Obese Passenger

I'm afraid I'm not a medical expert Nonnie so can't give you an explanation , you just asked 'were there any' , and apparently there are.

I think it's too simplistic by a long shot to say people are obese because they over eat. Yes that is the end result but people over eat or in some cases just eat badly for many other reasons. They become overweight, it's less easy for them to be mobile, their mobility is compromised so they put on weight. It's a vicious circle .

I have observed over time that obesity is a topic that has no middle ground. Very often people who have never been over weight in their lives struggle to understand how people can 'let themselves' become overweight. There is often precious little compassion for the overweight 'because they did it to themselves' . Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

I would suggest we should all walk a mile in another's shoes before we 'preach' whether that be about obesity, alcoholism, smoking etc.

You're right River you pay for one seat and should purchase a second if needed. Luckily for me , I don't have that need . One thing worth mentioning perhaps is airline seats and legroom have gotten progressively smaller in the last 30 years , just in time for us to get bigger. Once upon a time flying economy was fine , now the recline of the seat in front means the person behind is within a few inches of the back of the seat in front. 15 years ago the seat pitch for a Delta flight was 36 inches . Now it's a maximum of 30 inches and even less in some cases.

The width has also decreased it now averages out at 18 inches in economy.

Some planes now go as far as to have a 28 inch seat pitch and what they euphemistically term " a pre reclined angle" so they don't even move.

Even slender people are going to start feeling the crunch at this rate. I have attached an image from a report on airline seating, and it shows only size 14 and under actually fit in an average size economy seat.

Food for thought eh ? ( low cal of course !!)

That's very interesting, NanaandGrampy. They're obviously trying to cram in as many people as possible on their flights.

I'm sure I saw a snippet of something on a news programme saying that 'standing slots' on planes are going to become the norm in the not-too-distant future!

I think that was Ryanair *Ana!

My idea of hell

Ryanair were talking about perching stools for two rows at the back but only on their short runs (the hour journeys) they were also talking about charging for the loo so far these two have not come to light but some of their other threats like the suitcase charges and the 'punishment fee' if you dont check in online, have so who knows Mind you it was a long time ago that they threatened perching stools.

BlueBelle I have one of the conditions you mention, possibly 2 and I am a couple of pounds overweight! I would be much more so if I ate normally but I don't because I know my metabolism is such that I cannot eat what others can - so I don't! Surely it is obvious that if one eats more than one uses in energy one will put on weight. It really isn't complicated. Whatever condition one has it is possible to eat enough to maintain a correct weight. Sometimes we just need to take responsibility ourselves.

N & G I've just read up on those two syndromes and it would appear that someone with the first is very unlikely to be travelling alone and with the second they could be treated so I do not see how these two very rare conditions are relevant to this thread. Sorry, I'm not being confrontational, just explaining why I don't think there is a good excuse for this encroachment on other people.

Here's a (not entirely serious suggestion). You should be weighed or measured at the check-in. All airlines should have some supersize seats for which a fee will be charged. Anyone over size 16 due to a medical condition should get a note from their Doctor. Otherwise they will be charged extra to sit in these seats. The revenue raised will be used to offset that lost due to reduction in seat numbers. I used to be quite fat and lost weight at Slimming World. It was not hard but involved a bit of self discipline. I don't see why more people don't do the same. I agree with Nonnie. I too have had a fat person encroaching on my seat for 5 hours and it was not a pleasant experience.

carolmary I knew a very slim girl, probably less than 7 stone who was moving from South America to the UK. At the airport they asked her to pay extra for all the additional luggage and she charmed her way out of paying by telling them how little she weighed and that she needed all this stuff because she was moving. She had a point!

I think it would be great if we were weighed with our luggage but it would be sexist as men generally weigh more than women. Maybe we should have to walk through a series of barriers and those and be charged according to the smallest one we can get through!

Some of the posts on here are getting to the stage where they are bordering on becoming as offensive as the op. ^^

Hats off to you Nonnie for your obviously brilliant willpower.

But we don't all have that I'm afraid .

So other passengers will just have to suffer then?

No Jane no one has EVER suffered by me boarding a plane.

As I mentioned previously I fly Premium or Business where seats are individual. So I inconvenience no one .

But if you're over a size 14 then you could be said to be inconveniencing fellow flyers if you see the diagram I posted above ;-)

Nonnie you just cant speak for everyone whatever complaint you have just because its not affecting you that way it is unfair to say no one is affected you can have two kids with chicken pox one can have two spots and one can be covered from head to foot

Many medications cause weight gain not even taking genetics into the equation Not everyone can help their size

There are many things in long haul travel that people could be excited about, heavy drinking for one, upset babies, people keeping their seats back, some folk hogging the toilets, kicking your seat I ve travelled a lot and been lucky I ve never been squashed in my seat or seen anyone else have that problem so I m thinking these very overweight folks are not so common and even if they were they should be spoken of with respect and dignity

I'm happy to hear that NanaandGrampy. I just wish other travellers were as considerate.
BlueBelle all I can say is that you've been lucky so far.

Exactly Bluebelle. On my last long haul flight there was someone who I eventually came to the conclusion must have had a form of Tourette's as every few minutes was punctuated with a horrendously loud snort. This sound punctuated through earplugs and the headsets for the movie. Although this made my journey hell my thought was that at least at the end of,the journey I could walk away - that unfortunate woman and her family lived with it daily. Imagine yourself in the other person's position and hopefully in future you won't consider remarks about them being "a humongous mass" or being weeded out from 'normal people' at a set of barriers quite so amusing.

You only have to look at film taken after the end of WW2 to see that everybody was slim then. There is no common illness that makes you obese as when denied food these people get thin again.
I'm sure there is a medical condition for being overweight but not 30-40% of the population.

If airlines had special seats for the obese or the extra obese they would have to sit placed strategically on both sides of the plane. But it would make the airlines face up to the problem.

As I said earlier I have no problem being called fat or obese, at 17st and 6ft, I am. But as my shoulders are the widest part of me and I do not have fat shoulders, losing weight would make no difference, do you suggest surgery to remove one ?
The most uncomfortable flight I had was coming back from Hong Kong after the Rugby sevens, nearly every guy on the flight was big, but no one would call them fat.

I am now finding some of the post here unpleasant and personal, no one here can know my circumstances and to assume such is objectionable. A I said earlier, I travel business class to allow more room.

Nobody has mentioned the Farter! I was once on a 5 hour flight behind a Farter. It was horrendous. It took me a while to stop gagging. I finally found a packet of scented wipes that I used liberally. God help the person sitting next to him!

Oh no! What to do about that though. Some sort of special zone on the plane with well sealed doors? Mind you the propensity to fart can vary over time. Doomsday scenario a fat farter in the seat next to you! (Sorry for offending the sensitivities of some of you)

What else ?, BO, the kid that kicks the seat. boils, perfume, skinny people with bony elbows, babies, smokers, scratchers, pickers, suckers, rustlers, snorers, complainers etc. Wouldn't the world be much better with only perfect people. Thank goodness I don't fly anymore and if I go by rail or coach sit next to Mrs. P.

OH yes and I forgot old people, wouldn't want to sit next to one of those.

God forbid! Wonder what happened to the OP?

I did used to fly with a guy from Singapore who had false teeth, when he fell asleep on a plane, his top set fell out. Not a problem I hear you say, but the clatter woke me up.

Perhaps it's time we were all a bit more tolerant and accepting that none of us are that perfect I m told I snore,n I m sure I don't, but hey ho. I had a lady sit next to me when opening her can of lemonade it whooshed out all over me she was full of apologies but we had a laugh it was an accident how could I be cross, I ve been on flights with very upset babies but so would I be if my ears were popping and I didn't know where I was. I ve had a lady go the whole journey with her seat back I asked her politely she refused, I had a quiet word with the attendant when she went passed and she spoke to her, but no she was adamant, what can you do not a lot, no good stressing I was once in the seat next to the toilet, the footfall was unbelievable no sleep on that flight so no they haven't all been perfect but I ve never expected them to be and everything comes to an end even 24 hour journeys.

Ever seen the fab video of the Afrikaner woman complaining to Hostess about not wanting to sit next to a black man. Hostess goes away and comes back 'I've excellent news. The pilot has agreed to give a vacant seat in First Class to solve the problem'. Obnoxious woman beams and begins to get up and Hostess smiles to Black man and say 'If you'd like to follow me Sir, your champagne awaits'. Wonderful.