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How To Fly If You're A 'Customer Of Size'
Given the ever increasing, uh, size of air passengers (not least American air travelers), airlines are cracking down on passengers who may just rather roll up their armrests and encroach a little on the space of other passengers next to them.The ongoing debate has been around whether larger passengers are, and should be, required to buy extra seats for themselves, and the jury is coming back with a definitive "yes." Yahoo! News rounds up policies from major airlines on "passengers of size," whether there are special provisions, if fees are required, and, basically, what the deal is.
After going through the options, we can weigh in on the best and worst.
The winners? Customers of some size may want to opt for JetBlue, which has slightly larger seats than most other airlines. Usually airlines provide about 17 inches between armrests, but JetBlue provides 17.8 inches.
If you're a customer of the next size up, your best bet may, surprisingly, be Spirit. Although Spirit is known for nickel-and-diming its customers with loads of different fees, paying extra for a Big Front Seat may actually be worth your while, rather than buying a whole extra seat like you'd have to on another airline. In addition to offering 6 extra inches of legroom, Spirit's Big Front Seats are 18.5 inches wide.
If you're a customer of a larger size than that, your best bet may be Delta, which doesn't require you to buy an extra seat. Delta will simply give you an extra seat next to you ... if one is available. Obviously, the downside is if you're in a rush and there are no spare seats on the plane. They'll put you on another plane with extra room, but you may have to wait. In that case, it's your choice to buy an extra seat for yourself in advance.
The loser? United. If you fly on United, you have to prove the armrests go down and stay all the way down – even if you're seated next to family. While I totally understand (and agree) that it's inappropriate for strangers to intrude on other passengers' spaces, other airlines make an exception if you sit next to family members who don't mind. No such luck on United. You can purchase your extra United seat in advance, and if you don't, you may be charged additional walk-up fees later.
[Image credit: Flickr user sbamueller]
Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Rita Nov 14th 2012 6:41AM
I see nothing wrong with testing the arm rests...sorry...but plane tickets are so much money..I would be very upset if someone's BODY was spilling into my seat...
Curtis Nov 14th 2012 4:01PM
I agree, but if you are sitting next to family and they say that they do not mind, why should he have to pay for an extra seat when those seats are already paid for by his family. I would understand if this was a safety issue, but then why is only United doing this?
max Nov 14th 2012 5:38PM
I am a thin, small person and when I fly I have experienced very large people squeezing into the seat next to me and their girth spilling onto my seat and ME! Last time I flew on AirTran, the experience was so awful that I have not flown since...more than 2 years. Please....airlines have to help those of us who are not obese. It is only fair.
Dan Nov 15th 2012 11:10AM
OVERSIZED people.... you know who you are... The humiliation is coming. we pay for 1 person as we are only 1 person in size. I hate to be mean but you know who you are. most of you let yourself go to be this size... We did not make you that way. If you are the size of 2 people PAY that extra person you are hauling. as well.
wILLIAM hOULE Nov 15th 2012 5:20PM
So to settle this why don't any airline just come up with a plane with larger seats? to help out the larger size people.. It's a dollar thing!
Al Nov 16th 2012 3:24PM
I totally agree. No disresspect intended, but sign me up for United!
kim Nov 24th 2012 4:41AM
Agreed. I think they (fatties) should have their own plane
Jay Nov 14th 2012 7:50AM
So United 'Breaks Guitars', loose your luggage and charge you extra for being fat.
C Nov 14th 2012 8:36AM
They also delay their flights "just because its Friday) yes that s what I was told...
"Oh, it's Friday, happens all the time"
Then have no way for you to make a connecting flights, split up your party onto different flights, & different seats, leave you hanging at midnight, not offering a hotel room, or any other assistance. & to top it off, offer no apology for their disgraceful service, this happened to us less than a month ago, & we still haven't heard from them, & I wrote the day after we returned home. Doubt I ever will.
David Nov 14th 2012 10:05AM
I am paying good money to fly and if someone is overweight and is taking a part of my seat, that is not right. You pay for your seat, and you need to fit in it, otherwise, pay for an additional seat.
JayJ7 Dec 19th 2012 12:01PM
The odd thing about the "Friday delays" is that it is true in a way. On Fridays all the high pay, specialist doctors who own their own plane, fly to Florida, and the FAA treats one passenger planes with flight plans the same as 200 passenger planes. So every Friday going to south Florida becomes a mess. It's doubtful the flight attendents know why it happens, but they do know the result.
