Traveling can be rough: The cramped seats, everything on-the-go, and jet lag. Recently a woman blasted American Airlines after sharing her uncomfortable experience sitting next to a plus-size passenger.
The video featured TikTok user Nat (@kozorae). “I want to talk about my most recent American Airlines experience, specifically regarding their policy or lack of policy regarding safety for passengers of all sizes,” she started the video. First, she made it clear she’s not fatphobic. “I want to preface this by saying I am not fatphobic nor do I glamorize obesity,” she added. “I think people can live or do whatever they want with their body as long as it doesn’t harm other people.”
Next, the content creator painted the scene. She and her boyfriend had an 11-hour flight from Tokyo Narita Airport to LAX. When Nat and her boyfriend boarded the airplane, they noticed a plus-size passenger in the aisle seat. “As we approached our seats, we noticed that there was an obese person sitting in the aisle,” she said. “It’s clear that their body was in the middle of the aisle. So, people had to squeeze by them and no matter how much they squeezed to the side, they were just touching their body.”
Then, the passenger sat up, letting Nat and her boyfriend get to their seats. However, as soon as the content creator sat in the middle seat, things went downhill. “Not only did they sit in their seat, they sat on about a third of my body,” she recalled. “And if they were to put their arm down, it would have been in front of my face.” Not wanting to embarrass the passenger and delay the flight even more, she dealt with it. After 15 minutes into the flight, issues arose.
“The person was sitting on top of me and my leg was starting to get pinched. I already have edema. So, it was exasperated and it was super claustrophobic,” she said.
An hour went by and it was mealtime. “I couldn’t correctly put down the meal tray in front of me ‘cause the person next to me’s body was filling up that space,” she said. “So, I had to sit and eat on my boyfriend’s tray.” Since eating the first meal was difficult, she skipped the second one. Five hours into the Red Eye, the content creator felt exhausted. “I was also impeding my boyfriend’s face to try to avoid being sat on,” she shared. Neither one was able to sleep.
When the passenger went to the bathroom, Nat asked the flight attendant about available seats. “‘Sorry to bother you, by any chance are there any open seats that I can move to? The person next to me is also on top of me,’” she shared. Despite not mentioning the passenger’s weight, the flight attendant knew the reason. “‘The passenger next to me should have bought two seats,” she recalled the flight attendant saying. “They knew exactly who I was talking about.” In addition, they told her that she should’ve said something.
Once the flight was over, Nat was in pain. “My knee started to hurt from the pressure and I still have back pain from that pressure,” she said. After finishing her story, the content creator calls out American Airlines. “Why is this an issue in the first place? American Airlines and other airlines need to have some policy in place,” she stated. Then, she added, “This is a safety issue. If there was an emergency, I would have literally been trapped and so would have my whole row and potentially everyone else.”
Nat double-downed on the policy. “American Airlines and other airlines should have a policy that isn’t just ‘an overweight person should buy two seats.’ It’s not conducive to people’s dignity and why should they have to pay for two seats?”
The Daily Dot reached out to American Airlines via press email. The video racked up over 552,000 views and viewers criticized airplane seats.
“I don’t understand why airlines don’t have a few seats that are larger for this issue,” one viewer wrote.
“I am a normal adult American and I still have trouble fitting in those ridiculously tiny seats,” a second stated.
In addition, others offered suggestions.
“If this has taught me one thing it’s to speak up immediately. Your comfort matters too,” one user commented.
“PLEASE make a claim with the airline for any medical bills related to the pain from this experience,” a second urged.
“There is no way I would have been able to tolerate that situation. You should write to American Airlines and explain your experience,” a third recommend.
What is American Airlines’ plus-size policy?
According to their website, you can book two seats at the same rate. If you don’t, you can inquire about two seats next to each other available. “You may be offered a seat in a higher class of service that may provide more space; in this case, you’ll be responsible for the fare difference,” the website states. “If accommodations can’t be made on your original flight, you can buy seats on a different flight at the same price as your original seats.”
Other airline accommodations
Last year, Spirit Airlines implemented a “customer of size” policy where larger individuals can receive an extra seat for free. In addition to Spirit, Southwest Airlines also has this policy which has been in place for 30 years. Typically, airlines only offer seatbelt extenders for the passengers.
@kozorae @American Airlines ♬ original sound – Nat
Moves to accommodate plus-sized passengers
In April 2023, plus-sized content creator Jae’lynn Chaney launched a petition called “Demand for the FAA to Protect Plus-Sized Customers.” This petition states, “The FAA must require all airlines to implement a clear customer-of-size policy that prioritizes the comfort and well-being of all passengers. This policy should include clear guidelines on accommodating larger passengers, such as providing larger seats, seat belt extenders, and alternative seating arrangements.”
Update 3:43pm CT, Aug. 21: Natalie told the Daily Dot that she “felt it was important to share my experience, not to come across as a victim, but to highlight an issue that many people are currently facing and have faced in the past,” she shared via email. “I wanted to reach out to American Airlines to show them that this isn’t an isolated experience and that they have gaps in their service and protection of customers. I knew others would relate, and that’s exactly what happened—dozens of people have commented with similar experiences.”
Despite receiving flight credits, Natalie said she doesn’t plan on flying with American Airlines again.
“I did reach out to American Airlines, but I would not fly with them again, not just because of the clear lack of enforcement of their policies, but also because their overall service was just not great. In any service industry, the customer comes first. Especially a company whose mission statement is ‘care for people on life’s journey,’” she said.
She said at the end of the day, this is a safety concern.
“I’d like to highlight that Southwest Airlines has a program where passengers who encroach into other seats can request a second or even third seat for free. This isn’t just about passenger comfort—it’s about safety,” she stated. “The United States statistically comprises of a large overweight population, so it’s surprising that American Airlines of all airlines has not come up with a similar solution. Many people, including those who are overweight, smaller, or have disabilities, lack sufficient space. This is an issue that should be addressed before the plane even takes off.”
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