Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
No airplane flight is comfortable. No one has ever gotten off the airplane and said, “Wow, I was comfortable on that flight!” And no one is the right height for that little flying sardine can.
With that being said, no tall person is judged when they are uncomfortable in the tight confines; no one asks the flight attendant to switch seats when a tall person sits in their row — but they do when a fat person is seated next to them.
Fat people regularly face judgment, and even harassment in some cases, when seated on flights. In 2010, film director Kevin Smith was kicked off a flight for his size. He was told he was considered a “safety risk” by the captain of the flight. At the time, Southwest Airlines’ policy for “customers of size” was that if a person couldn’t fold both armrests down, they should buy a second seat for the comfort of other, thinner passengers.
While Smith’s interaction was frustrating, for others, it is dangerous. Director and filmmaker Amber J. Phillips had police called on her when the woman next to her became too uncomfortable. Phillips, a fat Black woman, was seated next to a skinny white woman who constantly tried to force Phillips into moving over. When Phillips asked the woman to stop, she said that Phillips was being mean and assaulted her. Once they deplaned, both women were taken for questioning by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police.
Everyone on a plane needs more comfortable travel. By making the seats bigger, everyone would enjoy the extra space, and it would lessen the stigma fat travelers face.
Some passengers will take to social media and film fat people just trying to get on a plane. Others will complain or blame fat people for their inability to fit. TikTok user @noah_bermudez made a compilation video of fat people discussing the issues with airlines — real, valid complaints — and then he judged, shamed and bullied those plus-sized creators.
A different user, @robsmithonline, reacted to an already-sensationalized video of a fat influencer getting on a plane with assistance from employees. He even goes as far to say that this was a result of society “accommodating people like this.” Where is the accommodation? Publicly shaming people on the internet?
The shame that comes of viral moments like these is yet another factor that makes travel hard for fat people. While virality is pretty uncommon for the most part, the shame of just being fat and being on a plane is entirely more common.
Many people have to ask for a seat belt extender. Typically, most flight attendants are very calm and professional about it, but that does not mean other passengers are. Admitting that the base design of the plane is too small is already hard — having to do it in front of strangers who are already judgmental tacks on some humiliation. TikToker @marydoesartandstuff detailed the process in which she struggled to get a seat belt extender. Flight attendants were late, confused and even laughed when she was just trying to make sure she was safe.
Airlines are incredibly vague with their policies for plus-sized passengers. Many outline the requirements for said passengers but none of the clarifying details. United Airlines stated that passengers must be able to buckle their seatbelts with only one extender. While they do include how long the extender is, they do not include how long the base seatbelt is, making it very difficult to understand if one would fit. Many airlines also state that a passenger must fit in the seat with the armrests down — or else they will have to purchase an additional ticket — but they do not include the dimensions of the seat.
Recently, Southwest Airlines changed their policies for plus-sized travelers. Previously, travelers were encouraged to buy an extra seat and, if requested, would be issued a refund after flying. However, starting in January 2026, customers can only receive a refund if there is at least one open seat on the flights, both tickets are of the same fare class and a request for a refund is issued within 90 days of the flight.
This no longer guarantees the refund — a guarantee that makes everyone on the flight more comfortable. Fat people didn’t have to worry about the judgment they would face from other fliers, and skinny people didn’t need to worry about the horrors of being touched by a fat person.
Everyone on a plane needs more comfortable travel. By making the seats bigger, everyone would enjoy the extra space and it would lessen the stigma that fat travelers face.
Reach Audrey Weishaar at letters@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
