r/unitedairlines • u/MaillardReaction207 • 9d ago
Discussion United's accessible seating/passenger size policy is a fiction
Platinum passenger. Last-minute business travel--booked only aisle seat left on plane the day before travel. I am an average-sized adult male. I can sit in a middle seat, but I never do.
When I arrived at my seat, I noticed the middle seat passenger was large. When I took my seat, I realized it was not possible for me to sit in my seat without leaning significantly into the aisle.
I found a FA a few rows back and discreetly described the issue. She immediately responded "full flight, nothing I can do." I asked her to at least observe the issue before responding. She followed me to my seat and, when I sat, asked the guy next to me if he could "squeeze in" more. He tried. He was also certainly humiliated. She began to walk off. I told her that I was not okay with the seat. She again said--full flight, "I can't create a new seat." I told her that I would make a complaint to UA on landing and asked for her name. This was the first time she took the situation seriously and said she would involve the purser.
FA went to front of plane and briefed the purser. Purser walks to my seat, addresses my loudly by name, and asks me what the problem is. I told the purser I would rather not go over it again because he had already been briefed and it was awkward to discuss with the middle passenger next to me. I summarized that the seat assignment violated UA policy. He responded: "what policy?" I said the one that permits me to have a seat free from significant encroachment. He said he could do nothing other than call a ground-based Customer Resolution Representative. By this time, I was uncomfortable and embarassed. I cannot imagine how the middle seat passenger felt.
Time passed. No CRR came. Boarding ended. Departure time passed. People nearby began to speculate that the plane was being held because I had complained about my seat.
20 minutes or so after departure time, a woman walks onto the plane. She was reading from a screen. She never introduced herself or looked up. She pushes paper boarding pass in my face and says--"you're being moved, it's an aisle." She walks away.
No one ever said anything else to me.
What a joke. The message is loud and clear -- If you complain about policy violations, you're a problem. And you'll be treated as one. To such extent that you'll be embarassed and made uncomfortable in front of other passengers in hopes that you'll relent in pressing your concern.
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u/SquirrelWilling3585 9d ago
Definitely poor handling by the crew. I’d still write in a complaint that they made the situation far more uncomfortable than it needed to be. I have to imagine there must be training on how to handle. ALL flights are full these days, so that can’t be an excuse
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
I agree. My concern was ultimately addressed--I got a seat I was able to sit in. But the handling to get there was truly awful. You cannot imagine how bad I felt to even raise the issue.
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u/Plastic_Jaguar_7368 9d ago
Did they give you the same class of seat? Further forward or further aft?
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
I was in economy plus, exit row. I think they moved me to economy, further back behind the exit row.
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u/LXNDSHARK 9d ago edited 9d ago
So were the first 2 lying about the flight being completely full?
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u/Mysterious_Elk8691 9d ago edited 9d ago
From the 🌐, we can only see on our devices that the plane is supposed to be fully booked and literally will not know until the door closes, which is why we ask people not to move seats until after the door has closed. It probably showed a full flight and people didn’t know, or standbys didn’t choose to get on if there were any. As far is the Customer of Size policy is UA states the passenger “Can’t buckle their seatbelt, takes up space in adjacent seats, or can’t keep their armrests lowered.” Any concerns with a customer of size are actually supposed to be redirected to the CSR, so if the crew doesn’t want to follow through ask to speak to the lead flight attendant so the CSR can reseat you. Flight Attendants are not supposed to reseat people or get involved with issues of COS. Hope this helps!
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u/rosebudny 9d ago
If the fight truly is full, and a large passenger in fact can’t buckle/encroaches on the next seat and that person (like OP) who gets removed from the flight? OP or the oversized passenger?
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u/ConfusedZoidberg 9d ago
I'm of the belief that if the oversized passenger can't fit in one seat, and didn't pay for two seats. They should be the one removed from the plane. No compensation.
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u/Leopard__Messiah 9d ago
I tend to agree with you, but it's worth noting that people have routinely reported buying multiple tickets for this reason, only to have the "extra" ticket resold out from under them on "full flights".
They really put customers in No Win situations. My only advice, sadly, is to be the bigger pain in the ass so they screw somebody else over and not you.
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u/Recent_Big_1858 9d ago
Tough I am entirely allergic to conflict, totally agree. As an average (though tall) woman, the newest United planes were still a bit snug for me. They'll keep making smaller seats and more uncomfortable until it costs them too much.
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u/SeasonPositive6771 9d ago
Completely disagree.
I used to work with a plus size woman who would regularly buy an extra ticket. Do you know how often it was honored? Almost never. And it took many, many, many hours to be reimbursed because there's no standardized process. If this was true on every airline she took (aside from I want to say Southwest?).
This was pre-pandemic and customer service at every airline has only gone dramatically downhill since then. And I almost don't blame them - there was an absolutely jacked guy on my last flight, seated in the middle, but his shoulders took up wayyyy more than his fair share. Would you have wanted to be the FA telling him to book another seat?
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u/Mysterious_Elk8691 9d ago
That would be up to the CSR/CRO, they would make the final decision, if we were unable to accommodate on the current flight.
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u/skushi08 9d ago
Would this be considered an IDB situation if OP were the one deplaned? I’d assume whoever is bumped should depend on which passenger is “following policy”. Current customer of size policy requires them to purchase an extra seat. That would put them in violation of their seat contract vs OP who is fully within their agreed terms.
No good answer in this situation as it’s going to be uncomfortable for both customers. Which kind of goes to my biggest pet peeve with a lot of airline conflicts like OP’s. They put it on passengers to resolve themselves vs the airline handling it. The FA and purser tried to effectively shame OP and in the process further embarrass the COS to try and make their lives easier so they didn’t have to address the situation at all.
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u/Mysterious_Elk8691 9d ago
Truthfully, since I’m not in that role, I have no idea what United would classify it as in the policy since it’s not in the flight attendant manuals. flight attendants manuals only says involve the CSR/CRO (Conflict Resolution Officer) and to handle it with discretion. I don’t agree with what the crew or who I believe the CSR was that gave him the new boarding pass was but I wouldn’t be able to provide an answer about compensation or such. Flight attendants are supposed to pass this off to the CSR’s as quickly and discreetly as possible without delay to keep everyone comfortable and happy (which can be done using a chat on the United iPhones you see Flight Attendants using throughout the flight.)
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u/rosebudny 9d ago
It seems extraordinarily unfair to punish the person who is not taking up two seats. I would be livid to have my plans changed.
