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Passenger forced to stand for seven hours on U.S. Airways

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A passenger had to stand during a seven-hour flight after a morbidly obese man sitting next to him made it impossible to get into his seat. Arthur Berkowitz said his 400lb neighbour on US Airways Flight 901 from Anchorage to Philadelphia spilled over into his personal space. He was not able to sit in his seat, could not move elsewhere in the aircraft because it was full and was therefore forced to stand up. (www.dailymail.co.uk) Más...

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sedagalure
roy rodgers 0
My heart goes out to them that want to fly but the airlines are not meeting their needs. We are so quick to judge others but that is what we are good at me included . I weight 160 and I am 5'10" tall ,the seats are a bit small for me.The comment from someone that is weight challenged idicates it is uncomfortable for them as well in regards to entering into someone's space. Most airlines are in trouble financially. they should have a policy for this occurance.I will google airlines policy in regards to flight instructions and seating requirements ,there must be something in writing. To the travel agent that flies no more ,I am sorry that this is the case .
In conclusion has there been confirmation that this event really occured? If so there was a breach of FAA rules.
dbaker
dbaker 0
Interesting how the story is from July and just in the news now.

Also, it looks like it's just a seasonal route for US Airways: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AWE901
HunterTS4
Toby Sharp 0
how do you even get down the aisle if you are this large?
conmanflyer
conmanflyer 0
you bump alot of elbows :p
scotslass
Annie lewis 0
Obese man should NOT be allowed to fly he is a risk to other people, ie: blocking exit in an emergency, not moving fast enough etc., I make no apologies obese people should NOT be allowed to fly.
scotslass
Annie lewis 0
Obese people should not fly as they are a risk to others ie: block emergency exit, slow moving, and making others uncomfortable because of their own self inflicted size. No apologies. If they must fly, charge them for two seats and accommodate the oversized on their own do not inflict them on anyone else.
The airline must take responsibility for accepting the booking of a grossly obese person in the first place.
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 0
I'm wondering, Annie, how the airline can tell how much a person weighs when they're booking a ticket likely online or by phone. Not a very realistic solution.
robertl30
Robert Larson 0
There's something wrong with the story. The plane couldn't have taken off or landed with a standing passenger.
ExCalbr
Victor Engel 0
Is there some sort of interlock system that prevents it? I didn't think so. You should replace "couldn't" with "shouldn't".
Hollywoode135
Robert Truesdale 0
This will be the cause of the next "weight issuse" crash. Obviously the flight attendants don't communicate that well with the pilots. It is their job to tell us if we need to kick people off. Your average American in over weight. That 195 winter average is not going to cut it anymore. I was once fat up untill I realized that it too 5 people to lift me up out of a mangled car. The problem is the communication and unfortunately in aviation the problem won't get fixed until something bad happens.
faborange
It is also up to the gate agents to monitor who gets on the aircraft...
johnbravo1
Brent Adani 0
Who cares about this specific story. The fact of the matter is the seats are small and there are some people who re too big for the seats. Here is an idea. Make the last 2 rows on the aircraft for larger people. You know on most flights there is going to be 2 or 3 solo travelers who are of the "larger" size. I feel thay have a right to fly but no right to take up a seat and a half. Do like they do at amusment park. Put a seat on display at check-in for them to try out. If they don't fit they pay for the second seat.
ITnav
Dave Purscell 0
If you put all the morbidly obese people in the last two rows would that cause an unstick issue? :)

