Should obese people who can't fit in 1 seat pay for 2?

KelliH729

I read an article where a lady on an airplane had to pay for two seats since she couldn't fit in one. So I want to know what your opinion is on obese people who can't fit in one seat, should they pay for two?

Honestly, yes. Think about it...would you want to sit next to someone who cannot fit in one seat? You would be so uncomfortable on that flight because they would literally be spilling over into the seat YOU paid for. Whereas if the obese person had paid for 2 seats originally then no one would be sitting next to them.

chatipati1

Was on this "want to be" tour bus in Cancun...morbidly obese man in front of me totally leans back his seat and his head is basically in my lap... I could see his nostrils...lol I said..hey buddy could you put your seat up..you are laying in my lap...his wife says...he's a big guy....right...so I answer...and I need him to lay on my lap in an unairconditioned bus in July.. in Cancun? He put it up and then back down...so I said to him...boy it is hot...I hope this coke I just purchased doesn't accidently slip out of my hand and over you that you have to sit there for the next 4 hours all nice and sticky...ok...thanks for letting me vent...yes, pay for two seats if you fill them...:)

wobblychopz

yes. I have to pay for extra luggage in my suitcase if it is too heavy. How do they decide that my bag is too heavy when the next person weighs more than me AND has a suitcase?!!! Maybe I have to wear the entire contents of my suitcase??

KelliH729

No. I think that's messed up.
In that case, why can't I get on as a child, if I'm that small?
There's no need to put people on the spot like that.

Because you're still taking up a whole seat. Maybe you could sit in someone's lap?

LOL that made me giggle

powerbomb

I fly alot, and when I was heavier, I bought two tix on my own. I was aware I was bigger than the seat, and I dont like having to sit next to someone that is all overflowing on me, so I deemed it rude if i did the same. On the flip side, airplane seats are built for smaller people---not average, smaller, so they can have more seats. Ball games? Theaters? All the same, I would always go for an aisle seat anywhere, so I only had to worry about one side.

Should a 225 lb person buy two seats? No. 300+?....maybe so. 400+? Definitely.

wobblychopz

Should someone who opts to stand be given a flight for free?

LOL yes!!! I hate that Jestar (Australia) charges for a seat! Yet don't give you the option to stand or bring your own....? LOL imagine bringing your own deck chair for a flight!

Schraudt814

It's a little bit of a delicate issue but I have to say yes, I think someone who does not fit in one seat should have to pay for two. I fly frequently due to my family being in Texas while I am in VA. My last flight I ended up next to a gentleman who was in the middle seat and took up room in both of the side seats, leaving me cuddling with the window. I do think that the plane seats are a little snug, but at the same time I think that perception stems a little bit from the fact that Americans are getting larger. On many flights you have to pay extra for "premium" seats that supposedly provide a little extra leg room...people who can't fit in one seat should pay for a little extra room as well.

A little bit off topic, but a bigger pet peeve of mine is someone who's seat belt does not fit around their midsection on a flight yet they put up a fuss about using an extender. it's safety people....you're too big to belt in, you have to use it.

StartingAnewDay

Some of the comments on here are.. I don't even know what to say...

So EVERYONE who is overweight made bad health decisions? They ALL just sit around all day sucking up Pizza, nacho's and every clearly labeled bad for you food as opposed to anything else?? The poor people who buy the fatty ground beef to feed their family because the lean stuff just won't stretch, well.. If they can't afford to pay us for the good stuff.. lets just sell them "crap" make it cheap.. then teach the REST of society to judge them AND tax them for it!! Teach healthy eating or serve healthy food in schools? Make better quality food more affordable and appealing?? Things like thyroid diseases.. etc: that cause weight gain.. why their a myth.. You disgusting fat bas****ds.. How dare you live and breathe!!

Some of the mindsets, attitudes and remarks on this thread are disgusting...I hope to God you never end up with an illness or some other misfortune that allows you to be judged by your "peers", not sure you could handle it....

That bieng said, I think the seats on some airplanes barely fit AVG. people, I think a person should have to pay for 2 seats on a full flight, if they don't fit.. because regardless of the circumstance.. the other person paid too and should not be made to feel uncomfortable..

BPayton27

It's an awful situation for all involved. Who wants to come up to a passenger and tell them they're too big to fly in a single seat? Who wants to be THAT passenger?

