and quit telling everyone to just take Wegovy. Not everyone can or should. Thanks to the few who actually read this whole rant…
I agree with most of the comments on Supper Plus size passengers, as well as the extra long legged. I am larger than I was in my 40s and do not have long legs 30″ inseam and I have problems withe the newer seat pitch (the proper term for seat closeness). However, being a retired engineer from Boeing, I know a thing or two about airplanes and the airlines. Boeing, Airbus, etc. design airplanes and build them to satisfy “Their Customer” (the airlines) and Not the Airline’s Customers! So, the persons to contact are the airlines that you fly with and not bad mouth the manufacturer. Airplanes are not the same as the Auto industry, so do others a favor, study a bit before you spout off things you have no clue about.
Why does being an “influencer” matter? That does not allow any privilege.
What the heck is plus-sized? I am 5 ft 9 and 300 lbs. I am fat. There is no getting around it. The idea that some entitled fat broad wants a free seat makes me sick. When I fly I either fly first class where the seats are bigger, I may buy a second seat if I’m not going far, or I just suck it up and be uncomfortable for the duration of the flight. This entitled attitude of gimme gimme gimme is really bringing our country down! Get over yourself.
Wait a second, I need to pay money for oversized luggage but oversized person gets free upgrade??
Don’t like airline sonditions and policies? Tough luck. They are ‘for profit’ businesses and as long as people accept what they offer (maximize profit for shareholders) they have no reason to change. Since government regulators won’t help all you can do is complain, take your business elsewhere, and maybe generate some sympathy (or discussion if there is no sympathy) by starting a petition.
I believe her petition is not demanding a free seat, she is asking that all airlines have the same rule for very big people in regards to what they have to do as far as extra seat purchasing and refunds.
That said, I went to her Instagram page and she has to be well over 400 pounds. Humans are not supposed to be this big! Her comment sections are full of large people complaining about having to buy extra seats. Um, they fn better buy an extra seat! I have a 12 hour flight to Hawaii next month and if someone her size thinks they’re gonna sit next to me in 1 seat I’ll lose my freaking mind. The entire world cannot change to accommodate people who eat to the point of disability.
These people are not a plus size, they’re just fat, plain and simple. To have the gall to think they should get an extra free seat or two. Not everyone who is that large has a medical condition that makes them so.
So, if I don”t fill up a whole set, do I get it at half price? Same thing?
Yeah, maybe they can make seats easily adjustable and we can pay by the inch (width), and maybe leg room/pitch also!
But what will these people say when the airlines ask for “proof of size”. Sorta like seat template at the gate. If your ass can’t fit you get your free seat. Every large person knows if you fly coach chances are it will be a tight fit.
I am 6′ 200lbs with 8% bodyfat. In would love a free extra seat on my way to my physique competitions.
How she looks in the mirror and address the real problem. Lose weight, eat healthy and go to the gym . Smh at these people
Is this woman pulling our legs??? No way in hello should she get extra free seating. Evidently, she wants have her cake and every body else’s too and eat it All!!!
Sadly you should fact check your article, Southwest refunds the seat period! No question asked, just make the request after the flight, regardless of how full it left. It is clearly written in their contract of carriage if you had bothered to read it.
This lady is insanely entitled. Airlines aren’t currently mandated to do anything for passengers that have any “issues” that they were born with or have through no fault of their own. IE: Tall or Short people, disabled Veterans, or many other facets of humanity. So she has some nerve to be DEMANDING all of this for something that SHE CAUSED AND CONTINUES TO CAUSE HERSELF. PERIOD.