Can someone be too fat to fly?

[Archae]

The picture was taken in an American Airlines plane by a flight attendant, while the plane was on the ground.

I don't know yet if the guy was allowed to fly like this, or was he moved to two seats which is standard procedure.

I'm 6 feet and 180 pounds, so I feel some discrimination also, the last time I flew was in coach, and my long legs were squashed just about up to my chin.

I just wonder how tall or wide are the models the airlines use, to measure seat width, legroom, etc.

[AngryAmish]

1. IS that real or photoshop?

Cause if it is real then that guy is a hazard and should not fly like that.

[Archae]

2. I know, which why I hope they did the standard procedure.

But the airline, with their "pack 'em in like sardines" approach, seem to think everyone is a skinny midget.

Real people are too tall, (like me,) or too wide, to fit properly in those airline seats.

[Fumesucker]

7. If it's a photoshop it's a good one..

I do a lot of photoshop work, they sure got the look of the man's shirt where it's pulled by the seat on his right shoulder and left side looking realistic.

[dustbunnie]

17. Where's the armrest? It should be up against side of his seat, but there's nothing. n/t

[Fumesucker]

24. The seat behind him is empty and I see no armrest..

I was just commenting on the way the shirt looks to be pulled and pushed by the seat.

[dustbunnie]

26. I know, sorry. Meant to reply to the OP. Guess I was distracted by the pic.

It's hard to tell. I just figured the armrest would be down if no one was occupying the seat.

Either way, that's a large man right there. :)

[notesdev]

13. It's real

That guy belongs in cargo... or needs to pay for as many seats as is necessary to accommodate his girth.

It's not fair to other passengers to be seated next to that, with folds of fat wrapping around the armrest and spilling into your seats.

[Go2Peace]

32. Come on, it's a photoshop, jokes on us.. Look at the top of the seat and compare to others LOL

The top 2 inches, right above the white lettering or whatever, has been cropped. Look how "tall" he is. He would have to be 8' tall. He also would not have fit through the door.

Come on guys, stop letting your prejudices allow you to be so gullible. LOL

[notesdev]

34. No really, it's not

The guy is very tall as well as wide. Take an image viewer and inspect it closely... there are no marks from any image editors, the textures are exactly the same all around.

[Lex]

3. So he's 8 feet tall too?

Hmm.

[Arkansas Granny]

15. It would appear that way. He's head and shoulders above the people on either side.

[AngryAmish]

16. He may be sitting on the armrest

[joeybee12]

21. No, if you look close, it has been pushed up. n/t

[AndyA]

4. They probably moved him, as he was blocking the aisle where he was.

I know the guy is uncomfortable anyway, but how bad would it be having half your butt hanging off the edge of the seat for several hours?

I'm over 6 feet, and the legroom in most airplanes is not generous. Then when the person in front reclines back all the way, you almost feel like you're going to get smashed. I was in a seat once that didn't recline because it was in front of an exit or something, and the woman in the seat in front of me reclined back as far as she could the second she could.

I felt like I was going to smother. No room to move, no room to do anything. I asked the person to please move their seat upright, as I couldn't move and she said no. I told her if she didn't, I was going to throw up and I would make sure it was in her direction.

She moved her seat. ;)

[mackdaddy]

12. This is when you need a really big fake sneeze...

Amazing how fast they raise the seat when you blow the top of their hair-do up.

Makes you want to offer them a shave and a haircut.

I have long legs too (6ft 1) and once my knees did get trapped with the tray table bars smashing into the knee joints on both legs. I started screaming in pain and smacking the back of the seat no joke. The guy did put his seat back up which released my legs, but I did have some ugly bruises later. With today's laws they would probably arrest me for causing a disturbance for screaming in agony.

[Taverner]

5. Penguins are, aren't they?

[Cleita]

6. There's a reason we have a luggage weight limit. I think it could apply

to people as well.

[Archae]

8. I don't think so.

I'm 6 feet, so my 180 pounds doesn't look fat.

How about a 180-pounder who is 4 feet 5 or 6?

[EndersDame]

9. My boyfriend was in the process of obtaining a Aviation Sciences Degree

He was forced to watch videos about plane crashes and why they happen. In the small planes that get you from a big airport to a small one weight is critical and people should be weighed on those flights to avoid crashes

[petronius]

18. I was on one of those flights once and the pilot came back and moved people around,

There were a lot of empty seats and I guess he wanted to keep the weight spread out. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I wonder if it would have caused a problem if we'd all line up for the lavatory at the same time...

Lately, I've been making a major effort to avoid those little planes. It's probably irrational, but I'd rather drive the ~200 miles to the big airport to get a non-stop on a full-size jet.

[Cleita]

20. Me too. Those are the only airplanes that leave from our airport and

they fly us to either LAX or SFO to catch a bigger one. The ride is sort of interesting too in a scary way.

[dysfunctional press]

10. i'm 6'2, 220, and i've never had a problem flying or fitting into the seat.

except for the time i had the bulkhead seat, and there was no place for my feet to go.

[EndersDame]

11. On the Small Planes weight really matters

My boyfriend was in the process of obtaining a degree in Aviation Sciences and was required to watch videos of plane crashes and their causes. One crash of a small plane (one of those that take you from a very big to very small airport) was caused because the weight limit was exceeded . They had been using old guidelines when the weight of an average person was significantly less.

[Warpy]

14. It looks photoshopped

but it's done very well.

There is no way a plane would take off with anyone in that position. If you can't be in your seat with the belt fastened, it's just not safe, period.

I'm no lightweight, but "it" still fits into a coach seat. If it ever doesn't, I'll either buy 2 as a matter of course and to avoid crowding someone else or I'll fly first class, whichever is cheaper.

Of course, I only fly when somebody's dying.

[demosincebirth]

19. Must be a short flight because if he has the urge to go, he's in trouble.

[Archae]

22. 40 years ago...

The airlines to get our business touted their speed, comfort and service in-flight.

They got our business and dropped all three.

[HopeHoops]

23. Rush Limbaugh!

They let him on an American Airlines flight? WTF?

[galileoreloaded]

25. Man, at 6 foot and 180 Lbs, you are practically a little person.....

call me back when you've grown two inches and put on 50 pounds.....

[Zywiec]

27. Yes, of course,

but I'm sure most people here will blame the seat for being too small.

[diamidue]

28. Who is to say what is going on here

Possibly photoshopped. If not, it looks to me like he could have exited his two seats in the row behind, to temporarily perch on the forward chair and talk with a friend. I say "temporarily" because no flight attendant would let someone block the aisle that way permanently.

[Are_grits_groceries]

29. yes, if their wings aren't strong enough. nt

[nini]

30. in this case yes - he's blocking the aisle which is a FAA violation

this doesn't look real for a few reasons but I would say if someone is that big they have to buy 2 seats and NOT be allowed to take up aisle space.


So, - fat or just overly bulked up - get 2 seats.

[Owl]

31. In this case yes.

[Go2Peace]

33. If it were real, it's a photoshop. People sure are gullible

[Shell Beau]

35. That guy must be tall as hell. If this is real, of course.

His head looks like it is two or three feet above anyone else's.