Enjoying the luxury of business class seats on an 11-hour flight back to Auckland was meant to be a treat for Renell and Tere after undergoing weight-loss surgery in the city of Bangkok.
''The staff were shouting 'too big, too big' at us repeatedly. Rows of people watched as they measured us at the check-in. It was so humiliating the way we were treated that I just broke down in tears,'' said Huhana. "We were really looking forward to flying on business class and instead we were left traumatised,'' she added.But Thai Airways said its business class seatbelts are fitted with built-in air bags which means they can't be extended. The family are still confused by this explanation.Since their traumatic experience last summer, Huhana and her daughters have been trying to get a refund from Thai Airways.
He was also confused by the actions of Thai Airways staff as ''many obese people book business class as they are unable to fit comfortably into economy class''.
Then go on a diet!
I should think the seats are too small indeed. These sizes are killers for their future.
Agreed.
Disgusting why...
It's about time to make some extra large or extra extra large seats.
Lose weight. Simple. 😁 😁 😁
They look too big to enter the plane in the first place, let aside fitting into seats. Just on-boarding them would have caused unnecessary delays.
Well.... They weren't wrong.
It's about time.
But seats in business class are wider than in coach so how does that add up?
Welllllllll....
I mean they are fat that is a fact
They should get Big refunds
The obvious
the airlines shld do better for ppl who r larger. We shld not judge large ppl it's their life n we r all going to die one way or another small medium or larger
After something humiliating and traumatizing happens of course the best thing to do is report it to the media. They're sure not looking for money instead of putting that effort into losing so they don't take up two seats
Gosh what a pile on in response to a story about ladies already taking action to address their weight only to be treated like second class people by an airline who clearly should have done better.
😂😂😂 every component in this article is fantastic 😂😂😂
Wow the comments of some of the people on here. No heart...
Oh well I deal with traumatizing events all the time. However this is bad. Sue them.. they should've been told this before buying tickets, however very rude. Many things could've been arranged. In all truth plane seat design did not have fat people in mind. Just money. Rude rude
The comments on this are appalling. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Fruit and veg is cheaper than junk food
Absolutely agree! Hope other airlines will follow. Plus I don't see reason why these ladies should feel traumatised - it's true, they are just too big. If your luggage is too big you pay extra, no?
I mean, what were they supposed to do, squeeze them into it? I don't like to sit in seats that are too small for me, so I would hate that! So I can't imagine why this is a problem.
Rightly so!
Well looking at the picture YES TOO FAT - Lose some focking weight, do some exercise and stop opening your month AND EATING SH1T
Racist People... so bad.
Omg. They were so embarrassed by the incident, they decided to cash in by talking to the press so that the whole world can now ridicule them.
Aren't the seats bigger in business class? Wouldn't the seat belts be bigger. Totally get the whole big thing and invading other people's space but airlines should be aware of it
replace all armrests with vertical partitions
Perhaps they should be put in the hold!!!
Contributes to global warming all the extra weight... fact
They are not just big for business class , they are big for everything else. People get offended so easy these days. C’mon grow up!
yo moma so fat she gets tickets on double hull oil tankers
Collective width of the plane which probably is 6 seats wide
Okay but what airline
Well....there truly are people too large to be accommodated. It’s a fact and 300 people are common
I cannot make out It's
I’m super confused how can you be too big for business class but small enough for economy shouldn’t that be reversed
Well, in fairness...
They dont want them stinking up the cabin with their fat sweat
Bloody hell put them in cargo
They are too fat to fly. Send by airfreight and pay per kilo
Might be an incentive to lose some weight..... for those that say book 2 seats in business you cant they are enclosed seats if you dont fit there is no alternative. I've been on planes where theyve had to kick people off the flight coz they cant get the seatbelt round them
'Traumatised' when they were told? Surely when you’re this size you’d be used to the odd inappropriate comments, especially in the case of the language barrier here.
This news WHY ?
Obviously they are
It’s official BBC has morphed into The Sun
Easysweat
I love BBC news
Well they definitely look to big. Or have we all got to alter our lives to accommodate these people who dont even care about themselves or their health?
That’s actually disgusting how can people say that
They need to ditch the carbs. All overweight- why can’t we state the obvious facts?
