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Becca Monaghan
Jun 14, 2023
The Only Acceptable Way To Ask A Fellow Passenger To Swap Seats
@kirstyleannetravels/TikTok
An avid jet setter has shared a useful tip on how to secure two plane seats for the price of one – and it's incredibly simple.
Content creator @kirstyleannetravels has become a TikTok sensation for her sharing her viral travel hacks as a plus-sized person. In one recent clip, Kirsty explained how she gets an empty seat on "almost every flight she takes".
The UK blogger acknowledged how airlines make it "so difficult to book an extra seat" and how her newfound tip has saved her "hours of uncomfortable flights."
All you need to do is ask.
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The TikTok clip cuts to Kirsty asking a flight attendant: "Do you know if there are any two seats next to each other free?" The staff member responds by saying she will look once boarded. Subsequently, Kirsty secured an extra free seat for asking the question.
"The sooner you board and ask, the better," Kirsty wrote as the caption. "Flight attendants work on a first come first serve basis and if you’re last to board, all the free empty seats might be allocated."
@kirstyleannetravels A few other things to bear in mind are: ✨ The sooner you board and ask, the better. FAs work on a first come first serve basis and if you’re last to board, all the free empty seats might be allocated. ✨ Don’t ask the first FA you see. Get to the ‘section’ your seat is in and ask the person who is then standing closest to you. If you’re at the back of the plane, it’s unlikely someone at the front will be able to help you. ✨ Don’t just move. It’s always better to ask so that FAs are aware you want more space. They also may tell you to wait until after takeoff to move and will save the space for you. ✨ I also ask at check-in as often, they can change your ticket to be in an empty row. A lot of the time, however, I’m told it’s a full flight even if it’s not. If you get this answer, don’t be disheartened - people don’t show up or miss their flight, leaving extra seats. #plussizetraveltoo #plussizetraveltips #travellingwhilefat #fattravel #plussize #flyingwhilefat #plussizequeen #flightghack #travelhack #fatandhappy #plussizetraveller
It comes after US influencer Jae-lynn Chaney called out "discriminatory" airline policies asking plus-sized passenger to pay "double twice for the same experience".
Chaney, whose Change.org petition garnered attention earlier this year to "protect plus-sized customers", has since doubled down on her experience being discriminated against because of her body.
"People with smaller bodies get to pay one fare to get to their destination," Chaney told CNN Travel.
"We have to pay two fares, even though we’re getting the same experience. If anything, our experiences are a little bit more challenging."
She went on to tell Fox that the "mistreatment and discrimination of plus-size travellers" is clear, "unacceptable and must be addressed."
She added: "Implementing policies to accommodate plus-size passengers may come with associated costs, but these costs must be weighed against the benefits of creating a more welcoming and inclusive travel experience."
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