AIRPLANES Weight need not hinder travelers

One man gives advice and sells seat-belt extenders for simplifying the journey.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
A couple of years ago, Tim Barry waited at the Southwest Airlines counter in San Jose, Calif., for a return flight home to Portland, Ore. But the gate agent told him that he might not be allowed to board the plane unless he bought another seat.
When he asked why, the agent told Barry that he was too fat.
Barry wasn't just embarrassed; he was incredulous.
He had flown this route dozens of times, commuting between Portland and San Jose for several years as a Silicon Valley technology executive. But as the line of customers behind him began to grow, Barry couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"He just said, 'You're too fat; you're too big,'" Barry recalled. "He was blunt about it."
Barry got on the plane -- an airline supervisor who knew him allowed Barry to board without having to buy an additional seat -- but the episode merely confirmed what he knew all along: Airplane travel is often difficult for overweight travelers.
Barry, who weighs 365 pounds, owns and operates a Web site, www.supersizeworld.com, that sells products geared to large customers, including airline seat-belt extenders. Earlier this month, he offered travel tips to large travelers at the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance convention in San Mateo, Calif.
Travel tips
Among his suggestions:
UAvoid flying during peak times. Monday mornings and Friday and Sunday evenings are best since there are likely to be empty seats on most planes. When you book a flight, ask the agent to hold an empty seat next to you, if possible.
UAvoid the bulkhead and exit rows. They offer more legroom, but seats in those areas tend to be narrower; the armrests don't raise, and tray tables unfold from the armrest and don't fit easily over the lap of a larger person.
UIf you need a seat-belt extender, ask for one as soon as you board the plane. If you don't, and there aren't enough on board, it's possible you might not be allowed to fly.
UAsk to pre-board the plane. Tell the gate agent that you have trouble walking comfortably down the aisle and that it will make for faster boarding if you can find your seat before boarding begins.
UIf you have to buy a second seat because of your size, claim it. Tell the flight attendant that you have purchased it as soon as you board. It might spare you embarrassment if the airline tries to put someone in that seat.
Barry, who has sold more than 6,000 seat-belt extenders since he went online three years ago, said his experience with Southwest didn't sour him on air travel. But he now flies Alaska, which he says is much more accommodating.
"Most airlines bend over backward to accommodate larger people," he said. "That time with Southwest was the only negative experience I've had. Other times, gate agents or stewardesses have worked with me to find an empty seat or an aisle seat."