This probably isn't a very "politically correct" letter, but it is a big problem that needs addressing.
Last week I flew from Joburg to Cape Town on Kulula. I had a middle seat. An obese gentleman came and sat in the window seat. It was the worst flight of my life.
After several attempts, he realised he couldn't fit into his seat, and sat sideways balancing on one buttock, with the other in mid-air.
This was a very awkward position and he shifted constantly to get comfortable. He could not put his legs together in front of him but had to spread out his knees to make room for his tummy. His bent leg then stretched across my leg area, meaning his thigh was pressed to mine for the duration of the flight.
Five minutes into the flight I realised that the weight of my elbow on the armrest was causing him pain as the armrest was balanced on the side of his body, which spread underneath it. We lifted the armrest, meaning I now had to squeeze into a third of my seat while he overflowed onto the other two thirds. We were embarrassed about this, but it did mean he could now sit straight and not sideways.
The poor man was desperately uncomfortable and shifted his body throughout the journey. An hour into the flight his thigh developed muscle spasms and because my thigh was squeezed up against his, the spasms became a further shared embarrassment.
Squeezed up against him, I felt warm and moist and when I stood up on arrival in Cape Town, I discovered I was wet with his perspiration - right down the side of my body and down my thigh.
My 85-year old father-in-law had a similar problem during a 13-hour flight to London and he swore never to fly again. This problem of overweight passengers comes up from time to time and the airlines are obviously too sensitive about upsetting people with a large body mass. I think airlines should insist that people over a certain weight book two seats. And to all you obese people out there - don't even think of travelling economy class. It just is not fair on other passengers.
PM Taylor
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