Joys of night-flights....

Well said mumofmadboys

In an ideal world on an aircraft you would sit next to someone who fitted neatly into their seat, whose legs weren't too long, who didn't have bad breath or body odour, who didn't have a cold , cough or sore throat, who spoke quietly but not too much, who wasn't travelling with children, who got up only rarely to go to the loo and who didn't allow their head to flop if they fell asleep. The world is not an ideal place but it would be a lot nearer if we learned to love one another and accept each others and our own imperfections with a spirit of generosity.

I agree totally MissAdventure.

I'm not saying anything about not discussing weight but it's the terminology used. As someone mentioned previously it smacks of playground bullying.

There is nothing wrong at all with respectfully discussing any subject. There is plenty wrong with using denigrating language to do it. Totally unnecessary, childish, and ridiculous.

May I suggest, that discussing the issue of too much weight is now becoming taboo in our society. In the same way that certain discussions on race and Brexit are also avoided. However, I am not sure that this is helpful, as, again in my opinion, it appears that people feel it is OK to carry far too much weight, or if it is not, then they see themselves as victims. Being obese is bad for the individual, their families and the NHS. Isn't it time we could say this openly. Incidentally my husband has been grossly overweight. He is now losing the weight successfully and slowly and talk openly about being and having been fat. When he was truly obese, this was a conversation he would never have. He was in denial.

Just as aside ( and I suspected this would be the route this thread would take) is describing someone as a 'fattie' now acceptable ?

We have moved on in most areas for instance not using the 'n' word to describe black people , not describing disabled people as 'spastics' etc.

But on this thread several posters have openly mentioned 'fatties'. Is that ok?

I believe not but I might be in the minority it seems .

grannysue05
My pleasure! ha ha was to be lumbered with an eight hour red eye sitting next to a guy with' gas'. After a couple of hours into this dreadful smell I approached the purser with what I was experiencing, Can I be seated elsewhere as I had observed on the flight taking off there were many empty seats? I was refused due to the fact that those empty seats were now occupied by sleeping passengers who although it was clear had taken it upon
themselves to spread out, only in extreme circumstances would crew wake a passenger.

As I'm sure "fatties" as you so eloquently put it, dread sitting next to people like you.

Totally agree with you Newquay. Definitely should combine weight with luggage. We dread getting a fatty in the third seat too.

And here's some science on the subject:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1863418/

Worth considering if we are to solve our declining fertility.

I thought some of the comments here were the sort that bullying teens were guilty of. How bloody rude!!

Although I don't want to be "fat-shaming", I spent a 10 hour flight with a very large lady on one side, and my tall, big [not fat in any way] DH on the other. Being 5'10" myself, it was not a happy experience...
As for people who like to sleep in my lap, I make sure I get up almost every hour, press down on the seat in front [to ease myself out, you understand] until the message is taken!
Paying extra as suggested by many can be a great strain on one's budget - rather than being mean. On the other hand, if one flies by the budget airlines of this world, you should expect what you pay for.

We had a whole thread some time ago about seat size vs people size and the truth of the matter was shocking. You don't even have to be plus sized to be too big for the average airline seat.

The average bottom is now over 15 inches wide, with some airline seats being a skimpy 16 inches. And that's the average. A great many size 12 people have a bigger bottom than 15 inches so even thinner people are going to struggle. (I'll try and find the chart from the research to show you ).

This is worth a read too www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/shrinking-airline-seats

I went on a diet as the economy seats were so uncomfortable, the armrest was a device of torture to my wideload. Now how to shorten my legs... ummm

Let us all be sensible here, and take the emotion out of the comments. All airlines provide an indication of the size of the cabin baggage allowed. That's because it has to fit in the overhead rack and there's only so much space. So there is a principle of equality here - everyone is allowed the same. As far as seats go, the same is true with the exception of the front cabin where wider seats with more leg room are provided for those who want more comfort or don't fit into the regular seats. What's the issue here? Why does it have to be reduced to 'fat-shaming'? The law of physics says you can't get a quart into a pint pot, so the quart must go into a quart-sized seat. My son-in-law is 6' 4" and 17 stone. He can't fit into a regular seat comfortably so he pays for a bigger one - he doesn't suffer with a personality complex as a result - he just accepts the reality of the situation. And frankly, as a small person myself who flew regularly to Hong Kong before retirement, I really resented my personal space being invaded irrespective of whether it was by a large person who didn't fit into the seat, or by a passenger with headphones which leaked music, or by an overly-energetic child kicking me in the back for ten hours. The key here is to accept what airlines can provide, and then to respect other people and try to behave appropriately.

