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Lady Gaga Snerd


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Why fat people should be charged more to fly: It's not fair for thin people to suffer
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The check-in girl scowls as I try my best to be tactful. You see, these days, when I fly, I'm very particular about where I sit. But it's not extra legroom or a window I'm after.

I just hate being plonked next to someone who - how shall I put it? - is a little too large for their seat. My request is always met with utter disapproval. Once, I was told not to moan and be grateful I am such a 'beanpole'.

But as a slim person of 8 st, I am sick of finding myself sitting next to someone more than four times my size on flights. It happens so often, I reckon I'm sized up at check-in as a suitable companion for the clinically obese.



Julia Richardson often finds herself sandwiched between two large people. She tries to drink as little as possible during the flight so she won't be forced to climb over them to use the loo


Julia Richardson often finds herself sandwiched between two large people. She tries to drink as little as possible during the flight so she won't be forced to climb over them to use the loo









Katie Hopkins also wants a 'fat tax for fat flyers'





On a recent flight, I was settling in to my seat when, to my horror, a giant of a man plumped himself down next to me. My heart sank.

Worse are the times when I find myself in the middle, squashed between two much larger people: the wafer-thin filling in a human sandwich. When that happens, I try to drink as little as possible during the flight. I'd rather risk dehydration than try to polevault over them to reach the loo.

I used to live in the U.S., where obesity is off the scale. There, the proportion of the population considered overweight is around 50 per cent more than in the UK, so nearly every flight was a misery. You know you're in for an uncomfortable ride when the arm rests between the seats have to be raised to allow for 'overspill'.

Once, I was sat next to a woman so enormous I was told to move to a seat behind. I was happy to oblige. But it meant she paid for one seat and got two.





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And on another awful 18-hour flight my gargantuan neighbour polished off his meal, drank a bottle of wine, then fell asleep like a dead tree on my shoulder.

The stewardess and I managed to prop him up, but he kept falling back on me. I feared I might suffocate.

So it's little wonder that I find myself agreeing with chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies's recent suggestion of charging fatties more to fly.

She argues that, in the age of the supersize traveller, our total weight (passenger and luggage) should be taken into account at check-in. I couldn't agree more.



Tall people have to pay for extar legroom - why shouldn't fat people pay for extra seat room? (stock)

Tall people have to pay for extar legroom - why shouldn't fat people pay for extra seat room? (stock)

I was livid last year when I was made to pay excess baggage costs because my case was a fraction over the allowance. How could this be fair when the woman behind me - at least 17 st - paid nothing extra because she had a smaller suitcase? What good is travelling light if you're tipping the scales in the wrong direction?

I don't mean to be unkind. I hate it when people are bullied for their size. As a skinny person, I'm often subject to cruel remarks, and I understand that being fat can have a genetic component.

But this is pure economics. More weight on-board means aircraft need to take on more fuel. So airlines shouldn't be criticised for charging by the pound.

Tall people already have to pay for extra legroom. Are they offended? Hardly.

As far as I am concerned, we need to stop being PC and let people take responsibility for themselves.

My friend, Joyce, 49, an air stewardess for an American airline, doesn't mince her words. 'Passengers are getting so fat, we'll soon be able to give up using tray tables and they can just use their stomachs,' she grumbles.

She's all for passengers standing on the scales with their luggage at check-in. 'There should be a weight limit, with charges payable above that. It also means the pilot knows exactly what weight the plane will be carrying, making fuel requirements more accurate.'

In the same way many smokers support the smoking ban, a lot of overweight people support the idea of a flying fat tax. But there is, predictably, much opposition. The trouble is, being obese is now seen as an illness, rather than a condition of our own making.


WEIGHTY RECORD


The world’s heaviest woman, an American, weighed 85 st at her largest
.
As Mail columnist Dr Max Pemberton puts it: 'We are doing with obesity what we have done with alcoholism and drug addiction, which is to remove the individual's responsibility for the predicament in which he finds himself.'

