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Teen Livid After Flight Attendant Has Him Kicked Off Flight For Mocking His ‘Obese’ Seatmate

A photo of a pane full of people
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Flying isn’t fun for many.

It can be especially problematic for overweight people.

The seats can feel constrictive and overall comfort isn’t often there.

That’s to say nothing of rude passengers.

So one prays there won’t be any issues… until there are.

Case in point…

Redditor L4l0_Salamanca wanted to discuss his experience and get some feedback. So naturally, he came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.

He asked:

“AITA for making a fuss about my plane seat?”

The Original Poster (OP) explained:

“I (18 M[ale]) was traveling to my home country.”

“On my second connecting flight, which is also by far my longest one being over 12 hours long.”

“I had the delightful sight of an obese man that was taking up a good chunk of my seat.”

“I am not a small guy myself.”

“I have quite broad shoulders and am around 190 centimeters, so a full seat would already have been uncomfortable.”

“I told the flight attendant about this issue, and she told me that the seat was paid for by this obese person and the flight was full.”

“I asked the flight attendant how it’s possible that my seat still rendered as available if it was being used for someone’s literal rolls, as this wasn’t an American airline (non-American airlines don’t get overbooked).”

“I then added on how this airline wasn’t absolutely terrible just a few years ago (it wasn’t just this incident. They just went downhill in quality).”

“These comments prompted the flight attendant to call me rude and just made her double down on me getting kicked off the plane.”

“Though she reassured me I’d be compensated for this trouble as I told her I wasn’t traveling for vacation.”

“The fat man took his opportunity to call me a fatphobic sh*t.”

“Some other people around gave me the stink eye.”

“I know they think I’m a bad person for this, but on the other hand, I’m having to pay for the lack of discipline of another person as well as this shi**y airline’s booking system.”

“Hell, I’d rather they called me the day before.”

“The airline staff sent a letter of complaint that I got appealed, and the consequences in the complaint (being a temporary ban) were removed less than an hour later.”

“In the letter of complaint, it said I was being rude to other passengers and the staff.”

“Since it got appealed so quick, and I got to travel the next day anyway, I’m really not sure if I’m TA.”

“AITA for my comments that have offended both the [obese] man and the airline staff?”

Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:

  • NTA – Not The A**hole
  • YTA – You’re The A**hole
  • NAH – No A**holes Here
  • ESH – Everyone Sucks Here

Many Redditors declared OP WAS the A**hole.

“From the way you’ve written the post, I’m going to say YTA.”

“Because often it’s not what we say, it’s how we say it.”

“It probably would’ve been handled very differently if you had handled it differently.”

“I know air travel can make people turn into idiots, so please, everyone, don’t be that idiot.” ~ B*stardsCryinInnit

“No matter the reason someone is fat (which they never owe anyone a justification for their existence. No one does).”

“They deserve respect.”

“Are airplane seats too small? Yes.”

“Does OP think that us fat folks don’t know and DREAD sitting on a plane?”

“I’m a size 18, and I was just on a plane.”

“The skinny old lady in the seat next to me was complaining about her armrests the entire time because I SWEAR those seats are getting smaller.”

“OP just wanted to cash in on the whole ‘YEAH! Fat people are gross and lazy, and how DARE this person need to fly on a plane while having a body!'”

“Train, and I am really, really glad to see people actually telling OP to shove it.” ~ Hazel2468

“I get his issues. I’m also a tall and broad-shouldered person.”

“But learn some damn tact.”

“OP WAS fat-shaming the guy.”

“Like, did he even TRY asking the dude to move over a bit, or did he go straight to b*tching at the flight attendant?”

“YTA and learn diplomacy.” ~ Jedisilk015

“YTA. Exactly. He would have likely gotten a very different response had he quietly approached a flight attendant to explain the situation and politely ask for a resolution.”

“I’ve been in a situation where someone was taking up part of my seat as well.”

“And it’s not a fun way to fly, BUT I handled it differently, and received a refund on my flight, so clearly, he’s TA.” ~ blackpugstudios

“While I agree OP handled it poorly, there was no resolving the issue after the flight.”

“OP needed his full seat, and unfortunately, the larger man, who should have bought two seats to travel due to his size, didn’t.”

“The only resolution if there were no other seats available is for one of them to de-board before the flight so that there was room.”

