an heavy issue ... that may cause offence

[piskieinboots]

with all this talk of sneaking weight onto planes by wearing clothes surely isn't very clever! weight resistrictions are there for a reason - 'you'd' be the first to moan when the plane came down through malfunction

[Hazel at the Hill]

with all this talk of sneaking weight onto planes by wearing clothes surely isn't very clever! weight resistrictions are there for a reason - 'you'd' be the first to moan when the plane came down through malfunction

I suspect the amount you are allowed to stow on the plane (with penalties for excess baggage) is more about the aircompanies making extra money that it is about safety, Pisk...

If it was about safety, they would say 'NO baggage over 20kg' and not 'any baggage over 20kg will incur an extra fee of �7 per kilo'

[bobleponge]

with all this talk of sneaking weight onto planes by wearing clothes surely isn't very clever! weight resistrictions are there for a reason - 'you'd' be the first to moan when the plane came down through malfunction

Doesnt really stack up Pisk. The airlines dont know if John Smith is 8 stone or 38 stone when he books his ticket, so they take an average and load accordingly.
There would be ample power/weight left even if the plane was full and everyone was wearing 3 pairs of jeans.
And my wouldnt you be happy with them if you happened to crash somewhere cold!!

[zazen999]

And they would weigh YOU at check in.......

[HeyWayne]

I hate sitting next to big people,

Big people have feelings too.

[piskieinboots]

Big people have feelings too.

((hugs)) I'll sit by ya

[piskieinboots]

...more about the aircompanies making extra money that it is about safety, Pisk...

Doesnt really stack up Pisk!

I know - I'm just trying to be controversial and failing

[Rhona]

((hugs)) I'll sit by ya

I will too, if you're not keen on the food. I love 'plane food. I eat so healthily most of the time, I like a bit of plastic packaged stuff on a neat tray as a total 'departure.' I especially love long haul flights - really nice food, free wine, good films. Had fab meals flying via Singapore a couple of times - really spicy vegetable noodles and surprisingly good scallops. I actually get excited at the little menus and pray that Mr R will announce that he's going to sleep through the meal so I can have his too.

[piskieinboots]

When we were posted to Edinburgh I worked in the aircraft industry organising the meals onto the food. Nope, no horrid stories to follow, actually the food was very good quality - the best airline being Monarch.

My best experience was on an early shift (up at 0400hrs!!!) it was freezing cold, temperature on the apron was recorded at -24 degrees! Gawd that hurt! On returning to base, we were given the airline cooked breakfasts to warm us up
*see Piskie chomping on five (yes FIVE) trays of cooked breakfast

[bluemoon]

When I bought the shoes for my daughter's wedding the sales assistant said something along the lines of; 'There's nothing can make you feel better than a new pair of shoes or a new lip-stick, is there?' I grunted a noncommittal reply whilst secretly wondering what planet she was from. Admittedly I have more books than the local branch library (not an exaggeration), but they have some point. If I ever reach the stage where I'm buying shoes to make myself 'feel better' I think I'll have serious problems. This particular pair of shoes have been worn just the once and every time I see them I begrudge the expense. I have two or three pairs of boots, wellies, two pairs of sandals, slippers and a couple of pairs of 'smart' shoes (and of course the silly, wedding ones). I'll grudgingly replace them when they wear out.

[organic]

And they would weigh YOU at check in.......

This is a good point.

On commercial airlines the weight tolerances are so wide there is no need to weigh the passengers.

However, on flights into Siberia, Northern Canada and other extremely remote areas, they weigh EVERYTHING that goes onto the plane, passengers included, because the consequences of running out of fuel or runway in such remote places are nothing short of certain death.




As for me being the first to moan if the plane came down... I actually sorta make preparations for exactly that scenario. I take a quick look at the kind of plane before boarding, if there's no tail engine I set behind the wings, if there is I try to sit over them (statistically the safest places to be in a plane crash apart from "nowhere near the crash")... look to see the nearest exit... have sturdy footwear... something to cover my face if needed... bag at my feet ready to grab with water in it... there's often a small first aid kit in there too.

I'm not paranoid... I know it's the safest mode of transport known to man and I feel more vulnerable in a CAR than a plane... but if I'm on a plane that crashes in a remote area and I survive the impact... I'll be one of the first ones out AND able to help other survivors.

More than anything it lets me relax more when the plane falls about 50 feet in those weird pockets in the sky, is shaken by turbulence and more than anything - it's a bit of a laugh and a good running joke when a flight gets scary.

[piskieinboots]

I ask for a seat on the black box

[organic]

in the black box would be better, well, if you were tiny anyway.

Did you know the black box isn't black?

[allotmentlady]

8 pairs of shoes>??????? i own 4 pairs...........

[Hilary B]

I am about as large a person as will fit into my own seat on a plane (on the very rare occasions I fly at all). Anyone wider will be taking up part of the next seat as well (which is obviously not right, unless they pay extra. If they need 2 seats, they should buy 2 seats). I can actually see the point when someone who weighs what I USED to (a lot less), thinks it unfair that someone half-as-big-again as me gets the same baggage allowance.
If you can only get 2 oversize people into 3 seats, then they should be paying accordingly. It's tough being overweight, and being charged extra seems harsh if you can't help it, but it IS realistic!