Chrissy Nov 14th 2012 9:00AM
I'm surprised to hear United is the "loser." I just flew with United a few weeks ago.
I'm a "customer of size" and they didn't test to see if my arm rest stayed down (it down going, but I put it up on the return flight). I did need a seat belt extender, but otherwise I was fine.
Cassandra Nov 14th 2012 3:22PM
While it's true that United's policy is that the armrest has to be able to be in the down position, they don't make you test your armrest unless there's a problem with a person spilling over to another passenger. Furthermore, they also never charge a "walk-up fee" if you need to purchase an extra seat due to size at the gate. If you read their policy, it says they will charge you for the extra seat at the same price you paid for your original seat. As for the armrest policy applying even if it's your family next to you, no airline wants to be the source of a problem with passengers of size. If your family is okay with you spilling into their space, neither United or any other airline will make you buy an extra seat. The author of this article must have just made up this information without checking out the facts.
john Nov 14th 2012 12:11PM
i was on a AA and a lady seat next to me. she was about 500 pounds. she took 1/2 my seat up. i had to get up if some one had to go by my seat. as i was on the in side seat. i asked if they could put her in a nother seat by her self. they said i would have to move. i paid for that seat. why did i have to move?
FIT4UFOR3RD Nov 16th 2012 2:30PM
what was more important, being comfortable or being right?. i hope you moved and didnt play the martyr
Katie Nov 14th 2012 9:10AM
The real problem is airlines have not moved with the times. People have been getting taller for decades and still we have these tiny legroom openings. As for width? With height comes width. People are simply getting bigger. I walk into a plane and most everybody seems crammed in. I buy 2 seats just to be comfortable. Which is the point. Lose the third seat in each row, widen the 2 seats and just charge more for the ticket. I think they all would be surprised at how that would increase revenues. I flew on a Thai airline and the room they give for the ticket price is awesome. American airlines can do the same.
bob Nov 14th 2012 11:37AM
Why make everybody have to pay more so that seats can be comfortable for the wider set? How about making new special planes for heavier people with wider seats and aisles and charging more for those flying on these planes? Then the thinner or average sized people will still be able to fly at a reasonable cost.
GAB104 Nov 14th 2012 1:51PM
I once sat next to a six-foot-plus professional hockey player. He wasn't particularly comfortable in his coach seat, but he fit. I still had my seat all to myself. So the problem isn't about people being taller; we haven't gotten that much taller in 50 years of commercial flight. The problem is about people being obese. Americans have become much heavier and wider in the last 50 years. But for 99 percent of obese and overweight people, the extra weight is something they chose by their actions. I do not believe that the airlines should accommodate those choices by making all the seats larger, which would increase costs for all of us. I don't need six more inches of seat, so I don't want to pay for it.
aleighcat Nov 14th 2012 6:16PM
So, Bob.............you're going to penalize those people, as well, for daring to be larger than the "average" size? Also...just *who* determines what is "normal"? I am a little overweight, myself...however I'm not obese, merely "pudgy" in my upper- middle age (I wear size 8 clothing). I am also very petite (4'10"), yet I still have to sit with my shoulders basically hunched together so as not to encroach on anyone else's space. The seats are ridiculously small, for *anyone*. No, the solution is to not cram so many seats together, they need to either have wider seats or not as many. I avoid flying like the plague because it is highly uncomfortable and most flight attendants are just plain rude anymore....not to mention the slew of self-entitled fellow passengers who leave their courtesy cards at the gate.
RichLDNRD@aol.com Nov 15th 2012 4:55PM
If you are eating 2-3 times the correct portion size of foods then you should have no problem paying for 2-3 times the space you take up. What ever happened to being responsible for your own actions? If you eat 2-3 times the amount one person should have it's only right for you to pay 2-3 times the price it takes to fly a person within normal BMIs. But no! Everyone wants the industry to curtail their size of seats, air craft building plans and probably serve all you can eat buffets in mid flight policies.
Disgusting! Other Countries like New Zealand Take your BMI while entering the customs. If your over a certain BMI your not allowed into the country because the risk they may take having you as burden on their health care system. They actually make you leave the country to loose weight before you come back!
Even if your with family, members are separated by the fit who are welcomed and the caloric challenged who have to go back to loose a few pounds before coming back.