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Little Wiggle Room for XXL Passengers
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Monday, October 16, 2006
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Little Wiggle Room for XXL Passengers
Jeff -- AOL Travel Team
Caught this story in the New York Times Travel Section yesterday (Air Travel: Little Wiggle Room for XXL Passengers) about the challenges travelers are facing as the average aircraft gets smaller, the load factors (number of seats sold) is climbing and the average US passenger gets larger. At issue: How do you share a seat with, as Southwest Airlines calls them, Customers of Size?
The article is quick to point out that the challenges are not reserved just for the seat-mates of the Customers of Size but for the Customers of Size themselves. Airlines are also in a tough spot as they try to determine whether it is necessary -- or fair -- to charge a larger passenger for two seats.
On a recent flight to New York aboard the Delta Shuttle, I actually benefited from having a larger passenger in my row. With me in the window seat, and him in the aisle seat, the middle seat remained open on this otherwise packed flight. A good flight for me, but not for anyone who might have been stuck in the center.
So, tell us, how should airlines respond this "growing" problem? And, do you have any suggestions for dealing with these situations?
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This entry has 533 comments: (Add your own)
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I fly alot . Usually from LA to Florida. I used to weigh 410 lbs. I am a little over 6' tall. I now weigh 205. The comfort of flights hasn't gotten any better. I am still broad shouldered . I used to look for flights half empty so I knew there would be a middle seat open. Or I'd fly an airline that I was a premier customer of so I would usually get a free upgrade to first class. I am half the person I was two years ago, and I don't feel any better sitting in a coach seat. Now some people may say the people sitting next to me feel better, but I don't think that's true. The seats on planes are deffinately smaller. The legroom is less. What amazes me is that I'm paying double for the same flights I was taking a year or so ago.
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I UNDERSTAND THAT OBESITY CAN BE CAUSED BY A MEDICAL CONDITION OR JUST BECAUSE THE PERSON HAVE CHOOSE TO BE BIG. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PEOPLE LIKE TALL PEOPLE SUFFER EVERYTIME THEY HAVE TO TAKE AN AIRPLAINE WHERE THE ROOM SEAT IS LIMITED AND VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. I BELIEVE THAT A GOOD WAY TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION IS FOR THE AIRLINES TO CREATE 2 OR 3 ROWS OF SEATS WITH BIGGER DIMENSIONS AND ROOM AND TO CHARGE 10-20% FOR THOSE SEATS. THE LAST TIME I FLEW IT WAS HORRIBLE FOR ME BECAUSE EVEN THOU I'M PETITE THE PERSON BY MY SIDE WAS BIG. IT WAS A 2 SEAT ROW AND I WAS SO UNCOMFORTABLE LIKE HIM, I WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE AND I WAS STUCK BETWEEN HIM AND THE WINDOW. NEXT TIME SORRY, BUT I WILL COMPLAINED TO THE AIRLINE BUT I WILL FLIGHT AGAIN UNDER SUCH CIRCUMTANCES.
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Just caught all these entries on air travel and oversized passengers. How wonderful to know that our American public is so opinionated about large people. The last time I flew I had an aisle seat and it was horrible! My knees hit the seat in front of me, the guy behind kept pulling on the back of my seat and hitting me in the back and if anyone walked past they unavoidably kicked my ankle or foot, which was stuck under the edge of the seat ahead of me. I am a woman 6' tall. I am muscular and a prison guard. I will have to fly next week, and am dreading it. I have again booked an aisle seat because I will hopefully have some respite from cramming my knees into the back of the seat in front of me. I think you all have missed the point here, we ARE cargo to the airlines and will continue to suffer the consequences of this because they have to move the most for the least amount of money. Suck it up and get on with your lives. Just be thankful that you can fly!! Driving some of the distances is even worse!
2/8/07 4:02 PM