[Anonymous]

[RPK-Cheshire]

It really is time that airlines bite the bullet and sort out their procedures / policies for dealing with obese passengers. At the moment, they seem to abdicate all responsbility for this issue, and let their passengers suffer the problems caused.

[AnthonyDunn]

Ah, we’ve just graduated onto this topic in the “BA trialling sale of extra comfort seats” thread where I had asked about practice in the US where the corpulent/”horizontally challenged” are a serious issue.

[canucklad]

I seem to re-call a similar thread months ago that had some of us being arrested and banged up by the PC police 🙂

Now where’s my Scooby snack!!

[VintageKrug]

Virgin used to do popcorn, but if BA did popcorn, it would be better 😉

Fatties should be forced to pay for an extra seat, or fly in Business or First where the seats can cope with their extra size.

And seriously fat people shouldn’t be allowed to travel. No question about that.

[SimonS1]

It probably would be better. And would run out halfway through the cabin, leaving people with their second choice.

[Papillion53]

That’s a bit harsh VK – would you include on the non-travel list people who are “fat” through no fault of their own e.g. Some medication side effect, weight gain?

I’m all for “fatties” paying for an extra seat, I do wonder sometimes how some people can actually get their bottom into some aircraft seats. I am not even remotely obese, but more Old style Nigella than new slim style Nigella and sometimes my bottom has a snug fit in Y. Never had to ask for a seat belt extender though, but my friend did once and she was so embarrassed. So maybe while we bash the fatties, we ought to think how they might be feeling. Ok I know the answer is, lose weight, but lots will tell you, it’s not always that easy!

[Edski777]

Papillon53
Indeed losing weight is never easy. Especially not in a world where rich food is so readily available.
I believe we will have to except that people get taller and bigger. In stead of trying to exclude “fatties” from travelling shouldn’t there be minimum standards for seat width and pitch? It may increase the price of travelling, but it enhances the travel experience for everybody. I wouldn’t mind paying that little bit more!

[FormerlyDoS]

“Fatties should be forced to pay for an extra seat. And seriously fat people shouldn’t be allowed to travel. No question about that.”

I have been monitoring Vintage Krug’s posts for a while now and noticed that some fall into the category of trolling, such as this contentious statement, which is virtually guaranteed to polarise opinion and start a row.

May I suggest, for a more pleasant forum, that we just all ignore this trolling statement?

In the past, I have reacted to these, but no more.

[RPK-Cheshire]

My intention was not to have a go at the obese, but more the airlines who just leave the problem to the passengers (both the obese and their neighbours) and the cabin crew.

Started it having spent 9 hours on a full flight in two thirds of my window seat after the airline moved (swapped) someone to the aisle seat just before take off “to make them more comfortable”. Thanks for that!!

[Irons80]

@DoS
Except you are reacting to it just now.

[FormerlyDoS]

RPK

I think you have a valid point.

Recently, I took a hop from Malta down to Dubai, via Larnaca and the airline kindly did the same to me, with a guy (not obese, thank goodness) who had been deported from Cyprus and whose mood was pretty foul after spending nearly 36 hours in a cell. To add to the fun, he was not allowed alcohol and kept pestering me for it.

I was less than amused to discover that he was originally meant to seat in a row by himself in the rear cabin, but had complained and to the stewardess just put him next to me, without even briefing me who he was or what is situation was.

My conclusion is that a lot of cabin crew don’t think things through from the perspective of all the passengers involved and this leads to some unfair outcomes.

Just out of interest, does the airline you flew on have a ‘passenger of size’ policy?

[skywards]

I feel sorry for any obese passengers flying business class on the Emirates A380…now that’s a seat that is not very wide and it’s not like I’m over weight..What gets me is the people that get the the airline to have a wheelchair ready to push them from the plane…yet you see the same people have no problems with heavy hand luggage or have a problem walking to the back of the A380 to stand at the cocktail bar for an hour or so….now that gets to me.

[Papillion53]

And quite right you were too RPK to start this thread as I’m sure it affects all of us in different ways. And I seem to remember another thread about Y seating increasing in the new bigger aircraft with more seats across??

I would have been mad too RPK!

This subjects no different to others: snoring, smelly, kids in premium, etc. etc. and should be discussed and commented on by those interested in the topic.

FDOS – great suggestion but instead of mentioning every time VK, or someone else, makes a comment that You think might be contentious, just ignore it yourself as you have suggested and trust that we can choose to respond or not as we see fit. By continuing to post the same old, same old every time, you do appear, to me anyway, almost willing unpleasantness to follow with the same old, same old fixation.

I am not trying to start a row, flame anyone, defend anyone, just disappointed that you feel it necessary.

[MarkCymru]

VK is right. In a world of rich food, people can choose not to eat a lot of it, then they will be less fat. (Although, I do accept that a few people are obese as a result of medical problems)

Seriously, if fat people want to be fat, it’s up to them and their health insurers. But if they are in the A and C seat and I’m in the B seat, it’s my problem.

The Air France approach is the best. As I understand it, it is this: if you can’t do up the seatbelt (without an extension), you have to buy an extra seat at the same fare as your original seat. Unless the plane is full, they will refund this extra fare to you. Were I to travel in economy, I might be inclined to develop body dysmorphia, declare myself a passenger of size and bag an empty seat next to me. If everyone is going to copy the BA / Virgin model of selling “comfort seats” to anyone, this temptation will become less problematic

[Author]

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