so many posts, and a potentially hot legal issue. I am a CT technologist, and the weight limit on my table is 450 lbs. The ER recently ordered a "standard" sized wheelchair that is a good 6 inches wider than the "standard" sized chair of 10 years ago. Someone else mentioned the wider, stronger ambulance gurneys; the ever widening American backsides need to be accommodated not only with medical equipment, but with transportation as well. Someone suggested making at least one row of seats wider to accommodate larger passengers~excellent idea! Maybe we can have a box for butts just like we have for carry on luggage~if yours doesn't fit, you have to sit in one of the larger seats..........

I thought that arm rests HAD to be down for take off and landing, just like "tray tables in their upright position".

LOL!!! tenthumbs, so how many cheeks do you have?

Americans need to lose weight. Period.

This thread has caused me to start my diet again, even though I am nowhere close to being obese! On Biggest Loser last night they said the US is #1 in having the most obese people and Australia is #2.

I've flown a lot and have NEVER heard a FA say the arm rest had to be down, they walk by and look to see if seat is up, tray up & seat belt on, but have never told us to put our armrest down b/c sometimes we don't think to put it down until we are in the air.

And, that reminds me... don't you love the people who have flown before and they HEAR the FA say to make sure all seats & trays are up and then they walk thru the cabin and have to tell 10-12 people to put their seat up?? And on my last trip, they announced to turn off cell phones & electronics, 5 min later backed the plane away from the terminal, stopped and the pilot announced that someone still had on a cell phone or elec. device b/c it was interfering with their radios. They made everyone get out their phones and check them. The boy across the isle from us had a little computer thing on and we heard the "dinging" song of at least 3 cell phones being turned off. DUH!! Come on people, catch a clue!!!!

Kauai_aka~at present only 4...but the southern ones keep getting larger with age :0 I do feel for alexa35 and her horrible experience, tho. I think the best solution in this situation is a combination of suggestions posted: ask for something specific in compensation; be clear with the flight attendant on exactly why you're uncomfortable; put down the armrest; give the company a chance to make things right, and if they don't, THEN take away your business, and for heaven's sake--be NICE. No one minds losing a meanspirited, demanding, threatening individual as a customer, it's the nice, reasonable ones they want to keep!

Well, we will see what the airlines says. At least an apology would have been nice for a night of lost sleep standing.
"No one minds losing a meanspirited, demanding, threatening individual as a customer, it's the nice, reasonable ones they want to keep!"
This is very true. I probably come across to them though as not reasonable.

It's difficult to remain reasonable when you've had a horrid experience! Can't say that I'm always successful in maintaining a calm, pleasant demeanor.........but we had a very bad experience with a Marriott hotel in France, and my mom eventually got compensated for being specific about her complaint, by asking for something specific and by giving them a chance to make it right. She also had a good plan of retaliation if they failed!

Thanks, tenthumbs... A specific request really is best and so is a great back-up plan!

It was interesting to see this thread come back up on my queue.

It occurred to me that there are other times your size or health matters, for example, in the emergency exit row, you must be of good health and strong enough to open the door, or you must change seats with another passenger. And as I understand it, that is the flight attendant's discretion. I have seen people asked to swap.

Also, I have been asked to put armrests down for takeoff.

On a recent WN flt, had to keep my nose pressed against the window due to middle seat pax BO. Full flt, but still going to complain to FO, only boss in aisle seat chatted happily with same pax. Turned air vent on full and aimed his way.

I'd pay extra for no-child stg. I flew 10k+ miles with my own, but mine were behaved. Oh, to have a flt without kicked seats, barfing from too many snacks, shrieks.

As a flight attendant of 35 years with a major US airline, this topic is a tricky one. I cannot tell you how hard it is for both the gate agents and flight attendants to deal with this as "discrimination" and lawsuits always come out in the conversations with these people. Try explaining to these fine folk why they cannot sit at an emergency exit window seat! Its a real hot potato,trust me.You try to walk in their shoes but there are some who are downright nasty and challenge everything. They also argue when you suggest getting a seat belt extension put on their belt.

It is right up there with the people who pass their dogs off as "anxiety dogs" (companion type dogs like hearing and seeing eye) so that they don't have to pay the shipping fees,etc. for them to ride in the cabin-once again the Americans and special disabilities act.Challenge it and I am going to sue your airline and you. Whats a skygoddess to do?

Hi dutyfree, I understand what you are saying about people threatening lawsuits etc., but...I thought that flight attendants with the backing of the airline captain could insist that the airline rules be followed. Isn't that true? I thought the airline crew were in charge of the airplane and consequently if a passenger did not follow the aircrew instructions they could be removed from the plane or if the plane was in flight they could be arrested when the aircraft landed. Am I wrong?

LoveItaly-what you are saying is true to a degree. All flight attendants before pushback really try to make sure everyone is a happy camper in terms of seating,"their stuff" where they want it,etc.Its always chaos during boarding with all of the airlines taking off the extra flight attendant that used to be on the flights-wrong seats,carryon luggage,people blocking the aisles to chat,bathroom lines,etc.

The above poster really should have made a stink BEFORE pushback because if the flight is oversold there is not much to do at that point and perhaps the flights attendants could have gotten the agent to reseat or take off before the door closed.And no, there are not any regulations that I know of having your armrests up or down. I do advise all of my friends that fly to ALWAYS have the armrests down between strangers-kinda like a double bed with your mate as you have to stake out your spot before sleep comes?

I cannot believe that some of the airlines people have been talking about above would have an obese person in an aisle seat as that would be liken to a child's car seat blocking an exit out.
Another one of my angst list- why don't people sit down when the seatbelt sign is on, the captain has made an announcement that its gonna be really bad and we have asked/told them to sit down?
Seriously, the traveling public nowdays is unbelievable. I just had an older lady last week from Rome to US tell me to "shut up because she was not gonna listen to me or the captain about the turbulence"-even though we are all in our harnesses and the plane is dropping.Excuse me?

