Squeezed By A Portly Passenger

October 27, 2007

in Portly Stories

I want to preface this story by saying that I am not disparaging of fat people in general. I’m a woman. I know it’s hard to lose weight. That said, if you need two seats for your big ass, buy two seats for your big ass.

That said…

I was on a flight from San Francisco to NYC. I like the window seat because I like to be able to lean over to sleep. I’m not the up and down kind of person. The flight is very full, and it was the last one of the night.

I finally get settled in my seat, when down the isle come a woman who is, well HUGE. In fact, she is so big and so freaking wide that she is kind of scooting sideways and has to PUSH her way between each set of seats on the isle. I’m guessing she weighed maybe 350-400 pounds.

I can see her coming slowly down the isle, pushing her mounds of flesh through the isle and I cringed in fear. The whole time I chanted in my head: “Please God, no! Please God, no! Please God, no! Please. God. No! Please God, No!!”

She stopped at my isle. Yes, of course she did or else I wouldn’t be writing this story. Not ONLY did she sit in my isle, she sat in the MIDDLE SEAT. She shoved her lard ass into the middle seat while her skinny boyfriend sat on the isle. That just didn’t make any sense to me. I asked her if she wouldn’t mind taking the isle seat and she said, “No, my boyfriend likes the isle.” Well, thanks a lot, skinny-ass boyfriend.

In order to sit in my seat, I had to cross my legs and practically sit sideways with one arm folded over me. Her arm, ass and leg flesh invaded my seat space by at least 3-4 inches. There was no way I could sit in my seat with out having to be in constant contact with her flesh at all times. GROSS. We all know how small seat planes are, even the skinniest person doesn’t have 3-4 inches to give up!

I decided to get up and go talk to the stewardess, but they said they were sorry, there was nothing they could do. They couldn’t move me to another seat because they didn’t have any and they couldn’t make her move to the isle seat.

Oh yeah, and I had to CLIMB OVER her each time I got up or down because she refused to move. I actually stood up on my seat and stepped over her. Crazy.

I endured take-off and landing sitting next to her, but spent the entire flight standing in the rear of the plane, trying to keep out of the way. The stewardesses were sympathetic to my plight and brought me back some first class food to eat.

Lady, you KNOW who you are and you need TWO SEATS!

{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }

John Allen October 28, 2008 at 3:25 am

Definitely fatties must pay for two plus excess baggage.

Reply

Amit April 2, 2009 at 9:24 am

It's despicable that "my boyfriend likes the aisle seat" trumps your loss of personal space. The FA should have switched them, otherwise wth are you paying for?

Reply

susan April 2, 2009 at 9:49 am

sounds like karma

Reply

marcia April 2, 2009 at 10:07 am

Way to go Susan.

Reply

Dan April 2, 2009 at 10:12 am

no it doesn't. It is unfair that I pay for my seat and then end up sharing it with someone else.

Reply

Somebody April 2, 2009 at 11:14 am

I'm not a super model or anything. Granted, airplane seats can suck, but a person's ass has to be pretty damn big not to fit in there. If your ass can't even fit in one seat, you pay for two.

Reply

Roy April 2, 2009 at 11:23 am

I thought you said you were not the "up and down" type. however, you complained having to step over her each time you did. Well which is it. your story reeks of inconsistancy.

Reply

Lo April 2, 2009 at 11:39 am

At least the FA's were sympathetic. The poor woman was being smashed by the fat girl's skin! Who could've had diseases and such (I notice many fat people have weird skin problems). Next time smash the armrest down and maybe it will hurt her as much as her smashing fat hurt you. Airlines need to control these things so those people have to pay more and maybe they wouldn't fly as often.

Reply

Anonymous April 2, 2009 at 12:16 pm

Amen!

Reply

Matt April 2, 2009 at 1:12 pm

I must admit that I am larger man (6 foot 250 lbs) and I can tell you that one thing I try never to do is sit in the middle seat and mainly for "spill over reasons". I am lucky in that I am somewhat athletic so while I am 250 I can still fit in a seat and don't need to move the arm rest up for more room, but still I am not small. As a frequent traveler I alway do my best to get the isle seat that way I can lean away from the middle and let my size go toward the isle. And the first thing I tell anyone sitting next to me is "please let me know if you need to get up, even if I am asleep, please wake me so I can get up for you" to show courtesy to fellow travelers. No one wants to sit next to a "large" person if they don't know have and if you are a larger person, show some manners and stay in your own seat, DON'T SPILL into your neighbors seat, it's not right. If you need to lift the arm rest to actually fit, then you need too purchase two seats.

