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Delta passenger gets half of a seat
Overweight airline passengers are a tricky issue. Some airlines stipulate that extra large passengers must pay more, sometimes even the price of two tickets, as they take up additional space. This obviously leads to a mess of questions regarding discrimination and customer service. Recently the Canadian Transport Authority mandated that national carriers were not allowed to institute a "fat surcharge." Yet these kinds of decisions don't do much to quell a complicated situation. Take the recent case of Julie from Henderson, Nevada.
Julie wrote in to MSNBC's Travel Troubleshooter with a complicated query. On a Delta flight from Philadelphia to Atlanta, Julie was placed next to a very large woman, who was filling up not only her own space, but also half of Julie's. Much to Julie's dismay, there was no extra room in first class or in the rest of the plane. The flight attendant's solution? "Find a cute boy or girl" and sit in their lap.
As ridiculous as that statement probably sounds, Julie's predicament is not uncommon, and when planes are fully booked there are not any simple solutions. When she emailed Delta to complain about paying for a whole seat and only getting half of one, they politely responded by thanking her for the input but that the airline could not do anything about it. I personally would feel pretty frustrated if I paid for a full price ticket and then had to squeeze myself into half of a seat; a lot of people would.
Should Delta be held responsible? What do you think the solution to the complicated question of overweight travelers in the sky is?
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 6)
janice Feb 1st 2008 10:03PM
Carry on bags are currently measured to make sure they fit in overheadd. Why not measure people by having them sit down at the gate in an actual coach fare airline seat? They could even have everyone sit in the "measure chair" so as not offend the fatsos, even though it's readily apparent who should sit down in it. NOT rocket science. That would solve the problem of butt fat seeping over to another seat.
Unwilling traveler Aug 3rd 2008 12:33PM
May solve "butt fat" issues, as you so eloquently stated. But it would not solve the issue of men with enormous bellies and overly wide shoulders who take up both armrests and cause me to have to actually spend the flight turned sideways in my seat so they are not crushing me. Why are so many of these posts aimed at overweight women? I fly every week for work and it's the overweight men that are far ruder. The women are usually aware of their size and somewhat apologetic. The men just take up all the space they "need" and some even leave their bulky jackets on to make things even tighter.
I think this board is suffering not only from significant "sizism" but also from gender bias. Pretty sad in 2008.
Diana Bell Feb 1st 2008 10:43PM
My friend is a flight attendant who suggests a solution not mentioned here. read her post called "The Art of Travel" and the mental tool she uses when she flies as a passenger between 2 large people. http://www.wildflight.blogspot.com
Joe Feb 1st 2008 11:03PM
Have a resident plastic surgeon on board to give liposuction to these fat asses...lol
mandy Feb 1st 2008 11:07PM
It's not just about seat width! Shoulders also get in the way as do long legs spread apart as most guys like to sit. What about a rule on sharing the armrest and not reclining?
Let's face it, anyone who is larger than average in any direction is challenged by the compact space in a coach seat and may compromise the comfort of adjacent passengers.
TRISHA Feb 2nd 2008 12:45AM
DON'T YOU THINK THE OVERSIZED PERSON IS ALSO UNCOMFORTABLE IN THOSE TINY SEATS. YOU DONT HAVE TO BE OVERWEIGHT FOR THAT TO BE EITHER. MAYBE THE AIRLINE COULD PUT TOO OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE IN A THREE SEAT THAT WAY THEY WOULD BE COMFORTABLE TOO AND CHG. A SMALL EXTRA FEE.
Lisa Feb 2nd 2008 1:05AM
So while there are so many suggestions going on around here.
I would like to add a few.
I think they should have shower stalls at check in points for the people who smell....I have sat next to a few and this made for a horrible flight., especially an international flight.
If you forgot your deodorant, Pay a Fee!
Also people should not be allowed to recline back unless Paying a Fee to the person behind them for causing their tray to come move into there little bit of free space in front of them.
Being we are talking space here, all space counts.
Also people with window seat, should only be allowed to get up once..
Pay a Fee if they need to get up that extra time, why because this is inconvenient to those in aisle seats to have to stop what they are doing and move their legs to the side, due to the lack of leg room coach class provides.
Then this one always gets me babies fly free and have you ever had a flight with a screaming baby.
Every time your baby cries and you cannot control them, Pay a Fee!
For every extra child , Pay an extra Fee . I have been next to a child that I had to keep an eye on simply because their parent was three seats down. Call it a baby sitting Fee???
Where does it end??? We can go on and on with this....
People just need to complain I guess.....sad because there are REAL problems out there in the world.
As so far as Airliners, they should all be like Jet blue, so so comfortable for most all size people.
Seats are roomy and leg room abundant.
