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-   -   Overly large people on planes (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/overly-large-people-on-planes-459537/)

sweetdreams Jul 14th, 2004 11:18 AM

Just curious - if a trim man broke some bones on a ski weekend, should that temporarily overly large person (due to casts and slings) have to purchase two tickets to get back home?

What if a triathlete woman took fertility drugs and ended up pregnant with 3+ babies? Should this temporarily overly large person have to purchase two tickets on her business trip?

bonniebroad Jul 14th, 2004 11:28 AM

Under the "you use the space, you pay for it" rule, by George, they would have to!

GoTravel Jul 14th, 2004 11:35 AM

In my opinion, yes.

Firstly, broken up skier couldn't fly home until he/she was medically released and even then the airline would have to approve that person flying.

As for preggers flying, when my skinny girlfriend was pregnant with triplets, her ob/gyn barely let her out of the house let alone to fly somewhere.

Mutliple births are tricky. Again, it is up to the airline.

Rosemary1 Jul 14th, 2004 12:16 PM

I agree about the OL GoTravel! How 'bout Over the Limit, OverLoad, Orders Lots...? Okay, I'll stop.>:)

emummert Jul 14th, 2004 12:21 PM

Girth-challenged? Hunger impaired? Chin-abundant? Liposuction intolerant? When does the political correctness end? I am 5'10" and 205...not fat but certainly not skinny. Under my own definition of myself, I call myself what I am: a little overweight! Hence, I HIT THE GYM!

yk2004 Jul 14th, 2004 12:44 PM

emummert-

Since you mentioned it, I cannot resist to reply. By calculating your BMI, it comes out to 29.4
The current BMI definition is:
18.5 ? 24.9 Normal
25.0 ? 29.9 Overweight
30.0 and Above Obese
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm

So, BMI of 29.4 is not just "a little overweight" as it is borderline obese. I think the problem of so many overweight people in the US is because they don't realize that they are overweight! But I truly applaud you for hitting the gym. A lot of overweight & obese people do not bother doing that.

GoTravel Jul 14th, 2004 01:07 PM

Let's nip this in the bud right now.

If you can't fit your body in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you, you do not deserve to fly.

I didn't say it had to be comfortable I just said you had to fit.

For those of you that are going to say the bulkhead seats don't have a seat in front of them to store luggage, you do not deserve to fly.

atilla Jul 14th, 2004 01:14 PM

hahaha GoTravel, didn't you mean "if you can't fit your BAGGAGE in the overhead compartment..."

or am I missing something here? I've never tried to squeeze under the seat or the overhead compartment, but I would howl with laughter watching someone attempt this.

:-d

GoTravel Jul 14th, 2004 01:19 PM

Oh no no no Atilla.

If you can't cram the ole' bod in the overhead or under the seat in front of you, you don't deserve to fly.




atilla Jul 14th, 2004 01:23 PM

oh I gotcha!
#-O

FainaAgain Jul 14th, 2004 01:25 PM

Atilla: and if you tape it and send to American Funniest Home Videos you can win up to $10,000!

atilla Jul 14th, 2004 01:37 PM

Good thinking! Then I could take my winnings and board the next plane to Aruba, all safely tucked away under my seat.
:-)

emummert Jul 14th, 2004 02:36 PM

YK,

About BMI:

Walter Payton was 5-10, 202 pounds during his career. Could you characterize him as "borderline obese"? BMI is a famously rough calculation...read the following quote from the CDC's website you referred me:

"Myth: BMI Measures Body Fat

Two people can have the same BMI, but a different percent body fat. A bodybuilder with a large muscle mass and a low percent body fat may have the same BMI as a person who has more body fat because BMI is calculated using weight and height only.

These men have the same height, weight, and BMI, but may have different percent body fat."

As you can see, to gauge my physical stature and/or fat ratio would be assuming alot. I have been athletic the vast majority of my life, have felt myself slipping over the last year, and returned to regular exercise.

However, the point is, I realize I could lose some weight AND am doing something about out. Something like less than 5% of overweight people ar heavy genetically. The other 90% need to stop whining and do something.

yk2004 Jul 14th, 2004 03:12 PM

emummert-

I agree with you, and I apologize for making an assumption of you when I have never met you before.

But I think we both agree that *most* overweight/obese people are truly overweight/obese, and that they should get motivated to do something about it, rather than complaining about airline seats being too small.

Jocelyn_P Jul 14th, 2004 03:35 PM

yk,

Yes, I agree with you in principle, but what about my 6'8" tall-yet-slim brother-in-law? Not overweight by any means, but he can barely fit into an airline seat, and it has to be on the aisle. He doesn't have any control over his height, yet he intrudes the space of whoever's sitting next to him. Should he be forced to buy an extra seat as well?


sweetdreams Jul 14th, 2004 03:39 PM

I didn't notice complaining comments from the overweight. Many comments I did read make me want to order junk food for a year and fly all over the country just to annoy the holier-than-thous.
Although I have found some value on this board in the past, this is it for me.

yk2004 Jul 14th, 2004 03:54 PM

Jocelyn_P

I feel for your BIL. All my posts were referring to obese individuals. I would assume your BIL's fellow passengers would be sympathetic toward him, as height is something one have no control about. Maybe he should fly AA - more room through coach?

Stephanie Jul 14th, 2004 04:05 PM

I want men to pay double fare because I'm sick of having them spread their legs wide apart and I have to end of pushing their knees out of my space.


pegelicious Jul 14th, 2004 05:27 PM

I hear ya Stephanie. My most frequent issue is not fat people but men who sit like they're in their barcalounger at home. Knees out, arms wide reading the paper not even folded.
A constant pain. And the icy looks I get when I ask for a little room.

I know Fodor's men, being the gentlemen-travelers they are, are not in this category! :-)

jetset1 Jul 14th, 2004 06:10 PM

WARNING!!!!!!!! Do not, under any circumstances, read the If You Have Traveled in the Southern US post. It has a zillion FATTENING recipes, most of which will put you wayyy over the limit in your airline seat,lol.
Sorry, but after I saw this post change it's tone, as they often do when certain sensibilities come into play, I had to lighten the mood. Hay, one of my prime motivators for all my miles is the upgrades, in order to relish the extra space and keep husband in a good mood before we arrive at the final destination. I also keep healthy, so as to enjoy other things in moderation, and still fir into what the airlines consider normal seat dimensions. If you want to discourage crashers in the empty aisle seat, strategize as they eyeball you for passitivity- pull your hair, belch, spray perfume, whatever might lessen the chances that your flight will be horribly ruined. Oh here's one, if you are female, whiup out a Playgirl, and turn it to the middle and vertically ooh and ahh. Men, do the same with a Swank or Trucker Monthly. Cheers, J.


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