Are airlines exploiting tall people and failing to meet their obligations under rules of passage?

Wwillow

My daughter is going on her first holiday with her boyfriend who is 6' 7" tall. My husband really values not being treated like a sardine and at 6' 11.5" can just about suffer a short haul flight on a regular airline seat. This is not the case for tall boyfriend: he absolutely needs the extra leg room option. When did it become acceptable for airlines to charge tall people extra for their seat when for shorter people, their seat comes standard as part of their airfare? Airlines have an obligation to carry passengers in a manner that is safe. Arguably, placing a very tall person in a regular passenger seat would compromise the brace position in an emergency, therefore shouldn't they be automatically placed in a larger leg room seat as a matter of course? Why are airlines allowed to extract payment for safely transporting a very tall person?

Upsidedownandaround

No.

Airlines offer a seat at a certain price. If a person is unhappy with the dimensions of the seat (or anything else that is being offered) then they can exercise their free will and choose not to buy it or they can choose to pay for a seat with dimensions that does suit them. 

Sandtree

Look at the number of airline crashes there have been and how many people have walked away credited to the brace position? 

Secondly, the intent of the brace position is that you are holding your head on the seat in front as this is the most likely thing to cause you a head injury as you are propelled forward... I'd be surprised that they are so tall that their head goes beyond the seat in front and if it does then they are not at risk of hitting their head on the seat anyway so the position is pointless. 

At the end of the day its a matter of comfort and you can pay for extra comfort if you want. An associate has the opposite problem and find their legs dangle because they are very short which is uncomfortable on a long flight... should they get a free upgrade to Business Class because the seat converted into a bed makes them more comfortable as their legs dont dangle?

Neruda

There is a very simple solution... just take the train!

phatbear

first off, has anyone else noticed the OP has been on MSE for 9 years and this is only their 4th post! 

Anyway..........your daughters boyfriend has a choice, which is not to travel, its not a human right to get on planes and go on holiday. 

Why should he be rewarded for being so tall? im naturally broad shouldered and struggle not to overflow into other people seating area, therefore i pay to fly premium or business as i feel its unfair on my fellow plane dwellers that they have to put up with my width.

Undervalued

Wwillow said:

My daughter is going on her first holiday with her boyfriend who is 6' 7" tall. My husband really values not being treated like a sardine and at 6' 11.5" can just about suffer a short haul flight on a regular airline seat. This is not the case for tall boyfriend: he absolutely needs the extra leg room option. When did it become acceptable for airlines to charge tall people extra for their seat when for shorter people, their seat comes standard as part of their airfare? Airlines have an obligation to carry passengers in a manner that is safe. Arguably, placing a very tall person in a regular passenger seat would compromise the brace position in an emergency, therefore shouldn't they be automatically placed in a larger leg room seat as a matter of course? Why are airlines allowed to extract payment for safely transporting a very tall person?

Why should a petite person be charged the same as heavyweight boxer?

Most people working in the airline industry refer to passengers as SLF (self loading freight). Freight is charged using a formula that takes account of the weight and dimensions. Why not the self loading variety too?

A bit like posting a package at the post office these days!

mattyprice4004

What a load of nonsense. I'm very tall and have the same issue, but I'm sensible enough to see why this simply wouldn't be practical. 
Imagine the fuss off measuring everyone, the people who would moan (ironic, I know), the people who told the online booking system they're 6 foot 6 but are actually only 6 foot 5 and are moved away from their family etc etc. 

I admire your pursuit of better rights for those of us who are the opposite of virtually challenged, but it's just how it is.