I am plus sized. This would not offend me. Hey folks who are offended - no one can change the laws of physics.

Airplane seats should not have armrests. They should have partitions that you can pull out that go from knees to shoulder so you have your own space, once everyone is sitting down.

I was in the middle seat between a large couple who were mad my seat was booked. Full flight, cross country, Friday evening, and I'm going home from a work trip finally. I was forgiving when they took both arm rests. Then they lifted the arm rests a few minutes from each other once we were airborne. I was thin then. Y'all, once each arm rest went up their bellies were touching mine. I couldn't take it. I said loudly to each REALLY!?!? Ignored. Ringed the flight attendant and asked if I was allowed to require the arm rests down. She looked at them and said absolutely. Then brought me snacks and a cocktail. 9 hrs. I'm fat now, and I still consider that a violation of human decency.

I am neurodivergent and I have sensory issues. Touching, let alone being pressed against a stranger's body the way OP was is distressing to me. I can handle it for 20 minutes on a public transport, even on a shorter flight, but Vegas to NY is by no means a short flight.

I would have been happy to not be pressed against a stranger and have a free seat next to me. That woman just wanted to be offended. Being fat is no shame on itself. Often people can't help themselves. But still it's an inconvenience and presents real life problems and no one has to endure them and be uncomfortable just to pretend those problems don't exist.

It was only a public demonstration in the mind of the plus sized woman. Hell, the only people who could actually see what was going on where the three of them and possibly the person in the isle seat directly across. Besides that, the vast majority of people on a plane aren't actively watching what anyone else is doing.

NTA. I don't like how everything is being spun towards body shaming. If there are other seats available, I would ask for 1 too, for everyone's comfort. They have more room, and I don't have someone constantly touching/coming into contact with me, which I have an issue with. I have ptsd and social anxiety due to it; being trapped in the middle, with constant contact by strangers, would be an issue for me! You did this is a very polite way, and ultimatelygave everyone more comfort in those tiny seats. I feel like it was a win for everyone with you moving, but dialogue is important. I would just explain that "I have issues due to anxiety, and had everyone's comfort in mind!" Sometimes people will realize that they are capable of empathy, and that others have needs as well, rather than feel victimized without merit.

Tell the one who got nasty "The problem was your breath, not your breadth."

I've been all sorts of shapes and sizes over the last 20 years ranging from 275 to 150, and ANY TIME somebody moves out of the middle seat and gives me more room, I'm happy. NTA by a country mile.

I used to be the fat person who needed the extension belt, but embarrassing situations and being asked to move by the flight attendant I did something about it and lost 140lbs. If you want to be large and make others around you uncomfortable, you need to have a long hard look in the mirror. I'm not fat shaming but your health is more important than your feelings.

I must admit, going into this article I was thinking you were the AH, a little bit, but after reading it, you're definitely not! I would do the exact same thing as you did! And I am also fat, I'm about a UK size 20, I don't know if that's considered obese or what! But I'm comfortable, most of the time, with my size. I feel very uncomfortable if I am on a bus with those slightly moulded seats because I can definitely feel it pressing into my thigh so I know at least some of my fat is hanging over into the other seat a bit and that makes me feel self-conscious, more so than normal! And I do dread the bus being busy and having someone sit beside me! So I just KNOW I'd feel a lot worse if I was on a plane, and I would be so embarrassed if my fat a**e and thighs were resting on someone else's body parts and invading their space! I definitely think that she was projecting her own body issues onto you though! So NTA in my opinion!

chubby man here: if you for any reason think that any normal behavior from someone else, just to preserve their comfort, is phat shaming, go on a diet and loose weight. being fat is not irreversible as being tall, and them too are an inconvenience in flights. this stupid behavior of blaming the wrong person is as idiotic as taking it with the person your partner cheats you on.

I'm a fat person. I understand the move. I would. Be uncomfortable too and if you moved away from the seat next to me it would give me room to stretch out. The lady that confronted you has more of a problem with weight then you do. She was rude, if she feels do much shame weight watchers can help her.

This is just stupid. I'm fat - 4'11" and around 113kilo so about 250 pounds. I'm in Europe but I fly quite a bit, and the middle seat absolutely sucks no matter what you weigh. I'm always super self conscious of my excess girth touching people. The lady that scolded her was being way too melodramatic. it's not fatphobia to discreetly ask for a different seat. It's not as if she was calling the heavy people gross or anything. I'd have offered to switch seats with her since there's a negligible amount of extra room at the window seat and a decent amount on the aisle side, but if she could move entirely, good for her! Sounds like everyone was more comfortable.

