No business class for fat people

easypazz

https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/world/we-were-utterly-humiliated-thai-airways-tells-plus-size-women-theyre-too-big-for-business-class-seats/ar-BBZpbnp?ocid=spartanntp

Pauliedragon

If they cant sit in business class due to air bags in the seats fair enough. They should be asking peoples weight when they book so which would stop the confusion.

mikhail

Pauliedragon wrote: »

If they cant sit in business class due to air bags in the seats fair enough. They should be asking peoples weight when they book so which would stop the confusion.

It seems to be waist size, not weight.

Passengers with waists measuring more than 56 inches are therefore excluded from flying in business class.

I'm a big guy, but I've never had any issue with this sort of thing in the handful of times I've flown business class, nor even heard of it happening. Seems like shoddy design. I suspect the staff have measured these women's bellies and not around their hips where the belts would fit just fine. Or maybe they're really that big - hard to judge from a photo. In any case, they might have handled it a little more delicately.

Bobblehats

Whose business is it anyway. Interesting to see who has no class here

odyssey06

I didn't realise business class came with airbags? I thought it was about luxury not safety!

Shaunoc

Charge them double also and extra for some other environmental reasons and and...

gmisk

I'm kind of surprised if they were that size they could fit in economy?

DaveyDave

Oh the irony they were flying back home from weight loss surgery...

They should have checked this prior to flying as not every airline has the same size seating. Fat people know more than anyone that plane seats aren't forgiving.

No sympathy for them, they even got $300 each compensation for something that wasn't the airlines error.

Pauliedragon

mikhail wrote: »

It seems to be waist size, not weight.

I'm a big guy, but I've never had any issue with this sort of thing in the handful of times I've flown business class, nor even heard of it happening. Seems like shoddy design. I suspect the staff have measured these women's bellies and not around their hips where the belts would fit just fine. Or maybe they're really that big - hard to judge from a photo. In any case, they might have handled it a little more delicately.

Fair enough the point still stands. If there's waist/weight/height whatever restrictions it should be communicated at the booking process so there's no mix ups at the airport.

easypazz

Its ironic that they were going for weight loss surgery.

Who designed a craft with a requirement that fat people couldnt fly business?

colm_mcm

56 inch waist is a good bit past being a bit tubby.

Surely “morbidly obese” would be more accurate than “plus size” as the article headline states

easypazz

DaveyDave wrote: »

Oh the irony they were flying back home from weight loss surgery...

They should have checked this prior to flying as not every airline has the same size seating. They should he even more conscious of this being the larger size that they are. Fat people know more than anyone that plane seats aren't forgiving.

No sympathy for them, they even got $300NZ each compensation for something that wasn't the airlines error.

Seriously, I have never heard of airlines saying cant fit fat people.

Hoboo

I have to pay 100 extra each way when flying to the states because I'm 6'6 and don't fit into a standard seat. Not my fault, I didn't eat my way to this length. And if I don't book extra leg room you can be guaranteed some short arse is top of the queue at check in for extra legroom.

Yet fat people think they're discriminated against for making themselves too big? Hilarious.

spurious

easypazz wrote: »

Seriously, I have never heard of airlines saying cant fit fat people.

Me neither - and any business class I have been in had plenty long belts.
Either something is missing in this story, or it is a really bad design flaw.

easypazz

Hoboo wrote: »

I have to pay 100 extra each way when flying to the states because I'm 6'6 and don't fit into a standard seat. Not my fault, I didn't eat my way to this length. And if I don't book extra leg room you can be guaranteed some short arse is top of the queue at check in for extra legroom.

Yet fat people think they're discriminated against for making themselves too big? Hilarious.

Its not like they tried to get a free upgrade, they were happy to pay for it, same as yourself.

spurious

It doesn't really make sense. They make more money by suggesting big people fly business. Why would they then restrict them?

Pauliedragon

So business class seats have airbags but economy obviously doesn't. Talk about the definition of a class system. This is the Titanic all over again.

spurious

Pauliedragon wrote: »

So business class seats have airbags but economy obviously doesn't. Talk about the definition of a class system. This is the Titanic all over again.

I think it's a particular design of business class seat. Normal seats don't have them and to be fair, they wouldn't be a lot of use at a few hundred kmph into a mountain.

colm_mcm

Articles from 2018
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1429599/thai-defends-bulging-waistline-ban-on-dreamliners

https://onemileatatime.com/thai-airways-sets-passenger-size-limit-for-new-business-class-seat/

IAMAMORON

It never bothered Andre.

Bobblehats

Andre wasn’t fat he was big boned!

Deebles McBeebles

No Journey For Big Men.

Great movie.

