U S R

USR is a polite term within the airline industry for FAT PAX

Normal Sized Passenger

FAT PAX is the hottest topic within the airline industry right now.  All abbreviations make me dizzy.   I never know what the heck they mean, and sometimes I pretend to comprehend, only to dig myself into a bigger hole.

Depending on where you are, what you do, USR can mean a whole range of things.  For example if you are in education, then USR could be Universities Statistical Records, or if you are in medicine, then it could easily be Ultra Sound Records.  If you are just like me, who loves to eat, travel and meet lovely people, this acronym has no relevance whatsoever until I was at the gate ready to board my plane from NYC to Atlanta.

Believe it or not this passenger is seated!

If you are deemed a “USR”  by a US airline, then there are only three choices left;  buy two seats, get de-planed or lose a massive amount of weight pronto.   USR in polite terms, means Unique Seating Required or in airline vernacular, Fat Pax.

Having  a relatively small, compact Asian physique, public transport of any kind has never hampered me in any way until I ventured into the nether regions of “inside” America, where food portions are ginormous, with subsequent results in obesity as the number one health problem in America.   I was wedged between two very large ladies.  In fact it must have looked ridiculous to the eye because the flight attendant was extra nice to me and tried to find a better seat to no avail.   My 2 hour flight could only be described as suffocating

Now I realize that some people will say that obesity is a genetic condition or a handicap, and it may well be, although the fact that the ranks of the obese in the U.S. grow year after year suggests that it's not (DNA doesn't mutate quite that quickly).

The idea of charging for two seats is fair.  But how about paying by weight.  All airlines have weight ratio problems, so this could help to calculate take-off weight crucial for any flight.  On another note, its a great way to keep trim.

When purse permits, business class is the preferred seat. Nevertheless even on some airlines, I feel short changed when my BC seat's only difference  is  a foot rest and a larger blanket.  

I have yet to pay an airfare that was value for money.  Even low cost has become less attractive when flying from Rome to Heathrow, I discovered that the sandwiches for sale at the beginning of the flight, gets 50% discount 20 minutes before landing.  On disembarking, the sandwiches lost its lustre became free for all.

For those extra large people, I do feel very sorry for their predicament.  Life must be hell whatever they have to undertake.  From the car they purchase, to the toilet they  have to carefully lower their bum without cracking the seat, I would not want to humiliate them further by having to weigh themselves before boarding. So airlines out there find a fair solution - I want good seats, plenty of leg room with only two in a row, crisp linen napkins, 2 or 3 different cuisines to choose from, pretty flight attendants, all packaged together in a low budget price.

Dream on........