Do Thai Airways have waist size restrictions for Business Class seats on their B787 Dreamliner?

[V Singh]

Interesting article on waist size restriction for flying business class:

Thai Airways Humiliates Passengers, Refusing Their B787 Business Class Seats Calling Them “Too Big To Fly”

Thai Airways humiliates female passengers with body measuring at the gate - DOWNGRADED!

loyaltylobby.com

Wonder if other airlines have similar conditions for Business Class seats!!!

 

[Ade]

Interesting article on waist size restriction for flying business class:

Thai Airways Humiliates Passengers, Refusing Their B787 Business Class Seats Calling Them “Too Big To Fly”

Thai Airways humiliates female passengers with body measuring at the gate - DOWNGRADED!

loyaltylobby.com

Wonder if other airlines have similar conditions for Business Class seats!!!

Interesting (read : disgusting) indeed - I read this article yesterday on Loyalty Lobby

What a disgrace !!!!

I understand that there could be size related challenges, but it's certainly not the best way to handle such situations, as handled by Thai staff, as mentioned in the article.

It's embarrassing to have a measuring tape wound around your waist when the whole airport is watching ! Nothing like this should happen anywhere, to anyone !!

Some points highlighted in the article are good - the TA should've mentioned this to the pax (assuming the Ta who handled the booking had the chance to see the pax in person, in their store, perhaps) or the airline check in staff should've handled in well. Take the pax to a room or an enclosed area and have a confidential and understanding discussion. Not pull out a measuring tape and make the world know how big you are.

I find it difficult to digest the humiliation the pax would've faced - personally, I'm obese and sometimes find it hard to sit in a Y seat on B737. Especially row 4 with it's tray table in the armrest, makes the armrest bit bigger than other seats

It would have made a world of difference if the situation was handled more gracefully by the airline.

From the pax perspective - they are in BKK to undergo a medical procedure for the obesity and would already be under stress. I know it because, I'm under a lot of stress due to my overweight and obese built and I can imagine how the pax would've felt when treated the way they were treated by the airline

Also, re : compensation - the airline only refunded the difference between and flex Y and J - which was only $700 or so (from memory), which is not fair.

But kudos to FC for stepping in and refunding the whole fare. Appreciate it

 

[Happy Trails]

I believe it only applies to their B787-9s.

THAI sets waistline limit for passengers on 787-9 Dreamliners

Thai Airways International has banned passengers with over 56-inch waistline and passengers with kids on their laps from Business Class seating on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. ... the aircraft manufacturer has fixed airbag in seat belt on Business Class seats. With this latest version of...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[drron]

Yes the restriction has been in place for nearly 2 years.FC should have known this.

 

[p--and--t]

The thing that perplexes me is that there is aren't that many airline seat manufacturers and most seats are a variation of a standard theme. Surely there is one or more other airlines flying with the same seat (maybe in a different colour palette or trimmings).

Why has this not come up before? Is it just Thai or is it an actual problem with the seat?

BTW: Seems in other forums and threads, lots of complaints about new SQ seats seemingly better suited to smaller statured people.

 

[jase05]

The thing that perplexes me is that there is aren't that many airline seat manufacturers and most seats are a variation of a standard theme. Surely there is one or more other airlines flying with the same seat (maybe in a different colour palette or trimmings).

Why has this not come up before? Is it just Thai or is it an actual problem with the seat?

BTW: Seems in other forums and threads, lots of complaints about new SQ seats seemingly better suited to smaller statured people.

Isn’t it only a problem with the seatbelt not the actual seat?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

The thing that perplexes me is that there is aren't that many airline seat manufacturers and most seats are a variation of a standard theme. Surely there is one or more other airlines flying with the same seat (maybe in a different colour palette or trimmings).

Why has this not come up before? Is it just Thai or is it an actual problem with the seat?

BTW: Seems in other forums and threads, lots of complaints about new SQ seats seemingly better suited to smaller statured people.

There is an airbag in the seat belt in the business class seat on VA's A332 - "the business" product.
But I have not heard of them imposing any such restriction.

 

[p--and--t]

Isn’t it only a problem with the seatbelt not the actual seat?

Yep, I guess so. But given these new style seat belts are now allegedly mandatory, wouldn't it effect all airlines with this design.

