Unless you’re fortunate enough to have a first-class seat, air travel is often characterized by how uncomfortable it can be, and that discomfort is magnified for anyone larger than average, plus-size advocates say as they fight for changes that could make flights more bearable for bigger people.
So far, the seat sizes are moving in the wrong direction as airlines look to add more room for passengers but not more room for the passenger.
“Not only do fat travelers have to be physically uncomfortable, we're mentally and emotionally uncomfortable too,” Annette Richmond, founder of the Facebook group Fat Girls Traveling, told USA Today. “The experience, in general, is feeling too big for the space or feeling that the space was not built for me.”
Richmond added that something as simple as a seatbelt that fits is not even a given these days, noting that attendants cannot always accommodate the need for a seatbelt extender.
“Getting a standardized seatbelt length is something that’s really feasible and possible, and one of the minor expense compared to reconfiguring a jet,” she said.
Currently the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is asking the public for suggestions as they seek to possibly regulate a minimum seat size in the near future.
However, that does nothing for current frustrations, and with no industry-wide regulations in place, every airline treats larger travelers differently, making flying a harrowing experience for many Americans.
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