Plus-Sized Traveler Starts Petition To Demand Larger Passengers Get Free Seats On Planes After Experiencing 'Disapproving Looks' & 'Hateful Comments'
She believes that airlines would be doing more to accommodate plus-sized travelers and wants the FAA to do something about it.
Instagram Jaelynn Chaney, a plus-sized social media influencer from Vancouver, Washington, has recently been advocating for better accommodations for plus-sized travelers on airlines.
Chaney created a Change.org petition addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) listing the demands that she believes would better accommodate those people she feels are currently being discriminated against because of their size.
The plus-sized traveler wrote a list of demands for the FAA to follow.
The Vancouver native wrote about the recent experience her fiancé had flying from the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, WA, to the Denver Int’l Airport in Colorado.
She claims that her fiancé — who is also plus-sized — was “subjected to hateful comments, disapproving looks, and even refusal to sit next to them, amounting to discrimination.”
While she herself was on a separate flight recently, she claims that the discomfort she felt when being forced to occupy only one seat ultimately resulted in bruising and pain from the immovable armrests.
“This mistreatment of plus-size passengers is unacceptable,” Chaney claims, referring to the treatment both she and her fiancé were subjected to, “and it highlights the urgent need for better policies that protect the dignity and rights of all passengers, regardless of size.”
She believes the FAA must require a ‘customer-of-size’ policy, which includes free seats.
The “customer-of-size” policy is meant to prioritize the comfort and well-being of all passengers aboard a flight — not just plus-sized ones. This is where Chaney lists her demands.
“All plus-size passengers should be provided with an extra free seat, or even two or three seats depending on their size, to accommodate their needs and ensure their comfort during the flight,” she claims. These extra seats would help to accommodate the plus-sized passengers’ sizes.
Included in this, she believes that airlines should reimburse those that purchase additional seats independently through a “straightforward process.”
According to Reuters, there currently aren’t any restrictions regarding the minimum measurements for a seat from the FAA, but advocacy groups like FlyersRights.org are fighting for that to change.
Accommodations listed included additional airport assistance — such as wheelchair assistance and priority boarding — as well as airplane changes like larger restrooms on the plane, seat belt extenders, and alternative seating arrangements.
Similarly, bathrooms on airplanes are much smaller than your average porta-potty — averaging around 10 inches less at a width of 24 inches, according to the Washington Post.
Chaney also believes that adequate employee training on how to accommodate plus-sized travelers should be provided as well, “including handling sensitive situations and providing appropriate customer service.”
Jaelynn Chaney has received mixed responses from her campaign.
Chaney’s Change.org petition has reached over 6,000 signatures at the time of writing with a current goal of 7,500. Many of the people who have given their signatures have written kind words and even pointed out several other flaws with the current system in place.
One person wrote how the plane seats are uncomfortable even for people with smaller body sizes, so they can’t even imagine how awful it must be for plus-sized folk. Someone else talked about how their height has been an issue for them, and so they want to advocate for accommodations for people of all sizes.
However, the comments on her Instagram videos — where she does the bulk of her campaigning — have been slightly sourer. They’re filled with people wondering why airlines should accommodate them and claiming that there is a much simpler solution to all of this, implying that it’s as simple as losing weight.
Whatever the case, there’s nothing wrong with fighting for equality for people that come from all shapes and sizes.
Isaac Serna-Diez is an Assistant Editor who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics. Keep up with his rants about current events on his Twitter.