A woman has been left outraged after being forced to sit next to an 'obese' passenger on a plane. She explained how she was assigned a middle seat next to a woman who weighs around 500lbs (35 stone) - and wasn't allowed to move seats when she complained.
In a review on TripAdvisor, the Ohio woman said: "I think my rights were violated. Before I sat down, I mentioned the situation to the crew member who was helping the obese woman and asked if my husband and I could have the empty seats in first class.
"He told me not unless my name was on a list. I thought the flight was sold out and those seats were the only empty seats I saw."
She went on to explain how she couldn't put her armrest down throughout the flight, saying the 'obese' passenger took up a "good portion of her seat".
"Her leg was under the seat in front of me, she was touching me from shoulder to toe, but worst of all, her arm and shoulder were resting on me," she added.
"I couldn't get out of the seat because she couldn't get up without help."
The woman decided against complaining a second time as she didn't want to embarrass the 'obese' woman - and instead sat through the rest of the flight in silence.
She said: "When I got home, I was encouraged by several people to contact Continental Airline Customer Service, so I did.
"The rep was short and rude with me. She kept insisting that as long as this woman could fit with an extension, it was fine.
"I asked the rep about the armrest and her sitting on top of me and the rep never really answered that question."
The representative told her that she should have asked to move to any vacant seats in the aircraft, rather than specifically requesting to move into first class.
"I said I did and she said, 'No you asked about first class'," she added. "I said that's all I saw.
"Now thinking this through, why should I have had to move, she was the one taking up more than one seat? Of course believe me, I wish I had!
"I asked to speak to a supervisor and she told me she was one and there was no one else to speak to.
"I felt that my rights were violated."
Admitting she is in two minds about taking her complaint further, the woman has asked users for their thoughts.
She added: "I have nothing against obese people. I actually sat on the flight praying because I had mean thoughts going through my head and I didn't like it.
"I am most angry at the airline because I pointed it out before I took my seat and they did nothing about it.
"I sat crowded (as if the middle isn't bad enough), with someone touching me and with their weight on me.
"By half way through the flight, my neck and shoulder were aching.
"I am also upset because this was a very expensive flight, I paid $933 (£750) for someone to sit on top of me!"
In response, one user said: "The airline is to blame. They allow or stop people getting on board, they know exactly what is going on but would rather do nothing about it.
"They could have moved the squashed lady to first class, even if she didn't ask if they were full or if there were seats available someplace else.
"It is for the staff to resolve issues for all paying customers. It should not be for the customer to feel guilty about asking for what they have paid for - i.e a seat!"
Another user added: "I have sat next to normal, 'healthy' men who couldn't get the arm rest all the way down, leaned over on to my side and stretched their legs out on either side of the seat in front of them.
"The fact that she couldn't get up without help sounded like an exaggeration from someone who is uncomfortable around fat people.
"The 'no upgrade' policy exists because people who pay top dollar for their flights don't like to see other people get those seats for free.
"They certainly don't want to see someone get that seat because they are too fat to fit in cattle class.
"If the airline has to choose between alienating a first class paying customer or an economy customer, the economy customer is not even considered."
A third user said: "Brace yourselves for a shocking piece of information: big people know how big they are.
"They know how much space they take up, that their size is considered either a handicap or something distasteful and they are aware of the size of airline seats.
"Disparaging and making mock of people because of their size is still an acceptable prejudice, and it's time to stop. Now, please."
Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
