So, let's talk about airplanes and flying overweight.

[cleochatra]

I don't know about you, but as a person who has been 200 pounds overweight, flying was a nightmare. To some extent, it's still tough!

I never drank anything pre-flight because I was afraid I wouldn't fir in the airplane restroom and the Jas of Life would have to be called out for my extraction.

I always felt a whisper coming on when I asked a flight attendant for a seatbelt extension, and my hips always dripped over the seat.

And, honey, let me tell you that those drop-down trays are bad enough when your stomach could double as the tray. Forget about those trays that stow beside you.

I still wonder if they have to realign passengers to keep the plane balanced when I step on, or if some cargo had to be dumped to account for my passenger weight.

Can you relate?

[FightingTheFight]

I can in a way...I haven't flown in along time, but for me its the movies. At AMC, the chairs arm rests lift up, and thank GOD! I had such a problem with that because I was so uncomfortable, let me tell you.

They don't bother me now.

Also, six flags is another worry I have...the most embarassing thing in my life was when the latch wouldn't close on me, and I had the entire line of Mr. Freeze staring at me when I had to get up and leave....NEVER AGAIN!

[divaindubai]

OH yes cleo, can I ever relate! lol Last year when we were flying here, the stupid food tray was about 1 inch from coming down completely, it was just annoying really.

We are flying to Jordan this summer for holidays, and although it will only be a few hours flight (probalby 2 1/2 hours) i'm sure they will serve a meal on the flight, and that tray better go down or else!! :guns

[Origam]

Yep, I can relate! We just flew to Colorado Springs, CO from San Diego, CA. We flew on United.. had two planes on the way there and three on the way home.

On the first flight it was so-so.. the belt was a little tight but I got it buckled. My sister was the same way (she is about my size), once you got it buckled you prayed that nothing happened that you needed to unbuckle and buckle back up. :yikes My little girl ended up having to use the bathroom on that flight.. lordy, those bathrooms are TINY! I fit though..it was hard to manuver around though.. but I wasn't afraid of getting stuck. :joy

The second flight was a smaller plane.. it was just one of those itty bitty ones that goes on short trips.. me and my sister needed seat belt extensions, but had to shorten them a good length. :nod

The flights home were alright.. the first one was like the second on the way there.. and then the second and third were like the first on the way there.

Holy Moly though, I couldn't put the tray down without it banging into my knees. :yikes I put the arm rest up between me and my little girl and got extra room that way, but on the way back I ended up sitting next to my mom and didn't need to raise the armrests... it was a snug fit but not uncomfortable.

[cruiser gal]

I can totally relate Cleo, as I travel by air often. The worse thing was being stuck in the middle seat, and having my body touching those of the 2 people on either side! I felt like I was holding my breadth in for most of the flights.

And it always seemed as though the tray was resting on my stomach. And forget about laying back, that was truly a nightmare!!!

Just got back a few days ago from an airplane trip, and lo and behold, had no problems. Seats felt bigger than usual, trays went right down to where they should be, lotsa space between the seats, no body rubbing. All in all a good experience, even had leftover seat belt to play with!! :joy

[divaindubai]

Isn't it funny the things we notice, being overweight?

A good post would be what other things we notice in relation to our size....

Like for instance our office chairs, and my sides are not touching the arm rests on the office chair anymore! :icondance lol things like that...

but it is true... i can honestly say now even when i sit on the computer chair at home here, my sides do not touch the arm rest!!!! yahhhh

[cleochatra]

Start a thread about that, diva! I've already stolen origam's ideas! *lol* We need to celebrate those victories, as well!

[Mary-chan]

I can totally relate to this too. I pray that I will be able to get the exit row when I fly, so I can at least put the trade table down. If it's the fold out table that comes out of the armchair, I can sort of balance it on my belly, but I have to be pretty careful, lol.

My mom will only fly if she has a "buffer" as she calls it.. someone flying with her who can sit between her and the other person. Otherwise she has to save her frequent flyer miles and fly first class. One time when she got seated away from her husband in a different row.., she was sitting by the window trying to mind her space, and a lady and her husband came to sit down, and the lady, not too loud, but not too quietly either, said to her husband "I don't want to sit next to that", even though she was planning on asking if she could switch seats to sit next to her husband anyway. Some people really suck!!


That's the one thing that bothers me the most... a lot of skinny people I've sat next to don't seem to care if their elbows are going in your face, or sit cross legged with their feet in my space.... I'm so self conscious that I am careful to mind my own space and do my best to lean towards the aisle. And yet I'm sure people probably groan when they have to see they're sitting next to me... they should be so lucky!! Sorry to rant, but that has always bothered me.

Overall though, I've had really good luck so far, usually getting an exit row, or at least an aisle seat. And when flying with my sweet boyfriend and awesome friend, they both willingly take the middle so I won't have to worry about that.. And the one time I had to sit in the middle, nobody seemed to be upset. But hopefully soon I won't even have to think twice about it! :icondance

[maribelle]

For me it was Amtrak! Thank God they didn't have seatbelts! The bathrooms are like linen closets, where if you don't squeeze in properly, you'll miss the itty bitty hole! As for trying to get down the itty bitty little staircases to get to the itty bitty little snack room...FORGET IT! Then, being nearly starved on my 11 hour ride, I tried the dining car! When I opened the door to go in, I got DIRTY LOOKS from all the staff, then noticed the tiny little tables and the tiny little chairs. I felt my cheeks BURNING. Thank God I had brought some snacks for my son, and he didn't have to go hungry, but I know the next time I take that train, I'm taking a snack bar all loaded with Atkins friendly stuff, and my own little portapotty...ok, well, maybe just the snack bar!