Staggeringly this was after their weightloss surgery. The staff on planes have think about the safety of their passengers above anything. If you’re too large for the seat there’s only one person to blame I’m afraid...
Well done that airline.
Freight instead?
It’s true! Too big to fly full stop. People get charged for their bags being overweight yet people like this pay the same price for seats! It should be more expensive for obese people to fly.
Fact is they are ! Loose weight !
I’d be too embarrassed to take this story to the media! It should be a wake up call to them! For your own health, think carefully!
The surgery was clearly a success 😳
Mr Health and Mr Safety said so.
Lovely ladies - but I can't understand why, especially young women get so big. It is in the main -food, the wrong food. It's such a shame not to mention bad for ones health.
Rightly so, I don't want to be sitting next to them! And bet it's not, big bones, gland problems, metabolism. Probably just eat too much!
Ima fight the airline company. Assholes.
Good!
fattys pay doubleseatstealers
Yeah, they are. Next.
Yikes, who do I have to fight?
Airlines focus on aking seat as small as possible.. And don't care for the welfare of their passengers. Heavier people shouldn't be discriminated against because of their weight. The airline should make bigger seats. You wouldnt tell passenger they're too tall and refuse them.
“Traumatised” Wait till there faced with the heart failure and type 2 diabetes, they’ll wish they could go back to just being told they are overweight 🤷♂️
Taking a break from white privilege reporting for fat shaming. Stay classy BBC.
Charge them extra baggage
Well they have a point but I’d say they’re too wide for any seat in any class
Shit has got real!
Because they already have a business that they wouldn't learn anything new?
Too big for any class tbf.
Because they are, seats and seatbelts are made for people not clinically obese
It's not like when you are young you say, 'when I grow up, I wanna be this big '.Please!
How the hell did they get into economy seats, let moderation be your guide!!.
It likey a fact that they have to trim the planes load and if they did fly up from in the nose area no other passengers could as that’d be the limit for the forward cargo distribution.. not a case of shaming but simple safety and economics
It is not something you are born with. Do something about it!!!
Only one women who can help them now!
Well... they are!
Aeroplane seat are not big so must be a limit sometime and they are large people
But its true imagine sitting next to those on a long flight😳
Put a business class in the cargo hold, there's the solution. And don't worry about the cold.... plenty of insulation. They are too fat.... unless they pay for 3 seats and not squash themselves into 1 seat. Fk sake, just accept it.
What else can the airline do? They need to speak Thai.
How did they get to the airport, in a container
What a waist
Too fat
Square peg round hole, springs to mind.. 👀
I was wondering why a business class was turning people down for being overweight.
The key to weight loss is to stop fucking eating. I’ve lost over a stone with this philosophy.
Makes sense
They already know they are not the average size so must understand heath and safety rules are there for themselves and other passages
Apart they said the airline is being fatist, airline replied, no, you're fatist
Put them on a board then, BBC, seing as you want even more women running everything ( including all the leftists that you employ) PC twats.
The most shocking thing about this story is that they were on their way BACK from weight loss surgery! It's the surgeon who should be giving them a refund, not the airline!
The airline only had their safety and the safety of those around them in mind! If the seatbelts don’t fit you don’t fly!!
I once sat next to a very large lady on a flight. Parts of her stomach were on my lap and a breast was over my arm. It was horrendously uncomfortable for both of us and I was sweating under her fat. She was mortified and I said not a word, I am English after all! Awful experience
Cargo hold more likely...
Lose some weight!!!!!
Mercy!
if that doesn’t give the u the motivation to lose weight, then...
Yeah seems about right. So should airlines reconfigure seating layouts just to accommodate bigger people? It’s not going to happen. If you can’t fit in to a seat that the vast majority of people can then it’s your problem.
True !
In 2005..it cost $300 in gas for one 150lb person to get from Ohio to California. What it is now, I dont know. (I was a flight attendant.)
If they’re too big for business class what hope do they have trying to squeeze into an economy seat!
They are, so?
Yup obvs. Why is this a story?
Not surprised. They are very fat.
I again, fair enough. Not the airline’s fault. Shedding a few pounds wouldn’t be the worst thing they could do...
