Plus-size travel influencer blasts ‘fatphobic’ critics who say she should pay more for plane seats​on March 18, 2025 at 8:59 pm

An influencer fighting for body equality in travel clapped back after she was told to “lose weight” or pay for an extra seat when she flies.

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Jae’lynn Chaney regularly posts about her fight for “fat liberation” and has been outspoken about how “dehumanizing” it is for her to pay more for extra room on flights.

In a TikTok post, she mocked the so-called “solutions” people have suggested to her, from “lose weight” and “upgrade to first class seats” where the seats are roomier, to “don’t fly” at all.

“Oh, so I should just change my entire body to accommodate your comfort?,” Chaney asked.

“It’s not my job to shrink myself to fit into spaces that were never designed for me in the first place,” she said.

However, that didn’t sit well with most people.

“You should change your body because it’s medically necessary,” one person replied. “Seats don’t fit you because no human should be your size.”

A second person agreed: “Take responsibility for yourself. The world doesn’t revolve around accommodating your needs.”

However, others agreed with the TikToker and told Chaney she shouldn’t have to change who she is.

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“I’m a 6ft size 18 female … I have to squeeze LENGTH AND WIDTH! Your posts are soo valid!!,” one fan wrote.

Another added: “Don’t listen to the haters, you don’t need to change.”

But Chaney appeared to be most fired up by those suggesting she pay for an extra seat due to her size.

“So now my body is being compared to luggage? Charging by weight is fat phobic and dehumanizing. I’m not a suitcase,” she said.

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However, commenters, even the more pragmatic ones, pointed out that an extra seat has to come at a cost.

“Well, the airline is gonna charge you if you take up space that could have been used for another paying customer so…,” one person noted.

Another user chimed in: “An airplane costs so much per hour to run and is a relatively fixed cost. If airplane seats get bigger then there’s less seats overall meaning each seat is more expensive.”

They added: “The reason seat have gotten smaller over time is to make the tickets more affordable. If you want bigger seats expect to pay more for it.”

Another wrote: “If I mail an oversized package I pay MORE to ship it. If a trucker hauls an oversized load, they pay MORE to haul it. If I want an apartment with more space for ‘comfort’ or ‘convenience’ I pay MORE.”

Chaney acknowledged that while “flying is a privilege,” “basic human dignity and accessibility are rights.”

She added: “No one should be excluded from travelling comfortably or safely because of their body size. Let’s focus on equality, not exclusion.”

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