Australian traveller compensated by AA after being ‘wedged between two obese siblings’

[bladeau1981]

If you can’t fit in the seat, all dimensions and if you impact on other peoples space then you need to buy another seat or sit in another class, is my personal view.

My head extends several inches above the seat and my knees hit the seat in front on most Y seats, do I need to purchase the seat in front and above me also? I think you meant if you are too WIDE for the seat and your lard cough is hanging into the next one then you should either get off or pay for the other seat.

 

[muppet]

My head extends several inches above the seat and my knees hit the seat in front on most Y seats, do I need to purchase the seat in front and above me also? I think you meant if you are too WIDE for the seat and your lard cough is hanging into the next one then you should either get off or pay for the other seat.

Well you skipped a key part of what @jakeseven7 said, are you impacting anyone else?

Some people are really broad but not necessarily fat, in my opinion the same rules apply. Someone else bought their seat, if you’re in their seat - that’s not fair on them.

This isn’t a fat v skinny issue - its a space issue.

 

[justinbrett]

The pax is a political commentator with a sizeable social media following. Probably attracted more attention than a regular pax, thus more likely for AA to compensate.

I'm sure most of us have sat next to a large person with the arm rest down and just dealt with it - but the fact the arm rests couldn't go down makes this objectively a valid complaint on her part.

 

[bladeau1981]

Well you skipped a key part of what @jakeseven7 said, are you impacting anyone else?

Some people are really broad but not necessarily fat, in my opinion the same rules apply. Someone else bought their seat, if you’re in their seat - that’s not fair on them.

This isn’t a fat v skinny issue - its a space issue.

I am fairly wide in the shoulders, I have more issues with skinny people who board the plane with there friend/partner and sit in the middle and aisle and then sit as far apart as possible forcing me to squash up on the wall.

Being fat is usually a choice, being tall and broad is not. There is a key difference.

 

[JohnK]

Being fat is usually a choice, being tall and broad is not. There is a key difference.

I'm really glad you used "usually".

Some of us have bad side effects from medication that makes weight loss difficult. I can work hard and lose 10kgs and then put 15kgs back on again.

 

[muppet]

Being fat is usually a choice, being tall and broad is not. There is a key difference.

No difference on a plane - both are denying their neighbours the seat space they paid for. The why is irrelevant.

 

[UP4014]

Going back to the original issue with the flight of 3hours on American Airlines, as I understand it, due to the size of the adjacent pax it was not possible to lower the armrests on this 3 abreast Y seating arrangement? Is that correct?

If the armrests cannot go down, surely the correct response is telling the cabin crew that "if the armrests aren't going down then I'm not flying and I'll happily disembark and you can rummage through the hold for my checked baggage". That might stand a good chance of a re-seating request (assuming there is another spare seat available). If I were forced into that situation about the arm rests I would also consider reporting that to the FAA/regulatory authorities, AA might not care about a noisy person on social media, but the safety regulators cannot be ignored.. even AA eventually admitted that the neighbor passengers "exceeding their seats space"' implied that it was a completely full flight so maybe someone needs to "win" this argument by costing the airlines some big $$$ and get Airlines to start thinking about yield management and seating allocation and seating policies to solve this problem?

Going down the "fat" discrimination route is probably not guaranteed success, but going down the safety argument route would surely be more effective/productive?

Agree. While the door is still open you have the right to get off.

 

[bladeau1981]

I'm really glad you used "usually".

Some of us have bad side effects from medication that makes weight loss difficult. I can work hard and lose 10kgs and then put 15kgs back on again.

That is why I said usually, and usually you can tell the difference between the lazy and people with actual issues from medical reasons. Usually if there is a fat dad, fat mum and fat kid it is not because of medication.

 

[JohnK]

That is why I said usually, and usually you can tell the difference between the lazy and people with actual issues from medical reasons. Usually if there is a fat dad, fat mum and fat kid it is not because of medication.

LOL and very good response.

I'm obese and my wife is almost a third of my weight. My 6 year old daughter is trying to look like her dad.

It's a tough one. The weight general population around the world has gotten bigger and the airline seats have gotten narrower. Wasn't the 737 only 5 across at some point?

 

[UP4014]

LOL and very good response.

I'm obese and my wife is almost a third of my weight. My 6 year old daughter is trying to look like her dad.

It's a tough one. The weight general population around the world has gotten bigger and the airline seats have gotten narrower. Wasn't the 737 only 5 across at some point?

When you look back at old commercial airline interiors, economy is not the classy act it once was. It's become self loading freight.

 

[andye]

When you look back at old commercial airline interiors, economy is not the classy act it once was. It's become self loading freight.

Heck of a lot cheaper relative to incomes though. Majority of customers have voted with wallets

 

[stm1sydney]

I remember the really old days when the B777 was nine across and the B787 was going to be eight across...

But I agree with the above poster that more seats means cheaper prices means more people can afford to travel (and choose to do so under these conditions).

 

[jrfsp]

Agree. While the door is still open you have the right to get off.

True. While I've put up with the same on short haul flights, twice i have asked crew to be moved (subtlety) on long haul flights, on AA and QF, and luckily both times there was a single spare seat to move to. Sitting with my back contorted for a long haul flight no thanks. Ive paid for a seat in its entirety, not 3/4s or 2/3s of a seat.