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“Not The Airline’s Responsibility”: Plus-Size Traveler’s Struggle With Seat Sparks Online Debate
Interview
A plus-size male passenger taking his seat on a plane caused quite a stir on social media. Christopher Elliott took to his Elliott Advocacy Facebook page, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, on Tuesday (September 3) to expose an awkward moment while onboarding his flight.
“This guy sat behind me on my flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen yesterday,” Christopher wrote in the caption of the image, which showed the interior of an airplane with passengers seated in economy class.
Highlights
- Christopher Elliott's post about a plus-size passenger on a plane sparked a viral social media debate.
- Opinions on the issue were divided, with some suggesting larger passengers should pay for extra seats.
- Norwegian Airlines responded, encouraging passengers who need extra space to book additional seats.
The photograph further showcased a large man seated in the foreground, occupying much of his seat, while other passengers were seated or standing in the aisle.
Christopher wrote: “I felt sorry for him and the guy next to him in the middle seat, both of whom must have felt very uncomfortable for the short flight.
“Maybe it’s time for airlines to address situations like this in a thoughtful and sensitive way.”
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A plus-size male passenger taking his seat on a plane caused quite a stir on social media
Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)
Hundreds of people flocked to share their divided opinions, as a Facebook user commented: “The big guy should have to pay for more room. Same as I’d have to pay for extra luggage allowance.”
A person wrote: “2 places = double price. End of story.”
A netizen recalled: “Some thirty years ago a portly travel manager of mine always booked two seats due to his frame.
“He was a kind and thoughtful man and in his words not mine: ‘I could do something about my weight but I like my food too much therefore why would I make others suffer discomfort for that choice?’
“I repeat, he was a kind and thoughtful man.”
Image credits: Eran Menashri (not the actual photo)
Someone else penned: “If I had someone that size ooze into my space I’d ask the airline to move me.”
“I’m 6ft 2in and 200lbs [188 cm tall and weigh 91 kg],” a commenter shared. “I feel I’m pretty average and I feel cramped.”
They added: “They definitely could make seats larger. That nice gentleman might need to pay for a larger seat though in [the] future.
“Sadly airlines are a business. They will maximize profits as much as possible. Some enlarging of [seats] might be tolerated by corporate but they aren’t likely going to make seats to fit this guy comfortably.
“I do feel sorry for him though. Not everyone can help weight gain. It sometimes can be caused by hormonal diseases and genetics can also play a role.
“Losing weight is possible, but we all have our battles and weaknesses.”
Christopher Elliott took to his Elliott Advocacy Facebook page on Tuesday (September 3)
Image credits: Elliott Advocacy
A separate individual chimed in: “I had a woman like this next to me last year. I had to sit kind of sideways as to not be touching her.
“My legs and hips were sore for days because I sat like that for 4 hours,” one man commented.
Christopher clarified that he was seated in front of the passenger with his son and that they flew with the low-cost airline Norwegian.
The columnist said he was surprised by the attention his post gained, telling Bored Panda in an email on Friday: “I was just sharing an image from my flight, which I do from time to time on Facebook.
“Most of the comments were thoughtful and compassionate. Some of them were negative, but I guess that’s what happens when a post is popular.”
Image credits: Gerrie van der Walt (not the actual photo)
The Elliott Advocacy founder further revealed: “I posted the picture because I think it’s time for an honest conversation about the size of airline seats.
“They’re simply too small for most passengers, and at some point, the lack of space is going to be a safety problem.”
When asked about his experience of the flight, altogether, Christopher replied: “It was fine. People had to squeeze to get around the larger passenger, but other than that, it was a routine flight.”
Norwegian has since responded to the concern. They told Bored Panda in an email on Friday: “In general, we encourage passengers who desire or need extra space to book an additional seat.
“This applies especially in cases where the passenger needs a seatbelt extender or cannot fit between the armrests.”
Christopher exposed an awkward moment while boarding his flight
Image credits: Aayush Shah (not the actual photo)
The Scandinavian airline continued: “Our crew is trained to handle situations where passengers who need extra space have not booked an additional seat, but it’s not an issue we encounter very often.
“It’s important for us to handle such cases in a considerate and respectful manner.
“Although we, in cases like this, don’t have a firm requirement to purchase extra seats, we will always ensure the safety of our passengers.
“This means, for instance, that passengers with mobility impairments cannot sit by the emergency exits.”
Norwegian emphasized the importance of handling these types of situations
View this post on Instagram
Plus-size travel influencer Jae’lynn Chaney addressed this issue in May when she slammed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for discrimination in a viral TikTok video.
Jae’lynn posted footage of herself boarding an airplane in Seattle, Washington, USA, and she explained that she had requested wheelchair assistance, an initiative she claimed to always do as a result of her physical condition as a “plus-size wheelchair user.”
