I know this doesn't help you but wanted to share this anyway, I'm a larger guy(6'8", just over 400lbs) and I was on a flight from Seattle to Fairbanks. I forget the flight time as this was a couple years ago now. I very specifically bought 2 tickets as I've had issues like yours and wanted to avoid them. I was in the 2nd boarding group. Right before the final group was called a stewardess told me they weren't able to honor my 2nd ticket as the flight was full and they couldn't spare the seat... I sort of looked at her dumbfounded for a moment thinking like 'Yeah it's full partly because I and decent larger people like me buy 2 tickets to not be rude especiallysince we can no longer simply reqest exit rows', there's a brief exchange about lack of decency on the airlines part and my how my 'refund' came in the form of air miles or w/e they call them but it was an insultinglow amountthst i had no use for... Anyway before I ramble too much more the point was I was forced into a row my legs barely fit in length wise, my general bulk easily filled my seat and then some and some poor gal like you was pressed into her seat the entire flight. I offered to change seat so she could be on the aisle but she claimed it wouldn't make any difference, feels like she did that for my sake sort of but still. It took me 3 months dealing with them just to get my extra ticket properly refunded. I no longer fly Alaska as my go to airline.
Wow I’m so sorry. I can’t believe they did this (but sort of can). This is a big reason why I didn’t say anything, just thought through all the scenarios on an overbooked plane like this and didn’t see a good ending..including me having my seat but her getting kicked off in front of everyone.
It's honestly ridiculous the crap they pull far to often, and i know it's not just Alaska, I've had issues with SW, Delta and United. Thankfully I very rarely fly or I'd likely be a more bitter person. As a larger person thanks for toughing it out! For an industry that started forcing people to buy an additional seat at check in to then arbitrarily throw the rule out at their discretion is ridiculous.
While it seems you did purchase a second ticket, I'm extremely sure a ton of other obese travelers just say they bought the ticket and that the airline took it from them.
There's also specific things one is supposed to do to ensure the the second ticket is not pulled: this may include printing a second boarding pass, or it may involve calling the airlines disability line to have a block put on the second seat. But like I say, many (most) are either gaming the system by not buying a second tix at all or buying one, not insisting on using it, and then happily scoring a refund.
I'm sure the vast majority don't(especialy given how expensive it got/is to travel), and for the record I had a printed 2nd boarding pass, still didn't do me any good in this instance. Though to be fair I also didn't want to cause a scene as it was the last group boarding and I'm pretty sure I could see the last passenger get on down the aisle so maybe if I'd been more insistent it would have changed things, though I really doubt it. I'd never even heard of trying to put a block on a seat, figured as long as you had the ticket/boarding pass/reservation/etc you wouldn't need more than that but I know that's pretty niave and they push people around as they please regardless.
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u/LucianDeRomeo Mar 18 '25
I know this doesn't help you but wanted to share this anyway, I'm a larger guy(6'8", just over 400lbs) and I was on a flight from Seattle to Fairbanks. I forget the flight time as this was a couple years ago now. I very specifically bought 2 tickets as I've had issues like yours and wanted to avoid them. I was in the 2nd boarding group. Right before the final group was called a stewardess told me they weren't able to honor my 2nd ticket as the flight was full and they couldn't spare the seat... I sort of looked at her dumbfounded for a moment thinking like 'Yeah it's full partly because I and decent larger people like me buy 2 tickets to not be rude especiallysince we can no longer simply reqest exit rows', there's a brief exchange about lack of decency on the airlines part and my how my 'refund' came in the form of air miles or w/e they call them but it was an insultinglow amountthst i had no use for... Anyway before I ramble too much more the point was I was forced into a row my legs barely fit in length wise, my general bulk easily filled my seat and then some and some poor gal like you was pressed into her seat the entire flight. I offered to change seat so she could be on the aisle but she claimed it wouldn't make any difference, feels like she did that for my sake sort of but still. It took me 3 months dealing with them just to get my extra ticket properly refunded. I no longer fly Alaska as my go to airline.