Music, Satellite, leather seats,space space space.....great service I would pay more just for that :)
No special class travel , all the same so no one person feels less then the next.
Now to add, I hear we have Nude airlines, hmmmmm Wow! What is the world coming to.
Lisa :)
Metro-gnome Feb 2nd 2008 3:17AM
I work for an airline that recently instituted a customer of size policy. If the passenger cannot fit into a seat with armrests down, they may buy an extra seat. The agent will attempt to block the seat next to them, and if that seat remains empty because the plane does not fill up, the fare for the 'comfort seat' is refunded. I have spent an entire flight between two Pacific Islander gentlemen, from Honolulu to Singapore. They were very nice. I was allotted approximately 1/4 seat. Their arms and legs literally pinned me to the seat. I couldn't move. They promptly fell asleep. I couldn't unfasten my seatbelt, and I couldn't move. My arms and legs fell asleep. Each of them weighed well above 400 lbs. Finally I asked a passenger waiting for the restroom to find a F/A, who awakened the gentleman on the aisle. I stumbled up and staggered around until my arms and legs were awake again. I spent the next 5 hours standing in the aisle, as the plane was completely full. I've had three family members who wanted to sit together, who were all the same size...about 350 lbs. They physically could not get into the same row. Two of them filled a row of three seats, and one of those two oozed into the aisle. They wanted to sue the airline, due to their divine right to sit together. They made such a scene and caused a delay, that they were finally removed from the flight. The only safe solution in these matters is to require a passenger who can't safely sit in one seat to purchase as many seats as are required to contain their girth. No other passenger should be required to pay for an unsafe seating arrangement. Whether a large passenger chose to be that size is irrelevant. The seating arrangement is either safe or it's not. End of story.
Secret Asian Man Feb 2nd 2008 3:25AM
You people need to understand that your air fare is not just for your seat. It's to fly you from point A to point B. Do you demand a refund for your subway fare because you had to stand even though you've arrived at your destination? No. So why would you demand half of your refund back when you lost half of your seat? Were you kicked off the plane half way?
Nowhere does the airline promises you a full seat reserved for you upon payment of a fare. Why do you think we have overbooking?
That lady arrived at her destination safe and probably on time. While it sucked that her trip was rather unpleasant, she's not the only one to have had an unpleasant neighbor on a flight. Fat, rude, or smelly, we've all had our personal space violated by less than ideal neighbors. Want to avoid it? Travel with companions, or go first class.
As for obese people, cough up. If you take up more space, you pay up or upgrade.
ShadowGod Feb 2nd 2008 4:30PM
Well said.
V Feb 2nd 2008 9:51PM
I understand your point on overbooking, however, that's not what we're talking about. Once I am confirmed in a seat, and on a plane, it is MY seat. My boarding pass says 4D. It doesn't say the left half of 4D. And honestly, let me know if I can't have a full seat because I'd share it with someone I actually like instead of an overweight stranger.
And also the subway being about a dollar, with no assigned seating, is not really comparable to an airline seat. A better analogy is reserving a town car and finding it already full to capacity even though I'm the only one paying for it.
But at the end of the day, we agree on one thing...overweight people are responsible for paying more.
LeeAnn Feb 2nd 2008 4:22AM
THE BLAME FOR THIS GOES SOLEY TO TEH AIRLINE INDUSTRY WHO DECIDED TO MAKE THE SEATS NARROW AND TO INCLUDE EXTRA ROWS MAKING YOUR KNEES HIT THE BACK OF THE SEAT IN FRONT OF YOU. THIS IS ALL BLATANT GREED ON THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY AND AS LONG AS PEOPLE DO THEIR COMPLAINING HERE ON BLOGS AND DO NOT CONTACT THE AIRLINES THEMSELVES, THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN WITH MORE AND MORE RESTRICTIONS BEING PUT IN PLACE.
SO, STOP YOUR BIT___ING AND START E-MAILING THE AIRLINES THEMSELVES.
Bob Feb 2nd 2008 5:02AM
I've sold overweight passengers an extra seat before and it's no fun. There's no really good way to be discreet. You either have some guy who wants to end up punching your lights out or some woman who ends up crying or making a scene. The main problem is there is no continuity not only within the individual airlines but the airline industry as a whole as to how this situation is handled. Overweight people don't really know what to expect and the results could be different everytime. And now, when people can buy their ticket and procede to the gate without even seeing any airline personel, it makes it more difficult if this is not handled at the gate properly before the customer boards. Once the customer boards the aircraft, it would mean a delay to have to call for a supervisor to board the aircraft and address the situation with the customer. And airlines don't want delays so the flight crew gets to handle the situation. And if the flight happens to be sold out and every seat is taken, there's not much we can do about it. Until this is addressed properly on the ground before boarding, it's going to continue to be a problem.
