Should large people have to buy two airplane seats for themselves?

[Alex+R 0]

I wonder if anyone would reconsider their position on this if they were stuck in a window seat on a 18 hour flight to Sydney, Australia with a 400lb Jabba the Hut sitting next to them who is crushing you against the window and takes an eternity to get up when you need to take a pi$$...

Obviously nobody thinks it's comfortable sitting next to someone very very large. Obviously the very very large person is probably not that comfortable either. But I think your comments about overweight people are getting a little bit out of line, and I don't think they're worth the cheap laugh.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I wonder if anyone would reconsider their position on this if they were stuck in a window seat on a 18 hour flight to Sydney, Australia with a 400lb Jabba the Hut sitting next to them who is crushing you against the window and takes an eternity to get up when you need to take a pi$$...

Obviously nobody thinks it's comfortable sitting next to someone very very large. Obviously the very very large person is probably not that comfortable either. But I think your comments about overweight people are getting a little bit out of line, and I don't think they're worth the cheap laugh.

Its honestly hard to sympathize with someone who is inconveniencing you in that manner. Short of the airlines refitting their fleets - which won't happen, so what remains is that they pay for the extra room they are occupying. I mean... someone has to...

[Alex+R 0]

I wonder if anyone would reconsider their position on this if they were stuck in a window seat on a 18 hour flight to Sydney, Australia with a 400lb Jabba the Hut sitting next to them who is crushing you against the window and takes an eternity to get up when you need to take a pi$$...

Obviously nobody thinks it's comfortable sitting next to someone very very large. Obviously the very very large person is probably not that comfortable either. But I think your comments about overweight people are getting a little bit out of line, and I don't think they're worth the cheap laugh.

Its honestly hard to sympathize with someone who is inconveniencing you in that manner. Short of the airlines refitting their fleets - which won't happen, so what remains is that they pay for the extra room they are occupying. I mean... someone has to...

But do you sympathize with those people at times when you aren't forced to sit next to them?

[britty 1]

I dont think larger people should be forced to buy two seats unless they will be imposing themselves on the person next to them. Any morbidly obese person will likely know whether or not they fit into a standard plane seat, and would not want the embarrasment of not fitting into the seat, or spilling over into another's seat. A solution could be to book flights well in advance where possible, and make a conscious effort to lose weight before take-off.

I do feel however that there should be minimum requirements for parents boarding flights with small children. Mainly that they are able to control their offspring by ensuring there is no screaming, shouting, kicking seats, whining, or running up and down the aisles during a night flight when everyone is trying to sleep. It seems that every flight I have ever been on has included an outstandingly bad parent with a total $hit of a brat.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I wonder if anyone would reconsider their position on this if they were stuck in a window seat on a 18 hour flight to Sydney, Australia with a 400lb Jabba the Hut sitting next to them who is crushing you against the window and takes an eternity to get up when you need to take a pi$$...

Obviously nobody thinks it's comfortable sitting next to someone very very large. Obviously the very very large person is probably not that comfortable either. But I think your comments about overweight people are getting a little bit out of line, and I don't think they're worth the cheap laugh.

Its honestly hard to sympathize with someone who is inconveniencing you in that manner. Short of the airlines refitting their fleets - which won't happen, so what remains is that they pay for the extra room they are occupying. I mean... someone has to...

But do you sympathize with those people at times when you aren't forced to sit next to them?

Selfish this is - but unless they're impacting me - I don't sympathise with them or think about them much at all. Even the nicest people turn into complete a$$holes on planes, IMO. I'd also hazard a guess that most people don't take much of any notice of any other passengers sitting outside of their immediate area.

Ever had someone tell you to f*** off in response to: "Excuse me sir, would you mind putting your seat forward a bit?". I have.

Edited June 27, 2007 by erekose

[Alex+R 0]

I wonder if anyone would reconsider their position on this if they were stuck in a window seat on a 18 hour flight to Sydney, Australia with a 400lb Jabba the Hut sitting next to them who is crushing you against the window and takes an eternity to get up when you need to take a pi$$...

Obviously nobody thinks it's comfortable sitting next to someone very very large. Obviously the very very large person is probably not that comfortable either. But I think your comments about overweight people are getting a little bit out of line, and I don't think they're worth the cheap laugh.

Its honestly hard to sympathize with someone who is inconveniencing you in that manner. Short of the airlines refitting their fleets - which won't happen, so what remains is that they pay for the extra room they are occupying. I mean... someone has to...

But do you sympathize with those people at times when you aren't forced to sit next to them?

Selfish this is - but unless they're impacting me - I don't sympathise with them or think about them much at all. Even the nicest people turn into complete a$$holes on planes, IMO. I'd also hazard a guess that most people don't take much of any notice of any other passengers sitting outside of their immediate area.

Ever had someone tell you to f*** off in response to: "Excuse me sir, would you mind putting your seat forward a bit?". I have.

