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Amen to your statement. If you've ever been forced to give up from 25% to 33% of your seat to a person who cannot fit within the arm rests, use their seat belt without an extender or lower the table top, you understand what SW is attempting to do.

I have had such an event occur and the same airline and flight attendants that refused to let me fly with one leg in a cast and the arm rest of the empty adjacent seat raised "for safety reasons" -- permitted the obese person to pull up the arm rest before being seated, required a seat belt extender, then proceeded to place their drink on my table top, as my "seat mate" was unable to lower hers. I believe that happened because I happen to be 5' 1" and weigh 104 lbs so they assumed I did NOT NEED a whole seat to myself.

There will be no next time, for that ever again to happen!!! I'll demand a seat in first class, a different seat for the person using my seat as well as his/hers, or he/she purchase two seats, as long as they require that much room!

I got sandwiched between 2 massive ladies on a flight between LAX and IAH - I thought I was going to suffocate. I asked to change seats and the stewardess said "I'm sorry but we're full."

I never had my seatbelt on the whole flight - I think it got stuck in one of the 'fat folds' of the lady next to me. Makes no difference, they both had me pinned in to where I couldn't move - One of them sat on my magazine and that was the last I saw off it.

On the flight they gave a snack which included a muffin - Having just come off an international flight I wasn't hungry and the lady on my left asked if I was going to eat my muffin - I said 'no' and then passed it to her and the other lady seemed to give me a weird look - kinda like I should have asked her as well -- to which I replied "Did you want me to cut it in half?" -- I felt really weirded out and wondered if I should ask the stewardess for another muffin to feed the other one - It was horrible - they both slept afterwards and made weird sounds.

I'll never forget that flight for the rest of my life.

In 1998/1999 I was making frequent flights to Frankfurt, Germany. One of those flights was a 747. I was thrilled at the prospect of finally getting to fly on a 747. The thrill was gone as soon as I got on the airplane. I was assigned to a seat in the center section. Two big Germans guys who easily weighed 300+ lbs sat on either side of me. Both oozed into my seat area. Both of them were charter members of the "bath a month club". The smell was incredible. I gagged for 9 hours with these two fat stink bombs on either side. My elbows were nearly touching in the middle of my chest.

I believe that happened because I happen to be 5' 1" and weigh 104 lbs so they assumed I did NOT NEED a whole seat to myself.

This sounds very much like ...to each according to his needs and from each according to his abilities....scary stuff.

My experience on a cross country flight next to an overflowing woman included very strong perfume.