A flight attendant has shared the piece of advice she would give plus-size passengers who are boarding the plane, especially if they’re feeling anxious about the journey
Follow this flight attendant’s advice and you’ll be fine (Stock Image)(Image: South_agency via Getty Images)
A flight attendant has urged plus-size passengers to follow her simple advice when boarding a plane, especially if they’re feeling anxious about what’s ahead.
Flying when plus-size can feel daunting. You may be worried about whether people will be kind to you, or if they’ll cause a scene about sitting next to someone in a bigger body, rather than questioning why plane seats are so small in the first place. But there’s something you can do before you even make it to your seat to ensure the flight is comfortable for you, and you’re not stressing or feeling embarrassed.
Jeenie Weenie, who shares videos about her life as a flight attendant, said she was making content for “all the beautiful plus-size passengers”.
Someone said they feel uncomfortable and have “anxiety” about asking for a seatbelt extender in front of their seatmate.
Of course, in an ideal world, seatbelt extenders wouldn’t be necessary, as belts would be longer and more accommodating for all, but alas, this isn’t the case right now.
However, Jeanie said: “When you’re boarding the plane, ask a crew member at this time for a seatbelt extender. Some airlines keep the extenders at the boarding area, so they’ll give them to you right away.
“And if they don’t have it there, you can give them your seat number, and once boarding is complete, they will give you the extender without you having to ask for it.”
This means the only person who will hear you asking for a seatbelt extender is the crew member, because everyone else “will be busy boarding”.
In the comments, someone praised the professionalism of all the cabin crew members they’d ever dealt with, as one wrote: “I no longer need a seat extender, but when I did, I’d ask when boarding. The flight attendants were always so nice about it and never made me feel ashamed.”
Another shared: “I remember struggling with my weight (still do) after my car accident, and I put on a lot of pounds. As soon as I was given the okay to work out, I went to the pool daily, ate better, etc. I did lose weight, but not enough.
“My first flight since the accident, I could alllllmost click the buckle. I remember being so upset and having to stop myself from crying, as I already hate walking with a limp.
“An attendant -I assume was off the clock- sat down next to me, and as she saw me quietly losing my mind and feeling desperate, she passed me an extender like a ninja and told me ‘it’s okay’ with such a reassuring smile. It was so nice to be treated with genuine care and human respect. I hope she is doing well.”
Someone else commented: “I always ask as I’m boarding. I don’t always need it since seat belt lengths aren’t the same, but I always ask just in case I need it.”