Airline passenger complaint

Getawayfromthecake

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2531797/Airline-passenger-complaint-having-sit-obese-man.html

I happened to stumble across this article. If you read the actual letter, it's hard not to find it a little funny because of the mans humour and writing style.

What do you guys think?
Who do sympathise with and have you ever been in a similar situation?

It would be interesting to hear it from the perspective of the obese man.

jwdieter

It's reasonable to be unhappy while sitting in half a seat, squeezed by someone's excess fat.

LeanButNotMean44

I have been in similar situations. Once on a 4 hour flight I was sitting next to a very obese woman (she had the middle seat). Fortunately, she did not have BO but she did spill over into my seat. When I asked her if it was OK if I put the armrest down, she gave me a look as if to say, "Of course you WOULD want the armrest down". Needless to say, any bit of sympathy I may have had for her quickly evaporated.

On another occasion, I was on a flight from Chicago to LA where the woman sitting next to me had very obvious incontinence issues - she *reeked* of urine. Everytime she stood up, an odor like a porta-john baking in the sun permeated the area. Unfortunately, there were no other available seats so I was stuck. :noway:

As much as these situations bothered me, I don't think I would have written a letter quite as harsh as the man in the article. OTOH, I do agree that people who cannot fit into an airline seat should be made to purchase two seats. I know that airlines are making seats smaller to stuff more passengers onto their aircraft and make more money, but honestly, unless you have an extenuating health circumstance, you should be able to fit into the seat.

bf43005

The letter was a bit over the top but I can sympathise. There is one thing to being overweight, and another when you just stop taking care of yourself all together. And airline seats and small for "skinny" people so not sure what would make him think he wouldn't need two, again if the letter is accurate. I also think it would be interesting to hear from the other man.

albayin

I dont know what to say here without offending someone possibly, so I decide not to say anything. :frown:

__freckles__

I would have asked if I could move to another seat.

Hornsby

This guy is a blogger and does this stuff for recognition. I'm not entirely sure he even had that problem on a flight in reality, but it was amusing.

Here is a letter he wrote to a homophobic pastor...

http://richwiskendrinks.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/pastor-matt-prater-vs-homosexuals.html

Hornsby

I would have asked if I could move to another seat.

Well he did, that's in the story...

SezxyStef

wow that is quite the letter...

In all fairness he wussed out with the flight attendants....I personally would have insisted they find me another seat period and then gotten the extra fee back.

mccindy72

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2531797/Airline-passenger-complaint-having-sit-obese-man.html

I happened to stumble across this article. If you read the actual letter, it's hard not to find it a little funny because of the mans humour and writing style.

What do you guys think?
Who do sympathise with and have you ever been in a similar situation?

It would be interesting to hear it from the perspective of the obese man.

I've been in the uncomfortable situation of having the middle seat between two very large men who took up part of my seat, on both sides. It was literally the most uncomfortable I've ever been on a plane. The plane was full so I had no options to move to another seat. That being said, I do think the letter is very harsh in describing the man as disgusting and smelly, both of which have nothing to do with his size.
I also recently took a flight with my husband, who is a larger man, and the seat was tight for him. He was uncomfortable, and I felt bad for him, but as he said, "it's my own fault for being overweight".

princessrisariri

I think if you are over 1.5X the width of a seat you need to be made to buy 2, train or plane. Its not discrimination its just logistics and courtesy to other travellers. The measurements of the seats can be given online and a warning given at purchase.

I hope most people here on MFP are honest enough to admit if someone is fat, it is 99% likely to be their own fault or choosing, therefore it is wrong to expect others to be uncomfortable for their choices.

Also before boarding a journey over 2 hours long there should be a mandatory hygiene check. If you stink then you get told at check-in to go clean yourself up, most airports these days have showers, if not you can always do your best in the toilets with wet wipes or something.

It would save a lot of troubles, if check in could just discreetly have a word.

You wouldn't be allowed in your office or some stores if you smelt that bad without someone having a word with you so its pretty P.C gone mad that we can't expect/enforce this on transport where they are going to be sat next to many people for hours with no escape!

wiscck

These stories are always about obese people, but really, I have had more problems sitting next to men who are of normal weight but with broad shoulders -- shoulders don't squish like fat does. Or with men who are convinced that they are so well-endowed that they have to sit with their knees three feet apart and take up half of my leg room.