Another friend, Milly, a size 18, agrees. 'We all need an incentive to lose weight now and then. If I had to pay more for a seat on a flight, I'd eat more healthily. No one is going to lose weight if the rest of us pretend they don't have a problem.

'It would help people to start to take responsibility for their size and make the price of flying so much fairer.'

One airline has already seen sense. In 2013, Samoa Air became the first to introduce a 'fat tax'.

The airline proudly declares on its website: 'A world first: 'The “Samoa Air System” of pay by weight. Pay only for what you weigh! A kilo is a kilo is a kilo!'

Hear, hear! Until other airlines go the same way, I will have to soldier on. But Joyce has a useful tip: 'If you're worried about being smothered, bring a couple of hard A4 folders. Wedge them against the arm rest and you have a magic flab barrier.' I think it's time I took a trip to the stationer's.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3289014/Why-fat-people-charged-fly-s-not-fair-people-suffer-age-supersize-traveller.html#ixzz3pfXzsi5l
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-- Edited by Lady Gaga Snerd on Monday 26th of October 2015 06:38:05 AM

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flan327


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"...magic flab barrier!"

flan

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Lawyerlady


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At the very least, something should be done so people can't overflow into other people's space.

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Lady Gaga Snerd


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THe reality of life is that people are getting fatter. So, we can say "oh they should lose weight". But, will they really? Probably not. So, companies need to accept the new fat reality. And, they should view it as a market to capture. Making people comfortable can also be profitable if done right.

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TrudyML


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I have dealt with it tons (No pun intended!) of times. This one lady wanted the arm chair thingy up. Bam! Pretty much sat on me the whole time. Even the stewardess felt bad.

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flan327


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I am trying to remember if that has happened to me...Oh, wait, Trudy, was that you sitting next to me???

flan

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Flannie!

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flan327


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TrudyML wrote:

Flannie!

 Sorry, hon, but you were so comfy!

flan



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ed11563


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One stone = 14 pounds. (weight, not money)

 

If there's no one in the middle seat next to me, I usually put the armrest up.

If someone is crossing into my seat, the armrest comes down. Live with it.

 



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Airlines should design larger seats for the ever expanding (pun intended) average body weight. I cringe when I see large people come down the aisle and pray they aren't sitting next to me.

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I think you should be able to fit in your seat with the arm rest down, if you have to put it up then one seat is obviously too small for you.

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FNW wrote:

Airlines should design larger seats for the ever expanding (pun intended) average body weight. I cringe when I see large people come down the aisle and pray they aren't sitting next to me.

 Ok- but here's the thing.  If they design larger seats, they cannot fit as many on the plane.  So, should larger people have to pay more for the larger seats?  And should there be two different size seats so that average size people that can fit into standard size seats are not penalized? 

 

Or, hey - how about this.  Do a total weight limit for all people & their luggage.  That way, it works out in excess baggage fees if you go over the weight limit.  Say - each person is limited to 250 pounds or something.  So, a person weighing 200 pounds gets  50 pounds of luggage.  If you take up all your weight in body size, you have to pay for the luggage.



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FNW


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I had a friend who was overweight. He used to fly business, when available, to accommodate his girth. I have another fat friend who buys two seats. So there are presently options, but they can cost them. So yes, they pay more.

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FNW wrote:

I had a friend who was overweight. He used to fly business, when available, to accommodate his girth. I have another fat friend who buys two seats. So there are presently options, but they can cost them. So yes, they pay more.

 See, and I think buying two seats is a tad excessive cost wise.  There needs to be a compromise solution.  Maybe 1.5 seats and put them in rows with three seats and two larger people share the row of 3? 



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Lawyerlady wrote:
FNW wrote:

I had a friend who was overweight. He used to fly business, when available, to accommodate his girth. I have another fat friend who buys two seats. So there are presently options, but they can cost them. So yes, they pay more.

