Level of comfort in coach seats for a big girl...

Hi Tami,

I'm a big guy and I travel US Airways at times. I would prefer an aisle seat. There is a little more space including room for your feet and you don't have to crawl over others to get to/from your seat.

If you are tall, the seats at the emergency exits will give you more leg room.

I have never experienced any rudeness at all.

I hope you have a great trip.

Tami:

I have sent you a private e-mail.

Hi Tami, I am not particularily big, just average I guess, but I find the seats in coach to be tight and crowded,, and well, hideous. But I put up with it to get where I am going. My hubby is 6'4" 200 lbs and he is never comfy unless we can get him upgraded or bulkhead or exit row.

I strongly recommend you ditch the window seats though, everytime you get up you will not be able to squeeze by the other one or two seats between you and aisle(without squeezing your body into their faces) , so they will have to get up too, and that makes a bit of a scene having all three of you up, better to sit in the aisle, then only you need to get up to let others pass, or if they are nimble they can just sort of jump over your legs.

I have no idea how you book your seats on your airline, but, if you can, get to airport super early and try for bulkhead seating.. or prebook if you can,, the seats are not wider but often it is much easier to move around as there is more space in front of you, then a window seat would be fine . Some emergency rows seats are good too, but I will warn you they sometimes will not book those seats to anyone they deem "unfit" ,, ( they refused it to me for being 3 months pregnant !) as you must have the strength to throw open the door in an emergency.

Finally , take drugs and pass out as it sucks to be crowded in what I call " cattle class" ,, which is where I usaully end up,, but I have also booked premimun economy seats and first class once, and both of those are so much better.

Remember its all worth it to get to Europe, have fun and bring a neck pillow too!

Thanks Pat. I do have the strength to open emergency doors, so maybe I can get a larger spaced area to sit in. I definately dont want to have to squeeze from the window seat and heave my butt in peoples faces, thats just embarrassing for me and uncomfortable for them!
Im big, but not HUGE, just Queen Latifah big. lol. But I hear so many stories from Average people about how cramped it is thats why I thought id check with other Biggsters to see how they fared.

I already have my neck pillow and Advil PM .....

Good luck Tami,, and I didn't mean you or any bigger person was unfit, I know I wasn't unfit when they refused me the seat,, they just make these snap judgements on people I think though .

I personally think there should be a limit as to how small they make the seats, its not even healthy to be cramped up like that for hours ,, and it seems unless one is a child , any economy seat is just TOO small .

I agree. Even my average sized friends told me they are even uncomfortable in them.

Tami, I am tall, so I always book an aisle seat, and as far forward as possible. That means less people trundling past as they stretch their legs, and, as mentioned by another poster, it is so much easier to get out yourself. I stretch out my own legs if I am right behind business class, which is my preference. Am I right in thinking the seats have become smaller as well as closer together? Cattle class is not fun on a long haul, but the end result is worth every squish and squeeze. Happy travels.

While a bulkhead or emergency aisle seat sounds good, be aware that everyone else in coach also thinks so. Access your reservation online at US Air and view the seating chart. Chances are that choice seating like Emergency Exit Row or Bulkhead will be offered as premium seating, available at a cost ($50 to $100) and possibly not available until the day before the flight. Some airlines also reserve these seats for frequent flier club members of a certain status. As an alternative, aisle seats would be the choice, but they usually go first, so act now.

Tami,
I am a person of size. Less than I used to be but I am still 6' 3" tall and about 380 pounds. The fit question should never be judged by how a person looks. In the last year I have completed a full and a half marathon!

Now for what I really wanted to tell you. I don't know about overseas but on US flights I am not allowed to sit in an exit row because I require a seat belt extender (I need about 3 extra inches. Due to this the FAA will not allow me to sit in an exit row. They said the seat belt extender is a tripping hazard in case the plane has to be evacuated!

Happy travels, I am currently planning my first trip to Europe!!!

Gene

I was just hoping for real life examples of what people my size (Womens plus 22) have experienced on international flights. I was just curious about how people treated you on the plane, your comfort level in regular seats, and maybe which was better for you, window or aisle seats...etc..

I dont think I will need a seat belt extender.