I'm not suggesting you think about the plight of the obese all the time or anything, but I don't understand why it's ok in our society to mock them without regard for their feelings. You seem to really not respect them, and I asked whether or not that is something you feel toward them in your daily life, or just on planes.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I wonder if anyone would reconsider their position on this if they were stuck in a window seat on a 18 hour flight to Sydney, Australia with a 400lb Jabba the Hut sitting next to them who is crushing you against the window and takes an eternity to get up when you need to take a pi$$...

Obviously nobody thinks it's comfortable sitting next to someone very very large. Obviously the very very large person is probably not that comfortable either. But I think your comments about overweight people are getting a little bit out of line, and I don't think they're worth the cheap laugh.

Its honestly hard to sympathize with someone who is inconveniencing you in that manner. Short of the airlines refitting their fleets - which won't happen, so what remains is that they pay for the extra room they are occupying. I mean... someone has to...

But do you sympathize with those people at times when you aren't forced to sit next to them?

Selfish this is - but unless they're impacting me - I don't sympathise with them or think about them much at all. Even the nicest people turn into complete a$$holes on planes, IMO. I'd also hazard a guess that most people don't take much of any notice of any other passengers sitting outside of their immediate area.

Ever had someone tell you to f*** off in response to: "Excuse me sir, would you mind putting your seat forward a bit?". I have.

I'm not suggesting you think about the plight of the obese all the time or anything, but I don't understand why it's ok in our society to mock them without regard for their feelings. You seem to really not respect them, and I asked whether or not that is something you feel toward them in your daily life, or just on planes.

Actually you asked "when I'm not forced to sit next to them". I assumed you were still talking about airplane flights.

I have nothing against overweight people - but in the context of a cramped plane ride being squished in your seat is much the same as having some guys head in your lap, having someone kick your seat, have to put up with someone's noisy kid or sit next to a farter. None of that inspires sympathy IMO - and I find that planes are, generally speaking, not the happiest or most positive places to be (which is actually the reason that I hate flying).

BTW - who am I mocking exactly. Its not like the guy who sat next to me on the flight to LA (not Sydney) is reading this thread...

Edited June 27, 2007 by erekose

[Alex+R 0]

BTW - who am I mocking exactly. Its not like the guy who sat next to me on the flight to LA (not Sydney) is reading this thread...

Yes, but lots and lots of overweight/obese people are, and if I were a large man, I would feel bad that others think of me as some Jabba the Hut. It's not that easy, losing weight, especially for the very large.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

BTW - who am I mocking exactly. Its not like the guy who sat next to me on the flight to LA (not Sydney) is reading this thread...

Yes, but lots and lots of overweight/obese people are, and if I were a large man, I would feel bad that others think of me as some Jabba the Hut. It's not that easy, losing weight, especially for the very large.

I wouldn't get fixated on that comment - I restrict it solely to several bad flights I had involving people who were a$$holes for reasons other than being overweight.

Point is if you had to sit next to someone like that for 11 hours, however nice you were and however nice they were - its a fair bet that you would get off the flight loathing each other.

[MissStacey 1]

So true Erekose.

I get Air Rage. I don' t care who you are or how nice you are, after a few hours on a plane- I hate everyone.

Edited June 27, 2007 by Stacey33

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So true Erekose.

I get Air Rage. I don' t care who you are or how nice you are, after a few hours on a plane- I hate everyone.

Mass transit is a necessary evil - that's why I take plenty of distractions with me - Books, iPods, Gameboys, notepads - and dark glasses. One of the worst things I find are the passengers who don't pick up on the signals that you don't want to talk to them and try to start a conversation anyway.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

As a fat man, I am deeply offended.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Sympathy is irrelevant in this context. When someone is directly negatively impacting you and encroaching on your personal space you're hardly likely to feel overly sensitive to their condition, whatever it may be.

Edited June 27, 2007 by erekose

[smoke20 0]

Ever had someone tell you to f*** off in response to: "Excuse me sir, would you mind putting your seat forward a bit?". I have.

well based on the way you've been flaming overweight people for 2 days now, i'm kinda doubting thats what was said on your part, but i can believe that was the response you recieved.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Ever had someone tell you to f*** off in response to: "Excuse me sir, would you mind putting your seat forward a bit?". I have.

well based on the way you've been flaming overweight people for 2 days now, i'm kinda doubting thats what was said on your part, but i can believe that was the response you recieved.

Hardly qualifies as flaming IMO - its not as though I seek out people to belittle for their physical shortcomings. We are (at least, I am) talking about a specific context - economy class plane travel. So political correctness aside - in this context sympathy is irrelevant IMO.

Let use another example. Would you honestly say, that you sympathise with the guy sitting next to you - who is stricken with irritable bowel syndrome throughout the flight with the result that he farts constantly and uncontrollably. Are you thinking - "wow that must be awful for him - I'm so sorry that he has to go through this"? or are your thoughts more concerned with the quality of the air your breathing and that fact that its putting you off your food?

Edited June 27, 2007 by erekose