[Papillion53]

This whole sorry episode is just ridiculous, yet another case of the US “who can we sue” culture, which sadly seems to be creeping in over here these days. People have to start taking responsibility for themselves.

[Stringfellow]

Perhaps another issue is how do we decide. I once sat next to Welsh prop forward Adam Jones on a flight and in no sense is the man obese simply a very big man. Why should he be penalised for his genetics and training ?

[DontTurnRight]

Stringfellow – It simply comes down to can you fit into the seat without breaking it, damaging yourself or putting others at a risk by not being able to move out of it in the case of an emergency. If you can, then weight or size should not matter. If not, then you either travel in a higher class, subject to the same conditions or make special arrangements in advance.

[MartynSinclair]

Its the same argument as when you eat. If a standard portion doesnt fill you, buy 2 – or should the shop provide a guarantee that one portion will fill you up!

If you need 2 seats to fit, you have 2 choices, buy two seats or slim down until you need just one. Sorry to sound brutal, but this is simply fact.

[AnthonyDunn]

@ MartynSinclair – 28/11/2012 13:52 GMT

Martyn, off thread but have you seen the episode 3/5 with Portalloo on his Bradshaw’s great continental European train journeys? The latest episode is around Germany, particularly Berlin, the Harz mountains and Hannover. Have you managed to take in the Berlin Hauptbahnhof yet?

Best wishes

[MartynSinclair]

Dear Anthony

I am currently in Germany on a weekly basis, Berlin, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and next Wiesbaden.

Big difference to my trips to Asia, pluses and minuses. Thanks for the tip on Bradshaws, will take a look – in my ideal post 50 age, I would be the one driving the train.

Lets see what 2013 brings…….

[canucklad]

Rjbrownmalta…….. It simply comes down to can you fit into the seat without breaking it, damaging yourself or putting others at a risk by not being able to move out of it in the case of an emergency……..So true….people need to know their limitations…..

In a previous job, I was a manager for ASDA, enjoying a conversation with my colleagues opposite the garden furniture display……when the “Go Lightly” family appeared in front of us to peruse the wares….

Mrs. Go Lightly (think of an over inflated Jo Brand) decided to test the plastic garden chairs…..

Firstly the robust and large £9.99 chair seemed a natural choice…
Then the £7.99 chair was a bit of a squeeze……but……

In total astonishment, we watched as she parked her “too many fish suppers and fried mars bars” bottom on our unsuspecting £4.99 innocent, not harmed a fly chair…

You could hear its anguish and pain as its 4 legs buckled simultaneously under the strain and pressure…. Its death throes squealed as it realised it wasn’t going to see the sunshine of day….its 4 legs now splayed horiziontally across the tiled floor!!l

The ensuing kerfuffle as the remaining “ Go Lightly’s ” tried to prise her part her from her plastic meltdown, I could only imagine, as me and my colleagues where now bent over double in the next aisle, with tears streaming down our faces……Even more so when the assistant I dispatched to help, came back and informed me that the lady in question wanted to speak to me about making a complaint and possibly a claim……

We all had a wee tear later as we dispatched the innocent chair into the compacter and onto furniture heaven….

So I do fully agree with Papillion, people need to be self aware and take responsibility for their actions…..

[JohnSanders]

I am Obese – I am 190cm tall and weigh between 140 and 150 kilos depending on various issues including water retention. Part of the reason for my obesity is self inflicted and part is mediacl but I totally accept that I am larger than I should be. In fact I happily use “bigjohn” as my nickname so that other people are not embarrased to look at me or say anything.

But when it comes to flying we have other issues. Whenever I can I fly Business (or sometimes First) so that I can be comfortable as well as not wanting to inconvenience others.

When I lived and travelled around Asia that was fine as even short-haul flights invariably had “real” Business Class seats.

But in Europe – even if I pay the Business Class fare I get an Economy Seat (with a glass of wine – I don’t drink by the way) so to get some comfort I have to pay 2 Business Class fares and then on a full flight I am told that I cannot keep an empty seat next to me even if I have paid for it.. Considered a “passenger no show” aand used by someone else.

Yes you skinny people, those of us who are overweight – even if partly or fully for medical reasons – get even more abused than you do by being “forced” to sit next to us. Most of us want to be sensible but the airlines aren’t interested.

[RPK-Cheshire]

> JohnSanders

It was me who started this thread following on from a recent experience on a UK/USA flight and I was careful not to abuse the obese. The fact that there are “big people” out there these days is a fact of modern life, whether that be due to medical reasons, or food intake reasons.

My issue is with the airlnes who need to deal with it. It must not be left to the passengers, either the obese or their onboard neighbours, to solve/put up with the problem. The airlines need to get their procedures and staff training, and perhaps products, in place to deal with it, whether that be two seats, in extreme cases barring travel, a few extra large seats on board or whatever.

Clearly the recent issue (also mentioned in this thead) of the lady in Budapest/Prague, where it would appear that even the fire service could not get her on board, is an extreme example, and not an everyday occurence.

[rferguson]

I don’t think the husband would have much luck in suing.

The husband states that after being denied travel his wifes health deteriorated. But they decided to not seek any medical help in Hungary!! And she dies a few days later. I mean WHYYYYY would someone not seek medical help? It’s not like diabetes and kidney/renal problems are not unheard of in Hungary.

So I think a judge would have difficulty getting their head around allowing him to sue for the death of his wife when they both made the decision to not seek medical help.

Now the article I read says that both the husband and wife were from Hungary originally and had a summer house there. So maybe i shouldn’t assume, but i’d imagine they were dual Hungarian/American citizens thus entitled to Hungarian health care and able to circumvent any linguistic issues with the lady’s condition.

I guess he could still sue for discrimination for being denied travel….but jeez louise if someone doesn’t fit in a seat and can’t get in an extention seatbelt around them then what the hell is an airline meant to do?

If this was an issue of one airline denying travel you might think hmmm maybe the airline was being a bit heavy handed. But when THREE airlines all come to the same conclusion (and seeing a picture of the poor woman in the news article) I really think he is going to have a hard time getting anything other than sympathy.

[JohnSanders]

> RPK-Cheshire

I certainly accept that you were not being offensive to obese people and I sincerely apologise if I gave that impression.

Unfortunately you are in the minority – and whilst I understand how passengers are not happy if they are next to an obese person the situation will only improve if airlines think differently and enable those of us who need it to have better (bigger) seats even if we have to pay extra (hopefully a reasonable amount). Maybe then we can also ask to not be sat near screaming kids, smelly passengers nor heavy snorers so that we can have a really comfortable journey. Of course none of this will happen as the airlines are happy to offer us “Cattle Class” with no benefits except large salaries for the Company Executives !

[canucklad]

Hi ” Big John”……your point about European airlines charging business class fares and then differentiating the service by a random placement of a curtain, a free meal and drink is actually insulting to people who invest in and trust them to deliver a premium product…..….and re-enforces RPK’s point of airlines taking responsibility and actually respecting all of it’s fare paying passengers…Obese or otherwise.

And I hope John, you didn’t take offence at my last post…if you did I apologise…

[IanFromHKG]

Fair’s fair, canucklad. They don’t just move the curtain, they move the armrests as well (wow…..)

[Papillion53]

Hi JohnSanders – I think I said in an earlier post that I travelled once with a friend who is “fluffy” to use a nicer term than the “O” word, which I detest by the way, and she had to request a seat belt extender. She was horribly embarrassed as it was brought out by a gorgeous, slim CC, and of course it’s bright orange, so it’s not very discreet at all. I really felt for her. Mind you I’ve just stuffed my face with some home-made cupcakes topped with chocolate buttercream frosting (I was experimenting for Christmas!), so nae doot I’ll be bursting at the seams soon! But that was my choice! 😉 🙂

So I do understand how you feel as I’ve felt like that too sometimes, especially when a young girl because I was tall, I was always referred to as a “Big girl”. Hmmmm, that stuck for years and was so cruel because I was not fat, but the implication was there I felt! ! And I still cringe when I hear people say to young children, of either sex, you’re a big girl or big boy for your age! No, no, no, tell them they’re tall, tell them they’re “all grown up”, anything but please don’t use the word “big”! It will stick with them forever! For all the wrong reasons!

I think we all need to eat more healthily, for our own sakes, but it’s a lot easier said than done! Choccie cupcake anyone????? 😉 🙂

[IanFromHKG]

Papillion, your post made me laugh as it reminded me of an occasion a few years ago when a former colleague, introducing me to a client, described me as being “unnecessarily tall”! I wasn’t offended, but it did stick with me!

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