We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Money Moral Dilemma: Should Andy complain about the Big Bob on his flight?

1468910

Comments

  • photome
    photome Posts: 16,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Bake Off Boss!
    Sola wrote: »
    So would any of you react differently if it was a ginormous bodybuilder sat next to you?

    No if they are large and heavy they should be treated the same as the overweight people.


    I was one of the first to reply to this thread and I said fat people should be charged accordingly Excess weight or 2 seats.

    I stand by that statement, I dont think calling someone fat is abusive just a fact. wether they be that way from illness or self inflicted doesnt make any difference.
  • If anything airlines should have special provisions for fatter people. - I am amazed that on a forum about moneysaving people are seriously suggesting that others buy two seats for what is usually no more than a 10 hour journey.

    I have been on many long haul flights and have had to sit next to all manor of people, fat, thin, smelly, fragrant, hideously boring, annoyingly chatty, sniffly and coughing. Worse things happen. If I wanted space I would book myself into business class instead of in the chicken pen.

    Some people have no humanity.

    In answer to the question, if Andy wants to complain he should do it subtley and make the airline the brunt of his displeasure and not Big Bob.
  • A similar thing happened to me on a flight - huge person next to me - luckily there was a couple of spare seats, but as I was with a group and the larger person didn't seem like moving, I played my own game.
    I sniffed, fidgeted, made strange noises and irritated the hell out of him until be dragged his obese butt to another seat.
    Awful I know, but at least I didn't have to suffer the sweat and smell.

    Some airlines do make the effort to put families at the back of the plane, so that all the kids are together and its quieter for the rest of the passengers. Of course this is only if you speak to somone to book your seats, not via the internet.

    As for the fat/racist comment earlier in this thread, its irrellevant. Being black/white/blue/green doesn't make any difference to now comfortable you are compared to being squashed by a 30 stone hulk - and if you really are so racist that you can't sit next to someone, then put on the complimentary night mask.
    Be Pure, Be Vigilant, Behave!:A
  • Just a quick note about prices though.
    Based on a return trip from London to Miami on 15th Jan to 17th Jan:
    Single Economy - £980
    2 seats economy -£1960
    Premium economy - £1790
    Business - £1890
    First class -£7520
    Its bad enough being big without major finacial problems as well.
    Be Pure, Be Vigilant, Behave!:A
  • This is such a contentious area! I agree that the airlines should impose some sort of size/weight criteria when allocating a seat to the customer, but in a different way to how others are suggesting. I feel airlines should also be forced to provide more seats (not just the emergency exits) that allow extra leg room and only people that meet these certain criteria should be allowed to use them.Everytime I fly with my partner (unless we manage to secure extra leg room seats) we and anyone unfortunate to be seated with us travel in great discomfort. My partner is 6'6'' , has a 50'' chest and weighs just shy of 18st. He is not obese, or a body builder but is just naturally larger than the average guy. His legs are so long he cannot physically sit in a standard seat, there is not enough space between the end of his seat and the start of the next to allow them to fit. I usually spend the entire flight with his legs in my foot space and mine are usually cramped up and folded over the top of his! Not an ideal situation! We always try to get extra leg room (and this usually means adding around and extra £100.00 onto the cost of our holiday etc... ) money well spent if you ask me BUT! we often cannot secure extra leg room for him as some little guy and his tiny Mrs have already bought them and sit languishing in OOdles of space while we all squish in together. Surely this is a waste of resources. I know this is 'sizest' (what a word!) against the smaller person, but if limits were imposed on the extra room seats, this would prevent them used needlessly by the smaller person, then the larger people would then be able to have access to the seats more easily, and ultimately wont have to 'splat' those of us that are sat beside them!Just a thought!!
  • Definately complain. I remember a few years back I was flying back from Copenhagen and instead of 6 seats per row there was 4. I got to my seat and this massive person of size had got there 1st. We couldn't even get the arm of the chair down and I was sat on the edge of the chair all flight:(
  • The dimensions of seats are clearly advertised by most airlines width and pitch, most economy ones are narrow and everybody knows it. My advice would be in future that he rejoices in his own thinness and doesn't dictate or judge others size.

    If you want more room upgrade to a bigger seat yourself. Fatness can be caused by eating too much and many other reasons unless your prepared to
    ask an overweight person if they are piggish or just natuarally biggish its best not to assume. It also isn't an airlinesfault if someone is large.
  • Sami_Bee
    Sami_Bee Posts: 14,555 Forumite
    I can't understand how airlines can say they aren't "sizest" of course they are, they're so scared of offending the big bobs out there that the skiny minnies are getting punished.
    It drives me mad that a small person like me (I was teeny tiny 7st before I had my son) has to pay for excess luggage when someone weighing twice as much as me doesn't have to pay extra even thought the combined luggage/body weight is probably more than mine.
    there should be a platform in front of the check-in desk that you stand on with luggage (as a group if traveling so) it may in the long run be cheaper as the fuel could be worked out more accurately and therefore save on over fueling?

    As for those complaining about screaming children I'm not looking forward to the prospect of taking a (thankfully short) flight with my son who''l be 13mth sat on my lap all the way (how I'm going to keep him still I don't know!) coz theres no way i was gonna pay full whack for his own seat:rotfl:but just remember once you get off the plane the child will soon be a fading memory but the parents have to put up with them 24/7! :D
    The very best is sometimes what nature gives us for free.
    3onitsway wrote: »
    I think Sami is right, as always!
  • Hannah2
    Hannah2 Posts: 283 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Kernow_Kid wrote: »
    Just a quick note about prices though.
    Based on a return trip from London to Miami on 15th Jan to 17th Jan:
    Single Economy - £980
    2 seats economy -£1960
    Premium economy - £1790
    Business - £1890
    First class -£7520
    Its bad enough being big without major finacial problems as well.


    Just a note on your prices, a second seat booked in the same name for reasons of size does not, in my experience anyway, incur tax so the second seat is paid without tax.

    This meant that in my case from Man to SFO the price for 2 seats was about half that of the premium economy fare.

    you do however still get the second seats luggage allowance.

    HTH
  • I had a situation once where I had a large woman next to me on a flight from Malaga to Heathrow. She really encroached on my seat, and when I asked her to move sideways a bit, she physically couldn't. I was left with 2 choices
    1) Tell the air stewardess to get her moved
    2) Move myself

    I had a quiet word with the air stewardess, and she sympathised with my plight and got me moved to a spare seat (not business class unfortunately). I thought this was fairer than getting her moved and the humiliation it would have caused her.
    The BA staff said they would tag her name in future and would tell her she would have to in the future either
    a) buy business/first class seats
    b) lose weight
    c) buy 2 economy seats.

    If I was in that situation where they couldn't have moved me, I would have definitely have kicked up a massive fuss and demanded a refund. I would have got someone to take pictures on my camera too so there would be no dispute.
    I see that as my right - I have paid good money for that seat, and want to use it all. Stand up for your rights
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 346.6K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 238.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 614.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 174.7K Life & Family
  • 252K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.