A plus-size influencer has accused airlines of discriminatory travel policy for larger passengers and has started a petition against them.
Jaelynn Chaney, a size 6XL traveller from Vancouver, Canada, has launched a Change.org petition titled ‘Demand for the FAA to Protect Plus-Sized Customers’, which has rallied up over 17,000 signatures already, reports The Daily Express US.
Her petition advocated for an amendment in travel policy so that plus-size passengers don’t have to pay “twice for the same experience” as other travellers.
Chaney approached the FFA (Federal Aviation Administration) to demand larger flyers should be offered an extra seat or two depending on their size, where the average seat width is 17 inches with 30 inches of legroom,
Her criticism of sizing also extends to airline bathrooms, typically proportioned to an average size of 24 inches wide, which is 10 inches less than the average portable toilet, according to the Washington Post.
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After being hit with “hateful comments” and “disapproving looks” while travelling, Chaney wants airlines to introduce guidance to help plus-size passengers navigate their travel plans to avoid “encroach(ing) onto other passenger’s space”.
In addition to these changes, she is also asking that airlines refund overweight passengers if they are forced to pay for extra seats to accommodate their size.
Even from a young age, Chaney felt estranged when travelling due to her size, revealing in her petition that: “I kind of knew that planes were not built for people like me by the time I was 12.”
Talking to CNN Travel, she said: “People with smaller bodies get to pay one fare to get to their destination and we have to pay two fares, even though we’re getting the same experience. If anything, our experiences are a little more challenging.”
Emotionally wounded from offensive situations when travelling, Chaney and her partner have documented their experiences.
She recalled: “During a flight from Pasco to Denver, 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 which cause me pain and bruises.”
Chaney recognises that if her demands are met, ticket prices would have to rise for other passengers to accommodate for plus size travellers.
She said: “The government may have a role to play in funding or incentivizing these policies as part of its responsibility to promote accessible and equitable transportation for all citizens.
“Implementing policies to accommodate plus-size passengers may come with associate costs, but these costs must be weighed against the benefits of creating a more welcoming and inclusive travel experience.”
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