Fair enough
Sadly probaly right, unfair to the person sitting next to them that will lose some of there seat space! Hard thing to say to them but only fair to the other person.
How is this news ! The chairs have always been that size , they are the ones who have changed size !
Congratulations to all those who are trying to lose weight. However, anyone who is too big for the seats should pay for another otherwise those people sat next to them may not have enough personal space. That said, the airline should go about a discreet way of dealing with it.
Well at least they’ll have an idea of what to give up for lent
I think they may be.
What yute wrote the article? “Came at them with tape measures”. 🤣
If anyone cared to actually read the article they were flying back having had weight loss surgery. Feeling the need to operate to fit societies norms then being treated like that is hardly ideal.
I agree with airline to big is to big
Any sign off BBC reporting on Russian political interference in UK politics report, or French Revolution, or Arcuri scandal, or ElectoralFraud? By the way, has bbclaurak been arrested?
But there’s less room in Economy...
How did Thai airways employee not know that was not okay? I hope they win enough to buy their own jet and then some.
I would be more worried about the plane trying to take off
Well, they literally and physically won't fit in there 😂
Charge by weight then (I'm 40lbs overweight) but that applies to my 2 year old granddaughter who only weighs the same as a 12 month old. Swings and roundabouts
6 A, B, C where’s the problem? 6 D, E, F will be alright. Not too sure about row 5 or 7 though!
I suspect this has more to do than their size.🧐
And?
Too big for cargo as well. Put them on a container ship.
I know this seems harsh, but they are responsible for their size I think we over normalise being obese now. Years ago it was humiliating, difficult to by fashionable clothes and people did something about it These pictures should be shown to obese people to see what it does 👇🏼
I know this seems harsh, but they are responsible for their size I think we over normalise being obese now. Years ago it was humiliating, difficult to by fashionable clothes and people did something about it These pictures should be shown to obese people to see what it does 👇🏼
Yep, they’re huge commonsense
An old story and misleading headline. The seats in business class have safety airbags which simply cannot be extended to fit larger people.
Yes... And How many obese people want validation... I'm 57kilo an have hand carry 7kg... And you?
Fat Jaffa’s 😂😂😂😂
To be fair they are not enormous. There are plenty of people who are a lot bigger. They would be paying several thousand pounds for a seat in Business class. The least they might expect is to be treated sensitively.
If this is reflective of society then what? No more ramps for wheelchairs, no more wider chairs in the office for bigger people? ..discrimination is discrimination- telling other people how to live their lives while accommodating or accepting others choices - such hypocrisy!
True. They have no mirror to see that
Sorry but they are very large ladies, might have to pay for two seats each, that would be expensive.
Morbidly obese individuals are actually infringing on the rights of every other citizen. That is why it is a duty of the citizen to stay in shape!
Should have to buy two seats.
Probably.
This does not seem to be logical. I would assume the seats in Business Class would be bigger. Unless the problem is the affect on the person next to them. If that is the case the airline don’t care about the people sitting in Economy at all.
The 3 tonners
This happened 6 bloody months ago. How on earth is it still getting publicity now. Ridiculous.
Typical BBC. Looking for offence where theres none. Chairs are one size fits all unless you have a disability. The amount of food you stick in your cake hole is totally yours. Unless in the case of these three it’s all in the Genes? Which therefore means it’s the Airways fault.
'We're going to need a bigger plane.'
They are. Aren’t they?
Yet another of the many ,many reasons I don't fly.claustrophobia
They received a refund For being overweight?
Well they are!
How is this news?
So the airline didn't complain, when they flew with them, out to Thailand. It's funny, how they were forced to fly in economy, without purchasing extra seats, as they were so large. Strange!
I'm afraid they are
Fo by sea freight.
They have received what they deserve.
Not nice to say. Good luck girls. Go for it.
Something the airlines need to make clear on booking forms prior to people paying. Simple. I had to ask to be moved from a premium seat, which was bloody expensive, because the man next to me overlapped my seat he was so big. There was no way i was travelling 10 hours like that
Should be allowed but charged extra for their weight. We light people have to pay extra for a few kilos of overweight baggage.
Not gunna lie the fat comments on here are a bit much. I weigh 120lbs and am 5’4 I feel tight in airline seats these days. Like no elbow room and I always have peoples arms in my spot because it’s a sardine in there now
I wonder if the responses would be as harsh if these were three men? Not in my experience.