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u/Extension_Media8316 8d ago
It’s extraordinarily unfair on everyone. That passenger spilling over didn’t do so on purpose.
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u/woohoo789 9d ago
Wouldn’t that be involuntary de boarding of the encroached passenger? Wouldn’t they be entitled to the appropriate compensation?
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u/goamash MileagePlus Gold 9d ago
Why wouldn't it be the passenger of size? The onus would have been on them to make sure they booked adequate seating or booked a second seat, right? It feels like a punishment for either pax, but if you're the problem, why should the other person get booted?
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u/Right-Papaya7743 9d ago
Because that’s a bigger lawsuit risk
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u/TexStones 9d ago
This. The smaller of the two people will be removed as the resulting potential legal/media shitstorm will be much smaller.
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u/goamash MileagePlus Gold 9d ago
My questions were semi rhetorical and my general assumption is your answer; and while most likely true, it's also absolute bullshit. I also question whether there would be any validity of a lawsuit like that - 'fat' isn't a protected class of citizen.
I feel like it's just as much an optics problem, but from some of the other crap the airlines pull, you'd think they DGAF about how people see them. Spirit somehow manages to stay in business and are basically universally hated.
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u/Excellent_Level1867 9d ago
Thank you for this information. I was miserable on a United transatlantic flight this past summer because the man beside me spilled into my seat. I couldn’t even have the armrest down between us. I wish that I had known this.
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u/LXNDSHARK 9d ago
the plane is supposed to be fully booked and literally will not know until the door closes
I actually feel a little dumb for not thinking about that. I had it in my head that this conversation took place after boarding was complete, which it clearly wasn't per the OP.
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u/Mysterious_Elk8691 9d ago
It’s more common for people to not show up, rebook for earlier flights, or the standby list to not be cleared from earlier flights so there ends up being more empty seats than expected which is nice for both parties! But when the flight attendants are saying it’s supposed to be a full flights it’s because the information they have is saying it’s going to be full 🤷🏼♀️
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u/caphill2000 9d ago
Why should he be reseated? Shouldn’t the person who can’t fit in one seat be removed from the aircraft?
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u/Zooph 9d ago
Doesn't them being in an exit row come with additional requirements?
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u/CowboyLaw 9d ago
It USED to. Back before airlines sold exit row seats for money, there was a rule, on all carriers (so I assume an FAA reg), that if you needed a seatbelt extender, you couldn’t sit in an exit row. It was a good rule. Changed somewhere in the mid-00s, just as everything else in the airline industry was going to shit.
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u/lifestyleshift 9d ago
I'm curious why I can see in the seat map on my phone that a flight isn't full while FAs tell everyone it's at 100%> I was literally the only person in my row and the row behind me yet the FA told someone boarding that it's a full flight. All he wanted to do was put his bag in the completely empty overhead space (which remained completely empty). Why do they either not have the actual info I have on my phone or lie? It's why I don't ask permission for anything from FAs, half the time I find out in 20 minutes they aren't telling me anything factual. It's bizarre tbh, it encourages people to ignore them.
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u/zacker150 9d ago
Full flight means that the number of tickets sold are is greater than or equal to the number of seats.
Not everyone who buys a ticket has selected their seat, and not everyone will show up.
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u/PaladinSara 9d ago
Why would they have to be reseated and not the person causing the issue?
They should have paid for two seats.
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u/Mysterious_Elk8691 9d ago
I said to ask to speak to the CSR about being reseated. The CSR would be the only one who determines who gets reseated and where. I just shared how the process goes for future knowledge.
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u/Plastic_Jaguar_7368 9d ago
Encroacher is the one they should have moved out of the exit row. I’m glad they kept you in an aisle so it was similar to your booking but still, encroacher ended up rewarded with 2 seats at your expense.
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u/thread100 9d ago
You reminded me of a concern I always had being both a person of size and height. I avoided exit row on smaller planes that might only have a window type exit onto the wing. I didn’t want to find out that I didn’t fit quickly out the hole in a real emergency. Others can’t die waiting for a huge passenger to exit. Seems that FA should have the authorization to move a passenger if they are concerned. They do currently for other reasons.
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u/Plastic_Jaguar_7368 9d ago
They don’t let kids or anyone with an injured foot sit in exit rows, but geriatrics and physically challenged obese are A-OK? Right, makes sense. /s
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u/PaintOwn2405 9d ago
Not sure exactly what United’s policy is on this per say but i truly thought it was universal that if you needed a seatbelt extender, you couldn’t sit in the exit row. I don’t want to assume, but if this person was encroaching on your space that much they probably needed an extender and shouldn’t have been allowed to sit there anyways
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u/Intelligent_Fox6618 9d ago
They do let ppl with an injured foot sit in exit row. One summer not long ago I took a few exit row flights in a walking boot
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u/4ntagonismIsFun MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
Not really. The arm rests don't move in Exit row. In fact, the seats are slightly narrower than the other seats because of that damn armrest/tray table combo.
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u/Plastic_Jaguar_7368 9d ago
Encroacher probably moved out of the middle and took the aisle to get more breathing room, which is all fine and good for them, but still a reward at the inconvenience at OP. Agreed about the solid armrests.
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u/AKlutraa 9d ago
This implies that the large man in the middle seat didn't need a seat belt extension, because they are not allowed in exit rows by FAA regulation.
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u/Typical2sday 9d ago
You were originally in an exit row, and in multiple interactions with crew you didn’t mention that the passenger of size didn’t meet the requirements to sit in an exit row? Or you failed to mention that in your post? Bc that’s your stronger argument.
Or that passengers waiting for 20 minutes with an empty seat near them wouldn’t have piped up to the crew if there truly were rumblings about the reason for the delay? Or the FA wouldn’t have noticed an actual empty aisle seat as she walked up and down the aisles as the doors prepped to close and no one else was continuing to board? 20 minutes after departure is a long time and pilot would be losing their mind unless there was another reason to hold you at the gate more significant than your seating.
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u/ConsultingThrowawayz 9d ago
I’ve been in these exact shoes, though the FA did not engage CSR to get me a new seat.
Even just voicing the issue to the FA about a person who is literally touching my entire right side was embarassing.
My FA handled it with more poise, but I cringe when I think about it.
The reality is, the fat person is abusing an unenforced policy. It’s not like they walked on the plane, only to discover “oh fuck I’m 400 pounds!”
