It’s Hard To Fly Economy When You’re Tall Or Overweight
Ryanair seating is tight, though not as tight as you’d think. There’s no more legroom in British Airways business class on intra-European routes than there is on Ryanair, though that’s more an indictment of BA than an exoneration of the famously-cheap no frills Ireland-based carrier.
When you have special needs on a flight, it pays to do your research. If you’re wide or tall, Ryanair probably isn’t your best choice. However one British passenger took to TikTok to shame Ryanair over its seats and size of its seat belts.
“Uh oh, middle seat,” wrote body positivity influencer Leanne, 29, on the video of the mile-high mishap, which occurred while she was flying the budget carrier from London to Hamburg, Germany, on April 21.
…“I was going to use the tray table to do some work on the way, but when I couldn’t put it down, I quickly decided that it was not going to happen,” Leanne lamented to Jam Press.
Seats are small, but many airlines will let you buy the seat next to you and keep it empty. American Airlines will even let you use trip credits to pay for it. If you’re a person of size who requires the seat, Southwest will even refund the cost if the plane goes out less than full.
The TikToker, though, doesn’t just complain about the seats – she complains about other passengers. She feels judged.
And the awkwardness wasn’t limited to the accommodations: “I was one of the last people on the plane because I was running a little late, so I felt the stares of people,” the flustered flyer said. “All I could think was that they didn’t want me to sit next to them.”
Flying an airline like Ryanair – but really, almost any airline – is a small-d democratic experience and the passenger cabin a microcosm of society. It’ll bring all of society’s problems and prejudices on board. Which is to say that, yes, people are judged and body shamed – and add the stress of a confined metal tube that’ll only exacerbate things.
She offers, “I do think airlines should do more to be accessible for plus-size people…That doesn’t mean I’m blaming them for me being fat.”
@kirstyleannetravels Flying Ryanair with no upgrades ❤️ #plussizetraveltok #travellingwhilefat #plussizetravel #plussizequeen #plussize #ryanair #flyingwhilefat #plussizeseating #fatacceptance ♬ As It Was – Harry Styles
(HT: Paul H)
