# If you're too fat to fit in your seat and you can't pay for two, then don't fly!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 24, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731 "2002-10-24T19:32:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/101 "2002-10-27T17:58:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blanx \* > \*\*Anthracite you’re not a tall person, right? > > Have you tried putting your feet on something during flight? E.g. briefcase? I find that if I don’t have my feet on the floor, my legs can start to hurt.\*\* I’m about 5’5" normally. My problem with leg pain is in those big recliners on the transoceanic flights. There is a footrest, but it doesn’t seem to work for me. And there is often a pad that pokes into the back of my thighs. The point being that (thankfully, because I’m only 120 or so now), I have to curl up in the seat to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![blanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@blanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blanx)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/102 "2002-10-27T18:01:49Z")
Ah. So much for my suggestion. I hate the thigh pad, and I’m taller than you. 5’9". And all of this discussion just makes me overjoyed that I’ll be flying to Denver tomorrow morning… ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/103 "2002-10-27T19:13:07Z")
Well, for you folks who do not want airlines to install larger seats, don’t go complaining about getting squished. If you don’t want to have to worry about being a saridine, buy yourself two seats. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/104 "2002-10-27T23:55:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PunditLisa \* > Here it is, in plain English: Just because YOU are 5’5" tall does not mean that your head will hit the head rest at the same point that mine does. Your ass may be 3 inches lower than mine. I’m sorry you are not comfortable on airplanes, but if the airlines redesign all their seats to fit people like yourself whose torsos are disproportionate to the rest of their bodies, then everyone ELSE will be uncomfortable. Hardly a solution. Have you tried one of those inflatable neck pillows? They work pretty well. > [@](#): > > I think it’s amusing that you think I don’t have a right to bitch that my seat is uncomfortable, especially given the fact that I pretty damn close to the average sized American woman. I am not asking for magic, I am asking for a seat that isn’t UNcomfortable. I am asking the the airline industry to respond to the fact that their “average” sized customer has changed significantly since 1970. Sorry, I just don’t hear a lot of other 5’5" women complaining about seat design, which tends to belie your assertion that there’s some sort of conspiracy against the “average sized American” woman. In fact, most people are complaining that the seats are too SMALL, while you are complaining that they are too BIG. What the hell do you want the airlines to do? They aren’t gods. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/105 "2002-10-28T17:31:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hajario \* > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally posted by mouthbreather > > Tread carefully, bernse – statements like this will put you on some very thin ice with some dopers. Good luck, my friend… > > \*\* > What exactly is the point of replies like this? “I have nothing to say but my big brother’s gonna be here soon and he’s going to kick your ass.” It’s still a “lawnchair” even if you don’t use the word. > \*\* You’re quite off base here, Haj. If I wanted to take him to task for his statements, I would have…I don’t have, nor do I need, a SDMB “Big brother”. There was no sarcasm in my post. In another thread, I made comments similar to his and got raked over the coals. Anyway, I am in the same boat with seats as MaxT is. I am 6’3", I have been as much as 325 and as low as 240, depending on how motivated I am about eating right and working out. Even at my biggest, I still fit in seats, although it was not comfortable. I would pay more (but not 2x as much) for a bigger seat. Perhaps in the coach are they could design a couple rows of seats for Tall/Fat people…instead of having 5 seats across in coach, there could be 4 seats across, and they have 6-8 inches more legroom. You’d get the same cattle service that coach gets, just a little more room. I would shell out another $50-75 bucks for a ticket for a long flight if I knew they had seat like this. Of course, it would fuck up the aisles. But, I suspect they could figure something out. Do I think that this will happen? No. Nice to imagine, though. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/106 "2002-10-28T20:25:38Z")
_Barbarian and his 30" waist rumba down the aisle_ I’m surprised to say that Air Canada service has actually gotten respectable-- probably all the former Canadian Airlines employees wandering up and down the aisles. ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/107 "2002-10-28T21:02:17Z")
How much trouble would it be for a plane to have, say, one row in the back of coach where they’ve converted 3 seats into 2 seats, and selling those 1.5-sized seats at a slightly higher cost? Seems to be a better way to accommodate those of larger carriages than making them pay twice as much for two seats. Hell, some people might be willing to buy them for themselves even without a size issue - not quite coach, but not quite first class. Preference would go, of course, to those who actually physically require them. I dunno, just a thought… Esprix ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/108 "2002-10-28T21:19:53Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by blowero \* > \*\* > Sorry, I just don’t hear a lot of other 5’5" women complaining about seat design._\* Here’s anotehr one. I’m always uncomfortable in airplane seats because of the way the back of the seat is generally shaped, and because of where the headrest hits (too high). But thems the breaks of convenient travel. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/109 "2002-10-28T21:22:00Z")
