Posted on 12/01/2009 4:54:54 PM PST by Justaham
An image of an obese passenger squeezed into an economy airline seat has reopened a debate about how airlines deal with growing numbers of oversized passengers.
The picture, posted on an aviation blog, was reportedly taken by a flight attendant to illustrate to airline managers the difficulty of dealing with passengers who cannot fit into seats.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
No, the info on this photo is that it was taken by an FA who was using it as an example to her managers of an unsafe flying situation. The airline execs are afraid to do anything as they fear PR fallout from the fatties. ...used to work for Continental Airlines.
Forget the size issue - one can only imagine the stench.
LOL!!!! Or Tehran. We wouldn’t need a nuclear bunker buster with this guy in our arsenal!
The seats on that jet are spacious compared with what you get on a domestic Asian flight.
Looks like two seat right behind him are empty...
I would LOSE IT if he sat next to me. Either he goes or I go.
Why is everyone attacking this guy? Attack the dumb airlines that often have armrest that cant be moved back. He wouldnt have to sit on it if he could rotate the F-ing thing back. The airlines have horribly designed seats.
You know what though? Even if he’d paid for 2 seats you don’t always get two seats. I have a co-worker that bought 2 seats on a flight to NJ for our corporate meeting and they used her 2nd seat for a standby passenger. She tried to do the right thing and the airline took the seat from her. She objected and said she’d paid for two seats and after booking online called the 800# and explained why she’d bought 2 seats.
There are lots of stories out there from people that have bought a 2nd seat and had the airline use it for standby people. So it could be that the guy did say something and got shafted out of his 2nd seat and his money.
At least if you are in the seat behind him you might have half a chance if the plane crashes.
Human air bag.
I don’t buy it as a real takeoff situation.
A) There is no armrest up on his seat, so he’s got to be seating himself OVER the armrest, without even a tilt to the right to squeeze in that lardy left cheek.
B) There’s no seat belt. No way in hell does any airline allow takeoff without one.
100% fake.
Why? Because its fun.
I gladly pay the extra fee for United’s Economy Plus class. But your point stands - it got this way largely due to choices made by consumers.
I agree. I’m a big guy, 6’5” and Defensive Tackle sized. I have been flying United because they have extra legroom in the front. Some airlines (not United, though) have started having armrests on aisles able to go up, which really helps alleviate the situation. Yes, I’m overweight, but I’m also tall. If I were 6’ with the same proportions I’d be fine.
Airlines are at least partially to blame for this as they have crammed more rows into the planes and made the seats narrower to fit more people on smaller planes.
I would also pay extra for a class that maybe had business class seats with no service. I don’t care about free drinks or meals on the plane, but I’d pay extra for a wider seat and more legroom.
I travel for business and am also subject to the rules of my company, so the best I can do is focus on one airline that will give me upgrades quite a bit. Believe me, it’s no picnic for anyone involved in this situation.
it wasn’t a takeoff situation. as I understand the story,the gate agent was attempting to seal the door and order the plane to take off and was ignoring the FA’s pleas to do something about the fatso, but was being ignored. She finally took this photo and brought it up to the gate agent. They ended up bumping the man in the middle seat and upgrading him to First Class, and fatso got both seats.
Because he's a fat, worthless f*ck who cares nothing about his own life or his family's. He'll eat himself to death while in the process forcing others to subsidize his meds, his healthcare and possibly his funeral. He is a selfish glutton and parasite.
Happened to me this summer but judging from the stupid comments on this thread about the man’s size,,,and the even more stupid comment about his stench ( I suppose the poster Chet can smell photos through cyber space)I decided not to mention it.
Right. . . .raising the arm-rest would make it easier for fatso to intrude upon the hapless guy next to him.
Quality?
Heck, I’d be happy if the stewardesses lost the scowl and the gate agent stopped the snarky attitude.
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