Flying while fat
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Iceland is beautiful. You shouldn't have to buy two seats, but be prepared to ask for a seatbelt extender. Don't be ashamed, it doesn't matter what other people think; *kitten* them they don't matter in your life.
I *am* one of those people who worries about who gets the arm rest though. I am not a fan of sitting next to men because they like to spread out and claim their territory (and mine)
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buffalogal42 wrote: »elisa123gal wrote: »I did a good deed last time a flew a few weeks go..and I chose to sit next to an overweight guy. I knew he was dreading the look people give... I smiled at him and happily sat next to him.
My husband is overweight.. and gets stares and huffs and puffs from people stuck sitting next to him when we fly... It is so uncomfortable for everyone.
My only suggestion is to not infringe on your neighbors space. My husband crosses his arms over his chest.
My hubby and I recently flew Icelandair from the US to London. On our return flight, they had switched the plane and we ended up in a 3-across rather than 2. We were middle and window and the aisle gentleman was extremely overweight. He apologized profusely when he sat down, at which time we said we were pleased to Meet him (having both been pretty overweight at one point in our lives, we understand the challenges).
He asked the flight attendant for a seat belt extender and she said - very loudly - "You are too fat. Come up front where I have two seats." It wasn't just so awkward for everyone. He was so nice and just said "I understand" and got up. I felt so bad ... no tact at all from the airline.
What kind of tact are you looking for? The airline gave him a free seat so that he could sit comfortably and not impinge on other passengers space. They did this for his comfort and safety and for yours. They did this solely because he was morbidly obese ... he was too fat ...you are just allowing yourself to get offended because you have decided fat is perjorative ..should attendant have said obese? This is semantic offence because in your head you are perceiving a simple and factual adjective as an insult. People are fat, people are average sized and people are thin. People are tall, short etc
Yeah of course, they gave him a free seat, but a well mannered person, would of said come up here I have 2 seats there was no need to embarrass him, I guess people are brought up differently. And calling someone fat is an insult. Any names are insults and very distasteful.
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What kind of tact are you looking for? The airline gave him a free seat so that he could sit comfortably and not impinge on other passengers space. They did this for his comfort and safety and for yours. They did this solely because he was morbidly obese ... he was too fat ...you are just allowing yourself to get offended because you have decided fat is perjorative ..should attendant have said obese? This is semantic offence because in your head you are perceiving a simple and factual adjective as an insult. People are fat, people are average sized and people are thin. People are tall, short etc
But we teach our children that it's rude to call attention to others in a way that causes embarrassment for them. While yelling out "That man has a funny nose!" might be true, it's going to embarrass the man being talked about for no good reason.
An adult woman working in a position that is nine-tenths customer service should know at least as much as a ten-year-old.
Yes I agree, it's very rude. And obviously shows she wasn't taught right as a child. And has no manners professionalism.0 -
What kind of tact are you looking for? The airline gave him a free seat so that he could sit comfortably and not impinge on other passengers space. They did this for his comfort and safety and for yours. They did this solely because he was morbidly obese ... he was too fat ...you are just allowing yourself to get offended because you have decided fat is perjorative ..should attendant have said obese? This is semantic offence because in your head you are perceiving a simple and factual adjective as an insult. People are fat, people are average sized and people are thin. People are tall, short etc
But we teach our children that it's rude to call attention to others in a way that causes embarrassment for them. While yelling out "That man has a funny nose!" might be true, it's going to embarrass the man being talked about for no good reason.
An adult woman working in a position that is nine-tenths customer service should know at least as much as a ten-year-old.
Call attention to someone who is morbidly obese and requires two flight seats when he perhaps should have booked two to begin with? Im pretty sure that the flight attendant didn't insult/shout out or use a simple adjective as a perjorative because the original post would have been far more clear
IMO A flight attendant offering two seats up front is hardly bad customer service.
I teach my children personal responsibility alongside good manners.
Offering the seats is fine. But thinking it's ok to call someone fat is not.2 -
Reference the seatbelt extender - I have flown extensively both European and long haul and Ineill tell you that even within and airline there is no standard seatbelt length. Some are ridiculously short and some so long you wonder what on earth they were thinking of. So, if you do need an extender to be comfortable or safe on the specific aircraft you are on, don't worry, and it won't be the same on every flight.
