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Travelocity survey says: fat, smelly and coughing the worst to be sitting next to
The results are from the Travelocity 2009 "rudeness poll", asking people a variety of questions. In total, the survey interviewed just under 1600 people, from the US and Canada. When the survey expanded on "large passengers", 44% said the airlines should provide a second seat for free, while 39% said fat passengers should pay for their own space.
When asked about hotel items taken from the property, people either lied, or are just more honest than I expected - 13% of people never take anything from their room, and just 1% admitted to stealing dishes and silverware.
The survey is very well put together, and a lot of work was put into explaining the results. If you'd like to read more about rude passengers, check out the full version of the 2009 Travelocity Rudeness Poll (PDF file).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Ashley Oct 13th 2009 8:49AM
The WORST is when someone falls asleep and their head lolls over onto you. This has happened to me many times and I'm sick of being their pillow! Granted we give up some personal space when we fly but that is ridiculous!
Victoria Oct 13th 2009 12:52PM
lol Ashley, people must feel very comfortable with you. Thank goodness this has never happened to me. Thankfully I've never been so out of it that I've keeled over on someone else either. Yikes.
vicvlvic Oct 13th 2009 1:16PM
No pleasing you ladies-you always complain we men don't snuggle-LMAO
summerchaser Oct 13th 2009 9:13AM
The worst is the entitled...... u know the ones.... who somehow think..... they are more entitled......than the rest of us.......
The worst........
Mark Oct 13th 2009 11:45AM
Yeah, such as the Obama's, the Kennedy's, Gores, etc.
G-Dub Oct 13th 2009 12:05PM
Whats with.....all the .......breaks in between ......your typing? Are you ......William Shatner....
Kevin Oct 13th 2009 9:59AM
Unfortunately, I am large and very concious about flying and I only do it if it is absolutely necessary. I am trying to change, but how can larger people be told its rude being fat and flying. We can't lose 200lbs overnight, but someone can take a shower or cough medicine.
me Oct 13th 2009 11:29AM
No, but you could buy 2 seats. Why should I suffer because you can't fit within your space and bleed over on top of me? I'm big as well, 209 down from 242 and hopefully still losing and I swear flying is soooooo much more comfortable now and people don't cringe when I sit down next to them.
jabba Oct 13th 2009 12:57PM
I am 295 and 6'2"- so I tend to use all of my seat- and if I spread out a little, that is the midget next to me's problem. You don't like my size- let's step out and talk about it- you first, of course.
I'd like to see someone tell me to pay for an extra seat- I'll bust you in the nose before you can order that salad.
Elske Oct 13th 2009 1:06PM
You are so ridiculous. Anytime someone that is overweight sits next to me and their a** is in my seat I complain. It is NOT my problem that you choose to be fat and I will not deal with someone taking up MY space that I paid good money for. You should realize that airlines are enforcing the two seat law. I can't wait until you fly next time. Hopefully you get seated next to me so I can complain and have them make you move or buy an extra seat. Get a life!
Rick Chastain Oct 13th 2009 9:26AM
So.......44% of respondents felt the airlines should give "large" passengers a second seat free? I wonder if these people know that NOTHING is ever free! If the airlines started giving fatties an extra seat, the price of seats for EVERYONE flying would go up to cover the cost -- it's simple economics (which admittedly few seem to understand these days, especially the hacks we send to congress). I don't know about the rest of you but I am tired of subsidizing other people's problems that are brought on by THEIR poor choices; you know, smoking related health problems, AIDS (promiscuous and unprotected homosexual activity or needle sharing druggies), overeating and obesity, lack of exercisel, etc. Get real -- make the fatties BUY and extra seat! If they are so huge that they overlap into MY space, I make the airline move one of us! And as for the sleepers head falling on my shoulder, a gentle PUSH back into their own space generally suffices!
Precious Oct 13th 2009 9:44AM
You are an ignorant POS. Assuming that people with AIDS are homosexual or drug users makes you look REALLY stupid. The only thing I will agree with is making people pay for the second seat if they can't fit. I am a larger girl but if I ever get so big that I need a second seat for my big arse then I should pay for the next seat. Also, your grammar and spelling are atrocious and you need to go back to 2nd grade and start over. Also, if you dislike flying next to smelly sweaty fat sick people, fly first class, private jet, or drive to your destination. They don't like you either.
Marshall Oct 13th 2009 9:45AM
These days the average weight of most airline passengers is around l90 pounds.
Sorry to hear you feel this way about overweight people. I think the airlines
have been unfair and discriminated against large and very large passengers.
