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Actually, "that publicity" might be good for business. Since most of us fit into one seat, we would be MORE likely to buy a ticket on an airline that required obese people to buy two seats so that we would be assured of having an entire seat to ourselves.
Not sure how well that may go over with an ticketing agent telling a sobbing pregnant woman she has to purchase two tickets. Think about it for a moment...
It's interesting, I just had the experience of traveling on two separate flights with neighbors beside me that were significantly overweight. Both flights were on regional jets (2 seats) with the arm rests that can be raised or lowered. Both times I was in my window seat when my neighbor arrived - the first time the neighbor asked very politely if I'd mind if they raised the arm rest. I had no issue and event though he was larger he was very aware of his space and did his best to minimize the impact on me. The second passenger yanked the arm rest up, flopped into his (and half on my) seat and proceeded to elbow me and "squish" me for the duration of the flight.
In both cases the flight was a little under an hour, but other than seething in resentment at the second guy I wasn't sure what (if any) options I had (the flight was full).
Bottom line, if a person spills over the armrests into the seat next to them, absolutely they need to buy a second seat.
About a two months ago I was seated in my aisle seat on a commuter and a lady who must have been 300+ came and said she was in the window. I got up to let her in and she proceeded to lift the arm rest. I went to put it down as I sat down and it wouldn't budge. She said she really needed it up. I told her she really needed to buy my seat then.
Ultimately she was taken off the plane as she couldn't fit in the confines of the seat with the armrest down and there wasn't another seat available. She was upset about it. Her lack of planning. Not my problem.
In both cases the flight was a little under an hour, but other than seething in resentment at the second guy I wasn't sure what (if any) options I had (the flight was full).
Your only option was to speak to the flight attendant before the boarding door was closed and have the guy offloaded (since he didn't fit into the seat with the arm rest completely down, he technically doesn't fit). Which is not a fun option to exercise, but it's the only one available if you don't want to be squished.
And something some people seem to be forgetting in this thread is that you can also be squished by a passenger who does technically fit into the seat. Think football player/bodybuilder types with huge shoulders. The guy with 24" shoulders but 17" hips will fit fine in economy class as far as the airline is concerned - he can sit in the seat with the armrests completely down. So what if his shoulders are forcing you to bend sideways for the duration of the flight because his shoulders are taking up several inches of your seat? As far as the airline is concerned, that's YOUR problem; he technically fits into the seat, so they aren't going to remove him from the flight if the plane is full. Have fun!
Economy class today just plain sucks. One of the reasons it sucked less in the past was the planes weren't flying so full, so it was easier to reshuffle people to get the tall person into a bulkhead or exit row seat, and the wide person sitting next to an empty seat. Today it's hard to do that.
Your only option was to speak to the flight attendant before the boarding door was closed and have the guy offloaded (since he didn't fit into the seat with the arm rest completely down, he technically doesn't fit). Which is not a fun option to exercise, but it's the only one available if you don't want to be squished.
And something some people seem to be forgetting in this thread is that you can also be squished by a passenger who does technically fit into the seat. Think football player/bodybuilder types with huge shoulders. The guy with 24" shoulders but 17" hips will fit fine in economy class as far as the airline is concerned - he can sit in the seat with the armrests completely down. So what if his shoulders are forcing you to bend sideways for the duration of the flight because his shoulders are taking up several inches of your seat? As far as the airline is concerned, that's YOUR problem; he technically fits into the seat, so they aren't going to remove him from the flight if the plane is full. Have fun!
Economy class today just plain sucks. One of the reasons it sucked less in the past was the planes weren't flying so full, so it was easier to reshuffle people to get the tall person into a bulkhead or exit row seat, and the wide person sitting next to an empty seat. Today it's hard to do that.
I've had the wide shouldered guy next to me as well. I get my shoulders back into the seat and let him sit sideways.
There is no guarantee Southwest will refund the second seat after the flight. They only refund the second seat if the flight is not completely full. Having said that, I have only flown Southwest twice. Both times I purchased a second seat as I was not in the mood to sit skinny. Both times there ended up being a few empty seats and I got refunded. Using Southwest's guidelines I an not considered a person of size. But what the heck, if the plane is completely full I can either drop the armrest and give up the second seat for a refund or kick back, relax and enjoy as close as one can get to flying first class on Southwest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by apexgds
That's not true.
I stand corrected. It appears Southwest has changed their policy. Back when I flew with them their website stated they would refund the second seat only if the flight was not full. Hats off to Southwest for having a person of size policy that is fair to the passenger.
Not sure how well that may go over with an ticketing agent telling a sobbing pregnant woman she has to purchase two tickets. Think about it for a moment...
How pregnant are we talking here? Women past a certain point in pregnancy are not supposed to fly so this argument does not apply as well.t
Not only that but I'd also argue that a pregnant stomach is less likely to have the same form that disruptive body fat does-pregnant stomachs are in the front whereas obese people's weight is more like a blob shape, sort of occupying whatever space gravity directs it to.
It's interesting, I just had the experience of traveling on two separate flights with neighbors beside me that were significantly overweight. Both flights were on regional jets (2 seats) with the arm rests that can be raised or lowered. Both times I was in my window seat when my neighbor arrived - the first time the neighbor asked very politely if I'd mind if they raised the arm rest. I had no issue and event though he was larger he was very aware of his space and did his best to minimize the impact on me. The second passenger yanked the arm rest up, flopped into his (and half on my) seat and proceeded to elbow me and "squish" me for the duration of the flight.
In both cases the flight was a little under an hour, but other than seething in resentment at the second guy I wasn't sure what (if any) options I had (the flight was full).
So the polite person asked if they could raise the arm rest to spill over into your paid seat.
But the second obese person just flipped up the arm rest w/o asking you if it was ok to spill over into your paid seat.
You're a very kind person, you deserve karma points and then some.
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