Sorry... Just couldn't resist.
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 0
Well then Vmu would become V MOO MOOOOOOOOOOO...
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 0
Great idea, but capitalism's at work here. More seats - more revenue.
poccet
poccet 0
Airlines should require such large people to buy two seats. Ask weight when making a reservation.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 0
The two seat option (like southwest does)is the only sensible solution. Large or obese people do not buy Volkswagons, they have to upsize. Same with airplanes.
ExCalbr
Victor Engel 0
My brother once told me of a man who was not just tall but wide. Finding a car that he fit in was a real issue. He solve the problem by going to Walmart and watching people as they got into their cars. His choice: a Volkswagen. It was a new beetle.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 0
May be true, but you get my point (I hope).
MBARRY6
Michael Barry 0
I retired as a Flight Attendant. One of the things I did in cases like this is insist that the arm rest be down, for safety reasons. Don't know if it would hold the big guy in his assigned space but it is a safety hazzard if his total weight affects the passenger next to him.......
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 0
How long ago was that Michael? Nowadays they remove the armrest between the two seats.
ysfsim
Ant Miraa 0
Why are people complaining about how small the seats are? It is very expensive to operate an airliner these days so the more seats that are on the plane, the cheaper the flight is for YOU the customer. If the seat is too small for you, there is first and business class.

I will assume this flight uses a 757 so there should at least be three flight attendants. One of the FA should have given there jumpseat to the guy while the displaced FA shares with the other two.

The obese man should have paid for two seats or buy a first or business class seat. It is not fair to his seat mate to be so uncomfortable/ crowded or intruded upon by his neighbor.
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 0
Or a flight attendant could have used the jump seat on the flight deck. Even though it's illegal for anyone other than an attendant to use their designated seats it wouldn't be any more illegal than standing during take-off and landing, not to mention through turbulent air.
toolguy105
toolguy105 0
I wonder if the flight attendants informed the Captain. Standing, not being seat belted, not being seated for takeoff and landing is a safety of flight issue. If the captain had known O don't think he would have departed ANC. If informed after departing he could have returned to ANC or landed at an alternate to have the issue taken care of. I'm surprised that this issue is now out in the open that the FAA has not weighed in with a fine.

If I was the manger handling this complaint I would not only refund his full ticket price I would see to it that when ever he next flies with U S Air he was up graded to Envoy class where this problem should never happen again.
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 0
One has to wonder if he'd ever fly US Air again. You can bet Doug Parker's gonna have some "splaining to do to the Board.
DavidADuff
David Duff 0
Airlines should leave at least one seat open for contingencies such as this. There are a number of things that could happen were an extra seat is needed such as; a passenger is sick and messes his aeat area, or soaks his seat with a spilled beverage.
toolguy105
toolguy105 0
Good thought David but that will never happen. That seat is worth "x" dollars a mile. If it flies unsold it is lost revenue.
ridemass
Archie Spires 0
Morbidly obese folks should have to purchase two tickets so as not to interfere with other passengers who have to sit close to them.
whherron
William Herron 0
I'm a large person (6'2", 460 lbs.), and I purchase two coach seats when I fly. My seat width is about 25 inches, so even a domestic business or first-class seat is too narrow for me. I have no problems with purchasing an extra seat, and if the airline tried to "force" me into a single seat I'd refuse and ask for a different flight. (Oh, and I walk sideways down the aisle.)

Having said that, there's no way I would have stood for seven hours because an obese person lapped over into my seat. He should have complained loudly before the door was closed, and he should have made use of social networking like Twitter to "enhance" his case against US Airways.