 See, and I think buying two seats is a tad excessive cost wise.  There needs to be a compromise solution.  Maybe 1.5 seats and put them in rows with three seats and two larger people share the row of 3? 

 Well that's business class.  Typical I see business setup as 2 and 2 across, coach 3 and 3 across.

 

If a plane has 3 and 3 across with basically an aisle that cannot be made smaller the only option is going back to a 2 and 3 configuration.  That could not be done on an aisle by aisle basis the whole plane would have to be done.  A 20% loss in seats would need to be made up by a 20% increase in prices.



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Lawyerlady wrote:
FNW wrote:

Airlines should design larger seats for the ever expanding (pun intended) average body weight. I cringe when I see large people come down the aisle and pray they aren't sitting next to me.

 Ok- but here's the thing.  If they design larger seats, they cannot fit as many on the plane.  So, should larger people have to pay more for the larger seats?  And should there be two different size seats so that average size people that can fit into standard size seats are not penalized? 

 

Or, hey - how about this.  Do a total weight limit for all people & their luggage.  That way, it works out in excess baggage fees if you go over the weight limit.  Say - each person is limited to 250 pounds or something.  So, a person weighing 200 pounds gets  50 pounds of luggage.  If you take up all your weight in body size, you have to pay for the luggage.

 I do not like that idea my bag tends to be heavy.  Also retail space in the cabin is premium and should cost more then space in cargo.  Have a per pound charge for cabin (including overhead) and a different per pound in cargo.



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cadiver wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
FNW wrote:

I had a friend who was overweight. He used to fly business, when available, to accommodate his girth. I have another fat friend who buys two seats. So there are presently options, but they can cost them. So yes, they pay more.

 See, and I think buying two seats is a tad excessive cost wise.  There needs to be a compromise solution.  Maybe 1.5 seats and put them in rows with three seats and two larger people share the row of 3? 

 Well that's business class.  Typical I see business setup as 2 and 2 across, coach 3 and 3 across.

 

If a plane has 3 and 3 across with basically an aisle that cannot be made smaller the only option is going back to a 2 and 3 configuration.  That could not be done on an aisle by aisle basis the whole plane would have to be done.  A 20% loss in seats would need to be made up by a 20% increase in prices.

 Right, which would be a cost increase to the less weighty.  But, they could require persons over a certain weight to buy the larger seats at a 40% increase.



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Nobody Just Nobody


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I never fly but maybe they could have a certain number of seats designated for big people and you could request a big seat like you do a special meal?

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Southern_Belle


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My mom flew on a really small plane once. They had to weigh all the baggage and ask passengers their weight. Even at 95 pounds she found it mildly offensive.

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Lady Gaga Snerd


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People are fatter. It's just reality. I was watching an episode of air disasters and a plane crashed because they underestimated the weight of the passengers. They were using average weights from like 1960. They need to make the seats bigger across the board or have rows of Fat seats that cost more money. And they will have to come up with some system for that, either actual weight or abdominal girth or something. But, of course everyone would sue, sue , sue for being insulted. So, in reality, they either will have to change all the seats and everyone will pay more or they will do nothing, which is probably the safest course for them, even if it makes you miserable.


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Lady Gaga Snerd


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Why be offended by your weight? You weigh what you weigh. Not sure what there is to be offended about a factual number. But, yeah, you might not like that number but that isn't someone else's fault.

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Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:

People are fatter. It's just reality. I was watching an episode of air disasters and a plane crashed because they underestimated the weight of the passengers. They were using average weights from like 1960. They need to make the seats bigger across the board or have rows of Fat seats that cost more money. And they will have to come up with some system for that, either actual weight or abdominal girth or something. But, of course everyone would sue, sue , sue for being insulted. So, in reality, they either will have to change all the seats and everyone will pay more or they will do nothing, which is probably the safest course for them, even if it makes you miserable.