Definitely get an aisle seat...this summer, I booked aisle seats for both my husband and myself...we sat across the aisle from each other...another poster on the helpline gave me the idea...the window seats are great for viewing if the weather is good, but oh, my, trying to get in and out is just awful. I am not a small person myself and I worry about deep vein thrombosis....sitting still and in such close quarters for hours and hours is not only uncomfortable...it can be dangerous, no matter your size. We routinely get up and walk up and down the aisle and stand at rear of plane for a few minutes just to keep the circulation going. It's WONDERFUL not to have to disturb others so you can get out of a sardine seat. I will always book aisle seats on long flights from now on. Have a great trip!

I worried about the deep vein thrombosis, so had my Dr. give me the injections to take with me. It was easy, just did one shot in the morning before the flight, took the other one with me in my carry-on, and did the other shot when I returned. No problem at security at all in either country. It gave me peace of mind, as my leg veins are not in the best of shape after a zillion years of working on my feet. The injections were in an automatic pen form, so there was no way to mess it up if you are not familiar with giving shots. A family member can do it to. Honestly, I did not even feel it. Sorry to get off track here.

I dont know exactly what Deep Vein Thrombosis is, but I have heard it mentioned on here. Do those socks work to prevent it, the compression socks? I sit alot at work (obviously, which is why my arse is the size of Texas) and dont have an issue with bloodclots, but then again im always running around the office as well.

Tami,

I am about your size and I have many, many air miles. And many have been international. A couple things come to mind. First of all, seat size and placement are way more important on long flights. You may comfortably sit in the seat, but you need to be able to move around a little to stay comfortable for the long haul. There are websites (www.seatexpert.com) that give you the measurements and clearances of the seats, by aircraft, by airline. All airplanes are not equal and International flights are noticeably tighter.

I agree with posters that prefer the aisle seat, except when I am traveling with friends and family - then I want the window for the tiny bit more space you get and I don't care about crawling over them to get to the aisle.

Crew is always helpful and professional, unfortunately there are sometimes seatmates who make it clear that they are afraid you will leak into their personal space and aren't very subtle about letting you know. These are frequently the same people who don't feel a bit embarrassed about filling up the overheads, cramming crap in the seat backs, etc. Don't let it bother you, everybody else is great. After all, you are all going on a great adventure together. And for heaven's sake don't let that kind of behavior stop you from flying everywhere you want.

Tami.. My husband and I are both fairly large , and he likes to put the arm up in the middle and let his legs come over on my side. Hm. However, on the last couple of Delta flights we have taken.. we just returned from France... the flight was only about half full. I wait until I think most people are on or the door is closing and then I move. Often the whole center 3 or 5 seats are vacant and nobody is in them.Bring a book or your jacket and just spread out . Every one else does it.

Hubby and I are both big. I require a seatbelt extender while he does not. We travel in the "cattle car" because our budget only accommodates economy class.

We much prefer booking seats (hubby gets the aisle) at the rear of the plane for several reasons. We board first after first class so there are fewer people to deal with in the aisles. Once at our seats, we have first choice of the overhead bins and all our carry-on stuff is stowed together.

We are close to the galley and several lavotories so we have extra space to stretch our legs during the flight, and we don't have to deal with blocked aisles during the flight. It's also easier to get to the in-flight snacks they leave out overnight, to use the restroom anytime, and we're usually served our meals first so we have first choice of the entrees.

We are the last to leave the plane, so we have plenty of time to gather our belongings without worrying about blocking the exit for other passengers. And we don't have to stand around waiting for our luggage in baggage claim; by the time we arrive, our luggage is there.

It works for us. Have fun!

I am not a doctor (or lawyer) but I have a relative who is a medical professional who tells me that no socks are going to do anything for you if you really have deep vein thrombosis. If you do have that condition, you will know it and if you do and you plan to fly (or maybe just sit around watching TV) you will need equipment that's considerably more complex and expensive than any par of socks...think hydraulic gear with pumps, hoses, motors, etc.

It's certainly a good idea to do some stretching, get up and walk around a little if you can during any long flight - it'll make you feel better and it probably provides some small (very small) health benefits. But doing so will not help much if you really do have a serious medical condition like thrombosis. If you do, the kind of socks you wear should be the least of your worries.

David, i dont have deep vein thrombosis. Im not even sure exactly what it is! But I hear people talking about wearing compression socks to prevent it (So is it a condition one would already have, versus a condition you can acquire while sitting idle too long?)
I am a somewhat big lady, but am very mobile and active, no diabetes or any other health conditions. I will be sure to try to get up and stretch every hour or two on my 8 hour flight to London.