Have you ever seen the episode of Airline where the employees of Southwest Airlines size up the biggies at check-in? Both super-sizers refused to purchase a second seat. So they were told they would have to board an airplane for a "test" to see if they could fit in a seat without a seatbelt extender. One passed the test and was allowed to board. The other passenger failed and was forced to buy a second seat in order to fly. Now this method would be fine with me on the major airlines.

I did not intend to offend Leelani or her sister at all by mentioning the seat belt extender. I was simply sharing how I tried to facilitate a worrisome situation for my sister. I found out the seat dimensions for our plane and my sister was concerned that since she would have a tight fit into the seat she would need a seat belt extender to help make her more comfortable than she would have been using a tight fitting seat belt. So, rather than have her ask an attendant for it and having it brought to her, I arranged to have it placed in the pocket in front of her seat prior to us getting on the plane. NW was more than happy to help us with this. She did use it (as I said, she was also about a size 20, Bonniebread, not 24) and had a comfortable flight. I just thought it might have been a helpful thing to mention.

Listen to Ira... two words... aisle seat.

Be sure you are able to book your seat when you make the reservation. BA only assigns 30% of their seats; the rest of us have to wait until closer to departure date or even at the airport to get the assignment.

My point being, an aisle seat can make all the difference. I suggest you each try for an aisle across from each other (to be able to talk but have the most room). Then you can annoy the cabin crew by stretching out into the aisleway (just kidding).

The only truly "roomier seats" as Leelani requsted in the original post, are to get out of coach class (i.e., Economy+ or whatever it's called by a particular airline, or if you can afford to fly Business).

Marianna, I understand what you're saying. Really, everybody's body is different, as to where you carry your weight and what you need to be comfy. And stating an exact size doesn't tell a whole story. My brother is at least 250 lbs. at 6' tall, but I swear 50 of that is in his stomach (seemingly) with no rear end. So it's really an individual thing....... what you need to be comfortable.

bonniebroad,
Your brother's habitus (and those of many on this thread) suggest a statistically early death (from any number of diseases: Diabetes, hypertension, CAD, stroke, obesity related cancer - many of those - incl breast, prostate, etc.) for many folks despite good genes.
M
(MD - ABIM, ABNM, ABR)

My last travel compansion must be at least a 20, and she is very pear shaped. We flew Icelandair (small jet-3 seats each side of one aisle) and she didn't mention anything about being uncomfortable. We had middile and aisle seats, and we just put the armrest up between us so she could use whatever space I might not be using.

Whatever size your sister is, encourage her to start a walking program long before she travels overseas. While in Europe, walking 5 miles or more a day is common. Getting in shape will make the trip much more enjoyable.

Marianna - I think you were being very thoughtful to ask for the belt exptender to be discreetly placed for your sister.
mikemo - I thought this was a discussion about how to fly comfortably if you are a larger person. Do you really think that people on here don't understand the health risks of being overweight? Maybe the lectures would be better suited for a health-related board.
However, I'm sure we are all delighted to know that you are so svelte.

I am going to be objective about this..I feel sorry for your sister, being so big must be a nuisance to her and also a very dangerous health hazard.

However, I feel sorry also for the poor devil that will be seated next to her.Airplane seats are not very big and the space is quite limited.

Once I was at a concert,and the seat next to me was occupied by a very nice, friendly overweight lady that keep apologing to me because I had to sit sideway, her shoulder were quite large.
I did not mind too much because the concert did not last too long..But now we are talking about 8 or 10 hour flight, then is a different matter..and my comfort will be my first priority.

I suggest that you sit in the middle and let your sister have the aisle seat, this way the person that will be uncomfortable is You..not someone else..

I made several international flights with my then size 20 behind and it was a tight squeeze with all of the carriers I flew on. The aisle seat helps as far as room to lean over but the butt is still wedged in there. I didn't need a seatbelt extender and I don't invade anyone else's "space". I am now a svelte size 16 at 5'7" and I don't have a problem fitting into seats, in fact as soon as I lost enough to get into the 16 to 18 range ( I like Elizabeth brand also!) I was ok to fit in the seats. Of course I would be more comfortable in first class or business but I know that isn't always in the budget. The worst seating problem I have had recently involved a beach chair and a Mai Tai on Poipu Beach but that story is best saved for another board! Have a wonderful trip!

tag, I agree, marianna is a thoughtful person and your comments are valid. It was a travel question not asking for comments on weight.