And the obese man? He has a responsibility, too. He should have asked for an empty seat as a "reasonable accommodation", if he couldn't afford it, or he should have paid for the second seat himself. It's rude to assume that you won't infringe on someone else's space during a long flight.
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 0
The problem is that the majority aren't as rational and considerate as you are...
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 0
People don't always get to make the choice about their size. Great that you are a considerate person. Too bad that in the confines of an airliner all people are not considerate in "all ways". Would certainly elevate the airline expierence.
AccessAir
AccessAir 0
I as a "morbidly obese" person refuse to fly anymore. I love to fly, its one of my great test past times. I have many medical problems that have brought me to my current weight and I have tried everything that I can to lose the weight but it simply does not come off.
I have flown and been totally embarrassed by very immature people's attitudes when they see me, to the point that they swear at me, under their breath. I DONT have bad body odor like I have seen with some other obese people... Thats disgusting...
Part of my work (as a travel agent) requires me to travel, but I have to refuse for fear of being harassed at the airport. Airline people have no clue how to handle an over weight person.
So for all the people complaining about fat people flying, Im here to tell you all that you arent the only ones that are aware of this problem...The very last thing I ever want to do is to interfere with someone's personal space. I dont like someone in my personal space either..I am more considerate than that....Thats why I refuse to fly.
Lastly, yes, airline seats are getting smaller, whilst the general population seems to be getting larger....Imagine that....So what can we do????
AccessAir
AccessAir 0
Funny how in this situation it seems as if everyone has reverted back to grade school playground name calling, i.e., FATSO....Come on people. In a lot of the airline seats you have to be almost anorexic to get comfortable....However, some people can control their weight, certainly should control their smell...But sometimes a person's large size does not make them any less of a human being that is probably just as inconvenienced by the 5th grader sized seats they must sit in.
Its all just a shame....
md69
Martin Dennett 0
The guy who stood was on the aircraft first. They should have made the fat guy wait for the next flight. $200 voucher is an insult though. I like flying US Airways, but I'd have at least wanted a free first class ticket on my next journey.
evbutler
Ev Butler 0
Can you read the red against blue in the photo of the seat? Not good photography. Should be white on blue, maybe.
cuthbert31
allan howell 0
Hard to believe that a responsible gate and flight crew would permit this. Some grains of salt missing from the truth here
bwalko
bwalko 0
Planes are crowded enough. If you can't fit into one seat, buy another. Now if they make people bathe before boarding. I'll sure the TSA "Sniffer" can detect BO as well as explosives.
1hotflyer
Mike Hand 0
What if three of those "passengers of size" got assigned right next to each other on the same side and in the same row?

Maybe it is time for a separate "passenger of size" seating section. Put 'em all together, let them enjoy each other's company.
JGBflyer
Jon Braun 0
Why don't they make the fat guy stand?
JGBflyer
Jon Braun 0
"I'm sorry, I'm your worst nightmare" sounds like something a psychopath would say before murdering someone.
dont37
Donald Townsend 0
I am not surprised at this and we should expect more of it, as the airlines constantly cut down on the space available. Remember when bus passengers had to stand until a seat was available?
AaronCannata
Aaron Cannata 0
Ever heard of "The Onion?" Well, the DailyMail is pretty much the same thing.
md69
Martin Dennett 0
Google "passenger forced to stand for 7 hours" - there are plenty of results.
AaronCannata
Aaron Cannata 0
I'm sorry, it doesn't pass the common sense test. US Airways is really going allow takeoff and landings with a passenger unseated and unbelted?
bigjim61
James Ryan 0
Happened to me on American. I waited until the door was closed and Jetway pulled walked to front and said if I could not be reseated I wanted off. They then moved a woman and young daughter to my seat and reseated me and other pass in row in their seats. Open the door works wonders(delay).
eccsandiego
eccsandiego 0
Actually I saw this happen on a BA flight from Munich to London in 2000! As I got in line to check in, I saw that I was right behind 4 American family members (parents, teenage daughter and her aunt) who were all HUGE. I started to panic as I knew that if I got put next to any of them, it was going to squeeze all the air out of my lungs - whereas I had a rehearsal that same evening in London for a voice recital the next day! Lo and behold, as we moved up to the counter, three of them were assigned in a row together. I started to pray that I'd be spared being next to the aunt, only to hear the husband ask the check-in agent to seat ALL of them separately. Whereby I was suddenly drenched in cold sweat. But guess what? The agent replied, I'm sorry but your seats are... pre-assigned and can't be changed!!!!! From there I breezed through check-in and boarding, not looking once to see how that family dealt with the ordeal that they had been intent on imposing on at least four other passengers.
highflyer59
It's not about paying for two seats for the room. That is one side of the coin. The other side of the coin reads, what happens in an emergency with this seat. Considering the new seats are tested to 19G with standard passenger weights, try to do the math for the 400lbs person....
BatWeseman
Erik Weseman 0
I hope US Airways gets hit by a huge fine by the FAA as it was a safety issue making him stand for seven hours because he was wrongly kicked out of the seat he paid for by a 400lb-plus guy from Philadelphia. I also hope Arthur Berkowitz sues US Airways and the Philadelphia Fatso for what happened to him.
gpierse
George Pierse 0
When you buy a ticket for a flight on a commercial airline, you are paying for "a seat". So the big guy gets 2 seats, and the other guy gets none, even though they both paid for one seat. Has law suit written all over it.

