Airlines have been urged to act after a picture of a plus-size passenger struggling to board a plane went viral on social media – with many calling for larger customers to pay for two seats
Airlines are in the hot seat due to rising pressure to accommodate larger passengers after a photo went viral. The image, snapped by Christopher Elliott of Washington DC, showcased a passenger’s struggle aboard a flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen last year. Meanwhile, another plus-size traveler details how she feels ‘discriminated against’ at the airport after a worker ‘refused’ to assist her in a key task.
On his Facebook page dedicated to consumer advocacy, Elliott shared the unfortunate situation to spotlight the troubles faced when boarding. It caught the attention of Miami-based hip-hop sensation Pretty Ricky, who passionately argued that carriers owe it to all travelers to create a suitable environment, coming after a couple complained about a ‘farting dog’ ruining their flight.
Their stance was clear: “Airlines will have to have something in place for plus-sized passengers. This image was taken recently on a flight, showing how difficult it is for people who are bigger than one seat. It’s also difficult for those sitting next to them. It’s a difficult situation because the airline will need to think of a happy medium.”
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Pretty Ricky, famed for tracks like On the Hotline, Your Body, Nothing but a Number, and Shorty Be Mine since the ’90s, has now steered the conversation towards what accommodations airplanes should offer plus-sized fliers.
Sparking a big reaction, the post received 675 reactions and a flood of over 2,000 comments. Many opinions echoed the sentiment that passengers requiring extra space should invest in an additional seat, reports the Express.
Chiming into the discourse, a user named Eden Quirk voiced their opinion: “If they take up two seat [sic], they should pay for two seats.”
Obc Martin Donner-Grindemann suggested a straightforward solution: “You should simply weigh them like luggage before check-in. If they’re too bulky, they won’t fly unless you buy a second ticket.”
Moto Art concurred with the sentiment, stating: “Easily solved, if you are this large, you need to buy two seats. OR they should make oversized seats for people like this and charge them extra for the larger seat. Plain and simple.”
Passengers chimed in with tales of their own air travel experiences.
For instance, Michael O’Connor recounted his discomfort: “I sat next to a lady who had a seat belt extender on. For 3 hours, not fun or fair to others.”
The issue was expanded by users to reflect a societal challenge.
Rochelle Kennedy recommended a holistic approach: “As a society, we could teach better eating habits and stop eating fast food.”
Whereas Ruth Hennessy proposed treating larger flyers akin to pets requiring additional space on flights, claiming, “I pay $150 for my pet that has to ride in a crate, under the seat.”
Andy Wainwright pointed out the parallels with tall passengers: “Tall people with long legs have to pay for extra leg room; I see no reason for wide people to be treated differently.”
Hunter Hyche Stringfellow questioned the practicality of certain aircraft amenities for larger individuals, musing, “How will he fit into the bathroom just saying the doorway is small.”
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