This blogger’s story of flying while overweight is so important

A lot of us have a difficult time when it comes to flying.

There's baggage issues, seat allocation problems, and the fear of being up the air to worry about. But one woman has pointed out that overweight people, like herself, tend to deal with a lot more hassle when flying - from other passengers, airline policies, and even flight attendants. Blogger Your Fat Friend recently took to Twitter to share her experience of flying while overweight, and her story is so important. In a tweet thread, the writer and artist detailed exactly what she has to go through every time she books a ticket on an aeroplane, and what usually happens when she takes the flight itself. https://twitter.com/yrfatfriend/status/887007488759001090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.breakingnews.ie%2Fdiscover%2Fthis-womans-brutally-honest-account-of-flying-while-fat-will-make-you-think-twice-before-complaining-on-an-aircraft-798536.html First, she explains what happens every time she has to book an airline ticket online.

I researched airlines for their "customer of size" policies, many of which reserve the right to kick me off the plane, even after boarding.

— your fat friend (@yrfatfriend) July 17, 2017

The rest require purchase of a second seat. If I don't buy one in advance, I'll be charged the day-of price. Today, that's $800 one way.

— your fat friend (@yrfatfriend) July 17, 2017

I'm charged for that second seat regardless of whether one is available. I pay double for the privilege of staying on the plane.

— your fat friend (@yrfatfriend) July 17, 2017

She goes on to say that even if she purchases a second seat in advance, the airlines tend to resell them to other passengers without telling her. She says that she is never refunded for this. The blogger says that she is not embarrassed about bringing her own seatbelt extender, but that she worries about the reaction that other passengers might have if they hear her asking for one.

I'm worried that hearing me ask for an extender will prompt others to complain. If they do, it starts a domino effect of trouble for me.

— your fat friend (@yrfatfriend) July 17, 2017

"Passengers complaining to flight attendants will get me reseated, charged double, or escorted off the plane, stranded without a way home. Over the last 2 yrs, about 50% of passengers in my row complained about me. So, my body is regularly discussed in my presence w/o my input." She says that "as a fat person on a plane," she is "treated like luggage."

As a very fat person on a plane, I am treated like luggage--a cumbersome, exasperating inconvenience. Inanimate & unfeeling.

— your fat friend (@yrfatfriend) July 17, 2017

She ends by saying she was "lucky" this time, as her flight took off without issue. The thread was shared on Twitter by many who supported Your Fat Friend's honest depiction of the issues many overweight people face on a daily basis. One user replied and thanked her for sharing her story. Another said that everybody deserved to be treated with "dignity and respect" regardless of their size.