Proof.......The Yowie does exist!

[Lord Mud]

What scares me about a lot of these ideas about charging for weight is going to turn into a lack of consistency. I weigh 105Kgs, am 6' 0" and wear a 35 jeans. I am not fat, I dont work out. My best mate is the same size as me (shoulder width is a bit less) and he weighs 20kgs less. I dont occupy more than my own seat ever, but I would be seriously penalized by a weight charge.

Personally I think that a proactive way of moving people around as is already the case for the most part is still likley the best way of achieving the most out of the current (and I say terrible) state of seating in aircraft.

 

[DavBlayn]

With the exception of horribly obese people, the issue here isn't really weight. It's space. I agree with the idea of having a cage for checkout how you fit inside the chair at check-in. Frankly I think you should be able to utilise the entirety of your seat without having someone else flow into your personal space.

 

[Anna]

I've seen a 1.75 seat passenger literally swallow the timid guy next to him

Really??

Reminds me of the Trip Advisor report I read about a beach resort where a woman said "my husband literally died of insect bites"

 

[drron]

Not all large people are unfit-
Watch as this giant strongman squeezes into an Embraer 145 | Road Warrior Voices

 

[JohnCarrWestwood]

Yep, time we had a frame for over-size passengers right next to the one for checking if your carry-on luggage is within acceptable limits. Anyone who can't fit through the frame could be required to pay for an oversize seat (which the airlines will eventually have to install anyway). Everything's "user pays" these days and space occupied on a plane shouldn't be any different. Having your personal (and paid for) space invaded by an obese passenger just isn't on. The more often affected people complain and refuse to just accept it, the quicker airlines will be forced to find a solution.

Fewer pax because of larger seats means higher fares . Frame idea is good if policed but if they cant /wont do it for carry on then ... *shrug* . If your cough wont fit in a 17.5 in seat then you buy 2 or go away and fly freight.

 

[katiebell]

No one is really comfortable in a Y seat. We are all entitled to the sole use of the seat we purchase. We are not entitled to use someone else's seat space: tha is just rude. It is not a matter of size (height or girth) but attitude and consideration for others. Thin people can be just as inconsiderate. Manspread is just as bad as arms, shoulders and abdominal bulges.

Everyone should have an equal opportunity to get the exit rows. If there is any preferentia ltreatment they should go to those who have paid for a higher fare class.

Large people should not be upgraded to J based on their size: they should buy a seat that fits them, just like we buy a car, a bed and clothes we can fit into. If the crew are to take pity on anyone and move them to J it should be the adjacent squashed person.

Some years ago, when the DVT scare was raging, AA took out 2 rows of seats on longhaul aircraft. 20 fewer seats so 20 fewer fares but 2 ton or more of extra freight capacity. The fares stayed the same as the extra freight revenue made up the difference.

There are clever ways to improve pax safety and experience that are cost neutral and once an airline gets a reputation for more room as standard they will have an advantage and may even be able to charge a bit more. I for one would not fly with one of the airlines that squeezes 11 seats across in Y in a longhaul aircraft, no matter how cheap.

No one enjoys Y but most of us have to travel there at least some of the time and we should all try to be considerate to everyone else.

 

[wooley]

katiebell for president

 

[Cynicor]

...There are clever ways to improve pax safety and experience that are cost neutral and once an airline gets a reputation for more room as standard they will have an advantage and may even be able to charge a bit more. I for one would not fly with one of the airlines that squeezes 11 seats across in Y in a longhaul aircraft, no matter how cheap.

No one enjoys Y but most of us have to travel there at least some of the time and we should all try to be considerate to everyone else.

Dear god. There are planes with 11 across in Y? I avoid Y on anything but <~4 hours, but have never seen more than 8!

 

[TomVexille]

Dear god. There are planes with 11 across in Y? I avoid Y on anything but <~4 hours, but have never seen more than 8!

Several actually

 

[Deleted member 29185]

katiebell for president

I really have to tip my hat to someone who can casually bring "manspread" into polite conversation! I was going to suggest my "manspread" is kept in check until after the wife and I check into the Hilton, but decided better of it!

 

[Jo145]

I know an individual who is over 7 foot (2.15m) ...he has to duck to walk down the aisle, and would love an exit row, except from his past experiences they've generally been occupied by the much more deserving 5 foot tall individuals ...

I feel for people who are tall and need more space, but ... yep, there's a but - I am claustrophobic and while I don't take an exit row, I do have an aisle seat preference on my profile for this reason. For that same reason I don't cope well on long flights with people who recline their chairs in my lap.

We all have our problems when flying and overweight people are no different. I get the problem but I think the issue is with airlines that continue to make economy seats smaller and smaller - I've noticed even at my height!!

 

[DavBlayn]

I really have to tip my hat to someone who can casually bring "manspread" into polite conversation! I was going to suggest my "manspread" is kept in check until after the wife and I check into the Hilton, but decided better of it!

