Passenger discomfort highlights airline policies on seating requirements

"If a customer needs extra space outside a single seat to travel safely, another seat is required. We encourage customers to address all seating needs when booking."

The policy further explains that reservations will ensure two adjacent seats at the same rate if booked in advance. If accommodations cannot be made on the original flight, customers can buy seats on another flight at no additional cost.

The middle-seat passenger purchased a specific amount of space but did not receive it due to their neighbor's size. The article argues that other passengers should not bear this burden and suggests that individuals requiring more space should either buy additional seats or have airlines provide them without infringing on others' purchased space.

Last year, plus-sized influencer "Big Curvy Olivia" initiated a viral petition demanding free extra seats for passengers who do not fit into standard ones. She highlighted discrimination issues related to narrow aircraft aisles and posted videos struggling through United Airlines Polaris business class cabins.

Ben Kew commented via Twitter: "Lol and the First Class cabin has much more space than economy."

Any solution proposed would likely result in less space per seat or fewer overall seats on board, leading to higher fares and potentially fewer flights due to economic constraints on certain routes and frequencies.