Holidays can be stressful for anyone, but plus sized people may find the experience of a plane journey more worrying.
After all, plane seats are notoriously small and many passengers have considered buying two seats just to be comfortable.
Additionally, the seatbelts on planes don’t accommodate everyone’s size – as one woman discovered on her latest flight.
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She was in pain from how tight the belt was and was too worried to get an extender belt.
On Reddit, she said: "Today I had to fly and I get so much anxiety because the ‘lap belt’ goes across the largest part of my body.
"I have a fit husband and I had to look at him in the face today on the plane while panicking when the lap belt was at least half an inch too small.
"He looked at me and I had to say ‘I’m too big to fit!’ I wanted to cry, I never wanted to tell anyone, especially him that my size is causing the belt not to fit."
She added: "I seriously almost flew ‘pretending’ to wear the belt and just cover it on my lap with my sweater because I was so upset with myself.
"I know that I was anxious prior to getting in to my seat and once I told my husband it wouldn’t fit he told me to breathe for a second.
"I felt my heart racing and I got so mad at myself I sat up straight as I could and forced that belt on, (broke a nail at the same time) it was tight AF all the way to our destination but at least I was safe and following the rules."
She added that this was one of her "biggest fears" and that she had "never seen anyone ask for extenders".
Flight attendants quickly weighed in on the issue and encouraged her to get a seat belt extender.
One person said: "The reason you never see or hear anyone ask for them is because it's kinda discreet, my friend is a flight attendant and she says people always talk about how no one ever asks for them when in fact many do lol and they slip them to you casually.
"Just ask for one next time, it's seriously no big deal once you done it.”
"I ask as soon as I board, not knowing whether the seat belt will fit or not," added another. "Everyone behind me can wait. Plane rides are already so uncomfortable and expensive to not seek what little comfort I can find."
Others suggested she buy her own seatbelt extender to avoid having to ask.
But, cabin crew explained that this was unsafe.
One air host said: "Flight attendant here!
"This is extremely unsafe as seat belt extenders online are not FAA approved and will most likely snap in half or snap out of the seat belt buckle especially the more weight/stress is added on the belt.
"I would advise to please just ask your flight attendant for an extender or one could get seriously injured."
Another noted: "If the flight attendant sees you using your own they’ll ask you to switch to theirs. It’s a liability situation for them for you to use your own because it’s not something they can monitor."
Another added: "You deserve to fly safely and comfortably. Asking for an extender is no kind of reflection on you at all. When I tell you attendants do not care and it is their job I mean that 100%. You were not and are not the first person nor the last to ask for one."
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