Should obese people who can't fit in 1 seat pay for 2?
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I agree in principe, but then what? Weigh people at airports?They should post their policy: Anyone who weighs over "x" including cloths or anyone with a waist or chest measurement has to purchase an additional ticket, or pay an additional fee. The scales should be owned by the airport and not an airline and subject to strict certifications. If it was clearly stated up front, then you would know what you are getting into.
One of the reasons I never fly is my size, both height and weight. The planes would not be comfortable, and this is the reason I like to sit on ends when I go places.0 -
I am obese, 370 lbs of OBESE.. I'm losing weight. I don't fly. The last time I flew I was with my husband and I had a arm that raised up and i did get into his lap a little bit. It was my husband, and he didn't care. I get tired of you that want to say, well LOSE weight, or GET over it, and some very rude comments. I will pay that 2nd seat if need be. The rude comments are uncalled for ..0
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Reports indicate that it has been considered, as the weight of the plane has a big impact on fuel consumption ($$$). It'd be a PR nightmare though.
I agree in principe, but then what? Weigh people at airports?They should post their policy: Anyone who weighs over "x" including cloths or anyone with a waist or chest measurement has to purchase an additional ticket, or pay an additional fee. The scales should be owned by the airport and not an airline and subject to strict certifications. If it was clearly stated up front, then you would know what you are getting into.
One of the reasons I never fly is my size, both height and weight. The planes would not be comfortable, and this is the reason I like to sit on ends when I go places.0 -
Once I went to an amusement park with my son and couldn't ride a roller coaster because I couldn't fit in the 'test seat' at the start of the line.
I wonder how long it will be before the airlines have those at the checkin counters.0 -
Airlines sell seats so you pay for each seat thats the deal. Pretty simple, I don't think its against obese people. You wouldn't expect to get 2 apples for the price of one because you need two to fill you up....0
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By rules of logic....yes.0
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That's one of the downfalls of being morbidly obese. While it sounds unfair but we must remember that these companies are generating money & by taking two seats while only paying for one will make them lose money. My Dad works as a Executive Director of Finance in an airline company & usually the plane seats are just enough for moderately overweight people.
Also this also applies to any public utility vehicles.0 -
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.
The reason airlines offer tickets for children isn't because they cost any different but so they can allocate a child next to an adult and so they can also keep them away from emergency exits.0 -
Yes if a person cant fit in a seat they should have to purchase 2 seats.0
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I think people should have to pay for 2 seats because being so large they actually take up 2 seats is a choice, for most people its a choice to shove a burger down and get fat, very rarely are there true medical reasons for people to become huge and its a choice to fly also. I am just obese (BMI 30) and I think plane seats are large and I am nearly 5ft8 btw so I am not tiny, my 6ft3 brother who is healthy at BMI 22 also had plenty of room on a super economy 3 hour flight, yes there wasnt enough leg room as we both have 34inch inside leg measurements but the actual seat was rather comfy.
If I were on a flight and somebody was half hanging into my seat and there wasnt another seat id tell them to move and get of my seat, they should be ashamed and I should be comfy ... sorry if that is harsh but if I pay for a service and dont receive it I go mental.0 -
Yes they should. Most people have become that way by choosing to put that extra food in their mouths. I am close to that so am not a thin girl being *****y.0
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Yes they should, I once had to sit next to a lady who was obese on a plane. I had the window seat so I was smushed up against the wall and I couldn't put my arm rest down.
I didn't ask for a new seat because I didn't want to be rude and also it wasn't a very long flight, but still... wasn't too fun. 0 -
I think this is fair... but it reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend when they were talking about the fat tax on fast food... instead she thought clothing should be at different prices depending on the size i.e. people who wear size 4 should pay $20 for a dress and people in size 16 should pay $30 ... more material need more money and that way those that are overweight get targeted rather than the fat tax that gets everyone
... I don't agree but I find it an interesting point.0 -
YES!0
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I think they should. I have been wedged in a middle seat between 2 VERY large people before and it was utterly ridiculous. One woman lifted the armrest between us and her thigh and arm pushed right on top of me for 4 hours! The other one had her leg extended into my leg area. I got up and asked to move (discreetly) but the flight was full. I was not rude to these women but I was very annoyed.