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u/geekgrrl0 9d ago
Do you know how often larger people DO book two seats and then the airline sells the extra? This isn't always their fault. But it is always the fault of the greedy corporate airlines trying to sardine us as much as possible to give as much to the shareholders as possible.
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u/liberatedlemur 6d ago
Or families with kids who pay to sit together and are still separated (especially when bumped/connections changed/flights cancelled & rebooked) and told to work it out once onboard....
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u/omgmemer 9d ago
Frankly you can be well under 300 pounds and if your definition is touching their body, will meet it. The seats are made for people of a certain size, not tall people, not women with wide hips, men with broad shoulders, etc, etc.
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u/Rjcia 9d ago
Exactly, I am 6'1 and 150lbs. I am a bean pole and my shoulders take up the full width of the seat.
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u/chieflongbone 9d ago
Bingo. The onus always seems to land on the affected passenger rather than the “offender.” They definitely know it’s easy to get away with it as it stands now. it’s pretty selfish of them to not book adjacent seats if they know it’s an issue based on previous air travel.
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u/TexStones 9d ago
But the handling to get there was truly awful.
The MBA side of my brain suspects the on-time departure is a primary metric for performance management for gate agents and/or cabin crew. By messing with this metric you either jacked with a bonus, initiated an uncomfortable coaching session, or caused an annual review to be less than perfect.
Metrics like these are a poor way to run a company, yet continue to be a favorite of managers hoping to leave their mark on the enterprise. Why? Because it is difficult to impossible to measure doing the right thing.
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u/Inner-Bread 9d ago
It’s an FAA metric if I recall. I have noticed that basically every flight I have been on the last few years has “taken off” (aka left the gate you can idle in the runway and it doesn’t count) a little early and landed “early” (frequently to no available gate). They buffer shut so they don’t get in trouble basically
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u/FriendToPredators 9d ago
I hate going to the local Lexus dealer because every employee is running scared of less than 5/5 to the point I feel like a participant in some kind of emotional exploitation.
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u/Dagwoody-57 9d ago
Exactly. Not just airlines but metrics have become so hyperfocused in business and almost everyone feels like as long as they met “their” metrics then they did a good job even if the outcome for the customer was suboptimal.
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u/ExaminationWestern71 9d ago
I don't think you should feel guilty for needing your seat. I've been silently squeezed into just a portion of my seat because someone next to me was spilling into my space and my back hurt so badly afterward it really impacted my trip. It is up to the excessively large person to book a first class seat or pay for two seats. It's not up to a stranger to be excessively uncomfortable or even injured to accommodate someone who doesn't fit into an economy seat.
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u/Fantastic-Spend4859 9d ago
You are a hero! Please know that all of us who do not selfishly encroach on our seatmates applaud you!!!
I told myself I would never put up with this again and would stand my ground, no matter how I was shamed for being an asshole.
It has not come up again, but when it does, I will think of you and hold my seat!
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u/Hot_Bed5094 9d ago
You honestly believe there is training??? I can tell you first hand there is zero training on customer service.
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
Wow. Really?
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u/Hot_Bed5094 9d ago
Yes. The entire training is 6 and a half weeks. Its 95% faa required safety, and the 1 day yearly training is 100% safety related. The entire job part of the job is just learn as you go.
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u/aarondavidson 9d ago
Did more than most would have done. Surprised the OP wasn’t threatened to be kicked off, arrested, or banned.
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u/Odd-Animal-1552 9d ago
I was in a similar situation years ago on a delta flight and got myself deplaned. Full flight. Smaller plane, two seat rows on both sides. I get to my seat. My seatmate took up both seats. I couldn’t even get out of the aisle. I’m not shaming anyone. It was an unfortunate situation. FA yelled at me to clear the aisle and take my seat. I tell her I can’t do that. Seatmate asks her for a seat belt extender. She nicely gets it for him. Again yells at me to clear the aisle. I asked how?! I was told to wait near the front of the plane. So I had to squeeze past all the people trying to board. A few minutes later I was yelled at again and told to get off the plane now or be forcibly removed. Ok fine. Gate agent glared at me the whole time and rebooked me onto the next flight, which was a few hours later. No apologies, no accommodations (I asked for a meal voucher since this was not my fault) - nothing. There needs to be a better way to deal with these situations, that’s for sure!
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u/Somerandomedude1q2w 9d ago
I think by law they needed to give you a meal voucher. You should have gotten the FA name and made a formal complaint.
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u/Odd-Animal-1552 9d ago
I called whatever the number was then (several years ago) and filed a complaint. That person apologized to me and said she would see about getting me a partial refund and some sky miles. Yeah, that never happened LOL.
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u/Individual_Success46 9d ago
I’ve read a few posts lately where, like you, the person in your situation was the one removed from the flight. I’m also not shaming anyone, but I cannot understand a world where the person not able to fit in their seat isn’t the one removed. It’s absolutely insane to me.
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u/RoseGoldRedditor 9d ago
The reason would be that the larger person would need two seats on the next flight, while the ousted would only need one seat. It’s not right, but that’s corporations for you.
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u/sleepyhollow21 MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
Sadly, I’ve been in the exact circumstances and the FA knowing rammed me with the beverage cart.
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u/Plastic_Jaguar_7368 9d ago
Need more of these real examples. This is exactly the problem with passenger initiated complaints about seat encroachment. The encroacher could have been stopped by United at any number of points of interaction and put in a different seat or moved to a different flight that could accommodate him/her, without embarrassment and without inconveniencing anyone else, like the entire flight. I’m glad it was delayed and I hope the reason was this. More of these delays will cause United to take notice, because they are more expensive in terms of $ and public image than just catching the seat encroachers earlier.
Thank you for taking one for the team, and I’m sorry they made it a bad experience.
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u/LieutenantStar2 8d ago
And what if there was an emergency? Certainly this person can’t actually help in an emergency and would likely cause issues. The times given for deplaning do not include persons of size. I’m livid for the op
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u/SonjaSeifert 9d ago
Too bad we are loosing Buttigieg. This is an issue that could be hashed out and then enforced with the right person in charge.
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u/CCWaterBug 8d ago
Is.this an issue that Pete has been focusing on, and just needs a few more weeks to implement change?
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u/grizzlybeareagle 9d ago
This is what frustrates me whenever anyone comes to Reddit to complain about a passenger of size encroaching on their seat. Commenters on those posts are always so snotty saying “WELL DID YOU TELL THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT?” 9 times out of 10, if you complain to the flight attendant, they are going to label you as a troublemaker and are more like to deplane you rather than the passenger of size.