Reply

Dani Marie April 2, 2009 at 1:13 pm

I am a curvy girl, and while I am not even close to being big enough to flow over into someone else's seat, I still worry that I am invading the person's space. If it's my sister and brother sitting next to me, we're fine because we don't have a problem having contact with each other. However, I don't want a stranger sharing my seat. So being a bigger gal and trying to have respect for others. I always try to get an aisle seat, or at least ask if someone would mind switching to try and make not only others, but myself as comfortable as possible. And heaven forbid I ever get so big (I'm in the process of losing weight as I type) that I know I would be overflowing into another person's seat, my ass would be buying a whole damn row, just so I could stretch out and really make sure I'm not bothering anyone.

Reply

Pam April 2, 2009 at 1:25 pm

Your quote: I want to preface this story by saying that I am not disparaging of fat people in general

Really? I think you are a liar and do in fact, hate fat people.

They are fat, gross, have a big ass, a fat ass, are HUG and "so freaking wide", pushing her "mounds" of flesh – yeah, you are not disparaging at all.

P.S. its an "aisle" seat not and isle. Dumbass.

Reply

MJ April 2, 2009 at 1:35 pm

I had the exact same reaction as Pam. If you aren't disparaging of fat people, you wouldn't use words like "gross" in reference to her.

Bitch.

Reply

Rose April 2, 2009 at 2:48 pm

I'm a 300 lb. plus lady who works long hours for a living, keeps clean, and dresses well. I'm not stupid, I know I'm overweight and unhealthy, and I know that my butt doesn't fit in those miserable airline seats.

I would love nothing more than to buy two seats, but even with my generous salary, I can't afford it. So, I choose never to fly unless it is absolutely necessary.

I hadn't seen my son in over three years while he and my grandchildren were overseas (military duty). They couldn't come home, and I desperately needed to see them. Obviously I couldn't DRIVE across the Atlantic…so I had to fly. I talked to the airlines when I booked the flight about my weight and asked them to keep me either on an aisle, or near another empty seat on all legs of my journey. I bet you can all imagine how that turned out! Not one of my seats were as requested, and despite all the smiles and pleasantries…EVERY flight I was on going and coming was PACKED tight as sardines…no empty seats anywhere.

I sucked it in as hard as I could, turned sideways and apologized humbly to absolutely every single person I came into contact with.

Needless to say, I was aware of my poor seat mates plight and dread of seeing me coming down the aisle. I got to my window seat (every blasted flight!) Got my personal seatbelt extender that I purchased for myself in place, and started cramming myself into as tight and tiny a spot as humanly possible and prayed.

I want to thank those 6 people who sat next to me on those 6 flights. They acknowledged my plight and some graciously put up the arm rest themselves (not that I felt free to then "spill over", but it did make some of the pain more bearable, some POLITELY talked to me about my dilemma and I calmly and sweetly explained how I didn't "want" to fly knowing how uncomfortable I made others…they were very gracious in my physical pain on flying and emotional pain at not seeing my only son/grandchildren in years.

After each flight, all my seat mates wished me well and treated me kindly. The very best was the flight from Rome to the U.S.A — a LONG flight. My middle seat mate turned out to be one of the most handsome young men I've seen in a very long time. Ladies, you can imagine. I was HORRIFIED and could only imagine his HORROR when he spotted me. I wanted to die right there!

I crammed so hard for so many hours I thought I was really was going to die. I didn't pee, I didn't move, I didn't eat, drink…I sat perfectly still and quiet.

When the plane landed, that handsome man looked me in the face and said his first words to me…"Thank you for being so gracious. You've been the best person I've ever traveled next to, and I've traveled all over the world."

The moral of the story: Don't judge a person by their looks. Their love and sacrifice for others and their character is what's important. Normal size people can be jerks and fat people can be beautiful.

Note to my overweight friends: If you can't afford two seats, don't fly. If you MUST fly — pre-plan, think, sacrifice your comfort for others even if it hurts, dress well, behave well…it hides a lot of pounds.

