In order to save time, hubby and I are thinking about flying when we go on vacation this summer. We have never been on anything but a small 4 seater plane so this is new to us. What airlines are the best when it comes to accommodating larger people? I have horrors of getting on the plane and the seat or the belt being too small. Can the experienced flyers here please give me some advice?

As an airline mechanic for 35 years, I worked on many planes besides the ones owned by the company that I worked for. The seats are pretty standard and if someone weighs less than 300 pounds, they can normally fit (very tightly) in a coach seat. As you go above that figure, you will first need a seat-belt extension (free-provided by airline) and then as the weight increases a ticket for two seats (at your expense).

I can not give exact numbers for weights because different height/weight combinations change the details. Obviously a 5'2" 300 pounder and a 6' 300 pounder would be very different.

I didn't see any weight numbers in you sig, except for your loss of 29 pounds. Keep up the good work.:clap2:

Keep losing and the airplane seat problem will become smaller as you become smaller.:clap2:

I fly Delta, They don't charge for the extra seat as some airlines do. They are very accommodating to work with. I call ahead and let them know I'm handicapped and their right on the ball. If you can board early (handicapped board first) it's much nicer, you can ask for a seat belt extension and you don't have everybody looking at you, like you have a sign on your head that says I'm Fat. Southwest is the worst for charging extra. United and Alaska are next in line. They give you a 17 in space to fit in and if you can't put the armrest down all the way you pay extra. Some even tell you they will charge extra when you go to check-in, and most of the time its by some little skinny young girl who has no clue what it's like to be heavy. Some airlines say they don't charge, unless someone complains your crowding them. Call the airline before booking and ask what their policy is. best of luck.

In order to save time, hubby and I are thinking about flying when we go on vacation this summer. We have never been on anything but a small 4 seater plane so this is new to us. What airlines are the best when it comes to accommodating larger people? I have horrors of getting on the plane and the seat or the belt being too small. Can the experienced flyers here please give me some advice?

I had a bad experience with southwest on the way home from being banded. I wanted to board early because i had surgery for the band a day earlier. I flew to texas via southwest no problem. They stopped me on the way home and made me buy a extra seat even though i told them i could put the arm rests down and i flew a few days earlier on southwest no problem i do believe i will be flying delta or another airline from now on out fat or skinny. Good luck.

I always fly US Airways. First of all, they are never usually fully booked during the week or at night so you can have a whole row to yourself. That happened to me last time I flew back and forth from Florida. Also, since they are a higher priced airline, it's never fully booked. I've never had a problem with them and I don't fly commercial that often (my dad is a pilot)

I always fly US Airways. First of all, they are never usually fully booked during the week or at night so you can have a whole row to yourself. That happened to me last time I flew back and forth from Florida. Also, since they are a higher priced airline, it's never fully booked. I've never had a problem with them and I don't fly commercial that often (my dad is a pilot)

I think I would prefer paying extra money to being squished in a sardine can. Not to mention that the one and only time I remember flying (I know I flew when I was a baby, but don't remember it), I got a little air sick. It was NOT a pleasant experience. I didn't puke or anything, but it was close. So, fewer people to climb over = better.

Whichever airline you choose, if you feel you may need an extender, ask for it AS you board. When you are boarding and the attendant is standing there greeting you, ask for a seatbelt extender, and she will reach right over her shoulder and hand it to you. The people already on board are busy stowing luggage, and settling in. And those behind waiting to board, can see or hear nothing! IF you wait, until everyone is seated, and realize you need it, the attendant has to walk back to the front of the plane, and back down the aisle with the extender, in full view of everyone now waiting to take off. If you find once you are seated that you don't need it, just slip it in the seat back pocket, and no harm done. I was given this tidbit of advice as I was flying out to be banded. For years I suffered through the "all eyes on me"---so I tried it---I cannot tell you the difference it made, I was relaxed from that moment on!

Enjoy your trip!!!!

Kat

You may be putting the cart before the horse.

If you have decided where to want to go on your vacation, you will probably find that there are only 2 or 3 choices of airlines that fly between where you live and where you want to vacation.

I hope you are not going to decide where you will go for your vacation based on the which airline you heard has the best seating for big people.

What airlines are the best when it comes to accommodating larger people?

I travel a lot - generally at least one flight a month, and sometimes three flights in a week. The roomiest seats, by far, are on Midwest's 717 flights.