Continental was litigated against a few years ago over charging for an extra seat.
Mark Oct 13th 2009 9:29AM
....If your personal comfort is paramount while travelling, then you YOU should fork over the extra dough or fequent flyer miles and fly first class....It works for me.
Joshua Oct 13th 2009 9:46AM
Maybe just maybe, Americans could lose weight and actually go out and exercise and eat right! Then they wouldnt have problems sitting in airplane seats.
AJ Oct 13th 2009 12:29PM
Airplane seats are based on the size of people in Victorian times, as are a lot of home furniture sets (such as dining room chairs).
The average height of a MALE in Victorian times was 5'6" - 5'7", and therefore their bodies were also proportionally smaller.
I'm a large person, but out of deference for my row-mates, I *always* buy a second seat because (a) it makes ME uncomfortable, (b) I'm claustrophobic and (c) I prefer to NOT sit next to bigoted people.
I have noticed, however, that large men -- as in not considered *technically* overweight, but who could be a linebacker for an NFL team -- take up tons of space with their over-wide shoulders, which crowde into the next seat, and their spread legs, which also crowd the next passenger. Does anyone make *them* buy another seat? NO, and they should.
INVARIABLY, after *I* have bought the second seat (and this also applies on overseas flights), the person two seats away decides to use the extra seat as THEIR personal storage space.
I'm always VERY courteous when I ask them to move their belongings because *I* paid for the seat, and I'm regularly told "If you weren't so fat, you wouldn't neet the extra seat". So, buying an extra seat BECAUSE I'm larger seems to just give other people a sense of entitlement to that extra seat for which *I* paid full price.
The first time that happened, I pulled out my airline tickets to PROVE I "owned" that seat and when the "gentleman" did not move his briefcase, laptop and gym bag, I called the stewardess, showed them my TWO boarding passes and seat assignments.
The "gentleman" was FORCED to move his things, and I was still called names.
So, if you have a "fat" person with an empty seat between you, ASK FIRST if that person paid for that seat before you make yourself at home.
If you're going to complain and moan and demand that "fat" people buy a second seat, then, by damn, YOU have absolutely NO right to use that extra seat the for which "fat" person paid.
Period.
"Fat" does NOT necessarily equal Lazy and Stupid. However, in MY experience with prejudice against "fat" or "large" people, ignorant, gross, loud-mouthed, over-bearing, haughty, condescending and moronic certainly seems to equal "prejudiced 'thin' people."
Jan Oct 13th 2009 9:46AM
The worst is the passenger that is both smelly AND obese. Fortunately when I had such a seat assignment, she was sitting next to the window and I was seated on the aisle so I could sort of hang over the left arm rest and allow this person some room to "expand". That worked out fine until the stewardess's came down the aisle with their food and/or refreshment cart.
lola Oct 20th 2009 10:54AM
lol..sorry...but just invisioning it...cracking me up...hanging by the side of ur seat while the other person is wiggling even more getting comfortable..LOL!
Maegan Oct 13th 2009 9:46AM
"Passengers of size"? This is an unfair title. I am a woman that is 5'11" and 190 lbs, so I am curvy, but not fat, so this is not a rant of my own sensitivity. But my dear friend for years now is a man that is 6'8", and 370 lbs. He may not be all muscle, but this is a healthy weight for him, but his frame is so large that he would need an extra seat on a plane. He is a Big Guy, who needs to buy at the "big and tall" places. His shoes are size 16. He would certainly be a "Passenger of size", but I don't feel he should be forced to pay for a second seat for the uncontrollable accident of Genetics. I say that the stupid airlines keep the fares the same AND give the extra seat. Honestly, is one or two "extra" seats on a plane really going to bankrupt them? I think not.
Elske Oct 13th 2009 1:24PM
Maegan I am sorry to tell you but your friend is in fact obese. Why is it that Americans seem to not realize what obese is? I guess because people have just let themselves go and we accept overweight people we forget that you don't have to weigh 600lbs to be obese. I do agree that the height of your friend is genetics but not him CHOOSING to be 370lbs. I looked up a chart which does detail the height to weight ratio which shows your friend is beyond overweight and def. obese. Actually he is so large he isn't even on the chart... It only goes up to 350. The medical recommendation is 169-222lbs. His BMI (body mass index) is 41.7! I am only listing this because I am so sick and tired of people not admitting that they are in fact obese by all accounts! Here is a chart for you to see for yourself:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Body_mass_index_chart.svg/690px-Body_mass_index_chart.svg.png
I am also including the calculator website I used to find "your friends" information:
http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm