Fat Alberto wrote:
As I approached my aisle seat on a flight yesterday I noticed a very large man doing the best he could to stay within his middle seat. It didn’t matter how hard he tried though he was half in my seat and we couldn’t put the armrest down. I was polite but for a couple of hours I couldn’t straighten my spine or reposition myself in my chair. We were in direct physical contact for the entire flight.
For the airlines to squeeze this guy into a standard, compact seat fux his neighbors up as much as him. Can’t there be a couple of XL seats available that aren’t full-service first-class seats?
This is a crappy situation. You don't want to a jerk and shame the guy. But you paid for a full seat to yourself and to have someone spilling over into your seat is totally unfair.
I would have insisted that either this person be seated elsewhere or that I will be reseated somewhere else. Maybe if it was a short flight I would except a travel voucher on a future flight to squeeze in for a couple of hours. Flying is already cramped and uncomfortable enough in the size seats airlines keep scaling down to, having someone spilling over is miserable. Squeezing a skinny person in, isn't a viable solution either as Americans get fatter and fatter, you get two people that size next to eachother and good luck.
Paying for two seats is one option, I think the only viable current one other than the plus-sized person flying first class. I like you XL seat idea because then it could also incorporate very tall people as well, or skinny people who want more room. Then if someone buys a seat to small for themself they get moved at cost to a larger seat or if none are available bumped from the flight. If you know plus size seats are available and it's you responsibility to buy a seat you fit in then the airline should be in a better position to take action to keep others comfortable.