That being said, yes, they should. Have you ever flown on an international flight with someone spilling into your already small seat? It's not comfortable, nor is it fair for the person who does fit in their seat. For the sake of the passenger's dignity, they should just book 2 seats for themselves to avoid having to deal with an embarrassing situation. They are, after all, in need of 2 spaces.

mrshughes0810

I don't think it is unfair to ask people who can't fit into one seat to buy two. You wouldn't ask someone to by a small shirt if they were a XXL just because it was cheaper. It might be a slap in the face to them, but maybe it will be the slap that wakes them up and gets them motivated to try to lose some lbs.

bio_fit

Yeh - but it should just be the flat cost for the seat they have to pay so the second seat is cheaper than first. Think about how much of a ticket is taken up by taxes and levies which are nothing to do with the airline - a single person shouldn't have to pay these twice. Just pay the cost to the airline - i.e. the plain old ticket price.

zoeluiisa

The only alternatives to larger people buying two seats are a) the airlines giving them an extra seat for free, thus losing money and putting ticket prices up to cover the loss, or b) someone having to be the person next to them getting only half a seat. Neither are a great option for anyone.

I sat next to a super-large lady on a train from London to Edinburgh once - five hours of having a stranger's body pressed up against mine and I hated every minute. She was lovely, but I didn't know her from Adam and I felt really uncomfortable with the whole flesh-on-flesh thing. I'm sure she didn't enjoy it either.

AtticusFinch

Harsh, but perfectly fair.

Perhaps they should have a gauge at check-in, you know like they have a box for you to measure your hand luggage in to see if it'll be okay for the overhead lockers? Why not have an *kitten* gate available equivalent to the airline's seat width, that would be enough of an upfront notice for the question of one seat or two.

It would be embarrassing for the person assessing the diameter of their butt cleavage, but why should other passengers, after paying a ransom for their seating, have to ask a fellow passenger to remove their *kitten* from their in-flight meal? You grew the damn thing, you pay for it's upkeep.

transfixedtoast

Should someone who opts to stand be given a flight for free?

What a stupid question.

It was rhetorical, I'm not an idiot. I just think if tthey're charging by seat this should apply aswell so no, I dissagree that it's faair to chharge an obese person for 2 seats.

imogenjade

no its demeaning

shaX07

Either pay for two or fly first class. It's the unfortunate reality of our world. Think of it in the opposite context. If you're the VP of an Airline, and you see that 5 seats per flight are empty simply because you had 5 severely obese passengers, you've lost the money from those 5 seats, in addition to giving 5 less people the opportunity to be on that flight.

If airplanes weren't based on exact seating than it would be a different story. If for instance, a severely obese person is sitting in general seating at a sporting venue, like say a Baseball game with bleachers, surely it's fine that the person only pay for one ticket, since their size isn't really preventing the sale of another seat.

Juliebean_1027

this happened to someone i know. luckily they were able to shuffle seats so that she didnt have to pay, but it was a HUGE slap in the face for her about her weight

unfortunate situation and embarrassing. i dont know what the correct thing to do is, because i see both sides of the argument.

The correct thing to do is make the policy clear upon the purchase of the seat, and handle situations on-plane with respect and dignity. The passengers need to comply with the policy too.

Is it me or should there really not be any 'on-plane' situations? Don't we all know how big our butts are? It's not much of a surprise if you get on the plane and can't fit in the seat. I don't expect to drop 15 inches and 37 pounds on the short walk through the airport terminal. I understand someone who has never flown before, but come on! Maybe airlines should have those seats outside of the ticket counter like they do at amusement parks, and that way people can test it out to see if their butt will fit in one seat or two. Save everyone some time, trouble, and embarrassment. Nobody wants to be told that their butt is too big for one seat, and I'm sure the flight attendants don't want to be the one to mention it either.

pupcamper

Tall people have had to pay extra for years! Some airlines are so cramped that anyone over 6'3" or so can't really fit into a seat unless they want to have their kness up their nose, which doesn't work when the person in front of them reclines their seat. Having to pay extra for the extra legroom seat that are usually narrower because of the location of the tray and not being able to sit with family members if they are children really doesn't seem fair either but it happens!!

I can see both points of view but in the end it is the airline that wins and the passengers that lose!!

zoeluiisa

Should someone who opts to stand be given a flight for free?

What a stupid question.

It was rhetorical, I'm not an idiot. I just think if tthey're charging by seat this should apply aswell so no, I dissagree that it's faair to chharge an obese person for 2 seats.

Actually, I know you can't stand on a plane, but I've often thought you should pay less on a train if all the seats are taken and you have to stand the whole way.

mdbs2004

I'm flying to Vegas next week and it will be the first time I can put an airplane seatbelt on. I feel sorry for the people that sit next to me, but not sorry enough to buy their seat. Now if some fat man tried to sit next me I think I would stick my elbow into his side as hard as I could without getting into trouble. I've always thought the world is to accommodating to fat people. I hate when people talk about how thin I am now and do I still want to lose more weight. I'm 265lbs. I'm still fat. I still have allot of weight to lose. But no way in hell am I going to buy a second seat!!!