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This is not helpful information.
Long story short, in a true free-market environment, the airlines would proactively adjust. If we "normal size" persons aren't being accommodated, that's the airlines' fault, not the fault the oversize persons.
And anyone of "normal size" who pays for an extra seat in an effort to gain comfort shouldn't ever be pressured to give up that seat, as the testimony of many has indicated is the case.
DH and I routinely pay for an extra seat or two at theatre performances and sporting events, so that we have a little elbow room and space to stash our stuff. We've never encountered any problems in doing so, but it appears this strategy won't work for airlines and that's their bad.
Here's the problem-- market research has shown that the flying public won't buy fares that are adjusted along with the ever-increasing cost of fuel. Profit margins are getting harder and harder to meet as people want all the frills of flying but with a low-cost ticket price. I had someone tell me that they couldn't believe we had the AUDACTIY to charge $129 for a ticket from LGA-LAX, instead of some advertised $69 fares for shorter markets. People forget how expensive flying USED TO BE. You get what you pay for, and airlines are no different.
I cant tell you how tired I am of hearing this myth. No airline, at least my (major) company changed seat sizes in over 18 years. That is simply NOT true. People are just getting larger. I have worked the same aircraft for over 17 years and never, not ONCE, have seat sizes changed.
Well, then they were too small to begin with... because I'm not really a big person, and have NO problem fitting into seats anywhere else (offices, theaters, stadiums, cars, etc), but still fill out almost every bit of those coach seats! Usually I'm just about touching both sides, plus my knees are slammed right up against the seat in front. I try to upgrade whenever possible, however that is not always an option. And if a woman who's 5'5" (albeit long-legged) and a bit chubby - not FAT - cannot fit comfortably, they need to reevaluate those seat sizes IMO.
Not to mention, if they aren't going to increase leg room in coach, they should make the seats non/barely-reclining. If that person in front puts their seat all the way back, even my 110lb sister ends up kissing it... and one time a man actually BROKE my laptop, when I had it on the tray table as he reclined. I tried stopping him, just so I could move the laptop, but he was playing the "I'm in my own bubble" game and ignored me completely. That was an expensive flight, and I'm not talking about the cost of my ticket.
Perhaps for you, not for me. Reclining during meal service is a jerk move. Reclining when most people are sleeping is typical and acceptable. If you don't want the person in front of you to recline, either spend the money on a first class ticket or a bulkhead seat. problem solved. Put your money where your mouth is. I do.
So, do you travel with one of those neck pillows?
Do you fly first class?
Many people who travel at night do not put the seat back. Good Lord, you only get another few inches. It's not like you are stretched out in a bed or anything. And the few inches of incline the front person gets, means the person behind has a heck of a time getting out to go to the bathroom. It makes it so crowded, that it's difficult to use laptop.
Many people still do recline.
It is still a jerk move. IMO, of course.
Used to be you could smoke anywhere you darn well please and folks just put up with it. Now it's jerk move.
Last edited by GotHereQuickAsICould; 07-26-2014 at 07:23 PM..
Oh some people are absolutely shameless-- a wheelchair gives you priority/pre-boarding so a lot of people use it to board the plane first. Then somewhere over Virginia they're miraculously healed! The worst offenders are the PBI-HPN crowd.
Why are the West Palm Beach to Westchester, NY the worst offenders
When my Mom and I first started flying, there were maybe one or two others in wheelchairs waiting with her.
When we took our last flight together a little over a year ago, it was not uncommon for a dozen or so wheelchairs to be lined up.
Rarely, was anyone traveling with a companion to assist them. I can't tell you how many times we saw people who were waiting with us in the wheelchair line be walking and hauling luggage around in the baggage claim area.
It's a huge (haha) pet peeve of mine as well. Just endured a five hr flight last week with a woman pouring into my space. I insisted the arm rest be down, much to her displeasure. Even still I had to lean away from her the entire flight just to minimize body contact. Very uncomfortable.
However, my primary concern is in regards to these people in an emergency situation, most especially a fire on board. I had a very, very eye opening experience a few years back. I took part in an ARFF (aircraft rescue and fire fighting) exercise. We donned all the normal firefighting gear, and entered an aircraft mockup that is used to train the firefighters. It was made entirely of metal, ie the seats were metal. Otherwise it had the interior dimensions of 737. It had also had emergency exits, both overwing and not, as well as a cockpit section. It was daylight, and one exit was fully opened allowing plenty of light in, as well as a place for smoke to evacuate. They had us sit in random spots, with our gear on, masks, and O2 bottles. Then they lit the fires. I cannot emphasize enough just how quick it went to hell. Literally within a few scant seconds, it became dark. Very, very dark. I held my hand in front of my face and couldnt see it beyond four inches or so. That smoke, within less than one minute, filled the upper three fourths of the vertical cabin dimensions. Now, we had masks on and were breathing O2. So we were able to stand in the smoke, feel our way about in that inky black darkness. Counted our way to the exit, and until our head was actually peeking outside the cabin, we couldn't see a thing, even inches from doorway in daylight.
They then had us get down on the aisle floor, as in literally lay down in it. That is how low our heads had to be in order to have any forward visibility as all. Without masks, this is where your head would need to be just to be able to breathe. We were then able to see the rows to count to the exit (rather than go by touch), as well as have a little light coming from the exit. In a real emergency, you'd see the lights on the floor guiding to the exits as well. But bob your head up, and you'll be blinded by the smoke and choking. In addition despite all our fire gear, it was hot. Very, very hot.
So imagine an emergency landing with a fire on board, an evacuation is ordered out the chutes. You will have mere seconds before that cabin goes black with choking, toxic smoke. With just a handful of us it was chaos. Imagine a plane full of people who have never been in that situation, with obese people thrown into to the mix. Your very life will depend upon you making out that exit with the most urgency you can imagine. People will be standing in the smoke, coughing, blinded, disoriented, not thinking to get down low to the floor. Especially before exits are open, when the smoke cannot escape the cabin, it will fill up extremely fast. People will panic, the heat will only make matters worse. In such a situation you will have to move as fast as possible. A plane full of athletes would be a mess, let alone people who are so fat they have to shimmy, or waddle, or can't move quickly. They will cost people their lives. I can tell you in such a situation, I will push you like you've never been pushed before. I will charge with all my might towards those exits. If a fat person gets in my way, sorry but I will do what it takes to get past you.
That exercise really blew me away. I never realized just how quickly the situation could go from, 'eh, I'll calmly count the rows on my way out' to 'wow I can't see a damn thing! And without this mask I'd be choking or even incapacitated by this smoke!' to 'I need to reach that exit yesterday!'
Years ago, I read an article about a plane crash on the runway. I think one plane ran into the tail of another or some such thing.
What I remember was that those who had a plan and were sitting within a row of the exit, made it out alive. One woman literally shoved her husband out.
Ever since then, I either sit in the exit row or as close as I can to an exit.
I've been in several emergency type situations over the years and I've been amazed at how many people are just paralyzed with panic. Not me. I'm sitting on go.
Like 11th Hour, I'm either shoving you out the door or out of the way.
Fine, leave it up, but don't DARE cross your body parts into my seat or touch me.
Glad you concluded as well that there was nothing logical about your reasoning. BTW, your attitude stinks... ...no one would want to touch you with a barge pole!!!
Has anyone ever seen three hefty people in the same row?
I've seen two with a poor guy stuffed in the middle. But never three. Wondering how that would even work.
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