More airplane etiquette

[motion]

Couple days ago, I'm getting on a plane. I usually fly with just a backpack, so I get on the plane last so I don't have to sit in that crummy seat for an hour before takeoff. I find my aisle seat, and there's a dude with 5' wide shoulders sitting next to me in the center seat. I immediately see that there's gonna be a problem, since I am 6'1" myself. I'm very polite by nature, so I sit down and figure out how to make the best of the situation. Ain't gonna happen. I'm leaning fully half way into the aisle to avoid the guy. The arm rest is digging into my side and I'm all contorted. There's no way anyone's going to walk down the aisle without taking my head and shoulder off. The guy is just sitting there, making no attempt to make himself smaller, with a stupid grin on his face.

I shoot him a few dirty looks, trying to let him know that the situation is not working for me. After we get to 10K feet, I get up and track down a crew member. She's very helpful and says she'll try to find me a different seat. I go back to my seat and tell the guy that he needs to buy 2 tickets next time, for 2 seats. He gets a confrontational look on his face and refuses to answer.

I ultimately got moved to an Economy Plus seat, so it was all good. I fly quite a bit, and guess I have been lucky so far. Anyone with any experience on how to handle this and what the crew are obligated to do to help? My situation worked out only because there were a few open seats on the plane. Seems like most flights I'm on, the plane is pretty much full.

I think the airlines need to get out of the 50s and start taking new realities into consideration, like obese people, or people like myself who fly light. Maybe they should stick all the families with kids in the back, then fat people in front of them, then normal-sized people in the front? I would also say that seating needs to be male-female-male, so us guys aren't always in an armrest war

[gacook]

I feel ya. Couple years ago, I got on a plane (pretty long flight...might've been L.A. to Hawaii, but I can't remember for sure) and find my seat...an aisle seat. The other 2 people in my row were by far the largest two people on the plane, both easily over 350. Like you, I'm no small fry (6'0, 225). I could barely fit in my seat because so much of the dude next to me was flopping over into my space. By far, the worst flight of my life, and I've had several "combat landings" in hostile environments...lol.

[Seahawk]

So many times...I am 6'4".

I was flying back from Spain a few years ago and guy next to me was huge, easy 350lbs plus. I had a window seat and the plane was full. The difference between your guy and this guy was he had a sense of humor about and really tried to not lump over into my space.

Impossible.

But he was so nice about it, apologetic, that I just made the best of a really cramped situation. It did occur to me that there was going to be no way out of that aircraft for me in an emergency.

I have had a few belligerent big guys, the type that try and occupy the whole row. I usually start out being nice..."You paying for half my seat", etc. but I will become very blunt, as in, "we need to work this out now, Sparky".

Makes for a quiet ride, but that is how I like them.

I do have to say that on three occasions, the last time last month on a non-stop from Vegas to Dulles, I have had to change flights late and gotten stuck with a reserved middle seat...only to get to my row and have the couple ask me if they don't mind me taking the aisle seat so they can sit together.

ARE YOU KIDDING!!!

[widebody911]

My bad! You should have told me it was you, I would have let you sit in my lap.

[ForBell]

Another:
Airlines ought to suggest that the passengers bathe prior to coming to the airport/boarding. Some people just plain stink!!!

[imcarthur]

I always take window because it guarantees an armrest + a place to lean against for sleep. I had one guy in the middle that was so big he couldn't put the armrests down all the way on either side.

Bigger seats are the only solution but I can't see that happening.

And I agree wholeheartedly that families with kids to the back. Let them annoy each other. Thankfully, Air Canada blocks the front 4 rows for frequent flyers until the last check-ins.

Btw I had my first 'rejected takeoff' out of Tampa on Wednesday. Ten seconds into takeoff the pilot killed thrust & slammed on the brakes. His dash lit up with a mechanical problem that would have prevented pressurization. A two hour fix. We got some pretzels to celebrate.

Ian

[vash]

Originally Posted by widebody911

My bad! You should have told me it was you, I would have let you sit in my lap.

this is a big man!! is he standing? or is he seven feet tall?

[vash]

oh..irony or coincidence that "widebody" posted up a widebody pic?

[motion]

Damn, that guy is huge. Now that I think about it, people over a certain weight should be required to buy 2 seats, or not be able to fly. Maybe 250lbs or so would be a good cutoff. And, why does my 95lb wife pay the same fare as a 350lb lardass?

[vash]

pretty girls under 100lbs should fly free!! hahahh

[Don Ro]

Only thing I would have done differently, Motion...I would have approached the big guy early-on as soon as I noticed how uncomfortable I was. Good to hear that you found a better seat.
.
100 yrs. ago, the few times I flew, folks used to dress-up to fly - now days, it looks like some folks intentionally fly unkempt & dirty. Phooey!

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by motion

Damn, that guy is huge. Now that I think about it, people over a certain weight should be required to buy 2 seats, or not be able to fly. Maybe 250lbs or so would be a good cutoff. And, why does my 95lb wife pay the same fare as a 350lb lardass?

Maybe the airlines should charge by the pound. $X + $Y*(passenger weight). And once over a certain weight, the person is put into a 2 person row with another "person of size".

[Tobra]

Simple solution. If you don't fit in one seat, you have to pay for two.

That would face a legal challenge immediately, hence would never happen.

As a practical matter, you complain to the air waitress immediately.

[motion]

Originally Posted by vash

pretty girls under 100lbs should fly free!! hahahh

+1 meeelion!

Funny story: I was on a plane from SLO to LAX. Short flight, tiny airplane. There were maybe 5 of us on the plane. I'm sitting next to a guy who is cutting the most horrendous cheese ever. Like non-stop. I was gagging. I got up after we had climbed and asked the crew if I could move. They said No! The plane was too small and the weights-and-balances would be affected! I had to sit by the guy again!

[M.D. Holloway]

I feel yo pain! I fly lots and about 25% of the time I get sat near a fatty. I refuse to give up the space my company bought so I just don't reliquish my space. I have no issue rubbing up shoulders or arms with someone in order to get back my space. I have yet to have someone not move I just don't give in. I know, I'm stubborn.

[motion]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Maybe the airlines should charge by the pound. $X + $Y*(passenger weight). And once over a certain weight, the person is put into a 2 person row with another "person of size".

Yep, I think everyone should be weighed, just like the baggage. What's the difference?

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by vash

pretty girls under 100lbs should fly free!! hahahh

Id just share a seat with them, they could sit on my lap.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by widebody911

My bad! You should have told me it was you, I would have let you sit in my lap.

That dude needs to fly on one of these....

[DonDavis]

It's only going to get worse. At least in the US ( IMHO ).

That's why I find the movie Wall-E a sad, dark portrayal of the future.
It always makes my head tilt when I hear someone say "Oh that was the cutest movie!"

[Gogar]

FC seats are bigger, and you get free drinks. Buy one of those.