Don’t Bring Seat Belt Extenders On Planes

By Author: Steve Robinson
Total Articles: 468
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If you are a large traveler, flying via cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages can become problematic since in certain cases airlines require such passengers to purchase two airline seats next to each other in order to fly. Now the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has told the airlines only to allow airline owned seat extenders to be used by oversized passengers.

Airlines typically do not require individual passengers to purchase multiple seats so long as they are able to buckle their seat belts.

The FAA justified its decision noting that non-airline seat belt extenders may not be inspected and maintained as well as those the airlines use. It claims that seat belt extenders can become stretched and less effective after a jolt. The agency does not want personal passenger seat belt extenders used even those marked as “FAA approved” or “FAA safe.”

Seat extenders add 25 inches to the length of a regular seat belt by being buckled to the ones already on planes. No passenger is supposed to fly without being able to safely buckle his or her seat belt.

Some large travelers are ...
... unhappy with the new FAA direction because airlines are known to sometimes run out of seat belt extenders. In such cases, any passengers who were unable to connect their seat belts would be asked to leave the plane.

Some oversized passengers are embarrassed to ask airline personnel for seat belt extenders and prefer carrying their own.
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