 

[offshore171]

Isn’t it only a problem with the seatbelt not the actual seat?

If it’s like a lot of other things in transport engineering, the seat and associated restraints are certified as a single ‘system’.

I would expect that it’s not simply a matter of Thai airways upsizing the belt or providing an extension.

That said, systems normally have an absolute design limit and 56” sounds massive. What proportion of the travelling public would that not be able accomodate? Maybe 1 in 10,000?

Does the Thai booking site say anything?

 

[woodborer]

The thing that perplexes me is that there is aren't that many airline seat manufacturers and most seats are a variation of a standard theme. Surely there is one or more other airlines flying with the same seat (maybe in a different colour palette or trimmings).

Why has this not come up before? Is it just Thai or is it an actual problem with the seat?

Seat manufacturers and other airlines seem to "look the other way" when the issue comes up.

Basically the seats and systems are certified for up to the 95th percentile on size. Not certified beyond that, so some airlines just accept they are outside the certifiable size. Thai seems strict on it, and I suspect this come back to the regulator having a crackdown after they got pulled up by the FAA.

 

[Happy Trails]

Does the Thai booking site say anything?

It does gets a mention, but it's not flagged when making a booking.

Boeing 787- 9 | Our Aircraft | Thai Airways

Plan your trip with Thai Airways. View offers & promotions, where we fly, travel, airport, and destination information. Find special fares online and book now.

www.thaiairways.com

Refer to the standards of the US Federal Aviation Administration, the business class seats have been installed with new safety belts and airbag system. For this reason, the safety belt cannot accommodate a passenger whose waist is larger than 56" and a parent with a child sitting on his or her lap.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This has been covered in another thread. Seat belt extenders can be used, but they have the effect of de-activating the airbag mechanism. The manufacturers say this is still ok to fly, but I guess TG has decided otherwise.

Obviously not too many people are being caught out by the rule. FC offering a refund is probably right - they sold the ticket knowing the pax sizes.

 

[V Singh]

Yep, I guess so. But given these new style seat belts are now allegedly mandatory, wouldn't it effect all airlines with this design.

Good Question..Wonder why same restrictions are NOT mandated by other airlines?

 

[suze2000]

Makes a mockery though of many people's insistence that POS should be forced to buy J seats, doesn't it?

 

[offshore171]

Makes a mockery though of many people's insistence that POS should be forced to buy J seats, doesn't it?

I believe the usual suggestion for mandatory POS seating involves a comfort seat, not a J seat. (a comfort seat being a second, empty Y seat for the use of the POS).

This can accomodate an enormous girth, as the Y seats are certified with the use of extenders.

Some airlines already have the mandatory comfort seat requirement for passengers above a certain girth. I'm not aware of any that require POS to buy a J seat. Are there any?

Most airlines with the comfort seat requirement, require the booking to be made over the phone rather than online, which is a good thing as the airline is aware of the PAX and can also discuss any special needs. This is not the case with a J seat which can be blindly booked online.

 

[JoshuaEicke]

Interesting (read : disgusting) indeed - I read this article yesterday on Loyalty Lobby

What a disgrace !!!!

I understand that there could be size related challenges, but it's certainly not the best way to handle such situations, as handled by Thai staff, as mentioned in the article.

It's embarrassing to have a measuring tape wound around your waist when the whole airport is watching ! Nothing like this should happen anywhere, to anyone !!

Some points highlighted in the article are good - the TA should've mentioned this to the pax (assuming the Ta who handled the booking had the chance to see the pax in person, in their store, perhaps) or the airline check in staff should've handled in well. Take the pax to a room or an enclosed area and have a confidential and understanding discussion. Not pull out a measuring tape and make the world know how big you are.

I find it difficult to digest the humiliation the pax would've faced - personally, I'm obese and sometimes find it hard to sit in a Y seat on B737. Especially row 4 with it's tray table in the armrest, makes the armrest bit bigger than other seats

It would have made a world of difference if the situation was handled more gracefully by the airline.

From the pax perspective - they are in BKK to undergo a medical procedure for the obesity and would already be under stress. I know it because, I'm under a lot of stress due to my overweight and obese built and I can imagine how the pax would've felt when treated the way they were treated by the airline

Also, re : compensation - the airline only refunded the difference between and flex Y and J - which was only $700 or so (from memory), which is not fair.

