Stranger’s Skin Stresses Passenger

April 14, 2010

in Portly Stories

I was traveling alone from Atlanta to San Francisco. I don’t typically travel alone so I don’t often have to deal with sitting next to strangers on the plane, but here I am in the waiting area to board the plane and I see an obese man come over and sit down as well. I immediately feel bad for whoever gets stuck next to him and laugh to myself, because before my trip I was reading stories on this website and knew that he was going to cause someone a flight from hell.

The plane starts boarding and unfortunately I’m in the last group to board because I was assigned an aisle seat. Well, wouldn’t you know that as I’m walking up the aisle, I see one of the last empty seats on the plane… next to the obese man, who has already made himself comfortable. Yep, that was my seat that he was currently spilling into. I sat down and tried to make the best of it, but he had totally engulfed the arm rest. He was also not very considerate, because his legs were spread and he had a full newspaper open which took up even more space. His thigh and very scabby arm were touching me and he had a very high body temperature which immediately began to make me uncomfortably hot.

I got up and went to a FA far enough away that the man wouldn’t hear my request to be moved. The FA was concerned but said that it was a full flight and she’d have to see what she could do. I thanked her, and sat back down. A few minutes later, another FA came over and very rudely said, “Ma’m, if you don’t want to sit here, then where DO you want to sit?” which completely busted me in front of the large man, and caused the guy across the aisle from me who had noticed my predicament to burst out laughing. I said “anywhere but here” and was eventually moved to the last row where I had plenty of room. The man immediately whipped the armrest up as soon as I stood up and moved on in. I don’t care if someone is fat or not, but it’s being touched/skin-to-skin contact by a stranger that I really can’t stand. So, a potential flight from hell finally happened to me but luckily I got out of it.

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Clare April 14, 2010 at 8:15 pm

I can understand why you'd want to move to another seat. Not just because obese guy was infringing into your seating area & should have been required to buy two seats, but personally I'd be repulsed by having some stranger's scabby skin next to mine for an entire flight.

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IncreaseDosologist April 15, 2010 at 3:49 am

You realize now you need not have been embarrased for talking about this guy from the beginning. He is fully aware of the problems he is choosing to cause by buying only one ticket. If you stood over him with your finger pointed and yelled "Hey this scabby lardass taking up half of my seat" he would have been perfectly fine with that as long as they moved you and let him spread out.

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Jodi April 15, 2010 at 8:35 am

I think it was really nice and very considerate of you to take into consideration his feelings, even if he didn’t take yours or anyone else’s into consideration. It shows you were brought up right, it’s a good thing. I am also very glad that you were able to switch seats because the idea of some stranger’s skin against my skin is just gross and for it to be scabby makes it even worse. I would have had to shower for days just from the brief period of time you were sitting there. And the FA that was rude was probably trying to get a point across to the guy, but I’m sure he already knew he needed 2-3 seats.

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the logger April 16, 2010 at 12:45 am

Was he a stinker too? Most fatties are.

There is a new organization called "National Assoc. For the Advancement of Fat People.

Next will be the National Assoc. for the Advancement of Stupid People.

Jabba the Hutt, if you are reading this: Stay off our planes, eat a salad, and take the train

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Kad April 16, 2010 at 9:48 pm

You said 'scabs'.

That's gross. I wouldn't want that touching me either. Fat or no. WHo knows if it's infectious. Most skin problems aren't easily transmissable, but who knows.

The newspaper wide open? Learn how to fold. It comes folded.

You did everything you could. Ignore the snotty FA. She is waiting for the next round of realizing that working is hard work for most of us.

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