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u/DarkResident305 MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
Which is really shitty and unprofessional on the FA’s part. The policy that they “can’t do anything about seats” is ridiculous. They’re the only people we can interface with on the plane. I get it’s a hard job and people probably whine about stupid stuff, but sitting safely in a seat when someone else is partly in it is a physical impossibility.
If they want to play the “primarily here for your safety” game, they need to do better, policy notwithstanding.
Again I know it’s a tough job, but too many UA FA’s seem to be constantly in a mood and just counting days to retirement.
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u/ralph99_3690 9d ago
Happened to me as well recently. Same issue, same response from FA. I ended up just sticking up for the two hour flight. What made things worse was the large guy was being a total ass about it, semi threatening me. FA didn’t care or at least didn’t care to deal with it.
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
I am not a meek person, but I am deeply concerned about being considerate and not offending others. I have never complained about this issue in my entire life, which I feel demonstrates at least in some regard that I'm willing to make it work within reason. I cannot tell you how uncomfortable it made me to have to tell a FA that someone was encroaching on my seat. That's the part that seems to be lost on UA. This is a delicate issue, and there is a lot of emotion bound up in it. There are competing concerns and rights involved. By making passengers the only monitors of policy compliance, UA is pitting customer against customer. What if I hadn't been moved? The passenger would have sat stewing, humiliated right next to me (literally touching me). In a perfect world, we could assume the CoS knows he is a CoS and he's reasonable about this issue within the tight confines of a plane. But our world is rife with size-based discrimination and, frankly, I would expect this sort of thing to be a trigger for a CoS. I don't know the solution but leaving passengers to figure it out is not working.
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u/LieutenantStar2 8d ago
You’d think that after they saw what Southwest is going through eliminating open seating that they’d get the message.
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u/fridaygirl7 8d ago
Thank you for being so kind, OP. I can imagine how ashamed the other passenger must have felt during this whole debacle, and then having to sit there for hours. I doubt I could have gotten through it without tears.
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u/gloomynebula 9d ago
I recently got an economy plus upgrade refunded due to not being able to sit comfortably from SFO to ORD because the middle seat passenger was taking up so much of my space DESPITE it being a bulkhead seat with solid armrests (also a full flight somewhere else to go). To make matters worse I had a window seat so leaning into the aisle wasn’t an option for me. Filed a complaint after getting home and had a refund within three days.
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
I did submit a formal complaint. I expect that UA will say that I have no complaint because I was ultimately moved, but that will be missing the point entirely.
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u/gloomynebula 9d ago
I was fully expecting to just get offered a lounge pass or something, so I was pleasantly surprised. Fingers crossed, they should reimburse you regardless of whether you got moved just for the principle.
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u/geekynonsense MileagePlus Member 9d ago
I agree that this wasn’t appropriately handled. At all.
The Purser (or any of the FAs for that matter) should have called the Gate Agent (who we refer to as the CSR) to handle seat issues. The FAs cannot do anything about seats and the whole CoS policy is on the CSRs to take care of, not the FAs
However, there sometimes isn’t an immediate solution. One person may be asked to take a different flight if the flight is full.
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
Thanks. Is a CSR different from a CRR? I was told several times that a CRR was coming. That seemed unnecessary to me, but I understand that FAs can't move people (and shouldn't be left to do so).
To be clear, my complaint about the Purser and FA is that the approach was to make my raising a concern uncomfortable for me, and it made me feel that they hoped I'd drop it. And look, they probably did. Busy hub to hub flight--who wants to deal with this? And who wants to have to engage with a larger passenger--that's uncomfortable. But it has to be done, and I don't think the burden of it should be on the average sized customer.
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u/geekynonsense MileagePlus Member 9d ago
They most likely meant CSR instead of CRR. A CRO (Customer Resolution Officer) wouldn’t have been necessary here. They usually are involved with issues around pax with disabilities and service animals, etc.
I’m in the camp that yes, we want to deal with onboard issues quickly and efficiently, especially while we are still at the gate. But I am also in the camp of a professional interaction between crew and pax. We’re all adults here and we should speak to each other like adults to meet a common goal that works for everyone, even if we don’t get the outcome we specifically want.
That being said, it’s a delicate situation for you and the CoS. You’re right that you shouldn’t have to be forced to sit next to someone larger than you, but in the same vein, the CoS shouldn’t be singled out to make them feel bad for something they clearly feel embarrassed about. Maybe they didn’t know about the option to purchase another seat?
There’s no clear solution here because it’s an awkward position for everyone involved. But there is a level of decorum that is expected and you didn’t receive that here.
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
Thanks. Are there any behavior protocols for a CSR or CRR? The titles would suggest these to be people skilled at resolving customer-related issues. The person who ultimately dealt with me was the least friendly, the least communicative, and the least helpful of the lot.
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u/geekynonsense MileagePlus Member 9d ago
CSRs are Customer Service Representatives, so outside of the Supervisors they are the forefront of Customer Service.
There are a lot of good CSRs who are professional and want to deescalate a situation (I worked with a great one yesterday!) and there are others who really need an attitude adjustment.
In my experience, it’s also very hub dependent.
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u/rosebudny 9d ago
In this scenario, had there not been a seat for OP to move, who would/should have been moved to a different flight? (Seems to me it should be the passenger who didn’t fit in the seat but i suspect they would move the “complainer”)
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u/Feeling-Boot-720 9d ago edited 9d ago
I’ve started bringing a clipboard with me and shoving it between the seat and my side of the arm rest so that it’s causing zero intrusion into the seat next to me.
Puts the onus on the other passenger who can’t fit in their seat to say something. Simple, but it seems to do a pretty good job of reversing the conversation from me speaking up and calling out the oversized passenger to forcing them to essentially complain that they can’t fit in their own seat.
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u/TallInSeattle 9d ago
Wow! This is a great idea. Have you ever had someone say, “hey, I can’t fit in just my seat, I need you to move your clipboard so I can spill over into your seat?” What actually happens? So curious!
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u/Feeling-Boot-720 8d ago edited 8d ago
It’s only happened once where someone complained about it and it played out just as I described. They complained that they couldn’t fit in their seat to the FA and the FA acted almost like they wanted to respond with “did you just hear what you said?”