Pauliedragon

IAMAMORON wrote: »

It never bothered Andre.

Try telling a 7f 4in, 35 stone, full of of 100 beers plus bloke he's not getting on the plane.:P

q85dw7osi4lebg

easypazz wrote: »

https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/world/we-were-utterly-humiliated-thai-airways-tells-plus-size-women-theyre-too-big-for-business-class-seats/ar-BBZpbnp?ocid=spartanntp

Why are women called plus size when men are called fat / overweight ?

CrankyHaus

[deleted]

easypazz

easypazz wrote: »

Who designed a craft with a requirement that fat people couldnt fly business?

It is interesting - if you are interested in that kind of thing - that often it is a mix of the airplane manufacturer and the airlines.

See many planes are manufactured with a recommended seating plan. But they are actually built in such a way that the airline themselves set where the seats end up actually being.

This is one of the reasons for example that the airplane windows often do not line up with the airplane seats.

More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz6mnK1Xi7g

is_that_so

Joshua Some Warehouse wrote: »

Why are women called plus size when men are called fat / overweight ?

No such thing as a plus size in men. Just lots of Xs!

odyssey06

spurious wrote: »

It doesn't really make sense. They make more money by suggesting big people fly business. Why would they then restrict them?

There's not enough room for big people AND an airbag.
I'm still trying to figure out what the airbag is for.

Maybe if the plane is rear-ended by another plane at a red light it might prevent whiplash...

kirving

odyssey06 wrote: »

There's not enough room for big people AND an airbag.
I'm still trying to figure out what the airbag is for.

Maybe if the plane is rear-ended by another plane at a red light it might prevent whiplash...

An economy seat will be designed so that when hit by the passenger behind in a crash, it will deflect and absorb some of the impact energy.

Business class seat's are often enclosed by solid dividing walls, electric seats which don't move when hit from behind, larger TV's and more bulkheads than would be the case in economy.

Newer crash ratings are more stringent, so seat manufacturers had to include airbags.

They wouldn't help in a catastrophic crash, but might just be enough to keep you conscious in a very hard landing.

JohnCleary

Non-story.

The 787 has airbags in their business class belts (It confused the heck out of me the first time I used them).

If they were on an older A330 or even a 777, it wouldn't have been an issue. Heck, from what I recall (it's been a few years), the A380 doesn't even have airbags in their belts.

787 was one of my favourite business class seats, they're now my favourite... no fatties up front! People usually assume the A380 is the best business class as it's the largest plane in the world, but the intimacy of the 787 far out-weighs it (no pun intended).

odyssey06

Kevin Irving wrote: »

An economy seat will be designed so that when hit by the passenger behind in a crash, it will deflect and absorb some of the impact energy.
Business class seat's are often enclosed by solid dividing walls, electric seats which don't move when hit from behind, larger TV's and more bulkheads than would be the case in economy.
Newer crash ratings are more stringent, so seat manufacturers had to include airbags.
They wouldn't help in a catastrophic crash, but might just be enough to keep you conscious in a very hard landing.

This is AH. We're not looking for valid explanations - and as helpful and informative as your post has been, I have to mark it as "try harder"

Hammer89

Why weren't they given full refunds? Load of bollox.

Enter name here

This is why we need a special seating area in the cargo hold for some passengers. Nothing more i enjoy than flying next to someone who should pay for 2 seats and sharing mine with them.
And passengers who cant fit out an emergency exit should never be allowed on a flight in the 1st place. Places the safety of the whole plane at risk.

JohnCleary

Hammer89 wrote: »

Why weren't they given full refunds? Load of bollox.

Because they weren't refused to fly. They were sent back to economy and were refunded the difference.

JohnCleary

Enter name here wrote: »

This is why we need a special seating area in the cargo hold for some passengers. Nothing more i enjoy than flying next to someone who should pay for 2 seats and sharing mine with them.

When flying short-haul Ryanair we always sit 1A, 1B.

Some fat loon managed to blag (or just saw) 1C free (he didn't pay for it, as he was laughing and boasting to his friends some seats behind). The result of this was himself overlapping onto 1B.

Had to complain to the crew that this was a fcuking joke that after paying for a seat, we can't even use it. Turns out he couldn't get the belt fastened so he was sent to the back of the plane (when he asked for the extender, the crew advised that he was too large to sit in an exit row).

Relief.

Dravokivich

Pauliedragon wrote: »

So business class seats have airbags but economy obviously doesn't. Talk about the definition of a class system. This is the Titanic all over again.

Yes, because in a mid air collision, I'd be really put out by the lack of air bags.

Hammer89

JohnCleary wrote: »

When flying short-haul Ryanair we always sit 1A, 1B.