As for ignorant people and their reactions...Two Easters ago, when I weighed nearly 400, and had to use a cane, our church was PACKED like a sardine can. The usher took me to a pew and asked the old lady on the end if she could move over, and she looked at me, rolled her eyes, and said audibly "you've GOT to be KIDDING!" I felt so awful. The whole time she sat all squeezed up as though afraid I was contagious or something,even though in reality, there was plenty of room. It really hurt, but now I just feel sorry for her.

[gal_osh]

I can totally relate. I would have panic attacks for days before trying to even get on a plane. Finally I told my fiance that the only way were going anywhere is if we drive there! lol
Reminds me of a time when I went to Noah's Ark (waterpark) I didn't like being in a bathing suit to begin with but I was begged to go so I relunctantley gave in. so finally, heavily winded I get to the top of the landing, sqeeze my huge butt into a little rubber dingy and i'm ready to go. as the kid (probably 17 or so) pushes me down the tube of darkness I hear him laughing and joking with the other people on the landing "man she is huge! I can't even believe she fit in the tube!!" *sighs*

~Heather

[mchristensen]

I am the same way about flying.

I won't go to six flags until I loose the weight. I won't go to water parks. I am missing out on things I love.

I move the seatbelt back to a "normal position" when I get out of the car.

I like to be the first person walking back to the table at restaurants so I can choose the side that has the most room.

Things skinny people never even think about and we waste time worrying.... Makes me sad.

[Curveegrrl]

I understand this feeling too! I've had to ask for seatbelt extenders on several flights. Tho I never felt the "whisper" when I've done so. Trays have not come anywhere close to the down posistion. Arm rests have pinched something fierce. I always request an aisle seat so that I can hang over the outside and not bother the passenger beside me. But why doesn't THAT armrest go up???

Once on a flight from Tokyo to Atlanta (so about 11 hours) I was in the centre seat of the middle section. So I was in the middle of five people. None of whom spoke much English (or at least, didn't seem to) So I didn't want to ask them to move so I could go to the washroom. Eventually one pair got up, so I snuck out too and used the facilities. And I thought I was gonna cry when I had to ask them to move when I came back to my seat.

Mary chan, you're so right about some skinny people not caring about what space they use. They need to stretch out, they stretch out. If that newspaper is wide, then just hold it in front of me. Why am *I* so worried about my thigh touching their seat?

Nothing can express the joy I felt on my last flight when the tray came all the way down. With room to spare. I had a friend take pics!!!

[Lady_Hawke]

Re: So, let's talk about airplanes and flying overweight.

I don't know about you, but as a person who has been 200 pounds overweight, flying was a nightmare. To some extent, it's still tough!

I never drank anything pre-flight because I was afraid I wouldn't fir in the airplane restroom and the Jas of Life would have to be called out for my extraction.

I always felt a whisper coming on when I asked a flight attendant for a seatbelt extension, and my hips always dripped over the seat.

And, honey, let me tell you that those drop-down trays are bad enough when your stomach could double as the tray. Forget about those trays that stow beside you.

I still wonder if they have to realign passengers to keep the plane balanced when I step on, or if some cargo had to be dumped to account for my passenger weight.

Can you relate?

OMG! Yes! I fly out thursday and am nervous about fitting in the seats and the bathrooms....although with the bathrooms, on my last flight I found if I make my way to first class they tend to be bigger. Hope its the same this flight because its over 18 hours to phoenix!
Asking for the seat extension has never bothered me much, I just wish they'd offer it to me to keep! Maybe I'll ask this time!
And yes, I've always wondered if they have to balance out the plane because of my weight! LOL Glad others think the same!
I'll post how my flight was and let you know what I had to deal with.
The one nice thing I did for myself this time was pre order a golf cart to take me and my son from one gate to the other in Amsterdams mega huge airport! :yes

[Mary-chan]

... Arm rests have pinched something fierce. I always request an aisle seat so that I can hang over the outside and not bother the passenger beside me. But why doesn't THAT armrest go up???
.....
Nothing can express the joy I felt on my last flight when the tray came all the way down. With room to spare. I had a friend take pics!!!

That is so cool, congratulations!! I love these "rewards" that come along the way from following this wol!

And I know, If they would only let those armrests go up, life would be so much more enjoyable!!

...
I am the same way about flying.

I won't go to six flags until I loose the weight. I won't go to water parks. I am missing out on things I love.

I move the seatbelt back to a "normal position" when I get out of the car.

I like to be the first person walking back to the table at restaurants so I can choose the side that has the most room.

Things skinny people never even think about and we waste time worrying.... Makes me sad.

Yep, I do that too. Some booths at restaurants are just way too small!!!! And, one of my mini-goals is to lose enough to feel confident getting on a roller coaster.. I can't wait!!

[RunAwayMichelle]

I hear you on airlines :yikes but the worst trip I ever had was on the train from London to Edinburgh. All the seats had solid sides and I just could not fit into them. The isle was so tiny that you could not stand up without blocking them. I spent the entire four hour trip in pain crammed in with only about 1/2 inch of one hip actually touching the seat or standing between cars until my feet ached and then I would cram back into the seat until my back ached. :yikes :yikes

Oh well I still got to see the UK. :yes