A plus-size influencer has reiterated her calls for airlines to scrap their “discriminatory” policies and give overweight passengers extra seats for free, as an expert said it’s their human right to get what they want.
Jaelynn Chaney made headlines when she urged the FAA to offer overweight passengers “an extra seat, or even two or three seats, depending on their size.” Chaney, of Vancouver, Washington, admitted that other passengers may have to foot the bill through higher fares.
In a new interview with CNN Travel, Chaney – who wears a size 6XL – claimed airline policies were “discriminatory” and that it was unfair that they had to pay more than thinner people.
“People who are smaller have to pay a fare to get to their destination,” Chaney said. “And we have to pay two fares even though we have the same experience. ‘If anything, our experiences are a bit more sophisticated.’
Air Passenger Rights founder Gabor Lukacs told CNN he agrees that these are human rights for those over a certain weight passengers.
“So from a human rights perspective, I see no justification for charging these people a double fare,” Lukacs said.
He suggested that Chaney should be given spare seats to spread, since airlines don’t give discounts to slender passengers or children, which take up less space and help the plane burn less fuel, thus saving money.
Jaelynn Chaney, a travel and lifestyle creator, urges the FAA to “protect” plus-size travelers and make them “more comfortable and accessible for everyone.”
“People who are smaller have to pay a fare to get to their destination,” Chaney (pictured) said in an interview with CNN. “And we have to pay two fares even though we have the same experience.” If anything, our experiences are a bit more sophisticated.
Lukacs claimed he believes the issue has a bigger impact because “being a great person is not a choice, as many people mistakenly believe,” he said.
The passenger rights advocate stated that he believes there is “a lot of negative attention and prejudice towards plus-size people” affecting the issue.
“But it’s not like someone gets up in the morning and makes the decision to be a big person,” Lukacs told CNN.
Air Passenger Rights founder Gabor Lukacs (pictured) told CNN Travel he agrees and that it’s a human rights issue for these passengers of a certain weight
He added that using “unchanging characteristics” to calculate additional charges for passengers is a “tricky path” for airlines.
Chaney agreed, saying she believes other overweight athletes ask for no more than the same treatment that a person with a smaller physique is receiving.
Her Change.org petition suggests otherwise, as she urges airlines to accommodate the larger customers who may “take up another passenger’s seat.”
The influencer said the FAA should at least issue guidelines to help plus-size passengers navigate their travel plans.
“We need the guidelines to be a little more standardized,” Chaney said.
She also wants airlines to be forced to reimburse overweight passengers for the extra seats they have to buy when booking because of their height.
She said her fiancé faced “hateful comments, disapproving looks and even a refusal to sit next to him, which amounted to discrimination” on one of his flights, while she was forced to squeeze into a seat without removable armrests, which led to bruises
Chaney’s Change.org petition calling for changes in favor of obese and overweight flyers has received 17,000 signatures as of June 13
Chaney said the situation is very personal to her as a plus-size influencer and motivates her to work towards the changes.
“Unfortunately, as plus-size travelers, my partner and I have experienced discrimination and discomfort when flying,” she wrote in her petition.
In an interview with CNN, she said that she has always grappled with the issue of being overweight on airplanes and admitted that airplanes are not made for larger passengers
“I knew from the age of 12 that airplanes weren’t built for people like me,” she said of her childhood days as a pilot.
“There are so many different things and obstacles that get in the way,” she said, addressing the physical and emotional issues — including the prejudice against overweight aviators.
“During a flight from Pasco to Denver, my fiancé faced hate speech, disapproving looks and even a refusal to sit next to him, which amounted to discrimination,” she said at the time.
“Similarly, on another flight, I was forced to occupy only one seat with non-moving armrests, causing me pain and bruising,” she wrote.
Chaney has extensively documented her difficulties flying, from depicting how she and her boyfriend are cramped in the seats to testimonies from some passengers, including questioning whether she bought two seats.
In an interview with CNN, she said that she has always grappled with the issue of being overweight on airplanes and admitted that airplanes are not made for larger passengers
In April, Chaney admitted that if she got her way to meet her needs, ticket prices would have to go up for all customers.
She also said that “government, as part of its responsibility to promote accessible and equitable transportation for all citizens, may have a role to play in funding or promoting these measures.”
“Ultimately, the question of who is going to pay for these policies shouldn’t be an impediment to taking action,” she told Fox earlier this year.
“Implementing policies to accommodate oversized passengers can come at a cost, but those costs need to be weighed against the benefits of creating a more welcoming and inclusive travel experience,” she said.