 I've read that some airlines are considering putting in a couple of rows with the same size seats as first class, to accommodate larger passengers.

They would cost more than coach, but not nearly as much as first class.

It would probably be a good idea.



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Lexxy


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I have flown a fair amount & I have never had this problem. It seems it must be quite common though.

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Lexxy wrote:

I have flown a fair amount & I have never had this problem. It seems it must be quite common though.

It happens, Lexxy.cry

Wayne flies quite a bit for business. He always books an aisle seat, so he can get off the plane as quickly as possible.

One time, as he was coming down the aisle, looking for his seat, he noticed a very large man in a middle seat.

(Think 400 pounds large.) The man had the arm rest up, and was taking up over half of the aisle seat.

You guessed it. That was Wayne's row.

Wayne stopped, and went to the first flight attendant he saw. And whispered to her the problem.

She asked him if he would mind waiting at the front of the plane until everyone had boarded. (The plane was booked solid.)

She was hoping for a no show, so she could put Wayne in that seat.

Thankfully, someone didn't make the flight, and Wayne got a different seat.

He asked her what would have happened if there were no other seats.

She told him, they would have put the big guy off the plane.

Wayne was glad it didn't come to that.

How embarrassing.cry 



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Oh that would have been horrible. I'm glad Wayne got another seat & the guy got space to spread out.

I always get an aisle if I can. It gives more leg room. I met a couple on a flight. He was a retired pilot. They always booked the aisle & the window seat hoping nobody would want the middle seat. They said unless the flight was full, as this one was & I was middle seat, they got the extra space.

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I've never had that problem either. I will have to ask G. He flies at least 20 weekends a year, so he would be a good gauge. he ALWAYS gets an aisle seat though. I think he would re-book if he didn't...

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I always preferred the aisle seat. Easier to get to the bathroom without having someone get out of their seats.

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I've never flown. It just seems way too confining to me.

But if I were going to, I'd want the extra room.

I've seen some of those planes and the seating. It doesn't look comfortable for anyone.

No matter their size.

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Just talked to G. He says this is a HUGE problem (no pun intended). He's had to leave the plane limping because he's had to sit sideways or on the edge of his seat and it pinches his sciatica.

"People that take up both arm rests. I fvcking had to sit sideways many times..."

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NAOW wrote:

I think you should be able to fit in your seat with the arm rest down, if you have to put it up then one seat is obviously too small for you.

 I agree with this.



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I think that any fat tax will have to be decided on a case-by-case basis. I'm fat but I can fit in one seat with the armrest down. I only buy window seats because I like looking out of the window and I like being able to rest my head against the wall of the plane. I can fit in the middle seat but get claustrophobic so I make sure I don't get a middle seat.

The best flight experience I had was with a fat guy. He was in the aisle seat and said if I don't mind sitting next to him, I can have the window seat (Southwest, no assigned seats) because no one was sitting between us. We had such a fun flight. We put the tray table in the middle down and shared it while watching my portable DVD player (with earphones, of course) that was on my tray table. Fun!

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Ohfour wrote:

Just talked to G. He says this is a HUGE problem (no pun intended). He's had to leave the plane limping because he's had to sit sideways or on the edge of his seat and it pinches his sciatica.

"People that take up both arm rests. I fvcking had to sit sideways many times..."

Exactly. 



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I hate to sit next to a person who has to have the arm up to fit and I'm not exactly little myself. SMH

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FNW wrote:

Airlines should design larger seats for the ever expanding (pun intended) average body weight. I cringe when I see large people come down the aisle and pray they aren't sitting next to me.

 And then we all have to pay for it because there will lesser seats to sell.



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What bothers me more is having to take something out of my suitcase and put it in my carry on so the checked luggage will be under the weight limit. It's all going on the plane one way or the other - what difference does it make if it goes underneath or up above?!?!

I have never had an issue with someone next to me who was bigger than the seat. I always get the windo seat because if I can't look out the window, I get air sick.

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