BOSTON, April 19, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Small, medium, and large drinks are priced accordingly on menus. Why, asks travel expert Stephanie Abrams, is Whoopi Goldberg joining the flap against United Airline's decision to join other airlines imposing a "one seat limit" per passenger which requires oversized travelers to purchase additional seating?
Abrams, travel expert host of the nationally syndicated radio shows Travel WITH Stephanie Abrams and Traveling Feet, whose April 18th blog at her award-winning site www.sabrams.com focused on this story, applauds the airlines' protecting rights of passengers whose space is encroached upon by travelers who are too large for their assigned seats. Abrams, a 'great fan' of Whoopi Goldberg, is quick to point out that, "Whoopi tells audiences at The View that she hates to fly, commutes cross-country in her motorcoach and took a course to conquer her fear of flying offered by Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airlines. The videos of Whoopi's flight to London demonstrate premium quality service with flat-bed accommodations in flight. Those were not pictures of economy class where passenger space is at issue. "Most passengers fly economy class. When you pay for a seat, you expect to have the whole seat available for your own comfort, "Abrams states.
Abrams' April 18, 2009 blog at www.sabrams.com recounts her recent flight from Miami to NYC. "My seatmate was sitting in one-third of my middle seat as well as his window seat in the emergency row. He insisted that the armrest stay in a vertical position to prevent it cutting into his thigh, created uncomfortable pressure from my shoulder to my knee and the feeling that my left side was on fire from his body heat. The plane was full so changing seats was not an option." Abrams created a barrier of newspaper and magazines to insulate her from the other passenger.
As a result of that experience, Abrams provided her radio listeners and visitors to her award-winning website with a travel tip to deal with such situations on airlines that have not taken the bold step to protect them as United and others have. "I advised my audiences to carry a clipboard in their carry-on luggage to slide between you and the encroaching passenger to create a barrier. If you place it vertically, you'll have a spot to rest your elbow, too!"
Abrams applauds airlines that enforce one-passenger-one-seat rules. "If you haven't experienced being impaled by an airline seatmate, you need to 'fly crushed' before forming an opinion on the value of this rule." Abrams concludes, "Airlines should create rows of seating similar to loge loveseats in theatres which come with premium price tags. It could be an innovation in the coach compartment for families, tall people, and others who pine for spacious coach seating as well."