But kudos to FC for stepping in and refunding the whole fare. Appreciate it

Hardly a disgrace, as you put it, when a specific pop up appears on thai bookings on this aircraft type explicitly referring to plus size people and infants re seat belts in J. Another person trying to use the media to garner sympathy rather than reading the rules when booking. Perhaps they should have a salad sometime, obesity is a completely self inflicted condition, some people just lack any self control.

 

[Reg57]

Interesting (read : disgusting) indeed - I read this article yesterday on Loyalty Lobby

What a disgrace !!!!

I understand that there could be size related challenges, but it's certainly not the best way to handle such situations, as handled by Thai staff, as mentioned in the article.

It's embarrassing to have a measuring tape wound around your waist when the whole airport is watching ! Nothing like this should happen anywhere, to anyone !!

Some points highlighted in the article are good - the TA should've mentioned this to the pax (assuming the Ta who handled the booking had the chance to see the pax in person, in their store, perhaps) or the airline check in staff should've handled in well. Take the pax to a room or an enclosed area and have a confidential and understanding discussion. Not pull out a measuring tape and make the world know how big you are.

I find it difficult to digest the humiliation the pax would've faced - personally, I'm obese and sometimes find it hard to sit in a Y seat on B737. Especially row 4 with it's tray table in the armrest, makes the armrest bit bigger than other seats

It would have made a world of difference if the situation was handled more gracefully by the airline.

From the pax perspective - they are in BKK to undergo a medical procedure for the obesity and would already be under stress. I know it because, I'm under a lot of stress due to my overweight and obese built and I can imagine how the pax would've felt when treated the way they were treated by the airline

Also, re : compensation - the airline only refunded the difference between and flex Y and J - which was only $700 or so (from memory), which is not fair.

But kudos to FC for stepping in and refunding the whole fare. Appreciate it

FC are not the heroes here contractually. They were the agents that sold the ticket and therefore had a duty to to ensure acceptance by the client of the offer being made by the seller.

 

[Happy Trails]

Hardly a disgrace, as you put it, when a specific pop up appears on thai bookings on this aircraft type explicitly referring to plus size people and infants re seat belts in J.

So there is and hard to miss, but I didn't see it when I tried a dummy booking yesterday, hence my comment upthread. So I'm wondering if it's only been put in place recently as a result of this incident.
Has anyone noticed it before today?

 

[p--and--t]

I notice from their route map Thai don't fly to Tonga or Samoa

Given above rules, a large % of bookings would have to be made by phone

 

[gazza48]

Interesting (read : disgusting) indeed - I read this article yesterday on Loyalty Lobby

What a disgrace !!!!

I understand that there could be size related challenges, but it's certainly not the best way to handle such situations, as handled by Thai staff, as mentioned in the article.

It's embarrassing to have a measuring tape wound around your waist when the whole airport is watching ! Nothing like this should happen anywhere, to anyone !!

Some points highlighted in the article are good - the TA should've mentioned this to the pax (assuming the Ta who handled the booking had the chance to see the pax in person, in their store, perhaps) or the airline check in staff should've handled in well. Take the pax to a room or an enclosed area and have a confidential and understanding discussion. Not pull out a measuring tape and make the world know how big you are.

I find it difficult to digest the humiliation the pax would've faced - personally, I'm obese and sometimes find it hard to sit in a Y seat on B737. Especially row 4 with it's tray table in the armrest, makes the armrest bit bigger than other seats

It would have made a world of difference if the situation was handled more gracefully by the airline.

From the pax perspective - they are in BKK to undergo a medical procedure for the obesity and would already be under stress. I know it because, I'm under a lot of stress due to my overweight and obese built and I can imagine how the pax would've felt when treated the way they were treated by the airline

Also, re : compensation - the airline only refunded the difference between and flex Y and J - which was only $700 or so (from memory), which is not fair.

But kudos to FC for stepping in and refunding the whole fare. Appreciate it

I agree with you totally. Absolutely disgusting and so humiliating for the passengers. Having worked in the airline industry, when passengers wanted to buy two Y seats for comfort, consultants would mention to consider J class for not a lot more and definitely better comfort...was never aware of a seat belt restriction in J.....