A plus-sized woman has revealed that she is ashamed of gaining weight on flights and that people refuse to sit next to her.
Kirsty Leanne, 30, from Shropshire, regularly shares travel tips for older people and has amassed 129,000 followers on her TikTok @kirstyleannetravels.
She previously made headlines after revealing the trolling she receives online – with critics insisting she should lose weight instead of complaining about the problems she faces traveling as a plus-size person.
While a lot of the criticism she receives comes from the internet, Kirsty shared some disturbing experiences she had in real life.
One such encounter was on a flight to Spain, where the travel buff was in the window seat and another woman was assigned the middle seat in his aisle.
“When he saw me sitting in the window he immediately made it clear he didn’t want to sit there and started huffing and puffing,” said Kirsty, who shares her tips on her blog, Plus Size Travel Too.
‘I apologized because there wasn’t much room and she didn’t respond, so I did the usual thing and flattened myself against the window.
“The entire flight he was pushing the armrest down as far as he could (it was 98 percent, but the last 2 percent was very painful) and it caused bruises.
‘Finally, she turned to her friend a few rows back (and said), “I can’t sit next to you anymore.”
“I pretended I didn’t hear, but I wanted the earth to swallow me.”
Kirsty found the experience incredibly uncomfortable and decided to remain silent at the time, but says she won’t let it go anymore.
She said: “I often ask the flight attendants if I can now move to a seat with more space and an extra seat next to it, to help prevent this from happening and to ensure everyone is as comfortable as possible.”
“I often have to sit next to people while they find me a seat, so I do my best to be kind and understanding, hoping they come back with the same feelings.”
Kirsty Leanne, 30, from Shropshire, has revealed she is ashamed of gaining weight on flights and people refuse to sit next to her.
Kristy regularly shares travel tips for larger-bodied people and has amassed 129,000 followers on her TikTok @kirstyleannetravels.
The plus-size influencer often shares snaps from her luxury vacations with her online followers.
The traveler also says she often notices when someone is unhappy sitting near her.
He added: “People often let it be known instantly that they are unhappy.
‘Most people are super friendly and understanding, but some people use it as an excuse to be mean and lash out.
“While I understand it’s uncomfortable, acting that way is unnecessary and probably the worst way to reach a solution.”
Kirsty shared the experience with her followers in a TikTok that garnered thousands of likes and comments, with many viewers defending the passenger.
One user said: ‘I understand what you’re saying, but the seats aren’t “a little small.” I don’t see how this isn’t your fault.
The traveler also says she often notices when someone is unhappy being seated near her on a flight.
Kristy doesn’t let her size stop her from posing with confidence in various countries around the world.
Kristy loves to travel and doesn’t let cruel trolls stop her from taking a flight and seeing the world.
Kirsty shared the experience with her followers in a TikTok that garnered thousands of likes and comments, with many viewers defending the passenger.
“There should be a size limit after which it should be mandatory to reserve two seats, otherwise it wouldn’t be fair to the person next to you,” another viewer agreed.
Someone else commented: “Can’t blame the other lady.”
But other viewers were more sympathetic to Kirsty.
One said: ‘You shouldn’t have to apologize for existing!!!!!’
‘For those who say it’s your fault, EVEN IF IT WAS, what are you supposed to do at that very moment? Making her feel worthless doesn’t give you more space,” another viewer said.
Someone else added: “We are all built differently and if someone can’t be civil and friendly for a few hours then I feel sorry for humanity.” You are a inspiration.’