Fight attended could have tried to talk the smallest person on the flight to sit next to the biggest one......
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 0
I see nothing wrong with establishing parameters publishing them and charging accordingly. If your ass wont fit in a 16 or 17 inch seat and the arm rests won't come all the way down you might have to pay for the seat next to you. But that should be determined before boarding, unlike the Southwest policy where it's up to the FA.
eccsandiego
eccsandiego 0
By the way, a cellist traveling with his/her cello must buy a separate ticket for the instrument, if it is to remain next to him/her instead of being shipped as checked luggage (where the cold temperatures in cargo will ruin it instantly). Since a cello with a fiberglass case weighs less than 35 kg / 77 lb, I fail to see why an 'overflowing' passenger shouldn't pay for the neighboring seat, too!
tagalong2102
patrick freeman 0
i've flown us air several times...never again! they are never on time and treat there passengers like they pay THEM for flying their planes
tagalong2102
patrick freeman 0
USAIR never cares about the well being of their passengers. I've flown with them several times. had to sit on taarmac in plane for 3 1/2 hours while they worked on the pane. made me miss the conntion in philly then didn't want to comp anything to make up for it except $4.00 meal voucher!....NEVER AGAIN
md69
Martin Dennett 0
We all have good and bad stories about an airline, a fast food restaurant - whatever. My own personal experience of US Airways is nothing short of excellent. Sure, I've had baggage delayed on two flights - but that was because of connections. Can't blame the airline for baggage handlers' inefficiencies. And diverted twice too - both times because of passenger medical conditions, so again, not the airlines' fault. Other than that, the service has been what I'd expect of any airline.
Lindsaybkk
Lindsaybkk 0
I am sorry but I would say "I want out"
I would not put up with that rubbish airline.
A free ticket would have been more reasonable.
vettdvr
James Corkern 0
Protect the rights of people. The overweight person should be able to have a seat, Ah Ha,, but so should the person who was forced to stand. If he/she had to stand it is my understanding that FAA requires seatbelts to be on for all pass. prior to take off. Standing won't do that. Standing for the entire flight is unacceptable. Airlines, movie theaters, sporting events size seats for "small" people to max. profits by getting more backsides into a seat with little reguard for comfort. I hold the airline responsible for buying small sardine "sardine in a can seat". Both people had their human rights violated by the airlines search for profits. IF profits wont' allow a person to fit and their ARE some people who won't fit and the world can't afford special planes, the overweight person should consider rail or other modes of travel. IMO "most but not all " cases a person can control weight within reasonable limits. This is also a case of people "not being responsible for their own size. When buying the ticket THE OVER weight person KNEW this would be a problem and did not notify the airline in advance, therefore the plane should NOT have left the ground and the person creating the problem should have been asked to leave the flight if a seat that is in compliance for take off isn't available. But since this is must my opinion yours may vary and you have the right to disagree.
jasmantle
Jim Mantle 0
What "rights"? The word is heavily over-used.
Leo12656
Leonardo Lage 0
Did US check to see if there were any company employees occupying a seat? If thats the case this man should have been given that seat. Second he should be at minimum refunded for his entire trip. As an industry employee of 30+ years I find these kind of corporate decisions ill advised and very damaging to what is a great industry.
Hire the right people, trained them to prevent these type of issues and if mistakes are made, which there will be, recover in an equitable and satisfying manner.
evercllear
J T 0
Since the overall sentiment here is the reality that people are getting larger and airline seats are getting smaller all U.S. airlines should be required to create wider seats in the last one or two rows of a plane for passengers that cannot fit in a standard seat as occurred on this flight.