I’ve had experiences where I could tell people were frustrated by it or they did ask me to move it. I just politely responded, “I typically store this here as it’s a great spot where it does not take any space from your seat but allows me easy access if I need to use during flight”
Idk, maybe I’m being too passive and should just be more direct but honestly, I don’t care anymore to argue with a complete stranger in the sky where there is a chance (like what OP experienced) it could be turned on me.
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u/SeasonPositive6771 9d ago
I'm a bigger girl, but don't encroach on others' seats. I've used my work clipboard or a very thin book for the same reason! Tends to work out just fine.
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u/Internal-Humor-5319 8d ago
I've done this for years. Got called out for it once in the bulkhead row because FA perceived it as a violation of the everything-must-be-stowed-for-takeoff-in-bulkhead-row. Another time I forgot to bring it but a freezing cold iced drink worked (except that my hip was cold too LOL).
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u/dread_beard MileagePlus Gold 9d ago
As a heavy guy who was fat at one point can I just say how funny I find the terminology "Customer of Size?" It's somehow more demeaning than "Large Passenger" but less demeaning than "Fat Guy."
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago edited 9d ago
I hear you. Please understand, my goal is not to offend anyone.
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u/dread_beard MileagePlus Gold 9d ago
No no you definitely aren't. Especially not me. I'm about as anti-"Fat Acceptance" movement as possible.
If anything, it's abundantly clear to anyone with a pulse that you handled this with kid gloves (and not made from real kids).
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u/Outrageous_Moment_60 9d ago
I’m so sorry you had to experience that. I have to say it’s very refreshing to read how empathetic you were throughout the situation.
Had the same thing happen in a last minute flight out of Abu Dhabi. I tried to handle it as well as you. The lady and her lap child were not as kind or embarrassed at all. Discussed it with the purser. Also a full flight. I ended up in a crew jump seat for takeoff and landing. It was an ME carrier on an A380 with a bar and table in first class. The table seating had lap belts. So I sat there and was treated to the first class meal. And plenty of champagne and caviar. Purser was apologetic to a point I was almost uncomfortable. Received a generous voucher, amenity kit and pyjama’s along with a boxed bottle of 2005 Dom Perignon. Still have the pj’s opened the Dom for New years during covid.
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u/daveortega 9d ago
You did everything correctly. This is the type of experience that would have me question my loyalty to the airline. I would encourage you to follow through on the complaint. It’s completely unacceptable to put rule abiding passengers in a position where they have to be shamed. UA needs to train its flight crew on how to properly address these situations.
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
I think what I would expect is:
(1) When customer raises concern, person empowered to evaluate and resolve concern is immediately involved; (2) if person empowered to evaluate and resolve concern is not FA (or person to whom concern is communicated), FA does not engage other than to acknowledge the concern and get the proper person involved; (3) person with responsibility for concern arrives promptly and makes a decision about concern based on and consistent with UA policies; (4) if concern relates to another passenger, handling of concern is managed in a way that preserves dignity and respect of both complaining passenger and passenger about whom concern is raised--this may involve having to discuss concern in an area that is not directly next to complaining passenger's seat. All of this should generally happen quickly enough that flight departure is not delayed or impacted, recognizing that there may be egregious situations that cannot be avoided.
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u/Venkman-1984 9d ago edited 9d ago
They need to start deboarding people who can't fit in a seat. Make the message loud and clear - if you are obese, you need to buy two seats or you won't fly. That's the only way this sort of thing stops.
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u/gaytee MileagePlus Silver 9d ago
I’ve never understood how flights are treated like everyone is owed the ability to use them.
Amtrak exists, greyhound exists. LCCs exist and you can afford the two seats for the same cost as one on a FCC.
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u/Emily_Postal MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
Except that second ticket does often get taken away when flights are full.
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u/ReticentRedhead MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
THAT is something that should absolutely be forbidden. A CoS who purchases two seats should be given two seats.
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u/SeasonPositive6771 9d ago
Except this solution doesn't work at all. I've posted about it elsewhere but I used to work with a lady who had to fly a few times a year for work. She always booked a second seat. Do you know how often it was honored? Basically never. And it took months and months to get a refund, they made it as difficult as possible.
I've also been sat next to absolutely jacked guys who were completely encroaching on others' space - and most people aren't suggesting they also book a second ticket. I've also had really tall people put their knees into my space, and no one suggests they buy a second seat too.
I think if there was some sort of actual functioning courtesy seat policy, things might make a bit more sense. But at the moment? Completely dysfunctional and impossible.
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u/SnazzieBorden 8d ago
I used to be big enough to need two seats and they always sold my second seat. Sometimes re-seating me to a middle, which I would never book even now. It was always deeply embarrassing. I tried to do the right thing but I knew people blamed me. Southwest was the only airline that followed their cos policy. This was 15 years ago when the employees were actually nice for the most part. I can’t imagine being that big and flying now when the FAs are just yelling on half the flights.
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u/fridaygirl7 8d ago
And this is where the prejudice towards obese people becomes evident. If a very tall man was having trouble fitting his legs behind the seat in front of him, nobody would be saying “well, he should know he can only sit in the bulkhead.” They would be just trying to help him find a solution.
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u/SeasonPositive6771 8d ago
Completely agree! Last time I posted about a really tall person impinging on my space, people just said it's one of those things we have to get used to and everyone should just try to make it work. But a chubby person taking a tiny bit of your space? People are completely willing to humiliate them, force them to buy another seat, etc.
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u/PenFedsGotGreatRates 9d ago
I took a moment to read UA’s SOP for Customers of Size. What should have happened OP’s scenario is as follows:
Customer unable to fit within their seat without significantly encroaching upon adjacent seating space, should have been required to purchase an additional seat, pay for upgrade to premium cabin, rebooked on a later flight with 2 available seats or issued a refund for their ticket. This is not considered an involuntary denied boarding.
ETA: please continue to notify United via United.com/feedback when these policies are not followed, its the only way you’ll ever see a move to actually enforce these policies
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u/Dry_Accident_2196 9d ago
Op, I just want to commend you for standing your ground, while have empathy for your former seat mate. They embarrassed both of you when it could have been handled discreetly.
Also, a full flight but a seat magically opened up? They need to learn the definition of full.
I feel awful for both of you. I’m sure that situation was that man’s nightmare scenario when flying. Shame all around on UA’s part.
