by Jenny Tolley

Created on: June 30, 2009

While I can agree that it's uncomfortable to have to sit next to an obese person on an airplane or a bus, I don't think making them pay more is necessarily the solution to the problem. The fact is, people in Western societies are getting bigger while the seats on public transportation are getting smaller. I know the reason for this is because airlines are struggling to make a profit, but it's getting to the point at which flying coach in an airplane is uncomfortable for just about everyone except children and very small adults. The truth is, a lot of public transportation fails to accommodate people who fall outside the normal range of sizes. This is true for heavy people and tall people.

Everybody has a different body type. Some people carry excess weight in the lower half of their bodies. Some people carry weight in the middle or upper portions of their bodies. And some lucky people are well-proportioned. A person with very large hips and thighs may spill over into the seat next to them, whereas their shoulders and upper body fit nicely in the seat. A person with broad shoulders and slim hips may have the opposite problem. Either way, the person next to them may have to contend with the person's body invading their space. But what about tall people whose knees end up pressed up against the seat in front of them? Their knees may be uncomfortable for the person sitting in front of them and make the flight unpleasant, but no one says anything about it. I think it's because being tall isn't generally considered a character flaw the way being fat is.

Besides, one doesn't have to be obese to invade another person's space on an airplane. What about people who don't shower? Imagine taking a twelve hour flight next to someone who hasn't bathed in awhile and smells like old sweat and stale cigarettes or stinky cheese. Granted, flight attendants can ask passengers to "freshen up" before they get on the aircraft. How many of them actually do that unless some unlucky passenger happens to complain? Being next to someone who stinks can be every bit as unpleasant for other passengers, yet we hear a lot less about that than we do about obese passengers.

I think traveling today requires a little consideration and understanding. However, not enough people are willing to be considerate or understanding. For instance, when my husband and I took our overnight flight to Germany, I was sandwiched between someone who had to recline for the entire flight and someone who pressed her knees into my back. It was very uncomfortable for me, yet people think they have the right to recline because their seats are capable of reclining, even if it means they end up lying in the lap of the person sitting behind them.

Personally, I would love to see an airline that uses wider seats and allows for more leg room, the way it was in the "good old days". Of course, the airline industry is in such bad financial state these days that I doubt we'll ever see that happen again. And yet, people keep getting taller, fatter, and more self-absorbed, which makes flying in an airplane or riding a bus that much more unpleasant. No wonder people don't want to spend money on air travel.

My husband and I have to go back to the United States at some point in the near future. I'm already dreading the flight for many reasons. While I can understand why people who get stuck sitting next to a very large person may feel that obese passengers should have to pay extra, I think there's plenty of blame to go around when it comes to being uncomfortable on today's flights. It's enough to make me want to just stay home or stick to car travel.

Learn more about this author, Jenny Tolley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.