**Esprix** , if the airlines are to be believed, Southwest in particular, having _any_ seats on a plane which were larger would cost them hundreds of thousands in revenues. The president or spokesman of Southwest did a bit of slippery math analysis, if you Google, you can probably find it. I don’t think I want to subject myself to looking at it again, it hurt my head with its convoluted bordering on ill- logic. ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/110 "2002-10-28T21:27:10Z")
Well, here’s another option: Use a different airline. Midwest Express, for exaple, takes their DC-9s, planes most airlines cram in 5 and 6 seats across, and put in 4 seats in a row, each either aisle or window, and covered in leather. I would say that a good 95% of humanity would fit into them comfortably (I certainly have no trouble at 6’2" and 245 lbs). Granted, I hear that come November 1st they’re going to have to start ‘cutting back’ on the perks as well, but for them this means no more free wine (champaign for breakfast) with the meal, and the lobster thermadore is going to have to be replaced by a calzone. But they’ll still bake fresh chocolate chip cookies in-flight for you to enjoy. They are more expensive, but still nowhere near the price of 2 seats on the average airline. I still can’t get my mind around people flying Southwest and then complaining about the conditions…what did you really expect from Southwest? -lv ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/111 "2002-10-29T00:09:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > \*\*How much trouble would it be for a plane to have, say, one row in the back of coach where they’ve converted 3 seats into 2 seats, and selling those 1.5-sized seats at a slightly higher cost? \*\* I can hear it now… _ **Air Canada is pleased to announce that we are commencing boarding for flight 882. All Air Canada Platinum and Gold members are invited to board at your leisure, as well as those passengers seated in Executive Class and the new Fat Class.** _ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/112 "2002-10-29T00:23:42Z")
Please, we must be PC. Not **Fat Class** , but **Super-size Class**. Just like McDonald’s. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/113 "2002-10-29T01:38:23Z")
Just for chuckles: The old stand-by trainer, the Cessna 150 (Hi **Broomstick**!) is so small that student and instructor are said to be “wearing each other’s clothes”. The kicker: Cabin dimensions: hips: 36" shoulders: 39" eat your hearts out 😃 re. “super-sized” seats - they all used to be like that - de-regulation forced the airlines to compete (on price, not on service or comfort). such seats would preclude the airlines’ best shot at actually making a profit: max bodies in the cabin. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/114 "2002-10-29T04:07:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mouthbreather \* > You’re quite off base here, Haj. If I wanted to take him to task for his statements, I would have…I don’t have, nor do I need, a SDMB “Big brother”. There was no sarcasm in my post. In another thread, I made comments similar to his and got raked over the coals. > \*\* Gotcha. My bad. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/115 "2002-10-29T07:14:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Esprix \* > \*\*How much trouble would it be for a plane to have, say, one row in the back of coach where they’ve converted 3 seats into 2 seats, and selling those 1.5-sized seats at a slightly higher cost? Hell, some people might be willing to buy them for themselves even without a size issue - not quite coach, but not quite first class. Preference would go, of course, to those who actually physically require them. > > I dunno, just a thought… > > Esprix \*\* They’ve thought of that, except they generally have it at the front of the plane and they call it Business Class. ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/116 "2002-10-29T18:15:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **Skogcat** _ > > They’ve thought of that, except they generally have it at the front of the plane and they call it Business Class. Indeed. So are heavier people buying these seats instead of paying double for coach? Is there a move afoot among some airlines to promote these seats and/or require heavier people to buy these seats instead? Esprix ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2002, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/117 "2002-10-29T20:15:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\* > > I think that if a person can prove that their size is a disease or disability then they should be entitled to free seat or upgrade. If they can’t and are in fact someone who eats too god-damn much then they are not entitled to any free seat or upgrade. \*\* Should they just get a note from their doctor? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/118 "2002-10-30T04:47:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PunditLisa \* > \*\*The seats are designed for an “average” man - 5’10" tall and a 34" inch waist. Basically this means that the ride sucks for everyone who is not an average sized man. I’m 5’5" and the back of my head hits the point of the chair where a 5’10" man’s neck would be. So while he would get a nicely contoured seat to cushion his neck, I am stuck in a position where my head is forced forward by the contour of the chair. \*\* You know, I’m 6’2" and weigh 240. I find coach seats perfectly fine. They aren’t easy chairs by any means, but American, Southwest and Air Canada seats all do me just great. I mean, it’s public transportation, not the QEII; what are you expecting? ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/119 "2003-02-08T17:33:59Z")
Nobody wants someone’s batwing deformity blubber encroaching halfway into your seat. I saw a tiny Indian man stuck between two hungry hippo matriarchs, and thank Krishna some great soul offered him another empty seat. If you buy two tickets to the theater, you sit in those two seats, not three. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731/120 "2003-02-08T22:41:09Z")
Oh lord, why this one? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-too-fat-to-fit-in-your-seat-and-you-cant-pay-for-two-then-dont-fly/133731.md?page=7)