Should the airlines force LARGER people to purchase addtional seats on planes?

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Yes, yes and yes!!
Some airlines do enforce a policy that requires people that are unable to sit in a seat with the armrests down and who to end up with part of their body in the seat next to them to buy a second seat.

It has nothing to do with a standard seat size - if you are big enough that you cannot fit into a seat and require a second seat to accomodate your girth, then you need to purchase two seats.

It is not fair to the unfortunate person sitting next to you that, like the asker, is crowed and is literally being sat on by the larger person. The smaller person bought an ENTIRE seat also and is entitled to an entire seat.

The asker should write to the airline in question and explain your experience and the uncomfortable situation you were in. Write a respectful letter requesting a voucher for another flight - as you did not get an entire seat to yourself and had to virtually share it with the woman next to you.

For those of you who are people 'of size' this may sound harsh but if you need two seats and the airline can sell them both then you should be required to compensate the airline for revenue it would lose if they had to deny someone boarding because they could not fit into the seat space left over because someone is a larger person.

Ultimately they are in business to make money and empty seats are not bringing in revenue.

When required to buy an extra seat if the flight has empty seats you can request a refund for the extra seat as they would not have sold it and it would have been empty anyway - the exception is a flight that has more than one leg - all legs must have empty seats to get the refund.

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YES! I am a big supporter of this. People KNOW when they are heavyset and in my opinion should know they'd be more comfortable if they purchase the two seats they need. Will it be more expensive? YES ofcourse it will be more expensive for them but it's not fair to others for them to take up one and a half seats...

travelgirl218

Well just imagine how uncomfortable it was for them.
If airlines "can" inforce larger people to purchase 2 tickets then they should also force parents who have lap children under the age of 2 years old - as thats not a joy to sit next to either

Penguin Crusade aka Sid the Kid

they should have a small amount of Larger seats and if they run out, then too bad take the next plane.

Crybaby Bob

Should airlines be required to standardize chair sizes. On a particular flight ANA has a 16 wide chair and American has a 18.5 chair. If the chair size was standard I would agree you might have an argument. I travel to Asia and it seems like a shorter thinner people have a tendency to sit with their elbows out poking me in the ribs throughout the flight. People with long legs tend to move there feet around trying to stretch out. Childern tend to move around and cry a lot.

EmilyRose

If they really don't fit in one seat, then they do have to purchase two seats. Most (all?) airlines require passangers who don't fit between the armrests of one seat to purchase a second seat. But it's not as though that's the only way to annoy the person next to you. There are plenty of people who stick there arms over the armrests way out or spread their legs into your space, which I find much more annoying since it's entirely within their control. If the flight isn't full, you can always ask the flight attendent to be reseated.

I sat next to someone once who was big enough that there wasn't space to put the arm rest down, but I'm small enough that I still fit just fine, and he was a cool person to talk to, so it really didn't bother me that much. Things are really only as annoying as you let them be.

ilessthanthreeyou

i think is needed for many reasons...a few being

1. they are uncomfortable...they should have a certain number of seats that are larger

2. its uncomfortalbe for the innocent person they are sitting next to

sellatieeat

They do force larger people to purchase additional seats. its like if you are over, i believe, 300 lbs then you have to purchase two seats. and i'm sure the larger person would know to purchase two seats becuase they wouldn't fit in a regular seat.

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