When the time came for Jae’lynn to board her plane, she claimed the employee meant to assist her with her wheelchair walked away from her after noticing she wouldn’t be assisting “smaller passengers.”
View this post on Instagram
The 27-year-old recalled at the time: “She started to walk away with the wheelchair while making comments about my size.
“Even when I told her I really needed the chair and needed her to let me sit down in it, she blatantly ignored me and kept walking.”
Jae’lynn said in her viral TikTok video that she was subsequently forced to “walk up one of the longest jet bridges [she’s] encountered” and that by the time she had been allowed to reach her wheelchair and sit down, her lips had turned white as her “oxygen levels had dropped.”
She added: “I almost fainted, this was my first time flying without oxygen. This woman just assumed I could walk and would rather me do that instead of her having to push someone my size up the jet bridge.
“All the other attendants wheeled their passengers up the jet bridge, but my needs were disregarded. This is discrimination, nobody should be treated this way.”
Plus-size travel influencer Jae’lynn Chaney addressed this issue in May
Image credits: jaebaeofficial
Jae’lynn said these types of incidents were examples of why airports needed “employee sensitivity training,” which was a demand that had been outlined in a plus-size travel petition the influencer started last year.
The petition, which has amassed 39,324 signatures of its 50,000 target as of Friday (September 6), recounted Jae’lynn’s experience traveling with her fiancé, Ard, who is also plus-sized, and the discrimination they have been subjected to.
During a flight from Pasco, Washington, to Denver, Colorado, Ard was subjected to hateful comments, disapproving looks, and refusals to sit next to him, the petition stated.
“Similarly, on another flight, I was forced to occupy only one seat with immovable armrests that caused me pain and bruises,” Jae’lynn wrote.
Lol and the First Class cabin has much more space than economy pic.twitter.com/YCAh501hF3
— Ben Kew (@ben_kew) May 18, 2023
The influencer’s petition demands that The Federal Aviation Administration require all airlines to have a comprehensive policy for accommodating customers of size.
This includes providing additional seats, offering refunds for extra seats purchased, clear communication of policies, airport assistance, priority boarding, larger lavatories, seat belt extenders, and specific sections for larger seats on new aircraft.
It also calls for mandatory employee training on respectful treatment and the inclusion of wheelchair-accessible lavatories on new planes.
Additionally, the petition demands that the Transportation Security Administration should implement guidelines and training for respectful screenings of customers of size.
Christopher’s post continued to ignite different reactions
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What do you think ?
George Costanza 3 months ago
"Plus-sized"? That man is morbidly obese. Like going-to-die-before-50 obese. He absolutely should have to pay for more than one seat, he's oozing over into the aisle which is a safety hazard for everyone else.
George Costanza 3 months ago
Jesus now the headline says "large framed". There is no such thing. People don't have frames. He's morbidly obese, plain and simple.
Load More Replies...
G A 3 months ago
Put less seats in, charge more for flights. Excessively overweight? Buy 2 seats. That Jaelyn woman? Ban her, she's a s**t stirrer. Jobs a good 'un.
Denise Melek 3 months ago
The only flight this Jaelyn should be taking would be to rehab.
Load More Replies...
pep Ito 3 months ago
LowCost airlines' low fares are achieved by putting more passengers on the plane and this is achieved by maximizing space. This means that they are not going to increase the size of the seats for a small percentage of potential users. I'm going to be harsh, but if a person of that size wants to fly, they should go on a normal airline and occupy/reserve at least two seats.
May 3 months ago
Was about to say the same....Even 'regular sized' travelers know the difference between low cost and regular airlines in terms of seats width.
Load More Replies...
George Costanza 3 months ago
"Plus-sized"? That man is morbidly obese. Like going-to-die-before-50 obese. He absolutely should have to pay for more than one seat, he's oozing over into the aisle which is a safety hazard for everyone else.
George Costanza 3 months ago
Jesus now the headline says "large framed". There is no such thing. People don't have frames. He's morbidly obese, plain and simple.
Load More Replies... G A 3 months ago
Put less seats in, charge more for flights. Excessively overweight? Buy 2 seats. That Jaelyn woman? Ban her, she's a s**t stirrer. Jobs a good 'un.
Denise Melek 3 months ago
The only flight this Jaelyn should be taking would be to rehab.
Load More Replies... pep Ito 3 months ago
LowCost airlines' low fares are achieved by putting more passengers on the plane and this is achieved by maximizing space. This means that they are not going to increase the size of the seats for a small percentage of potential users. I'm going to be harsh, but if a person of that size wants to fly, they should go on a normal airline and occupy/reserve at least two seats.
May 3 months ago
Was about to say the same....Even 'regular sized' travelers know the difference between low cost and regular airlines in terms of seats width.
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