Hey Folks
Just thought I'd give some feedback on a recent adventure... I took my first flight in over ten years last week and flew from Manchester to Copenhagen in Denmark. Its only a 2 hour flight but the people I was visiting were kind enough to buy two seats for me - and at around 500lbs that was definitely needed.
The plane had two seats on one side and three on the other and to my surprise the aisle was plenty big enough for me to navigate easily. The seating was less successful - the centre arm did go up but only half way... I asked the Steward to check it and he said they were all like that but the result was that I could get my ass and belly into the seat just fine but the arm rest dug into my shoulder and upper arm meaning it was easier to sit forward rather than relax into the seat. I have to say that I was very glad I had the two seats though as even with a good friend next to me it would have been uncomfortable - with a stranger it would have been unbearable
If I had been travelling with a friend I think having the row of three seats between the two of us would have been great even if my companion had been BBW/SSBBW sized. I would definitely check that the seat arm went all the way back next time though!
I asked for a seatbelt extender both going out and returning and to my surprise it had about three foot left over spare. I was worried whether I would fit even with an extender belt but if I managed easily with approx 90 inch hips then I guess most other people should be ok too.
The fold down table, didn't! Or at least it wouldn't fold down flat. On the way out I sort of managed as best as I could but on the way back I just balanced the tray on the empty seat next to me and just used the cup holder in the back of the seat which worked much better.
The loo - I didnt test it! I didn't drink anything after getting up for a 10am flight and managed to control myself just fine. I did the same on the way back but I confess it did take nearly 24 hours before I felt like I'd re-hydrated myself properly!
Walking through the Airport - the worst bit of the trip!!! Luckily most of the airports had seats but it wasn't always easy to find two spare ones next to each other. Trailing endlessly between check-in, through the shops, passport control, to the right terminal, then to the right gate, then queuing to board and a 4 mile skyway actually onto the damn plane nearly killed me. Both of the Airports I used were medium sized International ones and just about did me in. I allowed plenty of time for myself but even so, I think at a major international Airport like Heathrow I'd need to figure out a way to get some assistance.
On the whole I have to say SAS were pretty good. They weren't overly helpful but anything I asked for (like the extender) was bought discretely and quickly. Their policy to ask people to buy two seats seemed to be well practised and they made it seem like an every-day request rather than some outrageous demand which I liked. Cool polite efficiency is a trait of the Scandinavian people so I probably shouldn't have been surprised that it all went like clockwork.
So overall, it was a good experience! Flying at 500lbs turned out to be hard on the feet and a bit uncomfortable for a couple of hours but thats nothing compared to the boost that my self esteem got from tackling one of my biggest fears. Look out world, here I come!!!
Tracey xx
Just thought I'd give some feedback on a recent adventure... I took my first flight in over ten years last week and flew from Manchester to Copenhagen in Denmark. Its only a 2 hour flight but the people I was visiting were kind enough to buy two seats for me - and at around 500lbs that was definitely needed.
The plane had two seats on one side and three on the other and to my surprise the aisle was plenty big enough for me to navigate easily. The seating was less successful - the centre arm did go up but only half way... I asked the Steward to check it and he said they were all like that but the result was that I could get my ass and belly into the seat just fine but the arm rest dug into my shoulder and upper arm meaning it was easier to sit forward rather than relax into the seat. I have to say that I was very glad I had the two seats though as even with a good friend next to me it would have been uncomfortable - with a stranger it would have been unbearable
If I had been travelling with a friend I think having the row of three seats between the two of us would have been great even if my companion had been BBW/SSBBW sized. I would definitely check that the seat arm went all the way back next time though!I asked for a seatbelt extender both going out and returning and to my surprise it had about three foot left over spare. I was worried whether I would fit even with an extender belt but if I managed easily with approx 90 inch hips then I guess most other people should be ok too.
The fold down table, didn't! Or at least it wouldn't fold down flat. On the way out I sort of managed as best as I could but on the way back I just balanced the tray on the empty seat next to me and just used the cup holder in the back of the seat which worked much better.
The loo - I didnt test it! I didn't drink anything after getting up for a 10am flight and managed to control myself just fine. I did the same on the way back but I confess it did take nearly 24 hours before I felt like I'd re-hydrated myself properly!
Walking through the Airport - the worst bit of the trip!!! Luckily most of the airports had seats but it wasn't always easy to find two spare ones next to each other. Trailing endlessly between check-in, through the shops, passport control, to the right terminal, then to the right gate, then queuing to board and a 4 mile skyway actually onto the damn plane nearly killed me. Both of the Airports I used were medium sized International ones and just about did me in. I allowed plenty of time for myself but even so, I think at a major international Airport like Heathrow I'd need to figure out a way to get some assistance.
On the whole I have to say SAS were pretty good. They weren't overly helpful but anything I asked for (like the extender) was bought discretely and quickly. Their policy to ask people to buy two seats seemed to be well practised and they made it seem like an every-day request rather than some outrageous demand which I liked. Cool polite efficiency is a trait of the Scandinavian people so I probably shouldn't have been surprised that it all went like clockwork.
So overall, it was a good experience! Flying at 500lbs turned out to be hard on the feet and a bit uncomfortable for a couple of hours but thats nothing compared to the boost that my self esteem got from tackling one of my biggest fears. Look out world, here I come!!!
Tracey xx
