airplane for large people

[villainwdw]

the flights out of boston do not go up....I have tryed all oour seats, I have to sit in coach sept 18th!!on the planes we take out....there is a couple seats in the back that the armrests go up....but the reest do not

 

[danacara]

My last flight to Orlando was like that. I was in the middle seat between two women, both around a size 3x or so. They didn't know each other. I got to my seat, both armrests were up and between them I had only half a seat. There was no way those armrests were going to go back down unless one of them sat in the aisle - there was just no place for the armrests to go. So I sort of wedged myself in and didn't say anything. I didn't want to embarrass them. I have struggled with weight myself but never on that kind of a scale. The only part that I resented was that neither of them felt that they were putting me out. Their meals were on my tray table, I couldn't listen to the movie because the pod to plug in my headphones was on the armrest, and the lady in the window seat had brought extra snacks in her bag and was leaving the wrappers on my tray table. I think that flight jaded me forever. My advice to anyone who is worried about this: don't take anything personally (the flight attendant held up the seatbelt extenders and asked who needed one. They discussed between themselves how greviously insulted they were. I didn't say anything. My feeling was, the flight attendant has to do enough without tiptoeing around people's emotions about their weight.) My other piece of advice: apologize, even if you feel like you are doing nothing wrong. If the armrest has to be up, you are infringing on someone else's paid space. Maybe they don't mind and maybe they do, but apologize anyway. It can only create goodwill and doesn't cost your mouth anything.

 

[Disneylvr]

I know that there are allot of larger people who will lift up all arm rests in their aisle, but my DH and I only lift up the one between the two of us. But then we almost always choose planes that have the 2 seat side configuration so it isn't a problem. It is very important to us that we are NOT making any other passengers uncomfortable because of our weight. It isn't their fault and they have a right to a comfortable seat. I agree with that 100%.

As for the need for an extender; if I need one, I will tell the flight attendants that I need one. There is absolutely no reason for them to single me out just because I am overweight, obese, fat, whatever term you want to use. But it has happened and it wasn't appreciated it at all. I have my own extender that I carry with me on all flights. For those Pooh-sized air travelers who might need one of their, check this web site: www.amplestuff.com . I can understand if a flight attendant sees someone struggling with the belt, then they could offer an extender. But why embarrass someone who is already buckled in and quietly reading a book! If you know you need an extender before the flight, let the gate agents know or quietly tell the flight attendant when you are boarding. I have found Delta agents to be the most discreet about offering extenders. A word of caution; Southwest airlines has a different kind of seat belt and the extenders that Amplestuff sells will not work on that airlines.

 

[robinb]

As for the need for an extender; if I need one, I will tell the flight attendants that I need one. There is absolutely no reason for them to single me out just because I am overweight, obese, fat, whatever term you want to use. But it has happened and it wasn't appreciated it at all. I have my own extender that I carry with me on all flights.

I'm sure flight attendents who offer pooh-sized passengers such as yourself seat belt extenders are only doing so in consideration of your own comfort and safety. In addition, they are not singling you out ... they are correct that you need one. How are they supposed know you already have your own? Since many people do not latch thier seatbelts until they are told to do so, it saves them time to offer passengers the extenders ahead of time. If having an extender offered to you causes embarrasment, then you can try bucking up as soon as you sit down. It might work .

 

[robinb]

Oopsie!

I just noticed that you said the you were already buckled in when the FA offered you an extender. Oh well, I guess I would be annoyed too!

I would still cut the FA some slack. They have a very difficult job to do. Getting a plane load of passengers in their seats and ready to go must be like herding cats. It takes longer to wait for a passenger who has no idea that an extender is even available to ask for help and then give it than to just offer the extender to someone in the first place.

 

[Disneylvr]

I know flight attendants have a hard job to do, but it doesn't take much effort or time to ask quietly. I never mind being asked quietly; for example, when I am in a restaurant and the server discreetly asks and brings me a chair without arms. That server gets an extra tip from me. The flight attendant who asked me yelled loud enough for 6 aisles in front and back of us top hear and everyone turned around to look. A letter was written to the airline and I was fairly compensated. Since then I have had no problems what-so-ever. I buckle up as soon as I sit down (always have) and when the FA makes his/her regular check on the seat belts, she sees this. I apologize for turning this thread into a debate but I am very vocal about the rights of pooh-sized people, having been one for over 10 years. Unless a person has been in our shoes, they have no idea how it feels (the looks, the not so whispered comments etc...) or how hard it is to change our weight. Hopefully one day I will lose enough weight to no longer be considered pooh-sized but I will always stick up for the rights of those who still are.