Ugh, that term ****s me to tears. Anything pejorative with "man-" as a prefix makes me cringe a little. It's not like women don't take up space in public spaces.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Ugh, that term ****s me to tears. Anything pejorative with "man-" as a prefix makes me cringe a little. It's not like women don't take up space in public spaces.

In the context however, (Admittedly, I was being a tad skewed with the comment above) manspread is the questionable trait. Men are apples and women are pears (or so I'm told). A womanspread is not actually the issue (usually) as an oversized pear cannot fit between the armrests and is duly turfed off pre-taxi. A manspread however, allows the owners buttocks to fit snuggly, yet all other unrestrained portions can flow freely to snuggle any unsuspecting being within cooee. I'm reliably informed that the oxygen masks will deploy if a swallowed seat registers a weight below 60kg and furthermore, the emergency duress call for "any medics on board with resuscitation endorsements" will be automatically triggered.

So you see, it's not sexism being discussed, it's people who believe they have a right to fly regardless of others right to their paid for seat! I personally don't have the answer, but I think it's clear people do NOT have the right to occupy someone else's purchased seat, regardless of their own perception of their physical attributes, handicaps or rights. I think I've said it before, but an ebola patient forfeits their right to fly, not because of their own tragic circumstances, but because of the risk they pose to others. Of course there is a big difference in cause, but is there a big difference in treatment? Airlines can of course make arrangements to suit (perhaps at additional expense and perhaps not) but fellow pax should not have to wear the problems.

 

[DavBlayn]

it's not sexism being discussed

I might have been a little obtuse, but I was actually just talking about my personal reaction to it in the context of public transport and the likes, I believe that's where the term was first coined.

Anyway, I agree with you on airlines, people should have the right to occupy their seat without someone else flowing into it. Personally, if there's no room for you to move to a free seat in your class, you should be able to be bumped up to Premium Economy, especially if it's long-haul. I can't imagine what it would be like to experience OP's story on a SYD to LHR flight!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I can't imagine what it would be like to experience OP's story on a SYD to LHR flight!

OPs story was considerably less than that, (CNS-HGU) but yes, you're right, long haul would be atrocious.

 

[Deleted member]

YES. THEY. CAN.

We have the luxury of being a human being, so we have the luxury to control a large majority of our personal circumstances, that of which includes personal health, i.e your weight.

No, not everyone can.
You forget that no two fatties are alike , per se. I know it's chicken and egg stuff. But consider chronic depression, PTSD, and other mental illness's. Often the "retreat" into food and alcohol can mean excess weight, which they should have control over, but don't.
I can say with absolute certainty that in my case , the decision to lose weight was due to a personal epiphany , not because someone said I should.
I have learnt to not be quite so judgemental.
It makes for a more realistic view of life , mine and other peoples.

 

[Deleted member]

On the subject of weighing pax for a flight. Mrs GPH and I were to fly from Homer to Seldovia. The deal was we had to complete a form for the manifest. Which I did , including my weight. The pilot ( in rich American drawl) yelled out " What the god damn hell is a kilogram"? Metric had not quite penetrated the wilds of Alaska at that point

 

[katiebell]

Ugh, that term ****s me to tears. Anything pejorative with "man-" as a prefix makes me cringe a little. It's not like women don't take up space in public spaces.

There are lots of words that seem to denote a gender but, I am told, do not. Try chairman for one. Others conjure images of one gender or another: try nurse, footballer and builder. Likewise, the reason that manspread conjures images of males is because it is males who are most prone to this way of sitting that does not respect the pax sitting next to them. This is not to say that some females do not do the same: some do, it is just less common.

 

[Philosiphier]

I think this is a bit of a overreaction. When I have to lean into the aisle because some guy is taking the space I've paid to use, I'm not judging that person for being fat, and we are taking about a fat unhealthy person here not a tall fit healthy person. It is simple an observation of the fact that they are large and they are taking my space. That situation annoys me greatly.

Even if someone was a tall healthy person if they take my space that annoys me. If their elbow is constantly resting in my ribs that annoys me. I don't judge someone for their physical characteristics, being as those are unavoidable. But I will judge them for impacting on my space. This is avoidable, because there is the option to buy a spare seat in economy, at least in Australia. Is it bad that someone has been born with a large frame, no of course not. But that is their cross and I don't see why I have to carry it. I've paid for my seat, if that space is being stolen good intentions are worth nothing to me.

Why do you assume the 'fat person' is unhealthy?

 

[Philosiphier]

YES. THEY. CAN.

We have the luxury of being a human being, so we have the luxury to control a large majority of our personal circumstances, that of which includes personal health, i.e your weight.

Don't be so utterly ignorant. I sincerely doubt you are any kind of metabolic specialist or have any depth of knowledge pertaining to weight issues amongst humans.
I cannot believe someone can be so utterly stupid to make such a comment. Honestly.
Don't be so nescient.