Flights I would try to avoid - anything Southwest. The seats are narrow side to side, but what gets me on SW is that there's very little room between seats, front to back. At my heaviest I could still squeeze into their seats, and even buckle up, but I didn't stand a prayer of being able to get the tray down. No chance at all. Plus - and I hate to say it - Southwest is just trashy. The planes are dirty, pit stops aren't done well, etc. Unfortunately they usually have the most availability and best fares, so in the business world they're sort of a necessary evil but I NEVER fly thenm for personal travel unless they have the best route or there is an extreme difference in price. If you don't fly much, then it's also nice to know that with SW there is no assigned seating. Based on checkin (you can do it starting midnight the night before, and if you can - do it then!) you're giving a boarding group (1 of 3 possible). Then you just line up in the right "corral" and wait for "cattle call" to board. Can I say how much I hate flying SW again?

I don't generally fly first class (since it's usually work footing the bill) but I have a few times and I'd say it's worth the price difference unless you're on American Airlines. I'd think these would all be standardized, but I've flown 1st class on AA a few times and I was always as squished, if not more, than in business/coach. Actually in my last 5 flights, including a Southwest flight, the one I've been most squished on was an AA 1st class flight... now that I think about it. Oddly enough American Airlines is my ABSOLUTE favorite domestic carrier for international flights. I go out of my way to book AA for international travel whenever it's available.

So yeah - kind of depends on where you're going, and what plane is being flown (the reservation stuff online will tell you this).

Something I would suggest if you're not familiar with flights/planes is www.seatguru.com. You can look up all major (and lots of minor) airlines and planes, and get tips about where to sit... what seats are roomier, which are tighter, noisier, quieter, have trays, don't have trays, etc.

Whenever possible, DH and I fly Midwest. Now, they aren't the most punctual airline...but most of their plans have extra wide seating, 2 on each side...and the seats are leather! My 430lb dh even fits very comfortably! They fly out of Kansas City...I don't know where in MO you are, but if you're close by, check them out on the web. They are usually very reasonably priced too.

You may be putting the cart before the horse.

If you have decided where to want to go on your vacation, you will probably find that there are only 2 or 3 choices of airlines that fly between where you live and where you want to vacation.

I hope you are not going to decide where you will go for your vacation based on the which airline you heard has the best seating for big people.

We have already decided where we are going on vacation and there are several airlines to choose from. I, not being an experienced flyer, just wanted to hear what everyone had to say and that would help us better choose a flight.

For coach I like Midwest or American. I have found American to have quite a bit of legroom and I could lower the tray at 315#. I've needed an extender since about 275#, but I have large hips. I just took one with me one time when I deplaned, so now I have my own. I know, that was very wrong:bandit , but I was getting tired of asking for one when I boarded and then having them say they'd bring me one (happening more and more frequently). Invariably someone would forget and they'd have to go and get one when I wasn't buckled as they did the pre-flight check. Embarrassing and annoying! :angry

I've needed an extender since about 275#, but I have large hips. I just took one with me one time when I deplaned, so now I have my own. I know, that was very wrong:bandit , but I was getting tired of asking for one when I boarded and then having them say they'd bring me one (happening more and more frequently). Invariably someone would forget and they'd have to go and get one when I wasn't buckled as they did the pre-flight check. Embarrassing and annoying! :angry

I did the same thing when I flew down to Mexico for banding. It's quite unlike me to take things in this way, but I've rationalized it by considering it a loan. I fully intend to fly that same airline again when I'm slimmer and no longer need and extension, at which time I will just leave it there.

Please don't steal the seat belt extenders. You can easily buy one very inexpensively. I bought a seatbelt extender on ebay. It was not expensive and now I don't have to worry. When I lose my weight, I'll sell it.

Excellent idea, Dixiecharm! If I had known (or realized that) I certainly would have gone and purchased one on ebay. But now I think I'll follow Devane's lead and think of it as a loan. When I get small enough that I don't need an extender on at least three different planes/airlines, I'll leave it on a flight with the airline I borrowed it from.

Ok, so I'm 5'4 and weigh 275 and when I flew to Mexico to get banded a couple weeks ago I needed an extension, definitely. The tray table would NOT come down and the seats were very tight and uncomfortable. My friend (who was also getting banded) and I realized on the flight home that we could put up the arm rests and be WAY more comfortable!! So if you're sitting with your hubby remember to put up the armrests and that will help the comfort level a lot. We asked for the extensions as we boarded also, like several other people were saying. It wasn't embarassing, but if my boyfriend would have been there I would have died!! Good luck!!