Enjoy the trip and fingers crossed you get some Northern lights whilst you are there!2 -
OP my general ennui with PC brigade has absolutely nothing to do with you and your thread. Probably a lot more to do with early morning, inadequate coffee and a nasty virus making me feel like crap and probably act a bit crappy too...sorry.
As other posters have said you'll be fine and enjoy your holiday, sounds really good fun.OP my general ennui with PC brigade has absolutely nothing to do with you and your thread. Probably a lot more to do with early morning, inadequate coffee and a nasty virus making me feel like crap and probably act a bit crappy too...sorry.
As other posters have said you'll be fine and enjoy your holiday, sounds really good fun.
Thankyou, Yes I'm sure il be fine. I will have lost another stone by then anyway
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Ask a flight attendant for a seat belt extender or roomier seat before you sit down. That way no one will be wiser. I have a friend who travels a lot who does this.2
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The typical maximum length of the airline belt is 40", apparently... but bear in mind that this is a lap belt not a waist belt, so it doesn't have to fit all around your waist, just across the top of your thighs.
EJ flights don't have reclining seats, so there won't be anything coming into your body space from in front.
Is that 40" just over the top or most of my body? I always thought it came across where your hips are not legs?
Wearing seat belts too high on the body is one of the most common safety errrors, actually. It's why in the US they now recommend keeping kids in booster seats longer than they used to, because the seat guides the lap belt into the right position. Lap belts worn too high aren't safe in an actual crash.
Lap belts come out of the seat, not the back of the seat, and should be worn low - below your belly. They're supposed to catch you by your hipbones if they have to hold you in your seat.
Also: re: measurement. Think about circles. you're not quite a circle around your hips, but you'er definitely an oval. The width of the seat is the diameter of the circle. But the formula for the circumference of the circle (that's what you're measuring when you measure your hips -- your circumference) is NOT 2xD. (It's pi x D).
The only way to measure your width is to sit on the ruler.1 -
Math back - 48" is all around your body - the circumference. 17" is the width of the seat - a straight line measurement. You can't really (easily) measure yourself with a tape measure to know if your butt is going to fit into the seat! That is why I recommended either measure a chair across (side to side) and sitting on it to see how you fit. Most kitchen chairs are between 18-22 inches. Wrapping a tape measure around your hips is not going to help you really understand your comfort or fit in the seat.
Stand sideways and look at a side view of your hips in the mirror. Do you see anything, or are you flat like a piece of paper and therefore disappear when you stand sideways? This is why you can't take your hip measure and divide by 2 to see if you fit the width of a seat!
Based on what you have shared, you will be fine. UK size 18 is and 49" inch hips are my size (bigger than you!), and I have flown many times and not had seat width issues or seat belt extension required. And I haven't yet ended up in the overflowing into the seat beside me.2 -
buffalogal42 wrote: »
He asked the flight attendant for a seat belt extender and she said - very loudly - "You are too fat. Come up front where I have two seats." It wasn't just so awkward for everyone. He was so nice and just said "I understand" and got up. I felt so bad ... no tact at all from the airline.
I took a flight that had a layover in Iceland a few years back, and this was the sort of treatment I got from Icelandair's desk staff at Reykjavik airport as well. Not about my weight, just a general *eyeroll* sort of attitude when I went to ask a question. Everyone I saw working for the airline was very pretty, so my takeaway impression was that looks are their hiring priority.
But OP, you and I have similar hip measurements and I fit in airplane seats fine. It's been a few years since I've flown EasyJet specifically, but I took a few economy class flights last month and didn't have any issues at all.
The eyeroll thing wasn't needed. You say everyone working for the airline was pretty, I would assume that would also infer average weight. Flight personal need be able to move around a tight airplane cabin effectively doing their regular jobs of serving meals, etc. The really have to be able to more efficiently around the cabin in an emergency, it's really a safety issue.0 -
Wow. Not that many people have 34 inch hips. Considering that many people share your concerns, one would think airlines could make accomodations gracefully and tactfully . Overly small seats must make it tough for a portion of the population. I guess they want to get as many seats as they can so they can pack as many people in as possible for the $.So I've just booked a trip to Iceland for Christmas and I'm freaking out about fitting in the seat, the doctor weighed me 3 weeks ago and I'm 18 stone, hoping to loose another stone by then, I'm already panacking about getting on the plane! I'm flying with EasyJet, I'm worried about not fitting In the seat , it says the seat width is 17" so does that mean I need hips to be 34 inches? Mine are 48
You're thinking like the poster was - that 2 x the seat width is the maximum diameter of the hips that will fit in the seat. It's not. You're trying to compare 2D to 3D and forgetting that the 3D measurement includes depth.
