Q: Recently, I've gotten quite overweight -- fitting into plane seats is now challenging. On my last flight, the guy next to me asked the flight attendant, loudly, what she was going to do about "This huge lady taking up half the space I paid for." They reseated him, but I was mortified. What can I do? Should I buy two seats?
A: First, that guy is a knucklehead. I hope they reseated him next to a very fragrant bathroom.
However, I think he does have a point, despite his horrid way of expressing it. When you buy a plane ticket, you're paying to use a certain amount of space for the duration of your flight, and it's not fair to take more space than you've paid for. If you rent an apartment and can't fit all your stuff in it, you can't just put some of it in your neighbor's place.
The same logic applies here. And not just to overweight people -- to anyone who needs more room. If you're a bodybuilder with enormous biceps, for example, don't expect your seatmate to give you 4 inches of space on her side of the armrest.
So consider treating yourself to business or first class, or buying two coach seats. Yes, this costs more, which nobody likes to hear when flights are pricey enough already, but it's the right thing to do.
Q: My elderly great-aunt brings me back a T-shirt whenever she travels. She's trying to be thoughtful, but I'm a 28-year-old guy, and I am never going to wear a T-shirt from Gettysburg with cats dressed as Union and Confederate soldiers! What can I do?
A: If this is your worst travel-related problem, I know a lot of people who'd happily switch places with you. Thank your great-aunt graciously, then take the T-shirts to Goodwill. (However, if you haven't chosen a Halloween costume yet, "Cat-Obsessed Civil War Buff" would be brilliant.)
Q: A guy on my last flight was coughing incessantly. I heard him say he had the flu. Isn't it rude to fly when you're sick?
A: Of course. Unless you've been living under a rock all year, you should know not to go anywhere if you have the flu. Despite government warnings, sick people will keep flying until airlines let them change their flights without paying a penalty. Get a flu shot and hope for the best. If you're seriously concerned about another passenger's health, have a discreet word with a flight attendant.
(E-mail travel-etiquette questions to Lesley Carlin at deartripadvisor(at)tripadvisor.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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