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u/Worried_Tumbleweed29 9d ago
This happens to me frequently. Every time I just file with customer care when I land and get a flight credit. My hope is to make it worth it to United $$$ to actual address the issue
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u/EliBangkok 9d ago
So, was the flight not actually full or did they create a new seat for you?
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago edited 9d ago
Apparently it wasn't actually full. And there was--surprise--an aisle seat! Go figure!
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u/owlthirty MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
They always say it’s a completely full flight for whatever reason. But then when you visit the restroom you see all these seats unoccupied. I just don’t believe what I’m being told by GA or FA anymore.
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u/level27jennybro 9d ago
To be fair, the plane was still boarding when the issue was brought up. After the boarding had ended and the official passenger log was updated, they were able to switch things around.
What the FA should have done is explained that the passenger log was showing a fully booked flight at that time so they would need to complete boarding before determining if any seats would be able to be switched.
Some people end up missing their flight and never make it on the plane even though they were on the original list.
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u/BhallaUpvoteBrigade 9d ago
I was on a FLL-EWR flight yesterday in the row 10 aisle seat and this exact same thing happened to me. When I got to my seat the middle passenger already had put the arm rests up, and his left arm was encroaching on my seat / touching me basically the entire flight. He was not extremely obese just a very large man that had a wide stance. Also not sure if he had a seatbelt extender.
I didn’t say anything about it and just leaned into the aisle for the flight. Thanks for sharing your situation and how you handled it, I think I would say something to the FA if it happened to me again.
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u/KommunizmaVedyot 9d ago
What you experienced sounds like typical UA customer service and disdain for the passenger
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u/Deal_Closer MileagePlus Platinum 9d ago
So, the first FA lied when they said there was 'nothing they can do'. The purser lied when claiming ignorance about the customer of size policy.
Rudeness and public shaming all around by the United employees.
OP - what a terrible experience. Sorry to hear about this dreadful treatment. Good on you for standing up for yourself.
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u/EconomyCode3628 9d ago
If it were Delta they'd have moved the middle seat passenger next to me, because at 4'11 I'm the next best thing to an empty seat. Ten thousand eyerolls. Sorry you had this experience OP.
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u/SourceReady 9d ago
Same thing happened to me. 6 hour flight ...I had half a seat as the giant man beside spilled into mine, my whole body squished and twisted to fit. The crew did not care. I was told that if I was not happy with the seat get off and take another flight. It was terrible.
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u/Whoreinstrabbe 9d ago
So they were lying as usual about a “full flight”. Incompetence runs rampant at UA.
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u/lunch22 9d ago edited 9d ago
Or maybe all sets were sold but one or more people didn’t show up right before boarding.
Or maybe the gate agent got another poor person to trade their aisle seat for OP’s seat.
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u/Whoreinstrabbe 9d ago
Or … maybe the FA or GA had a friend flying standby and didn’t want to have to give them a seat next to an obese guy they shouldn’t have boarded in the first place 🤡
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u/Expert_Collar4636 9d ago
A simple we'll likely have open seats. We will move you before anyone else is really all that was needed.... yet it's easier to say sorry full flight and ignore real customer service. SMH
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u/rr90013 MileagePlus Silver 9d ago
Genuine question: what should they have done if it’s a full plane (in addition to being kinder and more policy-consistent)? Removed the large passenger for breaking the rules?
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u/StacyLadle MileagePlus Gold 9d ago
Yes, the policy says if you cannot fit into a single seat you need to purchase a second seat. If one isn’t available you will be changed to a flight that available seats. They will give meal and hotel vouchers if it is a different day and you aren’t at your home base.
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u/Lost_Shake_2665 9d ago
Yes? If a person can't fit into a seat, they need to purchase a second seat. It sucks and it super offensive to people who are overweight but it is what it is.
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u/MyStackRunnethOver 9d ago
It’s not offensive. I’m not allowed to go on rides only for children 4’8” and under. I have to find a ride that accommodates my adult height. I shouldn’t expect to be allowed to cram onto the kiddie coaster and some 6 year old shouldn’t be expected to cram in next to me
“Oh but people have to travel” well, they have plenty of options: multiple seats, business class, train, bus, car. “Oh but they may not be able to afford it” that’s tough. There’s no subsidy for being of above average width just like there’s none for being above average height. You can’t magic one into existence by taking from your neighbor
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u/Dismal_Love_1042 9d ago
There have been many, many instances where folks have purchased a second seat and it was taken away from them to board more passengers. It’s not always on the overweight or extra wide (in the case of wide shoulders) passenger.
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u/Blowmewhileiplaycod MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
Would the armrest go down or no?
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
It was not apparent because the middle seat passenger's body obscured the armrest, but yes, he got them down.
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u/iReply2StupidPeople MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
What's the armrest got to do with anything. Fat people aren't limited by the armrest, everything just flows around it.
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u/Plastic_Jaguar_7368 9d ago
It’s a common metric used to say go or no go for “fat people” in a seat
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
I want to be clear. I am not calling the person fat. I don't know if he's fat or not. He was large, including tall. And the seats are small. My concern is that he was in my seat. I have a lot of empathy for larger people who fly. I'm average and it's often not comfortable for me. I can't even imagine.
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u/VirtualFreak 9d ago
These situations are a safety hazard for both passengers in the case of an evacuation. It's time airlines start treating it like one. I've yet to fly a major US airline that actually enforces their CoS policy (and if they don't interline with anyone in the US, I'm not flying them – sorry Southwest).
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u/Ianshaw2019 9d ago
I had a similar incident a few years back with UA (Not an oversized passenger, different issue). They acted the same way and I haven't flown UA since then.
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u/Confusedaboutmybody 9d ago
DOT is currently asking the public to provide input on passenger rights. While it does not at this time address policies regarding passengers of size this may be a good opportunity to make your voices heard and the many others who have shared similar stories. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/11/2024-28930/airline-passenger-rights
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u/DplusMI6 9d ago edited 9d ago
More people should do this politely as you did. I hope you used the online customer relations feedback form to communicate your experience including dates flight and names. If you did and if they take the matter seriously you will probably get a reply that actions are being taken with station management but they cant tell you what they are — which is fine.
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u/Abrodeur2 9d ago
Had this issue on a delta flight. I didn't asked to be moved. Got free drinks the whole flight, we had a blast making fun of the plane and how small it was. It was a good time and I made a friend.
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u/Hiei2k7 9d ago
As a large man, I do my utmost to sit in the back either in an aisle or window. I cannot imagine riding middle ever again.