I paid for my seat, and I should get the whole seat; I didn't get a discount bc she took up 30% of my seat. If someone is going to take up more space than 1 seat, sorry, they gotta pay.
I know it's expensive, but unless they're gonna pay for 30% of the next passenger's seat, they need to suck it up.
This makes me nervous just thinking about it. I know for a fact that if some other strange person's body was squashed up against mine or squishing over on top of me I would have a full on panic attack, especially in an already cramped space and trapped for so long. Thank goodness this has never happened to me. They would need to sedate me to keep me from totally losing it!!! :sad:0 -
Yes. God yes. Imagine 8 hours on a plane from Madrid to Pittsburgh with two obese people on either side of you, one with a small child.
8 hours of hell.
I couldn't avoid touching them and the kid babbled and cried most of the way through. So I was crunched up in my seat willing the plane to morph into a supersonic jet.
Pay more because you take up that much more space. It is a crap deal, but airlines lose money and passengers get testy otherwise. It is the decent thing to do.0 -
Yes. It's their fault.0
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Yes. It's their fault.
It isn't always their fault.
And it doesn't really matter.
if you have to eat 2 regular meals to be full you have to pay for 2
if you really need 2 seats, you have to pay for 2
if you can't use public transport because you are on a wheel chair and the metro/bus is not adapted, you need to pay for a cab
it doesn't have to be fair... business is business,
I guess you should be able to apply for a refund from gov if you are obese due to some disease, but airline should definitely not pay for it and passenger next seat should not suffer...0 -
Yes. It's their fault.
It isn't always their fault.
Oh yes IT IS. Having a "bad genes" or medical conditions such as PCOS, hypotyroidism, etc. may make losing weight more difficult but that's not a valid excuse to be morbidly obese. I was diagnosed with PCOS way back 2009 when I was at my highest weight but from there I lost 22 kg (50 pounds). The main reasons why people are getting bigger are because of eating way too much calories & having sedentary lives.
So if a person can't fit in one seat then he has no choice but to purchase another seat. There is no such thing as "buy one, take one" in transportation business.0 -
AgreeYes. It's their fault.
It isn't always their fault.
Oh yes IT IS. Having a "bad genes" or medical conditions such as PCOS, hypotyroidism, etc. may make losing weight more difficult but that's not a valid excuse to be morbidly obese. I was diagnosed with PCOS way back 2009 when I was at my highest weight but from there I lost 22 kg (50 pounds). The main reasons why people are getting bigger are because of eating way too much calories & having sedentary lives.
So if a person can't fit in one seat then he has no choice but to purchase another seat. There is no such thing as "buy one, take one" in transportation business.0 -
I agree in principe, but then what? Weigh people at airports?They should post their policy: Anyone who weighs over "x" including cloths or anyone with a waist or chest measurement has to purchase an additional ticket, or pay an additional fee. The scales should be owned by the airport and not an airline and subject to strict certifications. If it was clearly stated up front, then you would know what you are getting into.
One of the reasons I never fly is my size, both height and weight. The planes would not be comfortable, and this is the reason I like to sit on ends when I go places.
Every package and piece of luggage gets weighed. Why not the people?0 -
I’ve been sat behind a couple that bought the whole row because they needed the room, which is fine, what wasn’t fine is the fact that she was so big the seat pushed right back on to me. Seriously the seat was an inch away from my face. I wouldn’t have been able to use the tray and luckily the flight was pretty empty so I could move.
But the women was so rude about me moving, she turned around and shouted ‘I’m already paying for a row, no need to get huffy you’re not exactly thin yourself. Stop drawing attention to me’0 -
Here's a connected question. On some flights you get a very small baggage allowance included in the ticket - if it goes over the weight you pay a whopping extra charge (or you do in the UK at least).
