Have you ever been in this situation, squished by your seatmate on a plane? I certainly have sat next to people on planes that take up more then their fair share of the space. It would be particularly uncomfortable to sit next to 2 people who are taking up more then their fair share of the space and for 14 hours; I can’t even imagine. TheTelegraph reports how this passenger is suing American Airlines over his flight (“he was seated next to two obese people for a fourteen-hour flight”) which he claims “exacerbated his scoliosis and caused lower and upper back injuries as well as bruising to his neck.”

Passenger Sues Airline Over Obese Seatmates

Via TheTelegraph, A man  in Australia is suing American Airlines after he was seated next to two obese people for a fourteen-hour flight – an ordeal which he claims caused permanent back and neck injuries.

Michael Anthony Taylor, 67, said the airline refused to let him move seats, leaving him “crouching, kneeling, bracing or standing†for much of the flight from Sydney to Los Angeles.

He said his uncomfortable position during the flight exacerbated his scoliosis and caused lower and upper back injuries as well as bruising to his neck.

“I don’t hold any malice towards the people in the seats next to me – they’d paid for a ticket too,†he told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

“The airline could have put me in a crew seat or moved people around but they did nothing.â€

Mr Taylor was in the window seat but claimed the two large passengers encroached on his space.

Bottom Line

It will definitely be interesting to see how this lawsuit plays out. I am sure that many a passenger has been in similar situations. What do you think?

HT: TheTelegraph