My favorite statement that I say now is something to this effect:
I just want to make sure that when we are in court over your medical injuries and the judge asks you"Did the flight attendant and pilots tell you to return to your seat and that the seatbelt sign was on?" you chose to ignore it." The stupid lawsuits and the hassle of these people taking up flight crews' time to go to court is ridiculous.So to answer your question-we walk on eggshells now because EVERYONE has issues!

Dutyfree - I don't envy you. I don't travel that often, but it amazes me the things people scream and throw fits over. Then there's the ignoring of the rules and procedures "because they don't refer to me". Then there's the "make everyone else suffer because I'm the only important person here".

A very sad situation Dutyfree. But as Toeds said..

It has rather become a "it's all about me" world.

I evidently don't have the ego to feel that way, lol.

To everyone from the other month who responded to my posting of "horrid flight experience" in which a passenger took up my seat as well as her own and I was left standing on an overnight flight out of Anchorage.
Update: Life has gotten hectic, I moved, sent in my complaint letters and withheld the charge on my credit card.
So far NORTHWEST has done NOTHING to compensate me as they said they would send a voucher.
My credit card company will no longer dispute this charge for me so I have to pay... or get a lawyer.

I think this guy from NYC suing the airline has a good idea:


Man Says JetBlue Seated Him on Toilet

NEW YORK (May 12) - A New York City man is suing JetBlue Airways Corp. for more than $2 million because he says a pilot made him give up his seat to a flight attendant and sit on the toilet for more than three hours on a flight from California.







Gokhan Mutlu, of Manhattan's Inwood section, says in court papers the pilot told him to "go 'hang out' in the bathroom" about 90 minutes into the San Diego to New York flight because the flight attendant complained that the "jump seat" she was assigned was uncomfortable, the lawsuit said.

Mutlu was traveling on a "buddy pass," a standby travel voucher that JetBlue employees give to friends, from New York to San Diego on Feb. 16, and returned to New York on Feb. 23, the lawsuit said.

Initially, Mutlu was told a flight attendant had taken the last seat on the plane, but then he was advised she would sit in the employee "jump seat," meaning he could have the last seat, the lawsuit said.

The pilot told him 1 1/2 hours into the five-hour flight that he would have to relinquish the seat to the flight attendant, court papers say. But the pilot said that Mutlu could not sit in the jump seat because only JetBlue employees were permitted to sit there, the lawsuit said.

When Mutlu expressed reluctance to go sit in the bathroom, the pilot, who was not named in the lawsuit, told him that "he was the pilot, that this was his plane, under his command that (Mutlu) should be grateful for being on board," the lawsuit said.

The aircraft hit turbulence and passengers were directed to return to their seats, but "the plaintiff had no seat to return to, sitting on a toilet stool with no seat belts," court papers say.

Some time later, a male flight attendant knocked on the restroom door and told Mutlu he could return to his original seat, court papers say.

Mutlu's lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan's state Supreme Court, says JetBlue negligently endangered him by not providing him with a seat with a safety belt or harness, in violation of federal law.

A JetBlue spokesman declined comment on the lawsuit Monday.


Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-05-12 18:43:04

So, if I read what I think is an insinuation, you're going to sue?

alexa35, maybe it's simply time to let this go? Chalk it up to one bad experience and never fly NW again. I have decided to avoid AA after a bad experience with them (after years of AA being my preferred airline). Vote with your business. From now on, I fly Southwest whenever possible.

alexa35-
If this hasn't been resolved by now, you may be interested in The Ultimate Consumerist Guide To Fighting Back
<http://consumerist.com/consumer/unsc...308361.php>

We have a very large (not fat) friend who sits a bit forward, with his arms on his knees as long as possible, so that his sholders (very broad) do not impede others space. very thoughtful and considerate, and he really can't help his hugeness, as opposed to people who just eat too much.

I had the unfortunate experience of sitting behind, in coach, a huge man who just refused, outright refused, to put his seat back up so I could lower my tray for my meal.

Steward tried several times to tell him to do it...he refused. Steward said he can not 'require' it of him, unless the plane is in danger, somehow. Oh well....if you must fly, just get over it, or pony up for a business seat. The airlines just don't much care if you are uncomfortable.

Hmm, interesting. Yes they transport you point-to-point but 'comfortably' isnt in the clause. I agree that if you can't fit into a seat with the armrest down and seatbelt 'as is' you must purchase 'premium space' -- why dont the airlines offer 50% larger seats which can be purchased halfway between economy and business/first? Why are we charged for luggage 'overage' when our body weights are not so charged? When last in Paris a (typically trim) Parisian woman was complaining about the same thing-- she annually flies to our West for long time-- she is annoyed that baggage weight matters but passenger weight does not. She is a slim 110 lbs and was furious to pay extra baggage weight. Now dont go crazy on the French pls, but on this point, I agree and I could lose some weight myself. BUT for the 'common good' the airlines must think. I would write the airline and ask why this particular woman's comfort outranked yours.

I have seen this happen 3 times in the past 2 months.

I gather that, since planes used for many airlines are smaller and fliers are being packed in like sardines, this is something that is going to be more common unless the airlines have and/or enforce rules so that this will not happen.

I'm waiting for the news report about the "passenger of size" who dutifully buys two seats. And then finds out at the airport that they're two middle seats, one at the front of the plane and the other at the back. Since the plane is overbooked, those are the only available seats, and the agent refuses to reassign them.

If I ever find myself in this situation, I will take lots of photos with my cell phone for supporting evidence.