Secondly, the airline should be fined for allowing takeoff and landing with a passenger not in a seatbelt. The plane should have NEVER took off and the oversized gentleman should have been removed from the flight and given a voucher for the next flight. This would have been the proper way to handle this situation but now I am confident a lawsuit is being considered over this $200 token voucher that was given to forgive US Air for this incident.
jasmantle
Jim Mantle 0
I disagree on the first point. There are no "rights" here, this is a simple commercial transaction. The fat dude bought a product - a seat of a certain capacity. If he cannot use what he bought then shame on him. It's no different than a 200 pound guy buying a children's size t-shirt because it is cheaper, and then complaining that it doesn't fit.

If an airline wants to gain a competitive advantage by offering larger seats - good on them. If an airline wants to offer a certain number of larger seats on a flight perhaps at a higher price - go ahead.
sbartelski
Stefan Bartelski 0
On one occasion I had a moderately heavy person next to me ask to have the armrest up, and I said no "due to FAA regulation for safety requirements". That worked and while I was limited to the width of my seat minus armrest (overhang) I did not need to stand. I think that armrest down should be an FAA regulation, if the pax cannot fit into the seat with the armrest down, then buy two seats.
hsorkin
Howard Sorkin 0
I can definitely empathize. I sat in a widow seat on a nonstop from Portland OR to Newark. Next to me were not only one but TWO humongous people. Their stomachs reached to the back of the seat in from of them. It took them more than five minutes to finally squeeze into their seats at the beginning of the flight. They could not get out to let me go to the restroom and finally had to relieve myself in my seat. It was a nightmare. The airline should have let me know about this situation but told me there was nothing they could to about it.
AccessAir
AccessAir 0
You had to relieve yourself in your seat??? Thats disgusting!!!! That my friend was YOUR choice....
wedgeclose
steve jenney 0
El Fatso should have been the one standing.....he couldn't move so it wouldn't have mattered take off or landing...maybe he should have flown on a cargo plane..there's lots of them i alaska to washington. Somebody please tell me that the standee sued...if he didn't he's mistaken.....
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 0
Well, looks like most agree the simple solution is for large people to buy 2seats. But we sure have run the gambit including " violation of human rights" and requiring airlines to make larger seats. Lol.
jbrand224
James Brand 0
I agree with the majority...USAir should have found him a seat on another airline.
Kwesi1
Kwesi Ndanbichei 0
The gate agent should have done something about it before boarding. The gate agent knows the size of the seats and saw the obese passenger boarding and should have acted professionally.
Starman535
Robert Black 0
I'd thought that obese passengers (> 300lbs) were required to buy 2 adjacent seats just to prevent this kind of thing. I also find that coach seating isn't what it used to be - I'm 5'9" and 220 Lbs (a little overweight for sure, but not too fat to fit in a normal seat, but the seats are so close together that if the one ahead reclines, the one in back is trapped. Side-by-side, its a tight fit for someone my size.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 0
The public asked for smaller seats. How did they ask? By purchasing tickets from discount airlines which had smaller seats and all coach fares. The airlines that had larger seats were forced to put in smaller seats in order to sell cheaper tickets so the public would use their services. I supported it by using SWA for most of my air travels. When the public stops buying the cheap seats and springs for first class the seats will grow.
jasmantle
Jim Mantle 0
Thought #1: Should have made the fat guy stand for the duration of the flight.

Thought #2: If you cannot fit in the set with BOTH armrests down, you have to buy two seats unless, by chance, there is an unused seat on the flight.

Thought #3: If I have paid for a seat, then I expect to sit in my seat. All of my seat, not just the half that is leftover from the big guy.

Thought #4: This flight should be reported to the FAA. A hefty fine for USAir for performing the takeoff/landing with a passenger not wearing a seatbelt is likely the only method which will accelerate creation of a policy to handle this.Despite the advertising about how special we all are, in a cash-strapped business like an airline, money gets attention.
sendtot
Tim oberemok 0
viskarhult
Burger Kings are allowed to occupy 2 seats!
mhughesconst
Mich Hughes 0
Same thing happened to a friend of mine from ORD to DEN. United gave him a voucher for travel and first class seat on future flight.
Pkuederli
Peter Kuederli 0
Why should pregnancy be excludet ???
sendtot
Tim oberemok 0
All airliners should make these fat obese freaks pay double price and make a rule like if you are over 300lbs you pay double price. And you get in the airplane last and you still cant fit SORRY next flight and more like triple price. Just think about all that weight we pay for at $25,$35 per 55 pound bag and we have no choice and this guy ???