What an obnoxious, judgemental person you are Nequay. Of course the discomforrt could not possibly laid at the feet of the airlines who are cramming more seats into ever smaller spaces - the OP said there was no room for her sest to recline. Perhas there should also be a height measurement so that people of a certain height had to pay more!

Just smile sweetly and say please close your legs your balls can't be that big.
The shock should snap his legs back together ?

I do same as Jessm due to flying to oz every year precision planning but it can work.

A fellow passenger in front of me repeatedly bounced her seat off my knees as she tried to recline her seat. Having failed to break my knees she stood up turned around and beat me about the ears for being too tall!

Anatomical reasons for man-spreading are squeezed out as some women continue their quest to further emasculate men.

Fat-shaming is appalling too.

We should pay according to our weight provided the seat we have paid for is sized to fit us. That is why our airplanes have premium economy seating.

I have read all your comments about large people occupying seats.
My thread was actually to dream about the luxury of (say) being able to beautify/read/eat a meal on a flat surface instead of a slope etc.
Just to point out really, that modern short haul flying is now a trial not enjoyable at all.

I quite agree about the horrors of fat shaming or whatever it's called but Musicself you have insight about how your size in a narrow seat impinges on others whereas some people feel that the passenger next to them can suck it up. I travelled to India with a Sikh gentleman next to me who spent most of it on my seat. His wife was tiny and spent most of the time with her feet in his lap. He joked about her stinky feet. I quote. I wish I had been stalwart enough to ask him to change seats with her.

Esmee and Newquay - I am overweight but am losing weight slowly. Better off than on. However, you'll be happy to know that I am now paranoid about using public transport because I'm terrified of using up too much space. I'm not vast, and I know I don't, but comments like yours are ones that keep my paranoia going. I'm ashamed to be seen in public because of attitudes such as yours.

You don't know why I am overweight, and I don't need to tell you, except that it has nothing to do with pies. I promise I will never sit next to you on any plane - I haven't dared to fly for years, and I can't see that changing now.

Well I think this is going to turn into a "getting the popcorn" type of thread.

What spiteful comments about "fat people". I am quite shocked, although maybe I shouldn't be.

Yes, I'm with Esspee on this. I once travelled on a short 50-seater flight from Philadelphia to Wilmington and shared a seat with a huge gentleman. He had paid for 2 seats, but when it was discovered that 2 of the seats were broken and unable to be used, he let me (as I am very slim!) share half of one of his seats (yes, he was that large!). I was very grateful, but wouldn't have liked to do this for a longer flight.

Thought "man spreading" was supposed to refer to that thing they do on the Tube - sitting with their knees wide apart. Very tall men cant help doing this sometimes in airline seats
Due to my emigrating sons I have a lot of experience of flying and this is my plan every time for long haul flights. It often works.
Ask to be allocated an aisle seat when you book. Then at least you won't end up in the middle of the row.
Check in on-line about 24 hours before you fly. Choose the option to select your seats. Look to see if there are any rows with unbooked seats. Move yourself to an aisle seat in a centre row. (People often travel in pairs - so you are more likely to get a pair of people filling up the inner 2 seats near the window). The backs of long haul planes are less full than the fronts, so go there. Avoid the rows immediately behind bulkheads (kids) and immediately in front of them (toilet queues). Confirm at check-in that you have an aisle seat.
If your careful plan fails and you don't have an empty seat next to you (which is my ultimate goal), have a good look round when the doors have closed. If there is an emptier row near you, in which there are 2 vacant adjacent seats at the end of a row, be ready. The minute the seat belt signs go out, leap up and claim it. Or you could even make the leap before take off - but the staff might tell you to go back at that point. But they don't mind people moving seats during the flight.