damn Delta seats!

Alright, so I had a bad experience on wed night. I was so excited to be traveling home to Massachusetts and so happy because I was going to be flying Song - I LOVE that airline. I heard all kinds of people saying they couldnt fasten seat belts and the seats were uncomfortable in my Support Group Meetings and what not. And I always thought - "god Im glad I dont experience that". Yeah well my girlfriend and I boarded Song on wed night and little did we know we had an emergency row....The damn arm rests DID NOT MOVE UP - there was a metal board attatched to them. I had to fall into the seat, and cringe over my hip pain...then I go to put the seat belt on and I had a good 6 inches to go to close it....I didnt have it in me to ask for an extender on such a full plane. That was the longest 3 hour flight Ive ever taken. I couldnt breathe, I was scared b/c the seat belt wasnt on, and I was in pain.....not to mention not able to move at all. My pocket book was on the floor and I couldnt even pick it up!!!! I cried for a good half hour - just looking ou the window. It was miserable!!!

Oh you poor dear!!! I flew last year and had to get an extender. The flight attendants did not make a big deal of it. Just discreetly handed it to me. I did swear I would not fly again until I could fasten the belt. I think I have reached that size but will still wait a little longer. Donna

I flew to michigan June 18th and flew American Airline! The SAME thing happened to me.. i was in an Emergency row and had shooting pains down my leg from my hips being jammed into those seats... i did not even know they made extenders until i was on the next leg of the flight which was on a puddle jumper and the airline stewardess walked up and discreetly asked me if i need an extender... i was lucky that i had no one sitting next to me and could raise the armrests... She handed me the extender and off we went... the trip back i knew to ask the stewardess as soon as i walked on the plane. And when just before the plane took off, i asked the stewardess if there were 2 seats next to each other available, she said no that she had just allowed a gentleman to move to the 2 empty seats, (he too was obese.) She saw how uncomfortable i was and asked a stewardess, who was catching a ride home, that was sitting in a first class seat if she would switch with me and she did... i was offered all the first class amenities but did not partake, as i had not paid for that service and i was just so grateful to be able to sit without pain. So it definetly helps just to ask... and it doesn't hurt and with so many americans being overweight i think more of them (cabin crew) are sensitive to the issue!!! I don't plan on being on a plane again until after my 8/10 surgery so i hopefully won't have to go through that again!!! Erika

Gina--Sorry you had such a bad experience. How I remember the pain of those seats. Think about it this way--at least they didn't embarrass you by making you move out of the exit row. Song has roomier seats than many others--as if that makes you feel any better. I remember vividly that pain and embarrassment the last time I flew before surgery. Hope you have a good holiday week-end.

It's amazing how many things this disease affects. I have never even been on an airplane, but have the wanderlust in the extreme. I have always wanted to go places. However, I wouldn't even attempt to fly anywhere at my size. I am hoping that if I EVER get to have this surgery that I will be able to fit into an airline seat someday. I am on disability so I doubt I'd ever be able to afford to go anywhere, but just KNOWING THAT I COULD would go a long way towards helping my feelings. I was with one of my cousins back in April and we went to Outback Steakhouse and after a long, long wait, we were taken to our table, which was a booth. I could not fit into it and we had to go back and wait another long, long time. I was so humiliated. My cousin was okay about it, but he has made comments about my weight in the past, so I know he was thinking his comments anyway. And it was PROM NIGHT so there were a gazillion teenagers staring and giggling. It was awful. People don't realize that EVERYTHING we do is affected by this disease. And they just think we should just quit eating and all would be well. I just got through doing the 6 months physician's supervised diet and gained 10 lbs. So I'm facing failure everywhere I go. I told him I couldn't lose weight on 1400 calories, that I would gain weight on it, but he didn't believe me, so hello! I have been denied once already by insurance, even though I have a high BMI and co-morbidities. We sent the papers in before I was COMPLETELY THROUGH with jumping through all their hoops. I have completely jumped through them now though, so the papers went off AGAIN this week. The best of luck to you. We all know what you are going through. I went with a friend of mine to a jewelry-handbag warehouse to shop not long ago and they did have a wheelchair, but it was the old timey kind and I could not fit into it, so didn't get to shop much. I'm disabled, so can't walk through a whole store. It affects everything.

Thank u each for writing me...Joni good luck with your appeal!!! and Erika - good luck with surgery!!! Thanks again