There is no reason normal people should suffer from somebody's unhealthy lifestyle.
Imagine how many unnecessary casualty's such person would cause in case of emergency like being stuck in the isle and not being able to crawl on his own or sink a life raft due to uneven weight distribution or even worse completely blocking an emergency exit.
chris13
Chris Bryant 0
Have to agree with one of the comments on the website. How did the guy get into the seat in the first place? And why did US Airways allow the guy to stand at all? Was he seated for takeoff? That's a violation of the FARs if he was standing during takeoff or landing. I'm thinking the FAA needs to take a hard look at this. Someone from the local FSDO needs to have a few conversations.
conmanflyer
conmanflyer 0
it says he was seated at those times... i personally think the guy should have made a bigger fuss..
ExCalbr
Victor Engel 0
Where does it say that? What I read is: "Mr Berkowitz added that his ordeal in July presented a safety risk because he could not use his seatbelt for take-off and landing."
N0AAA
Jan Clute 0
I was pressed against a bulkhead by a huge guy who was in the center seat and could not get either armrest down (I forget who was on the other side). It was a long flight from Chicago to Boston. I won't do that again. It was horrible.
pilot62
Scott Campbell 0
200 HUNDRED DOLLARS, ATE YOU FRICKING KIDDING ME!
Come on, how about a complete credit and a free round trip.

I weigh a 150 pounds should I get a discount when I fly, packages pay by the pound, every pound extra over the average height to weight ratio should be charged extra with one exception pregnancy ONLY ! Never should have been allowed to board...PERIOD!
TTail
TTail 0
NARROW MINDED BASTARD.
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 0
How is he narrow-minded???
tongo
Dan Grelinger 0
No, narrow minded = Made a large investment in time and money to get fat, and won't accept the natural consequences, it's very one else's fault.
btweston
btweston 0
Are you, by chance, fat?
JGBflyer
Jon Braun 0
You must be larger
martinhughharvey
Martin Harvey 0
Narrow something else - not minded!
airclaxon1
Paul Claxon 0
Gotta watch that Weight & Balance !
FrenchDriver
J.J. Lasne 0
You are right. Passengers should be weighted and pay by the kilogram. Just like packages. Which they are anyway. And seats should be adjustable by weight and size. That would make sense. There should be no seat fits all. Since most "all" don' t fit in average seats anyhow.
JGBflyer
Jon Braun 0
"I'm sorry, I'm your worst nightmare" sounds like something a psychopath would say before murdering someone.
robertl30
Robert Larson 0
Height-to-weight ratio? Nuh uh. Don't think so. It should be strictly by the pound if we're going to do this. I've had to sit next to some gianta and that's no fun either.
tjtilcox
TJ Tilcox 0
Yes Sir!!! Wow unreal, HAHAHA.
pilot62
Scott Campbell 0
Must be a fatty t-tail
n8764e
jacob bush 0
And people bitch at Southwest for kicking people off or forcing them to buy the seat next to them...
rwf1001
Robert Fleming 0
What the HELL? Making one passenger stand for an entire flight because an overweight person takes up both seats? That's not right! There should have been a different way for the US Airways crew could have handled that situation! I swear...US Air has had a lot of bad press lately....I bet SULLY would make both passengers more comfortable, if he was still Captain for the airline! What a shame!
alistairm
alistairm 0
yes, i guess Sully in all his grandness and with all his God-like powers, would have magically made another seat appear! Or, he would have let the passenger sit on his lap while flying the plane and would have used the passengers eyes to see! <<insert sarcasm where you like >> Give me strength!!!
airclaxon1
Paul Claxon 0
Couldn't the flight attendents share there seat for a while each ?
faborange
You're kidding, right??
dmanuel
dmanuel 0
Would he be able to get though the emergency exit or would he block egress and trap passengers?
JGBflyer
Jon Braun 0
well... he got through the door to get in.
sheka
mark tufts 0
if i was us airways i would give the guy free flights for the rest of his life in first class and with the ticket agent i would have made the morbidly obese guy wait until a flight that was half full
euronorb
euronorb 0
Tubby should have been with the cargo, not with the passengers.
genethemarine
Gene spanos 0
Drop that turkey leg and run to get your refund sir!
aircmdr
he could have sat on the other guy's lap
grinch59
Gene Nowak 0
Then again the airlines are mainly to blame since they have squeezed every last millimeter out of the seat width and pitch. This has been done even though statistics show the population is getting bigger.

I'm 6'2" and had to contend with an ignorant and arrogant passenger in front of me who had to recline his seat all the way down, even before takeoff. That caused me to spread eagle my legs and have is head less than 18" away from my face. The stewardess could not even get him to place the seat in an upright position for takeoff. Finally, I had no alternative but to leave my family who occupied the balance of the row and take another seat further back in the aircraft. Give us back the seat spacing we had in the 60's and 70's, then occurrences like this will not happen, even with overweight people.
bravo3isme
Bruce Bloomquist 0
That SOB would have gotten to enjoy me doing a Riverdance on his headrest the whole flight. Feel free to move about my foot, basswhole!
howard01
Howard Lem 0
Not nice experience for you. Airlines have shrunk the seats and space to maximize the return. If this happened to me, "my bad side" would be thinking... I would have liked to have garlic breath from the meal I consumed just before I boarded. "My good side" probably would have done what you did. (in the end, my good side probably would have prevailed.)
aircmdr
Have to agree, Gene. Money is the bottom line ... I thiknk the ideas of selling another seat to an obese passenger would be good, but not politically correct. I thknk thats the reason I chose to ride in the front
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 0
It doesn't seem to me to be an issue of PC. The passenger clearly took two seats - he should have to buy both seats. I can't figure out how he got away without.
jjsifo
J JAIME SIFONTES 0
What were they thinking of ?, this is a first class violation of FAR's, letting a passenger stand during the duration of the flight, unbelievable..
danishnelson
Danish Nelson 0
If I had to stand for an entire 7 (or more) hours on a flight JUST because of anther person, I would have just have waited for the next flight. I mean, you have to be the nicest person in the world to let this problem slip past you.

There are so many things wrong with this picture.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 0
I know my day is coming when someone extra large or foul sits next to me. I promise I will get up and deplane before takeoff.
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 0
he he he - better before takeoff, for sure.
macyjacobnathan
martha skinner 0
me too !
alistairm
alistairm 0
This has been posted already, with 27 comments and counting;)
tilley615
brian harris 0
The fat guy obviously lifted the arm rest between the two seats and sat in both.
The fat guy should have stood.
macyjacobnathan
martha skinner 0
Don't understand why he wasn't offered one of the attendant's seats while the flight was in the air. This is ridiculous. The heavy person should have been made to pay for two seats.
faborange
You might have noticed that above our jumpseats it says: "Reserved for flight attendabnts ONLY". End of story...
cpezey
CHRISTIAN PEZEY 0
Nice story for the media....But did not happen, the pax was seated for take off and complained for the situation during the flight and refused to seat during the flight next to that passenger. The 400lbs was also an exageration...But sounds good. How nice it would be if the media could report all the nice stories happening everyday and stop the bickering...
macyjacobnathan
martha skinner 0
curious Christian as to where you got the info re exageration etc. doesn't surprise me with so many stories floating around - just curious.
billhuestis
Bill Huestis 0
I had a similar experience on British Air. I walked 3500 miles that day from Heathrow to Dulles. Couldn't sit anywhere except in the labs so I wondered around the cabin for 8 hours.
As far as I'm concerned, there should be a scale next to every airline check-in position.
These people know exactly what they are doing-saving a fare.

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