02-16-2010
02:30 AM
1 Love
I was on an American Airlines flight a few years back to Chicago when just before taking off an empty middle seat was taken by a standby passenger who was very overweight. I believe he was at least 300 pounds. I always book and aisle seat to allow me to get off flights much faster and clear customs. I noticed the passenger next to the window immediately slammed down there arm rest as if they new a problem was coming. Both my armrests were already down. I got up just to let this person get seated. To my surprise this person could not seat in between the armrests but then started bouncing up and down to wedge his body in between the armrests in the down position. It took about four or five attempts until his body pushed the arm rests slightly outward as his body spread around the armrests about 4 or five inches. I could not believe this passenger could even be comfortable with the armrests on each side wedged into his body. He sat in this seat the whole 1 hour and 45 minute flight to the next stop. I leaned in my seat toward the aisle the whole way to try to keep my body from having to touch his body which was extending around the armrest.
I am over 6 feet tall and around 200 pounds and live in Peoria Illinois. After seeing this extreme situation I now can understand both sides of the situation and believe if this person cannot sit in a normal airline passenger seat, which I understand is approximately 17 inches across, then they need to be required to purchase two seats together or have to wait until another flight is available which has two open seats next to each other to travel to their destination.
Thus, I cannot know which side is correct until I see if this celebrity can actually sit in a normal airline seat without extending is body beyond the armrests. If his body does extend beyond the armrests into the other passengers space then I agree with airline position that he needs to purchase two seats together.
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