Reply

Dani Marie April 2, 2009 at 3:20 pm

WOO ROSE!! You are an amazing person!!! I'm so glad people were gracious to you and that you did everything in your power to be as accommodating as possible. It's all ready hard enough to deal with the emotions internally of knowing how difficult a flight will be, but you handled it with grace and were fortunate enough to have people who were respectful to you as a human being. I wish you could sit by my brother on a flight. He sat by a rather large woman who was dressed in an orange shit and called her "The Great Pumpkin" the entire flight. I want to smash his face in, as I am not a tiny girl by any means (see my previous comment). I just wish people would be more understanding. We all ready know we are big, don't rub it in our faces and make it worse. Continue to be a gracious lady and I hope your trip to see your family was absolutely wonderful!

Reply

Ron April 2, 2009 at 4:20 pm

Let me begin by saying that I am also not disparaging of fat people. But this fat bitch should have moved to the aisle seat. If you are fat, it is no one else's fault but your own. No one else should have to suffer through a flight because you can can't stick to a diet or have surgery to remove all of your excess. Also, I am a 6-foot 250 pound person who battles with weight issues. Right now, I am able to sit in an airplane seat and not "spill" over. However, if it ever gets to the point to where I cannot, I will buy 2 seats! If you are fat and cannot afford to buy 2 seats, don't fly! Roll your big ass to a rent-a-car location and drive!

Reply

JJ. January 4, 2015 at 12:20 am

Agreed.

Reply

Skinny April 2, 2009 at 5:31 pm

Hey Roy,

Your story reaks of you being a fat pig yourself!!!!!

Reply

bp April 2, 2009 at 7:19 pm

I'm 6'3, 195 lbs and am very fit. While tall, and fairly broad shouldered, I always show courtesy to the passenger next to me. However, once I was seated next to a 6'5" 225 marine and he next to a 5'9" 350 lbs woman. The woman needed an extender for the seat belt and then filled the entire space between the back of her chair and the seat in front of her. She literally stowed her beverage on her stomach during cabin service. The poor guy next to me (sadly in the middle seat) was so restricted by being next to both of us, that he could barely move without hitting one of us. I lifted the armrest and moved to the right of the seat so he'd at least have more room. However, what really got me was that the flight was 80% full and yet the US Airways flight attendant didn't even bother to find him an alternative seat. He could have moved before takeoff, but once Bertha got strapped in (she couldn't do it herself because her arms wouldn't low enough to reach the buckles), she didn't move an inch (even if she could have). What the hell is wrong with FAs that they don't even have the slightest human compassion for the passenger? I know they've lost their pension, etc. but darn it, find another job if you're that miserable. They all had their flag and yellow ribbon pins on (this was back in '05/'06), but wouldn't show the slightest in interest to help an obviously active duty marine? I know we all sorta deserve this for paying peanuts for air travel, but this was horrid.

Reply

Carlie April 2, 2009 at 9:26 pm

Getting 2 seats should be an easy matter, but these days, as seats are not 'reserved,' even buying 2 seats doesn't help. I can fit in an airplane seat, I don't need a seatbelt extender, but I am 'hippy' and want to be comfortable. I bought 2 seats, but was told I couldn't be assured the seat beside me would not be taken. So…. my extra seat on Southwest could be 3 rows behind me? How does that help? I was also told adamantly that I didn't 'need' 2 seats. I insisted, and paid for it. I had to keep waving people away from the seat beside me, on which I laid my purse, and those waved on were angry that they had to go look elsewhere for a seat. If airlines are going to allow me to buy 2 seats, couldn't they hand me a cardboard 'reserved' sign, or some other measure, to assure my second seat is actually saved? Here's an idea.. assign seats … do you hear me Southwest .. then those with long legs could get isle seats, fatter passengers could find appropriate seats and reserve one beside us. Don't always assume its the portly passenger's fault. I had to practically fight with the ticketing agent to get them to allow me to buy two seats!

