This is a true story sent through flight attendant channels. While working on a turnaround to San Francisco an American Airlines flight attendant faced a problem as the gate agent was trying to close the aircraft door for departure. One of the flight attendants working the flight in the rear galley frantically tried to get in touch with the gate agent at the front of the plane. To no avail.
She took a picture of the problem with her iPhone and ran to the front of the door where the gate agent was getting ready to step off the plane and pull the jetway.
“Wait.” she called out to the gate agent, “We have a problem.”
The gate agent asked, “What kind of problem?”
The flight attendant showed the gate agent the photo on the iPhone.
“Whoops,” the agent said, “I gotta do something.”
Eventually the gate agent moved the poor passenger in the middle seat and seated the, ahem, oversized passenger.
You’ll have to admit, this is a picture that has to be seen to be believed.
(Photo: Unknown flight attendant)
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Difficult situation all the way around. Wonder what they would’ve done if that flight had been 100% full? I think that gate agent should have found a way to be a little more proactive rather than just allow the inevitable to unfold.
This is a clear failure of the GA’s responsibilities. This passenger should never have been allowed to board the plane – he is a safety risk. How is he going to get through an exit row and a small exit window?
How is he spilling off the aisle seat? I wasn’t aware the outside armrest could pivot.
If you, like many people, are concerned about obese people blocking egress during an emergency evacuation (there’s one, on average, every 11 days in the US) and especially if you are concerned about these folks being seated in emergency exit rows (often the only place they fit), then you need to send an email, describing what you’ve seen and your experiences, to john.cox@faa.gov or jodi.l.baker@faa.gov.
They are in the process of tracking/trending this stuff and possibly issuing a ruling.
On American, many of their aisle seats have removable armrests – in order to accommodate the disabled who may not be able to slide into the seat. Or he may have been sitting on the armrest.
Before we blame gate agents and flight attendants, how about we ask passengers to take a little personal responsibility. The gentleman of size cannot help but be aware that he cannot sit comfortably in a regular coach class seat. I think it is his responsibility to make the airline aware of that fact when booking his ticket. American Airlines has special assistance coordinators who can arrange for passengers with disabilities (and I would consider obesity disability when it comes to air travel). This passenger could have arranged for two adjacent seats and even boarded early. As airline passengers, we need to be our own advocates, don’t just assume the airlines can accommodate you if your needs deviate from the norm.
I am one of those oversized passengers and when I travel, I either travel first class or purchase two coach tickets (which is truly more comfortable) but I also know better than to push my luck. As a responsible traveler, I think this is the only solution and the gate agent should handle it before boarding – to avoid an embarassing situation on everyone’s behalf.
I hope those passangers signed a release for their photo to be published.
I dunno… this looks like a photoshop job to me. His head looks too big, compared to the other passengers in the same row. Even if somebody is truly massive, it doesn’t make their head magically larger.
To Carrie,
It appears he is sitting on the armrest. That can’t be comfortable!
@Carrie Charney I think that picture was what the FA showed to the Gate Agent and was taken before the middle seat passenger was moved.
I have experienced the problems involved with over sized passengers first hand. I am an oversize passenger. I used to buy two seats or buy the third seat when travelling with my wife. It seemed the best solution for all. However on several partial filled flights I have seen teenagers sleeping sprawled out on the empty seats while I pay full fare for two.
A solution one airline has used is to hold the second seat at no cost unless the plane is full, in which case I would pay fully for the seat. Alternately, a refund on second seats could be given if the plane is not full.
I suppose the ultimate solution is to make airplanes accessible to all, not just the healthy, average to small size customer.
Carrie: yes, on some carriers the outside armrest is movable (particularly on most Air Canada flights). However, it looks like this passenger is balancing on the armrest.
Bruce: if he can get through the door and down the aisle he can leave via the exit row — without getting stuck and preventing others from exiting. A window, however, might be a problem.
Clearly, this passenger knows he cant FIT into an economy class seat, yet, he boards and hopes the employees will “Fix” his problem.
