Plus size traveller demands urgent change to 'revolutionize' travel industry
Jae'lynn Chaney is a plus size influencer who has launched a petition asking airlines are required to give plus size passengers an extra seat.
A well-known body positivity expert who is campaigning for airlines to drastically change their policies to accommodate bigger bodies has hit out after a man was stuck in his seat.
The overweight passenger was stuck in his seat for three hours after landing on a British Airways flight and had to be removed by a hoist, it was reported.
This was despite the fact he was seated in row 1A in First Class, one of the largest seats on a plane at nearly two feet wide. The humiliated passenger had already flown six and a half hours from Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to London Heathrow.
The passenger was wedged in his seat for over nine hours. Once the plane had landed at around 0500am the crew tried to extract him by various means, but they failed.
The Sun reported that they had seen an engineering note written during the situation that read: “A volumetric passenger is stuck in seat 1A. The plan is to remove the suite door and use a hoist to eject (him) from the seat."
READ MORE: 'I'm plus size - here are 10 things I'll never do again when traveling'
Jae’lynn Chaney, is a plus size influencer who has long fought for the plus-size travel community. She has launched a Change.org petition, “Demand for the FAA to Protect Plus-Sized Customers", which has already received over 29,438 signatures.
On her Instagram account (jaebaeproductions) the size 6XL advocate launched a furious tirade at British Airways and the incident in question.
She said: “This story highlights the urgency for change in the travel industry. A fellow plus-size traveler, determined to enjoy his journey, upgraded to first class, only to be trapped in an uncomfortably tight seat for hours.
“The incident underscores the need for accessibility and inclusivity reforms. No one should endure such treatment."
The blogger is fighting for exclusivity in the airline industry and wants the airlines to offer obese flyers an extra seat. Jae’lynn often travels alone and when she does, she books two economy seats for herself or even a first-class seat.
Viewers were shocked and upset. One wrote: “Imagine. First Class supposedly has the widest seats. What would have happened to him in standard class?”
Another said: “In 1st class? Yikes, I won’t be traveling British Airways. Good to know.”