This is bloody ridiculous. Unless you have one of the very few medical conditions that cause actual obesity (instead of merely mild weight gain), your own choices are what shamed you. I paid for my seat and you're taking up half of it, ffs. If I were still a smoker and blew smoke into your face, you'd shame the fück out of me. Rightfully so. You are NOT entitled to force others to suffer for your poor choices. (Hell, I'm disabled and I don't even use handicap parking because I can still walk and someone else might actually need that spot.)

And I always say that the things other people accuse others of doing, saying, etc is because that's the kind of things that they themselves are capable, or guilty, of doing, saying, etc.

NTA, I say this as someone who has been plus sized before. If they're that bothered by things like this, the answer to their issues is blaringly obvious. Lose some weight, book the extra seat of space you require in advance, and realise that maybe, just maybe, that the person between you would like some space to stretch out on a 5+ hour flight and not be squashed between two people with no breathing room.

What people should be doing is complaining how airlines and aircraft designers are cramming more and more people in to aircraft, making seats smaller all in the name of chasing money.

"You, a teenager, were being cruel to us two grown a*s adults because you wouldn't allow us to physically smother you for eight hours!" The most motivating factor in my weight loss journey has been to never want to suffer the humiliation of squishing someone ever again. I think that woman was covering up her embarrassment by lashing out at the OP (teenagers are easy targets for nasty adults) because it's easier to make yourself into a victim than acknowledge that you were the problem.

I agree, NTA. I am fat and always try to make myself as small as possible so I don't encroach on other people's space. I get a window seat and lean towards the wall. I don't use the arm rest, instead I cross my arms. I've started upgrading to "comfort class" roomier seats to help with this. I always hope the person next to me isn't annoyed or uncomfortable. Though I have sat next to many manspreaders and elbowers who don't seem to care about my space.

The reason they are plus size is because they eat too much. I lost 70kgs due to being embarrassed by a flight attendant, best wake up call I ever had.

I am a normal sized person but have really broad shoulders. I have dealt with this when traveling my whole life. I always ask for an aisle seat , but they're not always available. So I sit there scrunched... As far as the fat lady... I would have just said, "I moved because you have bad breath.... 😂

I sat next to a hugely fat woman on a flight a few years back. She was a lovely person & kept trying to lean as far to her left as she could so she wasn't crowding me. Not wanting to be uncomfortably squished between two strangers is NOT fat shaming. If you're fat, I'm sure you're aware of it and you need to just own it.

She did not fat shame that lady. That lady better be lucky my fat self wasn't sitting next to her. I would have fallen asleep one her. NP. Then when she complained I would say we are all fat and comfortable here. Lol. I would have been making jokes. Then I would just tell her to love herself. Who the F***k cares about anybody else's opinion!!!!

They're fat, not plus sized. If they don't want to be embarrassed they can act like adults and learn how to manage calories intake, period.

Fat too here. Last time I was in a long flight, the woman who was to sit next to me stopped in the aisle, said "No way!" & went to get a stewardess. I expect she got to switch (the flight was full) because someone else ended up taking that seat. We had a great time & neither was uncomfortable beyond the usual. I found her outburst funny rather than offensive. I avoid flying though. Even when people are polite, it's an uncomforable hassle to spend so long squeezed in against the window (the seat I always pay for).

I don't think she did anything wrong. There is no reason why someone else should be spilling in to your space on a plane. I once had to sit next to a lady whose stomach was hanging over on the seat divider, her thugs went into my space. I literally was pressed against the window. People like that should have to pay for two seats!

LOL as if people are BORN plus sized and have no influence whatsoever on what they inflict on their surroundings. Unbelievable.

"Fatphobia"? Dear lawd... 2023 when we make up words to cover for someone else's issue being your problem...

Based on the numerous buxom statuettes that have been discovered all over the world over the last few decades, I call curvy women Goddess-shaped.

Lol @ presenting a non-controversial incident and then asking AITA. "My neighbor slapped me and then took away my four-year-old's toys and then pooped in my driveway, I politely asked him not to do that again, and he got mad. AITA???"

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Before I read this, I'm going off by just the post title, but the quicker answer is Yes! You shouldn't make fun of strangers no matter it is. Especially when it comes to someone's figure, disability etc