I've resisted the urge to close this thread for some time, but it is becoming more tempting.

There is a serious point to be discussed here - The use of gratuitous abuse and name calling simply achieves nothing except to encourage others to ignore your comments, or not take them seriously.

Stop it.

Interestingly, this is an approach which visitors to the Universal Studio (now defunct) ride of Duelling Dragons will be familiar with - my wife always reminds me of the sign which said 'guests of a certain size who are unable to sit in these seats, with the restraint in place and fully locked down, will not be permitted to ride, for reasons of safety to themselves and other riders.'

If folks would accept this for a fairground ride then its not entirely unreasonable to ask the same of an aircraft seat.

SEAT BELT LENGTH
 

Just out of curiosity - Is there a standard length for passenger seat straps?
I find that on some aircraft there is plenty of spare and on others I can hardly make ends meet.

PS I am of the large variety of passenger.

There is still one there on the lower lot for the Revenge of the Mummy ride at Universal Hollywood. It was rather sad to see a young kid crying because neither of her parents could even start to fit in it, which of course meant she couldn't ride.

"I certainly do apply the same yardstick to smokers and drinkers and irresponsible drivers. All of these including the face stuffers contribute to my and your rising health insurance costs. All avoidable."

Actually in Australia smokers pay more in extra tax than they cost.

As for the larger fliers...

Its is unacceptable to have the space, that I paid for encroached on someone who can not fit in the seat they occupy.

It is also unacceptable to make them feel like crap because of it.

Thanks, appex - I was beginning to think I was on my own!

BBC report that

Regardless of the causes of weight “issues”, at some point airlines will have to face the fact that the general population is increasing in both width and height. In my family (mainly “skinnies”) each generation is significantly taller than their parents, even if not much wider.

It may be an urban myth, but I've heard that 'on average' the shortest child in a family will grow to be taller than the shortest parent. Not always, but more often then not. I.e. we are getting taller.

Perhaps it is time for BA to bring back their triple/double convertible seats available to any passenger that requires them, or desires them, at 150% of the fare. The technology exists.

Now that is going to make load factor calculations difficult!

P.S. Tightslot :ok: I had stopped reading comments here for the reasons you mentioned. It was only due to fat finger syndrome on my iPad that I saw your post.

Presumably while insisting that oversized passengers always travel in pairs, to avoid loss of revenue. :O

OK, Charge them 200% of the fare if they are not traveling with another passenger that requires/desires the other wider seat.

The point is that us 'skinnies' shouldn't be paying higher fares to cover other passenger's needs. I don't need a wider seat, but if I want one I should pay for it. Someone who needs it should do the same.

Under British Airways Conditions of Carriage they state "
7a) Our right to refuse to carry you

We may decide to refuse to carry you or your baggage if one or more of the following has happened or we reasonably believe may happen.

7a1) If carrying you or your baggage may put the safety of the aircraft or the safety or health of any person in the aircraft in danger.

7a2) If carrying you or your baggage may affect the comfort of any person in the aircraft."

If in the airlines opinion seating a seriously overweight person next to you does not affect your comfort, health or safety and you can prove otherwise you could possibly claim redress for the injury.

Sober Lark,

True, but I don't want a flight where my space is stolen by somebody else and then it's up to me to assume the hassle of claiming back from the airline.

Understood ExXB. On boarding you discover your space has been stolen and there are no other seats available. You make a discreet complaint to the cabin crew manager. Naturally he or she should take the option of looking for a volunteer (along the lines of denied boarding compensation) rather than knowingly risking your health, safety or comfort.

SEAT BELT LENGTH
 

Just out of curiosity -

Is there a standard length for passenger seat straps?

I find that on some aircraft there is plenty of spare and on others I can hardly make ends meet.

PS I am of the large variety of passenger.

The absolute intolerance displayed in this thread is astounding. I guess the ones complaining the most are slim, athletic and run a mile in under a minuet,attend a gym 3 times a day and are dedicated vegetarians.Congratulations on being the super slim people you are. Heaven forbid you should ever put an once of weight on. Genetics does play a part.Medications can also cause weight gain (I tried to explain that and other reasons in another thread about passengers of size but I felt I was talking to a brick wall)

How about showing some respect to those who are weight challenged. After all, those that are complaining are probably of such slender proportions that they could fit two to a seat so the "encroaching" person of size should not be a problem.Also, as people age, their body metabolism slows down and weight gain happens.Fact. World wide, obesity is becoming the norm.Perhaps a rethink on seat width is needed as this problem will only increase as time goes by.