Many airlines have seat maps on their websites and it’s more then easy to check to see how full the flight is. Now, it becomes a scramble to reseat OTHER passengers to accommodate someone who should of bought two tickets in the first place.
Rule of thumb: If the ARMREST can not go down between the two passengers, another seat must be purchased.
OK, so the “oversized” passenger pays for two seats. When he gets to the airport, the agent informs him that the flight is 100% full, and the only two available seats are a middle seat in the front of the plane and a middle seat in the back of the plane. And the overworked, underpaid agent is uninterested in doing anything about it.
Carrie — I believe he is sitting on the armrest. The middle passenger appears to be waiting for approval to move to another seat?
This has to be an awkward situation all around. On the one hand, the passenger should be aware that he wouldn’t comfortably sit in one seat and actually be made to purchase two seats. But on the other hand, can you imagine the gate agent bringing this topic up? I wouldn’t want to be in his/her shoes.
@Terry: Yes, he can get down the aisle but no one else can on that flight. What if someone needs to use the restroom? They have to squeeze themselves past him? What about beverage service, etc? What if there’s an emergency that needs a flight attendant who is at one of the aircraft and needs to rush to it?
I agree with those who say the passenger needs to call ahead and make arrangements. If you need assistance or special concessions, you should let the airline know ahead of time. I also agree with the other comment about how if the flight is not full, you shouldn’t have to pay for the extra seat.
Unfortunately, blaming the airline staff is the typical American “every problem is someone else’s fault” attitude. That is deplorable.
Thanks to those of you who acknowledge there needs to be some personal responsibility taken.
Thank you all with the arm rest info. Ideally, a plane should be able to accommodate. Hey, I’d love more room as a result too! But this is the real world and “wide” passengers (some overweight people carry their weight front to back) should purchase that extra seat.
THeicom – since you only see the backs of those in the passengers (except someone in the front of the plane, but am not sure if that is a passenger or a crew member), the photographer probably does not need to worry about getting permission from anyone to publish the pictures.
Keep in mind that your picture can be taken and published without contacting you as long as you were in a public place when the picture was taken (for instance, walking down the street of your town is fair game; taking a picture of you while you are in your house is not fair game and requires a release to be signed by you). And if one of the passengers pushed, I am guessing that it could be argued that this is a public place and no consents were needed.
Personal responsibility would my key issue. Also, would you want to be the passenger in the window seat? My two issues would be: – my safety, – my need to go to the restroom. Yes – A picture is worth – # ! * + PRICELESS!
Per photo, it appears that there are two empty seats behind him.
As you can see per photo there are still passengers entering the aircraft to take their seats so doubtful those seats stayed empty. This is becoming pandemic with all airlines and someone should step up and take a stand. Is it fair that someone who has paid the same price for their seat have to share most of it with an oversized passenger seated next to him/her? Many say they have paid for their whole seat not partial….just know that something has to done!
I agree with Doug Offen,, Passengers have to take some responsibility for themselves. This oversized passenger knows his size.
Oversized passengers should buy two coach seats, and then the airline should refund one if there’s an open seat available. I believe it’s SW’s policy to do this and it makes sense.
As an oversize customer it is MY responsibility to purchase two seats when I am flying. In my situation the armrest will not come all the way down; rather it rests upon my thigh. However, that still means I’m encroaching on the seat next to mine and as such I should buy two seats. I normally fly Southwest (except in rare circumstances) so when I buy two seats and the flight is not oversold they will refund the price of the second seat. I have taken six flights now where I have purchased two seats and I have always received a refund for the 2nd seat. (On their website Southwest claims the percentage of 2nd seat refunds is 98%.) With two seats I am much more comfortable and certainly the man or woman who claims the aisle seat is going to relax and be much more comfortable as well. Another advantage to buying 2 seats on Southwest is the ability to pre-board, although you are forbidden from taking an emergency row seat(s). Southwest employees have always, always treated me with kindness and respect as it relates to my situation. But in the final analysis the responsibility for insuring my safety and comfort lies with me and that is why I purchase two seats. (In my defense I will say that I am not so big that I wouldn’t fit through the window exit or unduly block the aisle in an evacuation.)