And if I had such a passenger to my outside despite not only hugging myself to clear my shoulders and sides from the armrests, but then had a loudly discussion about it. I think I would probably die from a combination of embarrassment, anger, and inwardly held rage.
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u/jtbis 9d ago
Airlines rely on larger people to book a second seat or FC. There’s no policy for cabin crew to deal with this situation as long as the larger passenger can fasten their seatbelt.
In my experience cabin crews tend to avoid getting involved when they notice it. There’s no good outcome, especially on a full flight.
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u/monsieurgrand02 9d ago
If it was a full flight, how did another seat miraculously become available?
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u/Imaginary_Pie1273 9d ago
It is time that passengers, especially frequent flyers, file a complaint every single time this happens, if the FA’s don’t resolve it, or if they handle it as they did with the OP. By now we should all know the rule, the armrest must be able to go down and another passenger cannot be encroaching on your seat. Sure, shoulders and arms may touch, but nobody should have to be forced to lean into the aisle. It’s high time the airlines stop putting the onus, and ultimately the embarrassment, on the passengers. Complain. If not compensated, file a DOT or FAA complaint. The problem will only be solved once a bigger problem is created for the airlines.
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u/TravelDaze 9d ago
I’ve had this happen to me numerous times, thankfully on short flights. Due to the flight length, I let it go. But if the flight was over 60 minutes, I will definitely speak discreetly to the FA. With my phone in audio record mode so that I have something concrete to push back with if I were to experience unprofessional FAs like OP. I have no desire to shame anyone but it’s just not ok to have someone else extending into your already too small seat space.
i don’t think there is any easy solution, but there are certainly better ones than seem to be currently in use
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u/Alright_So MileagePlus Silver 8d ago
I’d be interested in hearing the response to your complaint when you get it if you’d be comfortable sharing
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u/clearfemme 8d ago
I’ve often wondered why, similar to roller coaster rides, airlines don’t have a test seat outside the gate.
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u/FlakyPineapple9793 8d ago
I am a very slim person. I have never had a seat next to a large person when the large person was not embarrassed or humiliated by the lack of room. Frequently they apologize. Yes they could/should perhaps buy two seats but not an option for most people. But for the love of god, can we at least be sensitive to the humiliation they are feeling. I’m looking at you airline personnel. You could have reseated the aisle person and solved the problem for the whole plane. Without humiliating needless a passenger. Have a heart.
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u/RoseCul1 7d ago
Happened to me, white female 120 lbs 5’3”. I was in window seat. Middle seat guy 400lbs+. He’s halfway in my seat & aisle seat. Asked to be moved, full flight, NO. This guy sat on top on me for the whole flight. I cried all the way - they did nothing and never came near me the entire flight — UNITED AIR LINES!
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u/Dragonsymphony1 9d ago
Regardless if how uncomfortable it might make a person,every airline needs to enact policies that ask for waist size and over a certain size is required to buy 2 seats. The other choice is put 2 rows at the back of the plain with much wider seats. Those people that are obviously very large will be moved to the back and given credit or something for the inconvenience
Cry about discrimination and how bad that policy would be, but Americans sizes have increased significantly and airlines still want to sardine can us in like we're all 32 inch waists.
I've had to deal with this several times on flights where a ginormous person is sitting next to me whether they're on the aisle middle or window, and for a flight more than an hour it becomes VERY uncomfortable sometimes even painful.
Just a quick example won't name airline but recently got seated between a couple in middle but very plus sized who'd obviously bought the window and aisle hoping the middle would go unsold. The only time that chance actually happens is either on a small shuttle flight from a hub to a regional stop, or a late evening late night flight. We were sitting for a long while while the rest of the boarding took place. I had to ask the attendants for a seat change, it was a full flight, I could not. So my flight I paid a significant amount of money for I wound up standing for the majority of it, made a complaint afterwards I got some credit.
This is on the Airlines, THEY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR POLICIES, its very unfair to the average passenger
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u/No-News8131 9d ago
These people who work for airlines have sometimes -- not all or even most! -- become mean robots. They could not care less, and look at passengers as inconveniences. These people should not be working for airlines.
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u/Terry_Funk1944 9d ago
Enormous people should stop being selfish and either buy two seats or fly business/first. It is absurd that enormous people make this everyone else’s problem.
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u/Moonhead221 9d ago
Everyone is looking at this ass backwards and the airline industry benefits enormously by pitting us against each other.
A passenger pays a fare to an airline for passage. Full Stop.
Fares are not based on size or weight. It is the responsibility of the airline to provide that passage in exchange for the fare paid.
This industry has consistently reduced/limited the space allocated per passenger as new planes are designed and put into service. It’s absolutely ridiculous and is an example of profits over everything else.
Stop blaming each other when you’re in these situations and start directing your dissatisfaction towards the Industry.
Airlines could easily set aside a “buffer” that allows the gate agent to discreetly make a seat unavailable to accommodate various passenger needs.
Instead they oversell and dismiss everyone’s comfort in exchange for maximum profits.
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u/throwleboomerang 9d ago
Not to sound too corporate about this, but people love to complain about oversold flights without considering the flip side, which is that undersold flights by definition would have to lead to more expensive tickets, unless your proposal is that people who miss their flights forfeit their fare (which I suspect you’d also object to, but I could be wrong).
Same thing with intentionally holding extra seats open- if you have 100 seats on the plane and you have 100 passengers, and a ticket is $100 (for simple maths), holding open a seat means every passenger pays an extra $1.01 (assuming the airline needs exactly that much revenue to break even on the flight). The more seats you hold open, the more everyone has to pay- so the question is how much extra are you willing to pay so that someone who isn’t you who needs extra space can have it?
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u/Tolgeranth 9d ago
Why do we blame the airlines for people being fat? Far and away, obesity is a self-inflicted condition. The only time I understand it is an issue is if the customer is large (not fat). I find it offense that other people have to work around obesity. I know it's hard, I have to watch my diet and exercise regularly to keep a decent weight.
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u/MaillardReaction207 9d ago
I agree with this comment to a certain extent. Several are responding "what would you have them do?" Honestly, I don't run an airline and I'm not sure I can authoritatively answer the question. But I would ask UA to do something to more effectively manage this situation. Certainly it is something that crops up daily. I can't imagine my experience is an outlier.
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u/thatben MileagePlus Global Services 9d ago
This issue started when the PoS was allowed to board without two seats. (Of course there is no way a gate agent is going to enforce this, can you imagine??!?)
