![thedailywhat:
Unfriendly Skies of the Day: Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott received an email from a passenger who says he was forced to stand in the aisle for the entire seven-hour duration of his US Airways flight from Anchorage to Philadelphia because the 400-pound man he was seated next to was taking up both their spots.
“His size required both armrests to be raised up and allowed for his body to cover half of my seat,” says Arthur Berkowitz.
He was told by flight attendants that he could not be reseated as the flight was fully booked. “They were sympathetic, but could not do anything,” Berkowitz tells Elliott. “They would not permit me to sit in their jump seats, and fully acknowledged the mistake by their gate agent, in allowing this individual on plane without requiring him to purchase and occupy two seats.”
The discomfort took a backseat to the safety issue that arose: Berkowitz was unable to secure himself with a seatbelt due to his seating situation.
US Airways responded to Berkowitz with a form letter offering him a $200 voucher — a quarter of what he paid for the ticket. When Elliott contacted US Airways, he was told that the airline had made Berkowitz “its last, best offer.”
Neither Berkowitz nor Elliott received a response concerning the unsafe conditions “created by allowing overweight passengers to buy one seat.”
[elliott / fark / photo: unrelated.]
See Also: Truth About Air Travel Delays.
I’m going to weigh in on this subject because I am a fat frequent flyer. In the 15 or so years that I have been a regular flyer, I have had to use a seat belt extender for over 10 of those years. Anytime there’s a possibility that I have to be in tight quarters with anyone, I immediately go into apologetic mode. People get over it faster if you’re like “I know, I’m fat, I’m sorry”. But I don’t stop there.
1) I ALWAYS sit in the last two rows of the plane. There is a higher probability that there will be an empty seat in the middle.
2) I ALWAYS sit by the window. I’m pretty nimble for a fatty, but no one wants to feel like they’re are barricaded in the row.
3) I ask for a seat belt extension as soon as I step on the plane. I ask nicely and like its not my first flight. The flight attendants pick up some kind of knowing in me and are appreciative and even seem to be on my side after that.
4) I NEVER assume and always have my armrest down. I will in no way allow my fat to invade someone else’s seat. If people offer I usually refuse, but if they insist I will take it.
I’m hoping that I am on my way down size-wise and that I will never have to buy two seats, but if it gets to that, then I will buy them before I inconvenience another passenger or have to sit on the arm rest like the dude in this picture. Which isn’t even allowed.
I’ll be flying to Denver tomorrow with my sister, this will definitely be on my mind. If I invade anyone’s seat, it’ll be hers.](http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lv35ofWBdS1qzpwi0o1_500.jpg)
Unfriendly Skies of the Day: Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott received an email from a passenger who says he was forced to stand in the aisle for the entire seven-hour duration of his US Airways flight from Anchorage to Philadelphia because the 400-pound man he was seated next to was taking up both their spots.
“His size required both armrests to be raised up and allowed for his body to cover half of my seat,” says Arthur Berkowitz.
He was told by flight attendants that he could not be reseated as the flight was fully booked. “They were sympathetic, but could not do anything,” Berkowitz tells Elliott. “They would not permit me to sit in their jump seats, and fully acknowledged the mistake by their gate agent, in allowing this individual on plane without requiring him to purchase and occupy two seats.”
The discomfort took a backseat to the safety issue that arose: Berkowitz was unable to secure himself with a seatbelt due to his seating situation.
US Airways responded to Berkowitz with a form letter offering him a $200 voucher — a quarter of what he paid for the ticket. When Elliott contacted US Airways, he was told that the airline had made Berkowitz “its last, best offer.”
Neither Berkowitz nor Elliott received a response concerning the unsafe conditions “created by allowing overweight passengers to buy one seat.”
[elliott / fark / photo: unrelated.]
See Also: Truth About Air Travel Delays.
I’m going to weigh in on this subject because I am a fat frequent flyer. In the 15 or so years that I have been a regular flyer, I have had to use a seat belt extender for over 10 of those years. Anytime there’s a possibility that I have to be in tight quarters with anyone, I immediately go into apologetic mode. People get over it faster if you’re like “I know, I’m fat, I’m sorry”. But I don’t stop there.
1) I ALWAYS sit in the last two rows of the plane. There is a higher probability that there will be an empty seat in the middle.
2) I ALWAYS sit by the window. I’m pretty nimble for a fatty, but no one wants to feel like they’re are barricaded in the row.
3) I ask for a seat belt extension as soon as I step on the plane. I ask nicely and like its not my first flight. The flight attendants pick up some kind of knowing in me and are appreciative and even seem to be on my side after that.
4) I NEVER assume and always have my armrest down. I will in no way allow my fat to invade someone else’s seat. If people offer I usually refuse, but if they insist I will take it.
I’m hoping that I am on my way down size-wise and that I will never have to buy two seats, but if it gets to that, then I will buy them before I inconvenience another passenger or have to sit on the arm rest like the dude in this picture. Which isn’t even allowed.
I’ll be flying to Denver tomorrow with my sister, this will definitely be on my mind. If I invade anyone’s seat, it’ll be hers.
3 months ago