This is a subject about which I feel very strongly. If a passenger chooses to be oversized, then they need to pay the “piper” and buy 2 seats. A very high percentage of extra large or grossly overweight people got that way by choice and therefore need to pay for the space they are occupying without creating discomfort for their seat mates. If the passenger can document that their condition is medical and if the plane is not full, then they would not have to purchase the extra seat.
Travel agents are nōtōrius about ’selling DOWN’. I promise you, if you call the top 10 “best travel agents’” in your competition area and simply say “What is the fare from XXX [your home airport] to London, or Paris or Rome or Tokyo, destinations of your choice, I assure you the response will be “The cheapest fare from XXX to YYY is……” IF they even ask the travel dates! I like to say, “Thank you very much, but we were interested in flying First Class”, and hang up the phone. You can call them an hour later and they will do the exact same thing! Because they have been conditioned to offer the caller the cheapest! Same thing goes for Cruises: Hello XYZ Travel, my wife and I are interested in a cruise, what do you have to offer? They will offer you the shortest cheapest cruise possible. Most travel counselors do not have a clue how to ‘qualify’ the client! We have not sold a inside cabin in probably 10-15 years! Sell UP Sell UP Sell UP!
The person that sold the big man a ticket had the perfect opportunity to sell a first class seat, unless of course he was cheap and bought it online, and in that case he deserves to be uncomfortable! Some airlines charge large people for two seats.
The airline has the right to reseat passengers starting with the larger person and the person next to him.
The person next to the large person is entitled to a full seat or (following all bump rules) bump compensation. He should bring the problem to the attention of flight staff as soon as possible and have the complaint resolution officer summoned if the problem is not resolved to his satisfaction before departure.
The large person is not entitled to bump compensation if there are not enough seats on the entire plane to give him more seats than he purchased.
While it is okay for a larger person to sit overhanging the aisle assuming that arm rest can be raised, there is the concern that the total weight in that seat row may be excessive.
As a travel agent, we have often recommended that clients buy two seat. It is ackward to broach the subject, but it sometimes needs to be done, If you know the economy seat is 17.5 inches wide, you can sit on the floor with your right hip against the wall and check where you left hip extends to on the floor. If it’s more than 17.5 inches from the wall, you need two seats. In years past, though, there was a regulation that a person could not buy 3 seats. That sized individual would have to find another way to get where they are going.
I sometimes have passengers who just like the extra room offered by buying two seats. They might be very small,but they like to have elbow room. They buy the second seat under the name of “Extra Seat”, and it belongs to them, regardless of whether the airline wants to use it for an overbooked flight. It;s usually much less expensive than buying business or first class.
wow, that guy must be huge. i was briefly 360 pounds (6 feet tall), thankfully less now, and I still fit in a regular seat and could close a regular seatbelt and did not encroach on my neighbor’s space (though my shoulders are pretty broad no matter what my weight, so I do need to be careful).
Laurie,
If you are indeed a travel agent, where did you learn to properly use grammar and spelling. Go back to school before you write anything.
@Robert Cleve – Robert, be nice. If you don’t like Laurie’s grammar, don’t read her posts. You have the right to not use her services as a travel agent, but it’s really tacky to call her out in public like you did. As a former English teacher, I often cringe at what I see and hear, but I try to be considerate and correct others only in private. But sometimes the situation just begs to be addressed right away. For example, your first sentence is a question. As such, it should end in a question mark, not a period!
So what does everyone say when the person is “large”, but their shoulders exceed the seat? I’m sure there’s complaining about that. Should flying only be for petite people?
Oops, missed the “not”. what if the passenger is NOT “large”, but shoulders exceed….
There’s another twist to this whole “weight” situation. When checking in your luggage, if it is 3 lbs over limit you are charged an extra $50, even though you weigh 120 lbs. So where’s logic or justice?