I wonder if they are sorry they went public with this story as the horrific body shaming comments on here are depressing to read but I knew that they would be there which is even worse
No if they buy 2 seats each 🤷🏼♂️
Rightly so.
Seats are only so big, chief.
Try slim fast.
Well... they are. No hiding from that fact. But, as is becoming the norm these days, someone else is to blame for it.
Tbh they need a plane all to themselves and a crane to embark, disembark lardarse
Is this to do with flying or attending a class? One is acceptable for all classes of flying, the other is diabolical.
Truth hurts 👊💥
Wow, the comments on here.... Have any of you read the story? Yes the airline was unable to accommodate, but to humiliate them in public was disgusting, as are most of these comments... 🙄
Shake what your mama gave you...... Shake it off. Exercise is the key......
How about you and your total luggage are weighed together and you pay accordingly. Plane needs to know the total weight it is pulling off the ground.. why not do it this way.. The more you weigh the more you pay
People that size should be made to buy a whole row of seats. It’s unfair for some other passenger to have to be squeezed next to some smelly fat fooker munching crisps and eating hotdogs for the entire flight. Any they’d need do be spread out.... weight distribution 👍🤣
What about the poor people in economy...imagine been sandwiched between this lot.
May I be the first to suggest that maybe there was a safety issue here? Possibly the airline were considering the possibility of what would happen if they needed to evacuate the plane in an emergency? Air safety in that part of the world isn't exactly the best is it. Think.
& Clearly mother and daughter thought the airline were wrong....🙄🤔
I genuinely think they should design seats for larger & taller people. Reserve these seats until check in. It’s unfair to expect neighbouring passenger to squash into half a seat & likewise larger passenger to be squashed into a tiny economy space. We all pay for our tickets!
Container sized loads normally go by ship.
They could have checked with the airline what the seat measurements were before booking tickets.
They clearly could have dealt with it better and I find it strange that they were too big for business but fitted them into no doubt smaller seats in economy. I am amazed flight tickets aren’t priced with weight being one of the measures.
Well yea !
If they were allowed sit in the business class seats we would be hearing them complaining they were too small. Why wait 6 months for this non 'News' story Some seat belts do have built in airbags on aircraft.
Try another airline and stop whingeing
🤔 How big is 'too big' supposed to be? Haven't seen any specifics mentioned in the rulebook!
This is not something you want to go to the media about.
They keep a good table...
I mean, as someone that has flown business a few time I cannot imagine business class seats catering for someone of that size without it being extremely uncomfortable 😣
But if they had business class tickets where the seats are HUGE then how were they forced to sit/fit in tiny ass economy seats...
It's common sense! They were offended by 'too big'? What alternative explanation would they find appropriate? Too large? Obese? Stop criticising the airline staff for being honest and putting their safety first! These women need to lose weight - period!
Just come back from a cruise , there were some, mainly young people who were grossly obese on the ship and was frankly dreading being next to one on the plane going home, thankfully wasn’t. I really fear for the health and future of people of this size, they need help.
Seeing is believing
Truth hurts
Fair enough, they're carrying a lot of weight BUT, I think it's disgusting that people are on here shaming, and making jokes about, their bodies. Try and be a little bit sensitive at least.
Disgusting amount of fat shaming in these replies. Twitter really is a cesspool sometimes.
Sounds fair to me
Errrrm, isn’t that where they all sit
And rightly so. Rocking up to the gate like a triple threat match is in the offing.
This is trash business class is wider than economy and I've died in economy several times and I'm big 🤷🏿♀️
Stopped using Thai airways years ago as the staff were really arrogant and rude.
I'm sorry but you cant fit a quart into a pint pot however much you try - not the airlines fault. Comfort, safety and personal health implications.
And?
Why does this article have to mention business class at all? If they are to big for any of the seats on the plane they are too big regardless of the seat cost/type
Well they are
Why is this news?
They need to found ‘Big Business‘ and beat their detractors hollow: even better if they teamed up with some even bigger successful men, who have been aided to build their businesses irrespective of size. Is this bullying and sexual harassment legal?
Because economy seats are bigger than business class?
