A viral photo of a plus-sized airline passenger struggling to sit in his assigned seat has reignited a national conversation about airline seating and whether changes are needed to accommodate larger travelers.

The image, reportedly taken on a 2023 flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen, shows the passenger attempting to sit in a standard aisle seat with visible difficulty. It was first shared by consumer advocate Christopher Elliott and later reposted by Miami-based hip-hop group Pretty Ricky, who urged airlines to create more inclusive policies.

Airplane passengers seated inside a plane, Photo Credit: Pexels
Airplane passengers seated inside a plane, Photo Credit: Pexels
“This picture shows how tough air travel can be for people who simply don’t fit in one seat,” the group wrote on Facebook. “Airlines need to come up with a fair solution—for the passenger and the people sitting beside them.”

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The post has since gone viral, attracting over 1,600 comments and sparking intense debate. A growing number of commenters argue that passengers who can’t fit into a single seat should be required to purchase an extra one. “If you’re using two seats, you should be paying for two,” one commenter wrote bluntly. Another added, “Tall passengers pay extra for legroom, so why should width be treated any differently?”

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Woman in a denim jacket sitting inside a Plane, Photo Credit: Pexels
Woman in a denim jacket sitting inside a Plane, Photo Credit: Pexels
Some even suggested that passengers should be weighed before boarding, much like checked baggage. “We weigh our luggage. Why not passengers too?” one person wrote. Others called this idea “inhumane” and “disgusting.”