Man forced to stand on 7 hour flight

[yo yo ma]

A man was forced to stand on a 7 hour flight when seated next to a 200kg man. The airline has a policy that obese people can buy two seats... if the flight is not oversold, they can get a refund for the unused seat.

US Airways passenger forced to stand for 7 hour flight because of 400lb man | Mail Online

 

[missafternoondelight]

ugh! what a nightmare!

 

[straitman]

Ultimately the flight should not have taken off with the passenger standing. Fail for the cabin crew and flight crew.

 

[richie9x]

I have a lot of sympathy for the guy. Surely he must have been seated for takeoff and landing.

I had a similar experience a few weeks back although no way as bad as that incident.

I was seated in 4F on a Qantas flight from MEL-BNE. The woman next me was obese. Her seat belt was at the maximum length setting. I have quite broad shoulders so I take up the full width of the seat at shoulder level, my right shoulder was right up against the window/wall and my left shoulder was at the edge of my seat. She was pressing up against me the entire flight. I discretely asked the CSM if I could move, but the flight was full. It was the most uncomfortable flight I have ever had, I got cramps in my shoulders. Row 4 has the trays in the arm rests, however she was so big that she could not extend it, so she ended up resting the meal tray on her chest.

Although I have some sympathy for larger passengers it can't be a nice experience for them either, but really airlines should have made her buy two seats or a business class seat.

I was going to complain but it was the flight was the day before the grounding so I thought my complaint would get lost in all the other things going on.

 

[simongr]

I don't actually get why he had to stand.

 

[simongr]

I was going to complain but it was the flight was the day before the grounding so I thought my complaint would get lost in all the other things going on.

Please complain now if you are able - the more feedback that QF get the better. We all let a lot of things slide which might explain why QF have let things slide too.

 

[Flying Fox]

In his position, I think that I might have sat in the loo for most of the flight. My own private cabin.

 

[Homer]

It’s not clear to me why this guy wound up standing. Did he stand up to allow the obese passenger to sit down and then find he was unable to sit down himself? Did he ask the obese passenger to get up so that he could try to sit back down or did he choose, as a way of protesting, not to sit down? It seems to me that there might be more to this story.

 

[el_rooto]

Isn't it illegal for them not to have a seat?

 

[serfty]

This happened some time ago - there's an FT thread with more comment:

Squeezed out on a US flight! What about passenger sizing? - Page 8 - FlyerTalk Forums

Anyway to answer some recent posts: (Passenger forced to stand for a seven-hour airline flight)

... It did not allow me to use my seatbelt during takeoff and landing as well as required me to stand in the aisle and galley area for most of the seven-hour plus flight,” he says. ...

Indeed, without the belt being used, the aircraft should not have been permitted to take off.

 

[NM]

Ultimately the flight should not have taken off with the passenger standing. Fail for the cabin crew and flight crew.

I believe he was seated for takeoff and landing, but was unable to use his seatbelt. But he stood in the aisle and galley for much of the flight as sitting was uncomfortable due to the size of the passenger in the middle seat.

Note that the photo is not from the flight described and has been used many times as a stock photo for stories about "passengers of size".

 

[ckck]

I had a similar incident happen to me around three years ago on a SYD-MEL DJ flight. I had booked and paid for the exit row, when I arrived at the airport I was allocated seat B . When I made my way to my seat there was an obese lady already sitting in the window seat. She had raised the armrest to fit in the seat and she was spilling half way onto my seat. I asked her to move over a little and she budged but it didn't make a difference . I told her we were going to have to lower the armrest for take off and she budged over a little more but she was still spilling over under the armrest onto my seat. As the plane was filling she caught the eye of the FA and asked for the seatbelt extension piece.

The FA handled the situation very well IMHO. She asked the lady if she had booked the exit row for the extra leg room and even before the obese lady had answered she told her that they can not use the extension belt in the exit row and that they would move her to her own seat in another row with more leg room. Fortunately the plane was not full.

I was very impressed with how tactful the FA was, she realised that this was a delicate situation and handled it very well. Even as the lady was walking down the isle complaining that someone should have told her when booking (I thought it would have been in the T&C when you book online) the FA was polite through the whole ordeal. Very impressed.

They moved me over to the exit row window seat and then proceeded to go through the exit row talk.

Even though it was just a short flight, I feel very lucky that the plane was not full.

ckck

 

[CMak]

Also happened to me a few years back - Qantas Brisbane to Melbourne. The plane was full so the Flight Attendants were sympathetic and let me use their seat for the flight.
I had to sit in my half seat (rest was taken up by the obese man) for take off and landing. Luckily I am not a big person!
CMak

 

[albatross710]

Her seat belt was at the maximum length setting.

Last year on a J flight to MEL I saw the adjacent pax across the aisle was given a seat belt extension to allow his seat belt to close.

He seemed to be familiar with it, so I assume it can be a standard issue.

He looked like a trucking magnate but I wasn't certain.

 

[Happy Trails]

I had this also recently with QF – sitting in 4A with 4C occupied.
A very large man took the middle seat. He was apologetic and obviously embarrassed.
On this occasion though common sense prevailed and he was moved forward to a spare seat in J.
Well handled by the crew and a good outcome for all concerned.

 

[Robert K]

if only they made checkin gates the same width as the seats. than we wouldn't run into this problem.

 

[MarkD]

I had a similar incident happen to me around three years ago on a SYD-MEL DJ flight. I had booked and paid for the exit row, when I arrived at the airport I was allocated seat B . When I made my way to my seat there was an obese lady already sitting in the window seat. She had raised the armrest to fit in the seat and she was spilling half way onto my seat.
They moved me over to the exit row window seat and then proceeded to go through the exit row talk.


ckck

Isn't it a condition that you must be able to activate and use the emergency exit if required? I would have thought someone of this size would be unable to safely evacuate the aircraft if the need arises. I honestly thought it was part of the T&C when you book an exit row seat.:shock:

 

[ausi ski bum]

I am no little fella but I do fit in my seat and can easily do up the belt however I was made to sit next to this giant on a flight from LAX to NYC some years back on AA.

They were huge and they did not fit into their seat at all. Flight attendants plainly rude teling me there is nothing they can do. Um what about noticing a 250kg giant has only booked one seat in the first place. The worst flight ever after an 8 hour delay before we even left.

Its time this issue was addressed once and for all.

 

[yo yo ma]

Also happened to me a few years back - Qantas Brisbane to Melbourne. The plane was full so the Flight Attendants were sympathetic and let me use their seat for the flight.

The flight attendants in the original link did not allow this... but good that in your experience they thought outside the box.

 

[Foreigner]

Passenger standing over 7 hours on flight

I wouldn't want to stand in this man's shoes!

http://m.upi.com/m/story/UPI-96501322327518/

http://community.mantecabulletin.com/blogs/detail/7404