Trust me, 34" hips have inches of room to spare in even the smallest airplane seats. I used to fly regularly in 6-11 seat commercial puddle jumpers and had room to spare. I would have been around the same weight as now, so my hips should have been between 34 and 35".2 -
buffalogal42 wrote: »elisa123gal wrote: »I did a good deed last time a flew a few weeks go..and I chose to sit next to an overweight guy. I knew he was dreading the look people give... I smiled at him and happily sat next to him.
My husband is overweight.. and gets stares and huffs and puffs from people stuck sitting next to him when we fly... It is so uncomfortable for everyone.
My only suggestion is to not infringe on your neighbors space. My husband crosses his arms over his chest.
My hubby and I recently flew Icelandair from the US to London. On our return flight, they had switched the plane and we ended up in a 3-across rather than 2. We were middle and window and the aisle gentleman was extremely overweight. He apologized profusely when he sat down, at which time we said we were pleased to Meet him (having both been pretty overweight at one point in our lives, we understand the challenges).
He asked the flight attendant for a seat belt extender and she said - very loudly - "You are too fat. Come up front where I have two seats." It wasn't just so awkward for everyone. He was so nice and just said "I understand" and got up. I felt so bad ... no tact at all from the airline.
What kind of tact are you looking for? The airline gave him a free seat so that he could sit comfortably and not impinge on other passengers space. They did this for his comfort and safety and for yours. They did this solely because he was morbidly obese ... he was too fat ...you are just allowing yourself to get offended because you have decided fat is perjorative ..should attendant have said obese? This is semantic offence because in your head you are perceiving a simple and factual adjective as an insult. People are fat, people are average sized and people are thin. People are tall, short etc
Well, can't agree with you. There are many ways to say the same thing . Some are tactful, some rude. That was an example of a rude way. She could've just invited him to change a seat where he would be more comfortable instead of calling him fat.2 -
buffalogal42 wrote: »elisa123gal wrote: »I did a good deed last time a flew a few weeks go..and I chose to sit next to an overweight guy. I knew he was dreading the look people give... I smiled at him and happily sat next to him.
My husband is overweight.. and gets stares and huffs and puffs from people stuck sitting next to him when we fly... It is so uncomfortable for everyone.
My only suggestion is to not infringe on your neighbors space. My husband crosses his arms over his chest.
My hubby and I recently flew Icelandair from the US to London. On our return flight, they had switched the plane and we ended up in a 3-across rather than 2. We were middle and window and the aisle gentleman was extremely overweight. He apologized profusely when he sat down, at which time we said we were pleased to Meet him (having both been pretty overweight at one point in our lives, we understand the challenges).
He asked the flight attendant for a seat belt extender and she said - very loudly - "You are too fat. Come up front where I have two seats." It wasn't just so awkward for everyone. He was so nice and just said "I understand" and got up. I felt so bad ... no tact at all from the airline.
What kind of tact are you looking for? The airline gave him a free seat so that he could sit comfortably and not impinge on other passengers space. They did this for his comfort and safety and for yours. They did this solely because he was morbidly obese ... he was too fat ...you are just allowing yourself to get offended because you have decided fat is perjorative ..should attendant have said obese? This is semantic offence because in your head you are perceiving a simple and factual adjective as an insult. People are fat, people are average sized and people are thin. People are tall, short etc
Well, can't agree with you. There are many ways to say the same thing . Some are tactful, some rude. That was an example of a rude way. She could've just invited him to change a seat where he would be more comfortable instead of calling him fat.
Fat is fat. Just like tall is tall and short is short.
If you associate fat with lazy, ugly, disgusting, worthless, bad, etc. then you should probably take a good look as to how you can change that. Fat people aren't bad people, they just consume too many calories over a long period of time.2 -
not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »I have no experience with this airline, but have flown Southwest recently at a similar weight. I agree about going for an aisle seat and trying to raise the armrest.
I don't agree with raising the armrest. That's infringing on the space of your seatmate, and that's not right. A person is not entitled to take someone else's seat space.5 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »I have no experience with this airline, but have flown Southwest recently at a similar weight. I agree about going for an aisle seat and trying to raise the armrest.