 

[FergieTCat]

Me, I just sit there crammed into my seat, hoping no one sits in the middle seat. I always take the window so I can sort of lean towards it, and not get bumped by the beverage cart.

The worst flight I've ever had was when I was smaller than I am now, so I guess it's all in your perspective. This little old bat (forgive me, but she was!) and her husband sat down. She immediately started griping that I took up too much of her seat (which no one has ever said to me before or since). Her husband told her to lift up the armrest between their seats and scootch over towards him, but she said that wasn't the point. I spent an entire flight to Florida with her elbow on the armrest, jabbing me in the side every now and then. And complaining to her husband. Her husband apologized to me at the end of the flight for HER rudeness.

But, Danacara, if I had been in your shoes, I would have asked the flight attendant to move me. I'm sure there were other empty middle seats. If not, maybe she could have accomodated you in another class. I can never get over how inconsiderate people are.

Donna

 

[Beverly Lynn]

I agree that lately flight attendants have no tact. all aircrafts have arm rests that go up. they have to for medically necessary reasons. (its the law) if you fit into the category that needs one you will get one of those seats. it must be noted on your PNR and then its also noted ont he passenger manifest as well. bulkhead does not have the arm rests that go up due to the fact that the tray tables are int eh arm rests. can't have both! I would suggest telling them when you make your ressie how important it is to have a seat with the armrest that goes up.

Dancara there is no reason that you should have been squashed the way you were. if you wanted your arm rest to go down and be able to utilize the earphone plug in then by all means you should have. you paid for your flight. no reason you should have been inconvenienced due to the pooh sized ladies. all you had to do was discreetly say something to the flight attendant or even go back to the gate agent and explain the situation and they could have put you in first class or another available seat in coach. and if they floweth over into the next seat then they should have to purchase that seat as well. (NO offense to the pooh people! I'm sort of one myself) but if you take up more than your share and make the person next to you uncomfortable its not fair to them either. do not be afraid or embarrassed to say something about it.

 

[danacara]

Ooh. Forgot to mention - the plane was full. Not a seat was to be had. Any other time, that's absolutely what I would have done!
Dana

 

[FergieTCat]

(NO offense to the pooh people! I'm sort of one myself) but if you take up more than your share and make the person next to you uncomfortable its not fair to them either. do not be afraid or embarrassed to say something about it.

Well, as the article mentioned in this thread points out ---

What if someone has long legs and his/her knees disturb the person in front of him/her? What if the someone insists on reclining all the way back and the person behind them ends up feeling uncomfotable? Shouldn't those people pay for extra seats also -- be it one seat in front of them or one seat behind them? Aren't they taking up more than their share of room? Aren't they making someone else feel uncomfortable?

It goes many different ways, not just width wise.

Donna

 

[Disneylvr]

Thank you Donna. My thoughts exactly. And I would like add the children who kick you from behind or stand up in the seat in front of you and throw toys, magazines, pillows into your lap, hang their arms into your aisle etc.... They are making passengers near them uncomfortable and taking more than their share of space.

 

[FriendsOfEeyore]

When my dw and I travel, we try to upgrade our seats to First Class for precisely the reasons mentioned here. Now to complicate things just a little more, we have found out that my dw is pregnant (this will be our first. A GOOD THING!!!). We are already pooh-sized people, so this will be interesting. I don't expect any complications in September (seats already upgraded), but our December trip will be a different story. We are currently only six weeks along, but come December, she will be six months. I just wish that the "average" seat size was greater than 17". I understand that prices would rise, but I am willing to pay more. I don' t anticipate having enough miles come December to upgrade, so we may be purchasing actual First Class tickets or cancelling our trip.

 

[Disneylvr]

Congrats on the upcoming birth!!!! DH and I are trying for a little buddle of our own. I sure hope you can get that upgrade. I just found out that the plane on our return flight has been changed to a 757 from a MD-80 so I am hoping for a first class upgrade myself.
The tickets were bought with my parent's ff miles so I am also allowed to switch flights if I want to but I hope to use my own ff miles for an upgrade.

 

[robinb]

Edward & Katherine:

Congratulations on your baby-to-be! My sister is a pooh-sized person and she actually lost weight during each one of her pregnancies. At her first baby shower 1 week before she had her DD you could barely tell that she was PG. So ... your wife may not need and extra room than normal.

Just to make this post totally off-topic, I see that you're going to WDW 3 times this year. After enjoying being on-site, you might want to consider DVC if you keep up this pace .

 

[AllanJ]

It is worth figuring out in advance if the flight has standbys. Then if you have a problem with too-big seatmates you can ask the F/A to exchange you with a standby. THe airline owes you with a reserved seat compensation if it goes ahead and gives standby's better treatment than you over your protests.