If you're a skinny person paying extra for your bag being a pound or two overweight, but you AND your bag together weigh less than the much larger person checking in after you, is that unfair? Instead of just bags being weighed, should we AND our bags get on the scale?0 -
My husband is a large man, not obese. He's 6'2", very muscular, so he takes up more space than the average person. I guess he could be charged extra, too. I'm glad he isn't or we would never be able to visit family, expensive enough as it is.
I just wish they would design the seats to be a tad more accomodating. Not everyone is a 12 year old girl.
THIS!! I have unusually broad shoulders - comparable to many solidly-built men's, and while the actual seat part of a chair is never a problem, the width of the back frequently is. I sometimes 'spill' into the next person's seat at shoulder height a little, not because I'm huge, but because some airline seats are so damn narrow. (This does vary a LOT airline to airline, just to complicate things, and is one of the reasons I usually try to get either a window or aisle seat, which have a little more leeway.) If I'm in a three-seat row with two large-ish men, it really becomes a problem! Airlines need to allow for human beings of various dimensions rather than assuming we are all petite in pursuit of the highest possible profit/flight.
That said, if someone is genuinely unable to fit comfortably into one seat in general (rather than just one area!) for safety reasons it is preferable that they buy two seats. Weighing people at check in is never going to get my vote - it punishes people with high muscle mass or large build, regardless of their physique and 'seat-fit', but there could be a case for having a 'trial' seat in a discreet location, so that attendants could ask people to try the seat if they're concerned they may not fit - it would save drama and embarrassment on-board.0 -
I used to be one of those people who thought it wasn't really fair to do that. But then I became one of those people who was forced to share her seat with a woman who could not fit into her seat. Now I have to agree now that it's fair to charge them for a second seat.
I was trapped in the middle seat, unable to use the restroom because this woman could barely get down the aisle and had trouble getting up and down. She put the arm rest up between us and took up one-third of my seat. I felt it was an intrusion, but the plane was full -every seat. There was nowhere quiet for me to ask them to rearrange us so that her (teenage) children were the ones seated with her instead of me. I could tell she was embarrassed and she apologized to me. I had a lot of respect for her feelings because my mom was about her size before. I don't have any ailments or anything that would have made this situation any worse, so I just committed to sending a letter to the airline.
How fair is it for me to pay FULL price for a seat I got to use 2/3 of?
I was refunded the cost of my seat.0 -
That would be awesome if you paid based on your weight. $x per lb. for travelers, that would be some motivation to lose.
But seriously, if you take up two seats, you pay for two seats. For airlines that have a large US presence, I'm surprised they haven't yet made super-sized seats for obese people. ,Abe the would be a seat and a half wide. So, rather than paying double, they pay a little more for the super-size seat. Where there are three seats, they would have two in a few rows. Easy solution.0 -
Yes. If you take up two seats, pay for two seats. I paid full price for my kids as infants because they were in carseats in a seat. They do not do discounts for children. How is it unfair? It's unfair to the person your half sitting on the entire flight.0
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Yeah. it would be unfair if they got two seats for themselves, but i couldn't get a free seat for my pigeon. T_T0
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For airlines that have a large US presence, I'm surprised they haven't yet made super-sized seats for obese people. ,Abe the would be a seat and a half wide. So, rather than paying double, they pay a little more for the super-size seat. Where there are three seats, they would have two in a few rows. Easy solution.
I think they have - I watched a documentary that showed what size seats on planes and trains used to be in the US, and how much bigger a lot of them are now, and there was quite a difference.0 -
As someone who does take up more than my fair share of space, I'm afraid that I have to say that yes, I do think that paying for seats is the right thing to do. In fact I believe most airlines have a policy in place on this matter, though it is not widely spoken about. I believe some of the airlines only charge 50 percent for the second seat.
Now, that said, I've not had to do this as of yet, as I generally travel with my husband and he's okay with the close quarters. But if I was travelling alone, I would either upgrade to business/first or purchase two seats. In part because I don't want to encroach on a stranger's space and make them uncomfortable and because I want to be comfortable myself.0
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