I don't agree with raising the armrest. That's impinging on the space of your seatmate, and that's not right. A person is not entitled to take someone else's seat space.GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »I have no experience with this airline, but have flown Southwest recently at a similar weight. I agree about going for an aisle seat and trying to raise the armrest.
I don't agree with raising the armrest. That's impinging on the space of your seatmate, and that's not right. A person is not entitled to take someone else's seat space.
I think they mean the one to the aisle.2 -
buffalogal42 wrote: »elisa123gal wrote: »I did a good deed last time a flew a few weeks go..and I chose to sit next to an overweight guy. I knew he was dreading the look people give... I smiled at him and happily sat next to him.
My husband is overweight.. and gets stares and huffs and puffs from people stuck sitting next to him when we fly... It is so uncomfortable for everyone.
My only suggestion is to not infringe on your neighbors space. My husband crosses his arms over his chest.
My hubby and I recently flew Icelandair from the US to London. On our return flight, they had switched the plane and we ended up in a 3-across rather than 2. We were middle and window and the aisle gentleman was extremely overweight. He apologized profusely when he sat down, at which time we said we were pleased to Meet him (having both been pretty overweight at one point in our lives, we understand the challenges).
He asked the flight attendant for a seat belt extender and she said - very loudly - "You are too fat. Come up front where I have two seats." It wasn't just so awkward for everyone. He was so nice and just said "I understand" and got up. I felt so bad ... no tact at all from the airline.
What kind of tact are you looking for? The airline gave him a free seat so that he could sit comfortably and not impinge on other passengers space. They did this for his comfort and safety and for yours. They did this solely because he was morbidly obese ... he was too fat ...you are just allowing yourself to get offended because you have decided fat is perjorative ..should attendant have said obese? This is semantic offence because in your head you are perceiving a simple and factual adjective as an insult. People are fat, people are average sized and people are thin. People are tall, short etc
She still didn't have to humiliate him..it's all in the delivery. She could have said if you'd like to come up front we can accommodate you more comfortably. He's paying his fare like everyone else and deserves respect. And a little human kindness and tact go a long way, shame on her.1 -
I expect common courtesy from most people. I certainly expect that and more from the companies I am paying for a service. Traveling by plane is not inexpensive. At least, not for me. It is not too much to expect that a flight attendant would say something like, "Sir, I've located a more comfortable seat for you" rather than, "you're too fat. Come over here."
And yes, by raising the armrest I mean the one on the aisle.1 -
Um, people? Before you crucify this flight attendant for tactlessness, you might consider that on an Icelandair flight, the flight attendants might be, um...Icelandic. And Icelandic people, while known for generally being bi- or tri-lingual, do not typically speak English as a first language. Therefore, while their English might be more than sufficient for communicating necessary info and providing the required service, they may not be 100% familiar with the nuances of the language and therefore might get tone/delivery incorrect sometimes. And if you're flying an airline not based in an English-as-a-first-language country, then IMO you have no reason to expect flawless English. Of course, usually when flight attendants work an international route there is an expectation that most or all will speak the other country's language to some degree, but perfectly? Not so much.
I know plenty of people who speak very well in their second/third/fourth languages but occasionally get stuff like this wrong (especially when you factor in different cultural norms too.) A little understanding could go both ways in this situation is all I'm saying.
(ETA: I'm also not saying that someone in customer service calling someone "fat" to their face is acceptable...but I think a little allowance should be made as it's hard to tell if that was really the intention of the attendant or it was the only way she knew to phrase what she was saying. I'm not excusing it 100% or anything, I just think there's another side to consider here and I kind of feel for her as someone who's had to work in my second and third languages as well and I'm sure offended people accidentally a few times.)8 -
rainbowbow wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »I have no experience with this airline, but have flown Southwest recently at a similar weight. I agree about going for an aisle seat and trying to raise the armrest.
I don't agree with raising the armrest. That's impinging on the space of your seatmate, and that's not right. A person is not entitled to take someone else's seat space.GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »I have no experience with this airline, but have flown Southwest recently at a similar weight. I agree about going for an aisle seat and trying to raise the armrest.
I don't agree with raising the armrest. That's impinging on the space of your seatmate, and that's not right. A person is not entitled to take someone else's seat space.
I think they mean the one to the aisle.
Um - you can't raise the one to the aisle, I'm pretty sure. Only the ones in between seats.3
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