Thanks cigalechanta!

I've sat next to larger folks on trips and it isn't much fun having one's space invaded... airplane seats are a squeeze at the best of times, even for those of us who are smaller.
That said, people of all sizes should be able enjoy their travels as much as they can. Trips are a special thing!
And Leelani and Marianna are just trying to ensure their sisters have trips that aren't marred by discomfort and embarrassment.
I'm in the middle of planning a trip with my little sis (trying to ensure we do and see all the things she'd like) and this thoughtfulness just struck a chord. Sisters should look out for one another.

I read all of this thread so far and I am appalled; appalled that we as paying customers blame ourselves for the inadequacy of the product. Airline seats should accomodate the customer, the customer should not be concerned with his appropriateness for the product.

Train seats are comfortable, bus seats are large enough. When will airline seats be sized right?

probably when people are willing to pay 25 percent more for their tickets. I see posts on here where people complain about paying $600 RT from US to Europe.

This isn't that mysterious, people aren't willing to pay for the tickets when they cost more, which they will when a plane has larger seats and thus fewer passengers. I know I get claustrophobic and cramped when I fly to Europe nonstop for 7 hrs in a 17" seat (which is fairly common nowadays), I can't imagine having to sit in that seat that long if I were plus-sized in the ranges mentioned on here. I know a lot of men are that big normally, so I guess they always have these problems if they are maybe over 200 pounds. I don't think any airline should be giving larger seats without charge to women who are size 20, as many men are bigger than that, and it wouldn't be fair.

Don't count on DVT litigation causing the air carriers to change their seat pitch or cabin seating configurations -that's not gonna happen. DVT litigation has been ongoing in this country and particularly, in England and Australia, for a few years now, and adverse pax decisions have been rendered overseas, as well as here in the US. There have been a few DVT cases in the US (partic. in Calif.) where the carriers have settled with the pax without going to trial, but the details of settlement have been kept confidential.

The problem is, people think DVT is primarily an "economy class" problem, caused by lack of leg room, and the latest research shows that simply isn't medically accurate. ANYONE can get DVT, in business and first class, even in the cockpit, but also outside the aircraft environment. It has more to do with high risk medical factors and the lack of moving around than anything else-NOT lack of leg room. Pax have died who have been in first class seat beds-and again, it is the lack of motility for certain periods of time, coupled with high risk factors for clotting, that appear to be the root cause of the syndrome. As such, changing the seating configuration in coach class to provide more leg room simply is not causally related to the development of DVT syndrome, and thus does not play a role in air carrier decisions regarding seating configurations.

However, pax complaints about tiny uncomfortable seats IS a factor that carriers appear to be taking into consideration in overall decisions of seat width and pitch in newer generation aircraft. Hence, the new 555 seat capacity A-380, expected to roll-out in the next two years or so, will be designed with far roomier cabins that contemplate a larger seat and greater seat pitch in economy class. In fact, frequent fliers have now been asked to directly participate in creating a more comfortable cabin and seat design for the A-380 by Singapore Airlines, which has a number of these mega aircraft on order.

As for right now, if the carriers think a pax is too large for one seat, they can require that the pax pay for two seats, even when the plane is not full-and discrimination lawsuits filed by pax against carriers who have done this, such as SW Air, have lost those suits. Other carriers, such as UAL and Delta, will allow a large pax to use two seats without extra charge provided they are available. The upshot is, if a pax is large enough, the carriers have the discretion to make the call whether to require payment for two seats-on the theory that consumers who use more of a product must pay more for it-and SWA will enforce their policy to require a pax to pay for two seats if the pax cannot get the armrests down.

Airlawgirl,
Perhaps all pax should be required to fit through the emergency exits like the flight crew as a boarding requirement.
I just RT from LGW on BA Business and I saw eight of the largest ladies I have ever seen in the Bus cabin - each at least 1.83M/1.83KG.
Small wonder DVT is not a coach class event.
M

Why are we reviving this old post?

If those ladies weighed 1.83 KG they must've been verrrrry skinny.

Has anyone out there, including ME, had to sit next to a person that was so large, they "HUNG OVER" into my space? the seat that I paid for????
huh?

Have your ever flown inter-island on Aloha? Those are the smallest seats I have ever tried to shove my butt in. I don't need a seatbelt extender, in fact on that flight I didn't even need a seat belt. The jaws of life couldn't have pried my outta that seat!!!!! I have never before or since had a seat that small on any airplane.