A photograph of an overweight man sitting in a very tight plane seat has resurfaced this week. This photograph has evoked sympathy for both the overweight man and the unfortunate person sitting next to him. In a nation whose waistlines are expanding, our members discuss some of the practicalities of airlines dealings with overweight passengers.
Some members have heard that obese passengers have been subject to “operational upgrades” in order to improve the comfort of the individual and the other passengers. Stacking on the kilograms in order to get an upgrade to J-class seems a little extreme though!
Some members take a hardline approach and believe that grossly overweight passengers should be obliged to purchase a “comfort” seat. Others feel that airlines should accommodate the provision of an additional seat where available. If additional seating is not available, then the passenger in question should be made to wait for another flight.
The safety concerns also loom large in our member’s minds. It is evident that the man in the photograph is neither comfortable nor secure and so an airlines duty in ensuring a safe flight is in question.
“Weigh-in” on this hefty debate HERE.
