Large man in airline seat

[thepeach]

My husband is large (was very large, lost 210 pounds), and we do buy 2 seats. Going first class doesn't work since there is that large console between the seats. Once our DD got older, it just didn't work for us to cram into the airline seats. If it was just DH and I, it was OK. DH is probably to the point where he doesn't have to have 2 seats. We're going to test that out on this trip in July. We have had 1 bad experience with the airlines even though we bought 2 seats. The flight attendant placed a tiny woman next to my husband, but we had paid for that seat. I had to go to the flight attendant and show her we had paid for the extra seat. She, of course, apologized and found another seat for the tiny woman. We just couldn't believe that the airline was trying to place this woman in 1/2 a seat!! After that experience, we always show the flight attendant when we board that we bought 2 seats. We have not had a problem since we started doing that.

[nrdsb4]

What could I really "say"? Well for starters, I could say something to a flight attendant..I am an average size woman, there could possibly have been a smaller person on board who would have switched. My grown daughter is just under 5 feet and maybe weighs 90 pounds. Someone of her size would have been way more comfortable jammed in that seat with him. Maybe there was an available seat in first class they could have moved him too...maybe there really was nothing they could do, and if not, I could have asked for a parital refund since I was only using part of my seat. There were a lot of things I could "say", but since the flight was not that long, I chose to say nothing.

 

It's a no brainer to move if the flight's not full. In the event that a smaller person is on board, they might agree to move, but they would be under no obligation to do so. If you were the one asked to move, would you agree to be "jammed" into a shared seat with a larger person simply because you are smaller than the person currently sitting there? If so, you're a better person than most of us. I totally sympathize with your situation, and have unhappily endured it myself several times, but in some instances, there's nothing to be done on a full flight, whether long or short. As to requesting a partial refund, that's certainly an option, but still, it would do nothing to decrease the lack of comfort at the moment.

 

If this is in fact a problem that occurs on a regular basis, then the airlines either need to have the seats reflect the population they serve, which in the USA is getting larger all the time, or they need to charge overly large people for the extra space. I can only imagine how humiliating that could be, that's why I think the situation is agonizing for both the large person and the smaller one who is forced to concede a good part of their seat. I really feel for both parties.

[PennyAgain]

I fly very often in my work. I am both a small and a short person. My feet often don't reach the floor when I'm seated on an airplane.

 

Yes, I am a grown up woman!

 

I don't mind being seated next to a large/tall person and am willing to share 'my' legroom, but I also appreciate some consideration for doing so. A helping hand getting my carry on into the overhead bin goes a long way.

 

Also if I am flying in economy/coach, you can buy me a drink and/or a snack.

 

There is one tall man who flies often on the same flights I'm on. We watch out for each other and try to sit together. He is such a sweetie he brought me a rose for Mother's Day!

[6rugrats]

No one is being prejudice or judgmental to feel that you should not have to share your seat with someone. If the person next to me cannot put down their armrest and they are taking up my space, I will certainly have a private word with the FA. The smaller person has every right to have the seat they paid for and not have to "share" it with a large person.

 

A good FA will do everything possible to accomodate you, and there is absolutely no reason to feel badly to speak with the FA or the GA if you are in this situation. If you do not get this resolved, you should certainly complain to the airline.

 

Getting defensive about one's size is just a waste of time. Accept what is and if you aren't willing/capable to do something about it, purchase two seats, or sit next to a friend.