Passenger of size issues on OOL-MEL flight today

[Meggsy]

mate, i dont do exit rows, brachial plexus injury so cant really rely on shoulder being up to the task to open door in emergency...so i dont want to take that risk. nothing really to do with hardening up.

Just for future reference the VA 737 over wing exits only require you to pull down on the handle to release the exits. There is no lifting the panel to toss it out as it flips outward and upward on hinges.

 

[strtrek]

Just for future reference the VA 737 over wing exits only require you to pull down on the handle to release the exits. There is no lifting the panel to toss it out as it flips outward and upward on hinges.

So doesn't take too much strength to pull the handle???if that's true, then this has opened up a whole new world thanks meggsy.....

 

[Meggsy]

So doesn't take too much strength to pull the handle???if that's true, then this has opened up a whole new world thanks meggsy.....

Very little effort required to open this type of exit.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

It's not discrimination for telling them they can't fit... It's just physics.

I agree totally with this statement. On another thread, someone was discussing taking their kids to a GC theme park and roller coaster rides were mentioned. There are minimum height and age restrictions on those rides. Is that also age or height/weight discrimination? Of course not! It's just bloody common sense. I do not like people inappropriately using that magical word "discrimination" as an excuse for just about everything. If they don't fit without impeding on other peoples right to occupy, in full, the seat they purchased, then the larger pax simply doesn't fit and should not be there. It's not rocket science.

 

[Pushka]

Surely when health and safety comes into play it isn't discrimination.

Is it possible to do the brace position when seated next to an obese person?

 

[Foreigner]

Obese flyers should opt for aisle seat rather than wiggle into the middle one.

 

[Pushka]

Obese flyers should opt for aisle seat rather than wiggle into the middle one.

Mmm. That happened to me. I was unable to get from the aisle into my seat. The person was also disabled. I had to climb onto my seat across her as did the woman in the middle seat. I was stuck there the whole flight. Thankfully she allowed us to climb back over her on arrival or else we would needed to have waited for the plane to empty (row 5).

 

[Foreigner]

Mmm. That happened to me. I was unable to get from the aisle into my seat. The person was also disabled. I had to climb onto my seat across her as did the woman in the middle seat. I was stuck there the whole flight. Thankfully she allowed us to climb back over her on arrival or else we would needed to have waited for the plane to empty (row 5).

Well, this is a tough issue. Obesity is a growing problem, pardon the pun. It's going to be difficult situation for travellers of all sizes, more so when many airlines don't have clear policies, or crew who cannot resolve problems in the airplane.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Well, this is a tough issue. Obesity is a growing problem

Yes, but I think that's related but different to the OP. Whether or not airlines should by choice or by legislation (or perhaps civil procedings) be considering the needs of larger people is different to the rights of people who have bought the use of a seat to be able to enjoy the use of that purchase. I'd be curious to hear from our legal type members as to whether they think the purchase of a ticket (hire of a seat if you like) does legally give them the right to expect the sole use of that seat. Did VA in this case, breach their contractual obligations to the OP? Any takers?

 

[Pele]

Gday

For me the sad part of this whole thread is that with 90 posts with people blaming the airline, blaming the original poster, it ignores the facts- the fat person who bought an inadequate sized seat is wholly to blame. It is like me buying a pair of size 7 shoes then blaming the shoe manufacturer because my size 9 feet cant fit in.

The fat person must take responsibility for what has happened. When he booked the economy seat he knew that it would compromise anyone seated next to him. Too many times these days in progressive economies like Australia people try to discharge their accountability for their actions. Sorry not good enough. Like someone above said- its just common sense. Dont buy an economy seat if you cant fit in it!

Pele.

 

[Pushka]

Don't think anyone blamed the OP Pele. They did make the airline accountable for their management.
I think we need to stop normalising increasing weights. I get quite antsy when larger than average size women are referred to as "real" women. Once we acknowledge there is a problem instead of sanitising it then maybe we can actually deal with it.

It aint going away soon - quite the opposite.

 

[MarkD]

Gday

For me the sad part of this whole thread is that with 90 posts with people blaming the airline, blaming the original poster, it ignores the facts- the fat person who bought an inadequate sized seat is wholly to blame. It is like me buying a pair of size 7 shoes then blaming the shoe manufacturer because my size 9 feet cant fit in.

The fat person must take responsibility for what has happened. When he booked the economy seat he knew that it would compromise anyone seated next to him. Too many times these days in progressive economies like Australia people try to discharge their accountability for their actions. Sorry not good enough. Like someone above said- its just common sense. Dont buy an economy seat if you cant fit in it!

Pele.

I said pretty much the same thing on a facebook group and got flamed. I ended up leaving the group. Its not fair to blame crew or airline for someones weight. As adults we are respinsible for ourselves. Australia has become a country of people that cannot accept responsibility for their own actions. Its quite sad.

 

[medhead]

Don't think anyone blamed the OP Pele. They did make the airline accountable for their management.
I think we need to stop normalising increasing weights. I get quite antsy when larger than average size women are referred to as "real" women. Once we acknowledge there is a problem instead of sanitising it then maybe we can actually deal with it.

It aint going away soon - quite the opposite.

Average women are real compared to those bags of skin and bones that they call models. Some men survived 4 years as Japanese POWs came out bigger than some fashion models.

 

[Pushka]

Average women are real compared to those bags of skin and bones that they call models. Some men survived 4 years as Japanese POWs came out bigger than some fashion models.

Yes - agree. And I thought of those super skinnies as I posted. But why do we have to go to extremes? Surely there is middle ground that is a healthy weight (which is less than the average size 16 now!) that is a good healthy normal rather than keep raising the weight bar on what is normal?

 

[medhead]

Yes - agree. And I thought of those super skinnies as I posted. But why do we have to go to extremes? Surely there is middle ground that is a healthy weight (which is less than the average size 16 now!) that is a good healthy normal rather than keep raising the weight bar on what is normal?

Yes indeed. All true. I've just always taken the real woman thing to be against stupidly skinny models, rather than to justify being over weight. (Even if it is mis-applied)

 

[Pushka]

Yes indeed. All true. I've just always taken the real woman thing to be against stupidly skinny models, rather than to justify being over weight. (Even if it is mis-applied)

hmm, that is interesting. I am not a super skinny model, but am slim. When I see those "real women" photos of those who are considerably bigger than me, I assumed they were inferring women my size weren't real women either!

 

[JohnK]

Obese flyers should opt for aisle seat rather than wiggle into the middle one.

Agreed. I am not sure why any obese would choose/accept a middle seat.

I refuse to sit in a middle seat. For my comfort and the comfort of those around me.

 

[medhead]

hmm, that is interesting. I am not a super skinny model, but am slim. When I see those "real women" photos of those who are considerably bigger than me, I assumed they were inferring women my size weren't real women either!

That would be a mis-application of the term if it didn't include all women who have more than 3 lettuce leaves for a meal.