Some Travelers Are Demanding This Sought-After Airline Accommodation

Published 12:11 pm Tuesday, April 25, 2023

A Change.Org petition is asking the FAA to address a hot-button complaint.

A Change.org petition demanding that the Federal Aviation Administration take measures to force airlines to be more accommodating to larger-sized passengers has received more than 8,000 signatures so far.

It was created by Jae’lynn Chaney, a plus-size travel blogger based in Vancouver, Washington, who has long sought to bring awareness to the issue.

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The petition includes the request that airlines adopt a “comprehensive customer-of-size policy that prioritizes the comfort and well-being of ALL passengers.” Other requests include adopting “clear and inclusive guidelines” for passengers of all body types, as well as “larger seats, and other size-accessible accommodations.”

Chaney writes that the petition was inspired by an experience she had with her husband on a flight from Pasco to Denver, wherein “my fiancé was subjected to hateful comments, disapproving looks, and even refusal to sit next to them, amounting to discrimination. Similarly, on another flight, I was forced to occupy only one seat with immovable armrests that caused me pain and bruises.”

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The petition calls for airlines to provide accessible additional seats to customers-of-size “who require more physical space on planes or encroach onto another passenger’s space.” The petition calls for these seats to be provided free of charge, and that customers who purchase additional seats independently should get a refund. There is also a request for at least one wheelchair accessible restroom

Additionally, the petition calls for a clear set of policies, standards, and procedures for customers-of-size, and that these policies are written down and communicated in a clear way. They also ask that customers-of-size should be informed of their airport assistance options and how to request assistance.

The petition asks that airline employees receive training on how to accommodate Customers-of-Size, using “language that does not focus on a person’s body size, shape, or abilities but instead treats them with respect and dignity. It will also help employees understand how to assist customers who may be larger in size, so that they can have a comfortable and enjoyable travel experience without being discriminated against. The training should be required by both airlines and government agencies that regulate the airline industry, and should cover a range of topics including how to handle situations that may be sensitive or difficult, as well as providing good customer service to all travelers regardless of their size or abilities.” 

Seat pitch, which is the measurement between one seat back and the same spot on the next seat back, has shrunk from 35 inches to nearly 31 inches and in some cases as little as 28 inches. Additionally, seat width has shrunk by four inches in the past 30 years.