Kirsty Leanne, 32, has hit back at trolls who insist she book two seats for herself on an airplane for the sake of fellow passengers – with one even calling for her to be banned from flying
A plus-size traveller has fired back at online trolls who demand she purchases two seats for herself on planes for other passengers’ comfort – with one critic even suggesting she should be barred from flying altogether.
Kirsty Leanne’s comeback has gone viral on TikTok, racking up 1.2 million views. She explained precisely why she believes it’s unfair for her to pay extra. Numerous followers among her 134,000-strong fanbase urge her to shed weight and slam her size, with the 32-year-old revealing she receives daily messages about occupying excessive space on flights—yet she maintains that purchasing two seats isn’t an ideal fix.
“It’s something I get daily now,” Kirsty, a travel blogger from Shropshire, said. “While sometimes I will book a second seat, there are so many reasons why it’s not a suitable solution for everyone.”
Kirsty outlined her perspective in the TikTok video, acknowledging that whilst purchasing two seats might appear to be “the right solution”, it’s not a “one size fits all” matter.
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She explained: “Booking two seats can be incredibly expensive and, for a lot of people, it’s out of their budget to spend that much on something they’re not sure will work 100%. Booking an extra seat can be super tricky.
“Every airline has a different process and most of this time, this isn’t available to find on their website. On numerous occasions, I have spoken to members of the team using support chats or their customer service line, and they haven’t understood what I’m trying to do.
“A lot of the time, both check-in and gate agents do not know you can book an extra seat, which often leads to confusion when it comes to the process.”
Kirsty revealed that during a trip with an additional seat booked, she encountered issues at every interaction with airline staff who “didn’t know what to do or how to process it”, making the situation more stressful.
She continued: “This was an incredibly anxious experience for me, as I didn’t know if they were going to honour the seat reservation. You also never know if your seat is going to be taken away from you.
“I’ve arrived at check-in desks to be told my second seat has been sold, and had people share with me that their extra seats have been given to people on standby.”
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Kirsty explained that the extra seat could be lost due to aircraft changes, which may alter the seating configuration without prior notice.
She continued: “While I know booking a second seat works great for some, it’s not a blanket solution for every single plus-size person.”
Despite her explanations, the comments on her post were rife with judgemental remarks from people who had very little sympathy.
One commenter bluntly said: “This is unfair on those around you. Sort you act out and stop blaming the airlines. You should be banned.” Another added: “Plane seats aren’t small.”
A different individual suggested: “Isn’t it easier to just lose the weight at this point, all of these problems would be gone for you, this must be exhausting honestly. All very interesting, but that all sounds like a you problem. Just keep your arsecheek, thighs and arms out of MY seat area that I have paid for.”
Another commenter wrote: “If you can’t afford to pay for the space you take up on a plane, you can’t afford to travel. It’s as simple as that.”
Despite facing criticism, Kirsty remains undeterred by the naysayers – she’s even started her own venture, Plus Size Travel Too, aiming to support fellow plus-size individuals in enjoying their travels to the fullest. This summer, she’s organising an inclusive Croatian getaway, inviting 32 other plus-size adventurers to join her aboard a yacht, ensuring it’s a comfortable experience for those with larger frames.
She explained: “I want people to see that it’s not as easy as it seems and why most people choose not to purchase one when flying. I feel like a little compassion would go a long way when it comes to plus size people on planes but everyone tends to jump to anger and hate instead.”