How many seats each did they have in economy?
They are
I sat next to a really large person on a recent flight to Rome - it was the most uncomfortable flight ever!
Business class usually has bigger seats and longer seat belts, so very unusual. Wonder if it wasfully booked and they just needed three seats for people prepared to pay significantly more?
They are though 🤷🏻♂️
Was this shot taken 'on a wide Angle, did the vehicle they travelled in, Have a Wide load, Warning sign on the rear of the, tank, 😅🤣😂
BBC squandering our licence fee to give free publicity for these chancers. Sooner this is shut down, the better.
Send them cattle class instead.
Not to big for cargo class 😂
Look at size of them, they wouldn’t be allowed on a roller coaster either. They’ve been risk assessed, not discriminated!!
Thai airlines attitude has paid dividends as one of the women has said she won’t fly until she looses weight. Well done TA.
C'mon if they cant fit, unless they have bariatric seat that they have to pay double for! Cant feet a size 10 shoe in a size 6 can u!!
“Huhana, a social worker, says she won't fly again until she loses weight, to avoid the sort of traumatic experience Thai Airways put her and her daughters through” Not sure why they’re complaining....slightly orthodox way of loosing weight but looks like it will work..
Disgraceful 😡
'The consequences of my actions are oppressing me!!!'
How is their size the airlines problem? Seats are a certain size right 🤷🏻♂️
Can you imagine sitting between two of them?
Surprised the plane got into the air!
They are huge Tbf
WHAT KIND OF BUISNESS ARE THEY INTRESTED IN ?. FORGET THE HEAP OF LARD , WHAT DO THEY WANT TO DO ? IF THEY LIVE IN UK THEY WILL BE LOOKED AFTER , SOMETIMES TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE LIKES DOSE NOT HELP ,
Well they are? What’s the problem? Lose weight, simple.
put them in the cargo space
Put them in economy in the 3 window seats.
Yep right set of porkers
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Someone who is paying for weight loss surgery but apparently doesn't recognise they have a weight problem. Definitely worthy of a BBC news item.
This was on the way back from a weight loss course? 😂😂
People that fat shouldn’t travel at all.
Buy two tickets or lose some weight. Simple.
They do look hefty tbh
You can’t fit a pint in a half pint pot
Business class seats are enclosed and made for humans, not elephants...
I take it this photo was taken after the incident AFTER they’d had weight loss surgery as it says. So who did they fly with to get to Bangkok for the surgery.... as there was no problem then and they were larger?
I can see the issue
They certainly are the fat chubbers. They need a diet not a job ..
They are
Hope they're not going to Japan.... They'd get harpooned......
They are pretty big. Objectively so.
Health n Safety...
It's everyone else's fault. Like the airline force fed them pies and cakes.
Hopefully a wake up call and do something about yourself now
Bizarre that a story about 3 fat women flying from Bangkok to Auckland, 6 months ago, is on and not a word about what’s going on in France. Pathetic. This is not value for money disgraceful ScrapTheLicenceFee
I’m sure it could have been handled better but... the reality is, the three women in question were just too big for the seats! That is not an opinion just a simple fact of size. The same as a person who’s 6 foot 7 wouldn’t be able to get in to a lotus Elise!!
They definitely are
That's what's wrong here. Quit complaining and sharing your story. Just take it that it's kick up the arse you need to make yourselves healthy.
Even in Beluga seating class? .....
Which is true if you read the story, so what's the problem?
Could they not fly on a JUMBO jet instead.
They all need to sit somewhere in the middle.
In fairness they look too big for any seat! They don’t look like they need a map to find the chippy!
I agree with what they've were told. Seats are only so big on an airplane.
Is this news
Let's be honest, it's true.
Yep - fair- safety first.
They do have a point😂No airlines operate C17 GlobeMasters.
Well, would you like to carry them...?
Seems reasonable. commonsense. People should be charged for plane tickets based on weight or at least should have that taken into account when checking in a 20kg baggage allowance
Airlines should adopt the policy that each passenger is allowed a certain amount of weight and that allocation should include their luggage allowance. At the moment normal sized passengers subsidise the XXXXL people.
Should have paid for two seats. My luggage is two pounds over and they charge me excess baggage, the obese should be the same