“Under no circumstance should OP have sat in half a seat for 12 hours.” ~ Trasl0

“Absolutely. I was taken aback at the ‘lack of discipline’ comment.”

“There a lot of issues that lead to obesity, and you have no idea by looking at someone what their underlying issues may be.”

“I am sure this came through to the staff on the plane and clearly the gentleman this was about. YTA.”  ~ Existing-Ad8580

“OP is also YTA for how he is handling the judgment here.”

“Fighting with every comment, being rude in responses. OP, grow up.” ~ Derpazor1

“Hard YTA. OP behaved like a massive jerk.”

“The fact that the poor man knew you were complaining about him tells me you were loud and rude.”

“You are also fat phobic; how do you know there wasn’t a medical issue causing him to be larger?” ~ Big_Solution_1065

“Yeah, quietly telling the flight attendant that you would like to be moved is the appropriate thing.”

“If they can’t move you, you just make the best of it.”

“It’s a flight. They’re not asking you to move into that seat forever. YTA.” ~ dutchyardeen

“Yes, YTA. Not for being uncomfortable and wanting your seat changed, but for how you handled the whole situation.”

“You did not need to insult the man right next to you and the airline just to get your point across.”

“All of that makes you TA.” ~ Ok_Round78

“I am obese.”

“I am also lucky enough and have worked hard enough (lots of discipline applied at work) to be able to afford 1st class when I fly.”

“It’s partly because I don’t think it’s fair for others to have to be inconvenienced or crowded because of my weight/size, but also so I don’t have to deal with AH like OP.” ~ Cool_Priority6816

“The whole ‘I shouldn’t have to suffer because the fat man has no discipline [to put the junk food down] and the airline should’ve warned me’ was bogus!”

“I’ve never heard of an airline reaching out to a passenger with alternate options because their seat neighbor is overweight.”

“O is full of baloney and YTA, not because of the literal predicament, but how he describes the passenger and handled it by being rude to staff.”  ~ squuidlees

“The airline actually should have warned him that they were selling him a seat that they already sold to an obese man that he bought to accommodate his size.”

“The obese man bought two seats to avoid this exact situation, and the airline turned around and sold the man’s second seat. It is wrong.”

“I would be super mad if I were the obese person that bought two seats to avoid this very situation, and then they sold it without warning.”

“And I would also be mad the airline sold me someone else’s seat and not tell me it belonged to a person that bought two seats to accommodate their size.” ~ alm423

“YTA. You didn’t even have the decency to complain to the flight attendant privately and wrongfully took your frustration out on them.”  ~ pooplingpo

“A few years ago, I was boarding a flight, and as I approached my assigned seat, an attendant was standing a row or two back, which seemed totally normal and routine.”

“I don’t recall if she asked me where I was seated or if I was one of the last people to board, so it was obvious, but before I could even understand why I was being moved, the flight attendant subtly said they have another seat for me.”

“As I walked by the seat that I was assigned to, it was obvious the move was because a very large man was already taking up a good portion of my assigned seat.”

“Unfortunately, there’s no way the man couldn’t have had some awareness of what was happening, but nobody was being completely overt and downright rude about it.”

“Granted, the flight attendants intervened before I could even mentally assess the impact on my personal space, so it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison to OP’s situation.”

“But I do think that a little sensitivity and kindness are much better approaches than self-entitled demanding.”  ~ just_hear_4_the_tip

“YTA. If the airline double booked your seat, that’s the complaint.”

“The passenger’s size has literally nothing to do with it, as he paid for two seats.”

“The fact that you raised this in front of him makes you an even bigger a**hole.”

“And the icing on the a**hole cake is the fact that you’re not here for an opinion and are arguing with every person who disagrees with you.”

“You’re wrong. Learn from it, move on.” ~ jenever_r

“They don’t kick people off flights unless there’s serious bad behavior.”

“Sounds like you embarrassed the larger person by complaining about their size right in front of them (cruel).”

“Then, when the attendant told you no, you got aggressive and rude.”

“YTA. You played yourself.”

“If you had let everyone get seated and then found a private moment to talk to the flight crew, you might have had more luck.”

“Try being nice!” ~ ShutUpMorrisseyffs

Well, OP, Reddit has some issues with your behavior.

It’s understandable to voice feeling one’s discomfort.

But there may be better ways to go about it.