BLNDGENIE Feb 2nd 2008 9:29AM
FUNNY THING......this 'disability' called obesity seems to be unique to the U.S. I have travelled all over the world and it doesn't exist in other countries. Do we have a gene which only exists here? RIGHT, that's it!
NOT!
It's simple, if you can't fit into ONE SEAT with the armrest DOWN, then you need to buy two seats, PERIOD. YOUR size is YOUR responsibility, it's not MY DUTY to give you HALF MY SEAT.
jumper Jun 29th 2008 4:33PM
I am a big guy (6'5 and 220lbs in great shape) I am not overweight by any means, but those seats are very uncomfortable. I think airlines should charge a small premium and let us sit in first class and not get the first class service. That way we would have more room and not crowd the ones around us. I don't care about the fancier meals and drinks. I just want to get where I am going in comfort.
Most large people I know avoid flying because of the seat situation. All of you normal or small people that are complaining and asking that airlines should by the pound are ridiculous. I feel bad for you for being uncomfortable but what about the large person. Do you think they are comfortable? Do you think they are not being humiliated by the small seats.
Because of my height I have to test drive many cars to find the least uncomfortable one to drive. And just because it is a big car or big truck it doesn't mean that it will accommodate a larger person and be more comfortable. Sometimes smaller cars have a more comfortable driving position. Go figure that one out.
People as a whole have been getting larger for years because of better nutrition and because of poor eating habits. You can't shovel them all into a so called standard sized seat when the seat size is unrealistic just to make more money.
thisworldtraveler Feb 3rd 2008 3:40PM
I'm a little shocked at how angry some people here are.
The person affected by this flight should have had some solution brought to her by Delta. The airline did not do right by her and that's a shame.
At the same time, I can't understand why the overweight person should be kicked off a full flight for being overweight either. She paid for the ticket and the airline has no policy for forcing overweight people to purchase a second ticket.
Both clients deserve the same treatment. Travel from one location to another. I think the ideal situation in this case would have been to offer the affected passenger the opportunity to deboard the plane at its gate and fly on the next available routing.
Lynn OConnell Feb 3rd 2008 5:12AM
Why not have special "detachable" seats (like wheelchairs, only that can be clamped to the floor) for oversize people? There is space on most planes by the bulkhead. Or leave the last row of seats out and make room for a few of these detachable "extra wide" seats, that, when not needed can be removed. Even though most oversized people are very sensitive and embarrassed regarding their need for extra space, they aren't sensitive enough to warn the airlines in advance, (most cases) and are NOT usually willing to pay a surcharge for the accomodation they require. That row I was talking about could also serve as the row for people with disabilities and they all should be treated the same. I was traveling with my very ill sister who had just had a bone marrow transplant from North Carolina to California and even WITH medical statements we could not get the airline to accomodate her even slightly by giving her a seat where she could get to the bathroom easily. This was a medical emergency and the airline attendant looked skeptically at her and I when we mentioned this upon boarding. See, they are selective how they treat certain situations. Now, a bone marrow patient doesn't necessarily have any outward sign on them. But the oversized customers have it loud and clear. Airlines, clean up your customer service. You have so much more power since 9-11 and it's sometimes abused by the staff.
Steffo Feb 3rd 2008 12:12PM
It seems like everyone overlooks the main issue here. You are paying to get from point A to B. You are NOT paying for a seat, you are NOT paying for a meal, you are NOT paying to have any flight attendant to be nice to you and I'm not exactly sure but I believe you are not even paying for your baggage to get from point A to B at the same time or flight that you are on. Those are perks that keep bringing you back to the airline that you choose to use. When you purchase a ticket, you are entering into a contract to get from point A to B with the rules that are set forth on your ticket and any additional addendums that the airline feels it wants to include. Basically, if you don't like the airlines sandbox, go and find another sandbox to play in. Sucks I know, but that's why the government got out of the airline regulation business and is having a hard time passing any passenger rights bill now.
Robert Feb 3rd 2008 1:00PM
maybe go with a few extra wide standing seats on the plane they should take up about the same floor space. Overweight people have more problems with DVT and this might be a life saver for themto be standing and able to move their legs
Tristanqtee Feb 3rd 2008 3:47PM
I have never been happy with Delta's customer service. With regards to overweight people who do not fit in one of the regular seats, I agree that they should pay extra for the use of another seat or fly business class if the plane offers that section. It would be very costly to change seat sizes on all the planes, but the airlines need to do something about it.
It's sad that there are more overweight people in the US than any other country. It may be considered a disease for some, but for most people is the bad eating habits that have taken them to that point. Start exercising and eating healthy so you won't run into this type of problems when flying. Make it work for everyone!