Also don't squeeze in next to larger folks. Ask for help immediately, going back out to the gate coubnter for a new seat assignment if necessary. (Here is another place where you can ask them to pull of a standby so you can have that seat.)

More Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Brer boy]

On our last flight to WDW my DD and I (both Tigger-sized) just finished our delightful meal and she decided to lean back her seat. Suddenly a snippy voice from behind says "Excuse me, we're still eating!" I turn around and there are two Pooh ladies with angry faces. I said "These seats are designed to be reclined at any time and not interfere with trays." But being the patient person I am, I just told my DD to keep seat up for now. Later, a flight attendent came by and I asked her if we can recline our seats even though the two ladies were still eating. She leaned over and looked at them and said "Yes, you can recline, the seats are designed..." what I said originally. So we both reclined. Needless to say, the rest of the flight there was constant knocking into our seats.
Yes, seats will probably be widened or rows removed in the near future to accomodate the weight epidemic occuring in the US. The fact is no other nation has this "epidemic". If you travel to Europe or Japan, the people get more exercise and walk or ride bikes much of the time. For the US, this is a side effect of our prosperity.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

if you are not able to fit in your seat comfortable (or as near as possible) without making those around you uncomfortable and squashing them ..then maybe they should all pay for the second seat. but if you are tall then your body doesn't runneth over into the next seat. and most tall people do request the emergency exit row since it has a bit more room. since I have worked at a tkt cntr I have encountered many many people who request this row for the extra leg room. and I have also had people come back out to the gate to tell me that they can't sit in their seat because of the large person next to them. and we as employees must be very selective in our wording on how we approach the situation. the person who has come to me because they could not sit with out the person next to them squashing them I moved to another seat and if that was not available then I moved them to first class. I have worked in the res part of an airlines too and I have had many people tell me that they are large and needed a seat and a half. hey we all come in many shapes and sizes and if you are that sensitive about it then maybe you should consider buying a seat in first class or buying the seat and a half this way no one will sit next to you. its not right that either person be made to feel uncomfortable. Everyone who has paid for his/her own seat has the right to sit in that seat by themselves and not be squashed by a large person nor have their backs poked by long legs. if you are uncomfortable then the bottem line is to speak with the flt attnd or go back to the gate agent. there is no need to make a scene...but everyone has the right to speak up about it. `its all in the way that you do it. so Donna I hope this clears it up for you. might I suggest that the next time you make a reservation have the agent on the phone put an OSI message in for you requesting that you be sat in the exit row if at all possible this way you have some extra leg room or that you sit in the row in front of the exit row so that you don't have the chance of any knees poking you in the back. other than that the only other thing I can suggest to you is first class. this way you will have enough body room and leg room and no chance of getting poked in the back. this way it covers all angles. or you can buy a seat and a half this way you know that you ahve the seat next to you open. or if midwest express flys from your airport try flying them. they are a wonderful airline and its all first class service and you won't have any of the above forementioned problems. they do have a frequent flyer program as well. they go out of their way to their passengers.

 

[ducklite]

Even in first class you can encouter problems. Last month I was in FC with a guy who hadn't showered in a week. His BO was so bad that he stunk the entire flight up!

A few years ago I was on a flight with a couple of NBA players. Those poor guys still hit their knees on the backs of the seats in front of them, even in FC! They were very nice though

Anne

 

[CookieGVB]

Just goes to show that people can be obnoxious, no matter WHAT the size!

I try to avoid flying alone for the size reason - my boys are usually the ones sitting next to me, and they generally don't complain. (yeah, right!)

A little sensitivity training would go a long way - both for the smaller and larger-sized travelers. Personally, I'd rather have a snippy person sitting next to me, than a child who is allowed to constantly kick my chair, have loud, high-pitched, squealing laughing fits, and shout to another child across the aisle for the entire trip (this was our return flight). It was so bad, that my own son wondered when the kid's mother was going to make him shut up! So while my size might inconvenience the person sitting next to me, there are ROWS of people who are inconvenienced by loud children out of control, and the parents who are clueless and have the opinion "kids will be kids!"

 

[Ted and Holly]

Without disrespecting anyone in this discussion, I think (regardless of size) screaming children and people who lean back in their seats (especially at meal time) would cause me to have "air rage" Some people can just be so disrespectful of others around them and it drives me NUTS! Pooh sized people have just as much as right on the flight as any other paying customer and should be treated with respect and dignity. The idea of having to fly first class is silly, and a pooh sized person should not be penalized for sitting in coach.

Holly P