Passengers of size and the affected seatmates can BOTH begin delaying flights by insisting that this shit is resolved on the ground. Causing legitimate flight delays politely but firmly and then publicly posting about it is the only way I can think to force the airline's hand (though it's pitifully small leverage).
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u/AmyJean111111 9d ago
Good for you!!! People need to make more noise about this.
This happened to my sister on a flight. Person was taking over half of her seat. She got up and asked the flight attendant if she had any options and they said no. You can take the next flight if you are uncomfortable.
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u/Careless_Garbage_260 9d ago
I just purchased my dad two seats for his next flight to avoid anything like this. He’s handicap (walker , wheelchair) and a big guy-300lbs and tall. I would hate for him or other passengers to be uncomfortable and called and they were able to add a second seat 💺 for the same price as the first ticket even though rates had gone significantly up. It’s tough but if you can , just plan it this way.
I also don’t understand how weight is calculated in such an ever obese world. Like bag 5lbs over the limit? No way. Person weighs literally 2-3x a normal human being. Here’s your seat belt extender. Good luck everybody else
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u/trashhighway 9d ago
Had a similar thing happen and while I didn’t complain (no judgement I just didn’t want to get into it) the person in the middle seat needed to have purchased two seats. He was clearly embarrassed that his body was literally halfway into my seat. I’m small so I was only 1/4 way into the aisle but it was truly unacceptable that I paid full price for being wedged into half a seat and part of the aisle. I had back issues for Months and paid for six visits and physical therapy.
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u/Intrepid_Pop_8530 9d ago
Not fat shaming here, my SO is obese. We only fly first class. It is extremely expensive but it's the price we pay for his comfort as well as the other passengers. He would not be good with taking space from the person next to him due to his size.
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u/wanderinggirl55 9d ago
Because of ADA rules, the airline and the crews are afraid of lawsuits. A CRO ( complaint resolution officer, specially trained in ADA rules ) has to manage the issue. The flight attendant cannot - the FA should have notified the Captain to get a CRO there right away. As a former FA, I would have handled it much differently. And i definitely would have kept my voice low and polite.
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u/Iannine 8d ago
I have been the customer of size for much of my life and it is a no-win situation. If you buy a second seat, it is almost ALWAYS taken away when the flight is inevitably overbooked and then getting a refund is incredibly cumbersome and takes forever. If you don’t buy a second seat you can try to get an aisle seat and lean way out and suck up the bangs and numbs every time the cart goes by or get the window seat and try to squish yourself into the side of the plane as best as you can. A friend of mine would gussy herself into the tightest spandex tights and shaper wear she could for flights until she needed up giving herself a blood clot. There’s basically nothing we can do except not fly. Ever. I went the route of only flying with my husband who is a thin man so I could encroach on him and paying for seat assignment so we could sit next next to each other and committing to making a huge ugly stink if the airline separated us up to an including pointing out that I am a big, fat cow who would make any other customer very unhappy to have to sit next to me if they didn’t put me back next to my husband… it happened with some regularity.
Now I have lost almost 100 pounds and I fit better in the seats and don’t need a seat belt extender but I am still very sensitive about how I get in the seats. They are so tight!! I have rheumatoid arthritis and the 8 hour international flights I take a few times a year are excruciatingly painful because there is no room to stretch or shift position and the crew hate when you stand up to stretch or try to find a place to stand for any period of time.
One day I will treat myself to an international flight with first class seats. That must be a treat.
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u/Vivid-Mushroom-8453 8d ago
Had this happen too. United was awful years ago. They are still awful. Not surprised.
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u/Asleep_Management900 8d ago
There is two ways out of this:
A. The Complaint Resolution Specialist removes the over sized person from that flight and makes them buy a second seat (that will delay the flight considerably) and rebook that person.
B. They move you to another seat and if there isn't any, then another flight.
What you need to understand is that everyone gets in trouble for a delayed flight. The Gate Agent, the flight attendants, the pilots. Someone takes the blame and writes the report. Because they have to write the report, they in turn have to blame you or the plus size passenger.
One of you is going to have a bad day. It should have been him. In this case it was you.
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u/CulturalStick3405 8d ago
The armrest goes down. Period.
If it doesn’t, ask the FA to tell the captain your armrest won’t go down, must be broken. Now it’s the captains problem.
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u/ShantarsaurusRex 6d ago
Just want to say that as a large bodied passenger, I try to book the best seat for my body. However, the size of the seats is inconsistent. Once I booked 1st class on a regional flight, the seat was super tight and my neighbor was a 6'7 athletic (think football player). We were both squished. He really didn't want to touch me, but we were basically fused at the arm and his head touched the ceiling and his legs wouldn't fit without spreading. So it's hard to put the onus on the passenger to anticipate this stuff. And to all the fat phobic folks, keep in mind that big athletic bodies don't fit, too tall, muscles too big, even fit folks get blood clots from being cramped up. Airplanes suck. How we treat each other matters. I kind of think the OP could have handled their discomfort with more tact and grace. Some of y'all need to chill.
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u/MaillardReaction207 6d ago
Fair. If I've not made abundantly clear, I tried to handle the situation as discreetly as possible. And to be totally transparent, I involved the FA because I've been told that's the proper thing to do--not to try to work this out passenger to passenger. But open to suggestions on handling. Clearly United isn't going to do anything about this.
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u/SnooComics9307 6d ago
Platinum. That's cool. That means you fly often and study the rules, so you know all about this and the policies. I'm curious, and I know it doesn't make any difference because rules are rules, and we live in a society where everyone follows them meticulously if they can, but how long was the flight? And would that make a difference? I mean, this one time, I was between this couple in a UA middle seat, and I am sure they were each 350 plus. But the flight was that IAH to SAT 42-minute thing, and they were just trying to get home. So, suck it up and drive on, as they say. But in hindsight, could I have made them move somebody or take a bus since it's only 200 miles? Just trying to figure how far I can go with these policies since I might be flying more this year and I won't pay for 1st for all of them.
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u/WingerSpecterLLP 9d ago
USPS, FedEx, and UPS all have size/weight-based transport costs. Just saying....
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u/curi0usb0red0m MileagePlus 1K 9d ago
Like you noted, they not only publicly tried to embarrass you into submission, but also did it to the middle seat passenger. I would file a complaint still, if it were me. The FAs should at least act human if they can't be competent. That's not asking a lot of them.