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Summertime is a key opportunity for vacations, but one factor that may cause individuals who are overweight to avoid flying is the discomfort of the seats on the airplane. A standard airline seat is between 17 and 18 inches on most airplanes, which is about six inches less than seats found in most movie theatres. By all comparisons, space is tight. An ongoing debate is occurring over the rights of obese individuals vs. the rights of other passengers. Anyone who has flown knows that even individuals of a normal body weight may struggle to fit into the narrow seats. Obese individuals, however, may not be able to appropriately fasten on the seatbelt or keep the armrest that separates their seat from their neighboring passenger in the down position, which then encroaches on the space of the other person.

Why are the seats so small to begin with? The airlines build passenger seating to accommodate the most people possible within the space allotted. More passengers mean potentially more revenue. Roomier seats are available in the business or first class sections, but many people are unable to afford the pricier seating that provides the benefit of extra room.

In Canada, airlines there must give obese people two seats for the price of one on domestic flights, the country’s court ruled in 2008. In the U.S., various airlines have obesity policies that may require a person who cannot fit into a single seat safely to purchase two seats when the plane is flying at capacity and a person can’t be moved to another seat assignment where two seats are together. An unsettled question seems to be who makes the decision, and how it is handled. Airlines plea that the policy changes were made due to an increasing number of complaints by other passengers, who felt it was unfair to have their small seating area compromised by sitting next to someone who overfills their space. In other words, airlines feel caught in knowing that they won’t be able to please all passengers on this sensitive issue.

In truth, it’s not just people who are obese who are affected. Extremely tall people are equally as uncomfortable in those seats and can also encroach on their passenger as well. But because it is unlikely for American airline companies to be required to retrofit plans to include larger seating — especially during times of an ailing economy when they are struggling to stay afloat as it is — fitting into a seat on an airplane is a realistic concern of many individuals.

If you’ve recently had weight loss surgery or are contemplating doing so, you may want to consider adding a flight to a desired destination as a reward when you reach your desired weight — and are free from concern that you won’t be able to fit into those small seats!