RhonndaJ

I'm afraid, though I can appreciate the man's plight having to sit next to an obese person, that any sympathy I might have had for him went out the window when I read his completely offensive writing style. I'd say his other screwed up flying experiences are solely due to karma kicking his *kitten*.

Capt_Apollo

the flight crew should have had him moved to one of the half empty rows, even if people were stretching out.

ElizabethFuller

I travelled from Barcelona to London next to a lady who was so overweight that her belly fat was laying on my thigh. I probably had about half of what was a pretty small seat to begin with. However, she was an excellent, entertaining travelling companion who shared her sweets, but just a little too intimate for me!
My worst flight ever was in BA Club Class (work!) and I sat next to a man that smelled as though he hadn't washed himself or his clothes in the whole of his life, it made my eyes water it was so bad! I bought duty free perfume and soaked myself in it ( and he got a quick squirt when he fell asleep.) That was the longest flight of my life

socajam

the flight crew should have had him moved to one of the half empty rows, even if people were stretching out.

That is so true, but it takes common sense and it seems to be missing these days.

__freckles__

I would have asked if I could move to another seat.

Well he did, that's in the story...

He asked but gave up too quickly. I would have demanded it and gotten my way. Also he could have asked somebody that had taken up an entire row to move over. But I guess I'm just pushy.

albayin

This thread reminds me of a reality TV show "Airline" aired on A&E a few years ago. It followed Southwest airline in 4 of their servicing airports. I was not sure if the show was scripted but from what I read in this thread, some of those stories were for real. :happy:

kgeyser

My first reaction is that I'm surprised that the flight crew was not more accommodating. It also seems strange that someone of the size claimed by the author was permitted to sit in an exit row, as his described size and presumed limited ability to move easily in an airplane would seem to be a problem should they need to use the exits (I'm basing this on how the letter describes the person, should he actually exist, not making a broad generalization about the ability of an overweight person to perform the duties in an emergency).

My second reaction was that if the author behaves in real life with the condescending attitude shown in his letter, I can't really feel too bad for him.

ironanimal

Didn't read, but will say I always select an aisle seat where possible - not for my stomach; that fits in a single seat fine,but my shoulder.... span does not. That way I can stretch out into the aisle for most of the flight, and not crush the person next to me.

fruttibiscotti

Well, perhaps this is a lesson learned in those opting to pay the extra fee to sit in the emergency exit? Perhaps hefty people wanting more room, but not springing cash for the large first class cabin seats or buying an extra seat next to them, are paying the measly few dollars to sit in the emergency exit.

I think the tone of the letter was a bit much. Gives the impression of exaggeration and condescension. So, not sure how accurate the details of the story were.

albayin

Well, perhaps this is a lesson learned in those opting to pay the extra fee to sit in the emergency exit? Perhaps hefty people wanting more room, but not springing cash for the large first class cabin seats or buying an extra seat next to them, are paying the measly few dollars to sit in the emergency exit.

I think the tone of the letter was a bit much. Gives the impression of exaggeration and condescension. So, not sure how accurate the details of the story were.

as far as I remember, the seats in exit rows only offer a bit more leg room but no more width...

albayin

Didn't read, but will say I always select an aisle seat where possible - not for my stomach; that fits in a single seat fine,but my shoulder.... span does not. That way I can stretch out into the aisle for most of the flight, and not crush the person next to me.

not to mention easier to go bathroom...

stealthq

My first reaction is that I'm surprised that the flight crew was not more accommodating. It also seems strange that someone of the size claimed by the author was permitted to sit in an exit row, as his described size and presumed limited ability to move easily in an airplane would seem to be a problem should they need to use the exits (I'm basing this on how the letter describes the person, should he actually exist, not making a broad generalization about the ability of an overweight person to perform the duties in an emergency).

My second reaction was that if the author behaves in real life with the condescending attitude shown in his letter, I can't really feel too bad for him.

+1

I have a friend that works for Southwest. Per policy, they would have let the writer move.

Personally, I feel sorry for really tall people on airplanes. I was placed in a middle seat between two pro-basketball player size men on one flight. They were very lean, so problems keeping their butts in the proper space, but the poor guys had to sit with their knees up around their ears and pin their arms to their sides to stay as much in their own space as they could. I was crammed into as tight of a ball as I could get (and I'm petite, so it was a pretty small ball, lol) to give them as much room as I could. All three of us were miserable.