A photo of an obese passenger on a plane has sparked a heated debate over whether heavier travellers should pay for an extra seat.
The man was photographed by a fellow traveler on Monday as he struggled to sit comfortably in his aisle seat on a flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen.
The photo sparked a heated debate over whether plus-size passengers should pay for an extra seat or whether this is the airline’s responsibility.
“This man sat behind me on my flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen yesterday,” the man who took the photo wrote on Facebook.
‘I felt sorry for him and the man next to him in the middle seat. They must have both felt very uncomfortable during the short flight.
“Perhaps it is time for airlines to handle these types of situations in a thoughtful and sensitive manner.”
The man said the largest passenger “stuck into the aisle,” forcing fellow passengers to squeeze past him on the way to the restroom.
Some said it was the man’s responsibility to pay for an extra seat.
“It doesn’t matter why someone is too tall, if they are, they should buy an extra seat. That’s not discrimination, it’s a safety requirement,” said one person.
The plus-size passenger was photographed by a fellow traveler as he struggled to sit comfortably in his aisle seat on a flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen on Monday
“I agree that if you can’t fit in your own seat, you should buy a second one. Whether we agree on seat size or not, you are buying a certain amount of space on the plane and that should not spill over into someone else’s space,” wrote a second.
‘Just like with checked baggage, there should be a weight limit for a single seat. And that limit should be based on the size/class of the seat,’ suggested a third.
“I’m a fat guy. I think I can handle this guy’s size. It’s his responsibility to make sure he’s comfortable and that no one else gets crushed by him,” said a fourth man.
“The airlines could make seats bigger and more comfortable. Not for guys like me, but for the average person. Most people are uncomfortable in regular seats.
‘I always buy an extra chair or, recently, I go for business.’
“My dad’s friend was so big. He always understood that traveling meant one of two things: he had to pay for first class or he had to buy two seats. He never complained, just went for the cheaper option,” wrote a fifth.
“We had amazing friends who were so tall. They would always buy three chairs,” shared another commenter.
However, others felt it was the airline’s responsibility to improve its policies.
The photo sparked a heated debate over whether plus-size passengers should pay for an extra seat or whether this is the airline’s responsibility (pictured: Sydney Airport)
“The airlines need to be reined in. People aren’t cattle, but that’s how the airlines see them. Travel used to be fun (even in economy), but now only those who can afford business or first class are treated as human beings,” one wrote.
“This happened to me a few years ago when this guy was sitting in the middle seat next to me,” wrote a second.
“I’m quite small, but it was very uncomfortable for both of us. I agree that the airlines need to address the situation.”
“Unfortunately, airlines are a business. They will maximize their profits as much as possible. A little bit of seat enlargement might be tolerated by companies, but they probably won’t make seats that are comfortable for this man,” said a third.
‘Spirit Airlines has this down pat in my opinion. I’m a big guy and always book a big seat up front. It doesn’t cost much more if you buy it in advance and it makes it really comfortable for me and other people,’ shared a fourth.
‘Other airlines should do the same.’
Others told of similar unpleasant experiences they had had during flights.
“Last year I had a woman like that next to me. I had to sit a little to the side so I wouldn’t touch her. My legs and hips hurt for days because I sat like that for 4 hours,” said one man.
“I was on an international flight with a man that size. My husband and I took turns standing in the aisle because he took up his seat and most of mine. It was a full flight and the crew did nothing about it,” one woman wrote.
“A heavyset man sitting behind me struggled to get comfortable and kept pulling at my seat. I didn’t recline my seat to avoid making it more uncomfortable, despite my own back pain. I think airlines should consider a seating policy to ensure the comfort of all passengers,” said another.