Reply

Buttons April 3, 2009 at 12:09 am

Carlie – don't fly SWA. Their one of the worst airlines. I don't trust ANY airline that won't give me an assigned seat prior to take off. I realize there are no absolute guarantees, even with an assigned seat, but it's much more reassuring than SWA's cattle calls for boarding. Also, they take forever to go to simple destinations. The last time I flew that awful airline, it was Portland, OR to Las Vegas. Should be an easy 2.25 hrs or less if non stop. And it's right around 1000 miles. Sounds quick and easy, right? Wrong! They delayed us, and made me change planes TWICE to get to Vegas from PDX. And it wasn't any cheaper than Alaska (my preference now). I think SWA crews can be surly too.

On the issue of smaller seats/larger passengers; I think some airlines require certain passengers to purchase 2 seats at check in if they deem the passenger won't fit in a regular seat without discomfort to himself or other passengers.

If the flight isn't full, they can usually accomodate without double charging, but these days, it's hard to find a flight that's not overbooked or at least 98% full.

Also, there's always the option of First/Business class travel for larger passengers; 1 1st class seat may be cheaper than 2 economy seats for some itineraries, and generally Mileage Plans offer upgrades for redeeming miles, or you can pay for an upgrade at check in (for a reasonable fee depending on length of travel) if any 1st class seats are available at check in time. Just some options I would hope the larger passengers would consider.

Reply

Anonymous April 3, 2009 at 12:21 am

Here's an idea. If you want extra space you pay for 2 seats. People who hate on fat people were the people who 30 years ago hated on people of other races and cultures. It's the last socially acceptable prejudice. Why not let your hate flag fly and admit it. Be a bigot. Come out of the closet.

Reply

Dennis April 3, 2009 at 6:15 am

That's nothing, I had the unpleasure of "sharing" my seat with a heavy-weight. At the end of the short 2 hour trip, my leg was soaked with his sweat. Talk about gross.

Reply

Give Me A Break April 3, 2009 at 6:19 am

To "anonymous" at 5:21 am: I suppose you agree to not call Terrorists, terrorists and we should call them "man caused disaster" instead. If you're overweight, buy the extra seat and stop trying to make this a prejudice thing. Get a life!

Reply

jag April 3, 2009 at 7:48 am

hey ROSE, how many twinkies did you consume writing that long-winded, comment above. You know it was all bullshit bc one of these stories was about YOU. And you were not so diplomatic on that flight.And everyone gave you their peanuts.

Reply

tomahawk April 3, 2009 at 4:39 pm

wow stupid fat fucks need to drop their BMI asap. I say keep them off the planes to save fuel, they could use the exercise walking.

Reply

Kyle April 1, 2011 at 11:30 am

I say perform liposuction and burn them as fuel.

Reply

Vic April 5, 2009 at 7:20 am

Wow, this thread is full of "it's everyone else's fault" lard-asses, huh? Not shocking–that's how they GOT big in the first place.

Reply

n April 5, 2009 at 10:38 am

what

Reply

Mr. T April 6, 2009 at 1:25 am

@Rose: Instead of going through all that trouble to arrange special accommodations, why not just go on a diet? I bet you could lose 20lbs by not eating bacon for a week.

Reply

Dani Marie April 6, 2009 at 7:27 am

How old are you people? Stop attacking Rose. She was just sharing her point of view. Be glad at least one person out there is trying to be as accmodating as possible. There are some medical reasons why people are over weight, and she may have one for all you know. Stop being a bunch of insensitive, degrading assholes.

Reply

cjc April 6, 2009 at 8:11 am

Pam:

If you are going to insult someone and call them a "dumbass" because they spelled a word incorrectly, perhaps you should first spellcheck your own posting. It is HUGE, not HUG.

Reply

Deanna April 6, 2009 at 9:54 pm

Wow, people already buy two seats, and still cannot be made comfortable? Seems like the airlines are at fault.

I think 'bp' who talked of being tall, and sitting with a guy who was sandwiched between himself and a fat lady has the right idea. The FA seem to be so much in a hurry to get everyone seated and buckled, there is never any effort at switching people's seats, while it can still make a difference, as in before the plane takes off. There's no protocol for that for moving people around, and maybe there should be.

I still think the seats should be 1 1/2 to 2 inches wider, and the space between the seats and the seat in front of them 3-4" more for the leg space. No one should have to climb over anyone. What if there had been an emergency? Should be fattest by the window, and skinniest on the aisle, so if anyone in the row needs to get up, you have a decent chance to get past the skinny person.

Reply

Leave a Comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *




Previous post:

Next post: