Customers of Size

An interesting article from the Chicago Tribune relating to customers of size*

* you can substitute your own non-PC wording

What is VS policy on this?

Wasn't there a court case involving VS and a lady who was injured (? DVT) relating to sitting next to a 'customer of size'

"But I think we'd all settle for a rule that says passengers are entitled to a minimum amount of legroom and personal space, whether they're on American Airlines or any other airline. The Transportation Department already has those requirements in place for animals that fly, but curiously, not for humans seated in economy class."

An interesting article, I especially like the quote above, there are rules for how much room an animal has to have but not a human passenger. Now I'm not thin, but I do fit into a seat comfortably (even on RyanAir) and do feel we all deserve the right to the space we paid for in our seat.

I agree with Floridaflygirl, we should absolutely be entitled to a minimum amount of space.

If I were too large to fit into a normal economy seat without encroaching the space of others, i'd purchase a larger seat. I'd be embarressed to put another passenger through the discomfort.

Perhaps airlines need to take this approach:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USYaPFih7VI

(sorry about the quality!!)

I would prefer that they just made the economy seat just a bit bigger than discriminate against someone because of their size.

It just feels like space in economy is getting less and less.

If I were too large to fit into a normal economy seat without encroaching the space of others, i'd purchase a larger seat. I'd be embarressed to put another passenger through the discomfort.

And this is precisely the issue some raise, i.e. what if you did purchase the space available to you, and another person 'spilled' into it? What then, are you entitled to a rebate, or does that person pay extra.

Difficult one ...

discriminate against someone because of their size.

I'm going to be quite firm but hopefully fair in my views on this.

Many/most people who are overweight or obese are that way because they either choose to be or choose to do nothing about it. (I fully accept that a minority have health issues which cause them to be the size they are.)

It isn't for those of us who choose to live our lives at a healthy weight and keep ourselves at the size that a human being was designed to be, to have to make exceptions for those who do not.

I can't accept that there is any form of discrimination involved in someone being too large for an airline seat which i believe hasn't decreased in size for the best part of 25 years.

There is also a safety issue at play here. If I was in a window seat with a 'spilling over the armrest' size person on the aisle, I would immediately ask to be re-seated on the grounds of being unable to make a prompt and safe exit in the event of emergency. If no other seats were available, I would expect to be treated as involuntary denied boarding.

I can't accept that there is any form of discrimination involved in someone being too large for an airline seat which i believe hasn't decreased in size for the best part of 25 years.

I recently travelled on a Thomas Cook plane that definitely had less space than other economy seats I have been in. I am by no means what you would call obese. In fact I would say I'm normal, or whatever that means these days. The person next to me was also normal and yet spilled into my seat. Now, that to me is not people being too fat to fly, but rather the seats too small.

During last year's flight on VS to MCO, I sat next to a svelte woman in economy. Her neck pillow dug into my shoulder all the way, and I felt her elbow all the way. Neither of us were fat, the seat and seating area just wasn't adequate.

I really don't want to get into an argument about the benefits of being slim over being fat with anyone. I just wanted to clarify my initial comment.

[honey lamb]

I still dine out on the story that happened many years in Cork. Wales had been playing Ireland over here in what was then the Five Nations and one of the "customers of size" had booked himself two seats on the Aer Lingus flight to LHR. This was in the days before OLCI and on-line seat selection - in fact the days before anything was on-line. At check-in he was allocated his two seats........

.......in different rows!! :0

That of course, would not happen nowadays since Aer Lingus started employing a much higher calibre of staff ) ):

During last year's flight on VS to MCO, I sat next to a svelte woman in economy. Her neck pillow dug into my shoulder all the way, and I felt her elbow all the way. Neither of us were fat, the seat and seating area just wasn't adequate.

But isn't this also due to some people's inability / unwillingness to constrain their use of space (present company excepted of course )? Commuting on the same type of train train every day (and for a number of years every week on exactly the same type of aircraft) whether I feel cramped or not isn't down to the size of the person but rather their attitude and behaviour. The thinnest wraith in the world is still going to be bl**dy irritating if they stick their elbows out at right angles when using their computer and stick their coffee and foul McDonalds on the table in front of me.

It's not just the obvious thing is it - someone 6,4 is going to need more "space" that someone who is 5,1...

A weight-lifter may need more space than a slightly built wafe...

I'm not fat, but am pretty well built as I used to swim and row competititively - my shoulders always overhang the seat space in Y no matter what the airline...

I once had a journey with UA, MIA-LAX I think it was. I was in Y an a very large mexican lady was sat next to me. She didn't have large shoulders, she was in fact about 5,1, but she simply oozed all over the place.....it was one of the most uncomfortable flights ever!

The airlines will make the Y seats and seat area the minimum they can to suit, say, 80% of the puplation - there will always be exceptions.

The question is, have they got that minimum size/space right?

I once sat next to a former Mr universe whose triangular body took up most of my upper body space and his leg muscles bulged so much he couldnt put the tray table down :0 :w

We had both been downgraded on a BA flight and it was an embarrassing journey for both of us due to lack of personal space v(

The only upside was that he carried my bags off the plane and retrieved my suitcases and made quite a sight for Mr Sunshine who had come to collect me from the airport as i arrived out of customs with a new bodyguard

Sunshine 8D