It sucks and it hurts but is it illegal?

What really kills me is that while the offending 350 pounder is infringing on 50% of my ticket, they are usually unapologetic. We have been so politically correct for so long that they are completely unaware of the infringement, or can rationalize it away.

Unfortuantely, the Clintons (the originators of P.C) cannot change the laws of physics.
 
bbchien said:
What really kills me is that while the offending 350 pounder is infringing on 50% of my ticket, they are usually unapologetic. We have been so politically correct for so long that they are completely unaware of the infringement, or can rationalize it away.

......
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I would like to expand on the good Doctors comments... As a single guy, I am always getting other married female friends trying to pass there girlfriends off on me as a date/match... 90% of them are using the new term "BBW"... For some reason those obese, unhealthy, unattractive (things) have conviced themselves that being a "Big Beautiful Woman" is a badge to wear honerably.. They really think they are something hot and gods gift to creation.... :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::no:
 
bbchien said:
What really kills me is that while the offending 350 pounder is infringing on 50% of my ticket, they are usually unapologetic. We have been so politically correct for so long that they are completely unaware of the infringement, or can rationalize it away.
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:yes:
 
Wingsofglass said:
I write this from seat 5D on a Skywest CRJ700 cruising along at 39,000 feet and 428 knots according to Foreflight. 5D is a window. Sitting next to me in 5C is a morbidly obese guy at 350+ pounds. His mass takes up at least 1/3 of my seat. Is this legal?
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No. This is covered in Part 382.
14 CFR 382.87 said:
(f) You are not required to furnish more than one seat per ticket or to provide a seat in a class of service other than the one the passenger has purchased in order to provide an accommodation required by this part.
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Just leave the central armrest down. If they can't fit in the space between their armrests, that's between them and the airline, not your problem.
 
bbchien said:
In Jan of 1986 I was in 25F in a 727 from BOS to SEA to take the board exam. 25E was the ONLY remaining empty seat on the airplane. Lumbering down the aisle is this IMMENSE woman, for whom the aisle gu in "D" got up for. She instantly flipped up both armrests and plopped down saying "gott get some room.
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There are certain things you learn to script when you travel.

First - Don't get in the security line behind people who are amateur travelers - Ma and Pa Kettle, anyone with more than one kid, etc.

Second - If you arrive at your seat before your seatmates flip down the armrests and put your elbows on 'em. That way, the armrest only moves at your discretion. If a supermodel comes down the aisle and has the seat adjacent to you, you can raise the armrest. Otherwise, it stays in place.

Third - Get the chicken, not the fish.
 
douglas393 said:
I thought they did away with meals on flights.
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Still got 'em on flights over a couple of hours, but on domestic flights in coach, you now have to pay for them -- I'll hit Quizno's in the airport and bring my own instead. But free meals are still part of overseas flights even in coach, and there I do avoid the fish. :wink2:
 
I must be flying the wrong flights, there is never 'another seat' when I have to fly airlines anymore. They are all full all the time.

I wish the airlines made it easy for 'customers of size' to reserve two adjacent seats for one passenger with their online reservation systems. That might save a lot of this kind of angst.
 
JimNtexas said:
I must be flying the wrong flights, there is never 'another seat' when I have to fly airlines anymore. They are all full all the time.

I wish the airlines made it easy for 'customers of size' to reserve two adjacent seats for one passenger with their online reservation systems. That might save a lot of this kind of angst.
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That is already doable, if you know you need two seats, buy two seats right off the bat. Typically it gives me two tickets next to each other when I buy a pair, and even if not, it will still provide the 'extra' seat come flight time.
 
I'd like to reemphasize something posted earlier. And that is that's it's really the gate agents responsibility to prescreen this stuff. It should not be the FAs responsibility to sort it out (although most will certainly try if it comes to that.) The agent KNOWS he's sending a problem on board and does it anyway. The agent KNOWS the seating chart and does it anyway. The correct thing to do if you're encroached on is to bring this up to a FA before the door is closed. Don't ask them to work it out, ask that he/she call for the gate agent to come onboard to figure out how you're going to get the full seat you paid for.
 
Sometimes it seems like airline personnel pass the buck when they can, from ticket agent to gate agent to flight crew, and unfortunately for the crew, the buck stops with them so they have to be the bad guys. Too bad the companies don't train their people better and/or provide tools to predict the problem before it gets through the door of the aircraft. My suspicion, however, is that the differences in all the planes they operate, as well as different classes, would make it difficult to provide an appropriate seat testing mechanism at every gate, not to mention what happens when they fit the seat in one type but not the one on their next flight, either connecting that day or on another day. It's a difficult problem for them -- although that's no excuse for making the passenger in the next seat have to be the person who raises the flag.
 
Most uncomfortable 2 hrs on a commercial flight for me (other than that time we were in really heavy turbulence and the two ladies sitting next to me were trying to 'save' me) - I was in a commuter of some sort, window seat, next to a big guy. He wasn't big-fat, he was big-muscle. He was linebacker-big, and had like swimmer's shoulders. We had to sort of interleave ourselves so our shoulders could fit, and I was pinched against the wall of a narrow aircraft and had to tilt my head for the whole flight.

But armrest room was not a problem.
 
I haven't sat directly next to anyone in over three years. I'm on the 1 seat side of an ERJ, or in first class. There are definitely ways around the overweight seatmate problem, especially on smaller aircraft. Exit row seats also work well for this, because the armrests don't raise.
 
I'm the OP. Just to close this out, after writing the CEO of Delta, I received a refund for the price of the trip.

My mistake here was taking the seat in the first place and not speaking with the FA before I sat down. Never again.
 
Wingsofglass said:
I'm the OP. Just to close this out, after writing the CEO of Delta, I received a refund for the price of the trip.

My mistake here was taking the seat in the first place and not speaking with the FA before I sat down. Never again.
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Glad it worked out for ya......

I did learn that if I am ever in that situation, to point it out to the FA before the cabin door closes........

I still think "large" people need to be dealt with at the gate.. not after they get on the plane..
 
Wingsofglass said:
I'm the OP. Just to close this out, after writing the CEO of Delta, I received a refund for the price of the trip.

My mistake here was taking the seat in the first place and not speaking with the FA before I sat down. Never again.
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Good job. Good to hear!
 
bbchien said:
In Jan of 1986 I was in 25F in a 727 from BOS to SEA to take the board exam. 25E was the ONLY remaining empty seat on the airplane. Lumbering down the aisle is this IMMENSE woman, for whom the aisle gu in "D" got up for. She instantly flipped up both armrests and plopped down saying "gott get some room. I spend five miserable hours curved against the outside skin.
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That's why when I get on the plane I get my armrest down and use it. I'm sure as hell not letting anyone flip it up.
 
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