Some fat loon managed to blag (or just saw) 1C free (he didn't pay for it, as he was laughing and boasting to his friends some seats behind). The result of this was himself overlapping onto 1B.

Had to complain to the crew that this was a fcuking joke that after paying for a seat, we can't even use it. Turns out he couldn't get the belt fastened so he was sent to the back of the plane (when he asked for the extender, the crew advised that he was too large to sit in an exit row).

You've some hearing.

Effects

Hammer89 wrote: »

You've some hearing.

Not that hard to hear someone in the seat next to you.

JohnCleary

Hammer89 wrote: »

You've some hearing.

I suggest you look at a seat map for a Boeing 737.

Here's a hint "We were sitting in 1A / 1B and the big fella was sitting in 1C"

easypazz

Hammer89 wrote: »

Why weren't they given full refunds? Load of bollox.

2 sides to every story.

I presume its in the t's and c's.

Loopylineking

Hoboo wrote: »

I have to pay 100 extra each way when flying to the states because I'm 6'6 and don't fit into a standard seat. Not my fault, I didn't eat my way to this length. And if I don't book extra leg room you can be guaranteed some short arse is top of the queue at check in for extra legroom.

Yet fat people think they're discriminated against for making themselves too big? Hilarious.

I’m six foot two and find it the most uncomfortable thing ever flying long distances.

What do you do? Get the exit seats in the middle of the craft?

JohnCleary

Loopylineking wrote: »

I’m six foot two and find it the most uncomfortable thing ever flying long distances.

What do you do? Get the exit seats in the middle of the craft?

I'm only 6' but cannot do long-haul economy (I'm talking 2 x 8 hour flights). Business isin't a cheap option but you're guaranteed comfort. The holiday begins when you enter the airport, you look forward to the flight and the lay-over is a pleasure.

Katgurl

That is a disgusting way to treat customers.

greencap

Let them eat cake. Oh they already did.

*reclines seat*.

Katgurl

Katgurl wrote: »

That is a disgusting way to treat customers.

What was disgusting? They put them in seats they could fit and refunded the difference. They then got a full refund from their travel agent.

That's a win. Helped pay for a chunk of their surgery.

D3V!L

[Deleted User] wrote: »

That's a win. Helped pay for a chunk of their surgery.

They could get themselves a nice take out on the way home

Deja Boo

Deja Boo wrote: »

No need for such blatant public embarrassment. I would've been mortified.

Must be the first time ever a Thai woman telling a foreigner ‘no, you’re too big, you’re too big’ hasn't gone down well.

freshpopcorn

When I read the thread title I thought some stern business teacher wouldn't teach the over weight kids!

mobileforest

Had a friend who was moving her life across the world a number of yrs ago. She told me she wished airliners made passengers stand on the scale with their luggage and pay accordingly. She was annoyed because she had to pay for every extra kg of luggage (as weight is the key issue for planes with regards to fuel etc) yet her seat cost her the same as it did for blokes 50+ more kg in weight than her. Imagine the outcry if an airliner brought that in.

Peregrinus

mobileforest wrote: »

Had a friend who was moving her life across the world a number of yrs ago. She told me she wished airliners made passengers stand on the scale with their luggage and pay accordingly. She was annoyed because she had to pay for every extra kg of luggage (as weight is the key issue for planes with regards to fuel etc) yet her seat cost her the same as it did for blokes 50+ more kg in weight than her. Imagine the outcry if an airliner brought that in.

Samoa Air did charge passengers by weight (before it closed in 2015). To put this in context:

- Their domestic market has one of the highest obesity rates in the world.

- Much of their network consisted of island-hopping routes flown by comparatively small aircraft where weight distribution matters, so passengers would have to be weighed even if they weren't being charged by the kilo.

A number of airlines weigh all passengers and allocate seats based on weight (again, these are airlines flying small aircraft) and at least one - Uzbeckistan Airways - uses weight as a factor in deciding which passengers to bump if a flight is overbooked or there is a late aircraft change.

smurfjed

The 787 has airbags in their business class belts (It confused the heck out of me the first time I used them).

Depends on the airline.

The Business Class seats in most B787 aircraft are at an angle to the nose/tail axis of the aircraft, therefore in the event of an incident the passenger will have side loads exerted on them as well as fore/aft loads, because of this, the seats are fitted with a lap strap seat belt and a shoulder harness, kinda like your car. Thai has taken this design a step further by adding an air cushion in the shoulder strap. Like all designs, it comes with specific design criteria and it appears that waist size is one of these criteria.

The economy seats don't have shoulder straps hence the ability to seat larger people there.

Could the airline have handled this better, hell yes, but this is Thailand we are talking about.