Honestly, the 'holier than thou' attitude is disgusting. If it upsets you so much,move to another seat and just pray that the super slim person sitting next to you has the decency to have had a shower within the last two weeks and had access to deodorant (Oh the irony of it all-to move because some one is weight challenged only to end up next to someone who smells like a sewer)

You may be super slim and fit but age will catch up with you and you will put on weight. What a horrible thought that must be.Show some tolerance,respect and sympathy to those that aren't super slim.As someone else in this thread said, go first-class or hire a private jet just to keep away from those disgusting over-weight pigs who are entirely to blame for their weight issue.

Do you have the same contempt for people who are diabetic, suffer from Parkinson's diease, suffer from Alzheimer's disease(goodness, they could try and open a door couldn't they-their a real danger on aircraft, they should be placed in a straight jacket to stop them harming other passengers) and the list goes on.Yes, you may have someone encroach on your 'space' but that happens on trains and buses, but to insult them due to their weight is obscene.Just show some repect-yes, its clearly an idea that is dying out through out the world.

I have seen first hand the intolerance and abuse dished out to people of size.One instance occurred in a super-market.I heard quite clearly (She intended her statement to be heard by those around her) state, "'
I bet she only has chips, cakes and lollies in her trolly and thats why she's a fat trollop". Infact, my friends trolly only contained fruit and vegetables. My friends weight gain was due to a medical issue she had.I felt so sorry for her and outraged that people would say such things and say them loudly.

It isn't always what goes in their mouths that cause weight gain.But, as in the other thread concerning people of size, I was dismissed buy super slim, athletic vegans who insisted that that scenario was a lie.They stated that people get fat only by what they eat. Talk about closed minds and total lack of empathy.

Sadly we inhabit a world which is "Its all about me". Sad that this intolerant behaviour is fast becoming the norm.

Good luck MM69. I said very much the same thing in Post 73; that didn't make much difference either.

There are indeed reasons for obesity other than over-eating (such as medically prescribed steroids) and blanket prejudices are inexcusable.
However, weight and volume are key price deciders in the aviation industry and safety procedures are predicated on the ability to use emergency aisles and exits. Load calculations are based on an assumed average passenger weight.

I have yet to see a cogent defence of the right of someone twice that weight to travel at normal prices when the slim person sitting in the adjoining seat has had to pay extra for luggage a few kilos overweight.

Furthermore, slim people have every reason to feel alarmed if the said obese person is not only intruding into their space but, more importantly, blocking their emergency exit path.

SunnyJohn, your completely right as is TightSlot.

The amount of venom and bile slung at people of size is astounding.My jaw is on the floor with some of the comments expressed here and I'll single out Capot for special mention.Someone else asked him to re-read his venomous statements which have similarities with concentration camps of WW11 with the appropriate insignia attached to clothing denoting(using his inflammatory word)-FATTIES. Infact, most of his posts contain such bile and as TightSlot has mentioned, he cannot be taken seriously, in fact I find his comments are becoming quite amusing in a weird sort of way.

By the way Capot, blame the fast food outlets as they target children and teenagers with their advertising. In most cases that is the demographic their products are aimed at.The other tool the Fast Food outlets use is 'pricing'. Yes, they are cheap to buy for a reason. They appeal to lower income families as they are cheaper to buy than the healthier alternatives.

There are so many causes for obesity, not just the "grub that they stuff down their piggy little mouths" . Educate yourself on the causes for obesity.If Im correct Capot, you mentioned obese people and what they had in their shopping trollies. I gave you an example above concerning a close friend of mine who is no longer here. Her obesity was due to medications she had to have and suffered ridicule from people like you on a daily basis.She was a vegetarian so your theory has just been deflated and stamped upon.

If I had to prove I could fit through an "emergency exit mock-up", I think I'd change airlines, ditto for wearing a patch denoting that Im of normal weight.

Oh, and Capot, seeing as you love to quote scientific articles ad nauseam, this little gem has obviously missed your attention, because perhaps it doesn't fit your fanatical views on obecity. A study done at John Hopkins University (I think) has indicated that for some reason, men who have had knee replacements have, with in a five year period, on average gained 10% body fat. Why this has occurred has baffled scientists and on-going research is being undertaken into why this happens (No, it has nothing to do with 'stuffing their mouths with food as they can't walk'-they incorporated an exercise regime so their goes another one of your dodgy hypothesis)

I am absolutely appalled by the comments expressed in this thread.Thankfully there are a few shinning lights that have the knowledge and have expressed their views in this very thread.Unfortunately, we are conversing with people who have ear-plugs in and are more concerned in disseminating their rather closed -minded , ill-informed views due to the fact that they are wonderfully slim, healthy and full of zippyness.