"Actions have consequences": Plus-size influencer Jaelynn Chaney blasted online after discussing 'discriminatory' airline seat policies

Jaelynn Chaney, a plus-size influencer who previously made headlines in April after starting a Change.org petition against the U.S. airlines’ “discriminatory” seat policies, has recently doubled down on her demands. Chaney recently shared with CNN Travel that she is forced to pay for an extra seat whenever she takes a flight.

She claimed that it was discriminatory that people with larger bodies, like herself, had to pay extra for a seat while those with smaller bodies only had to pay for one. She stated that despite the fact that passengers with larger bodies and passengers with smaller bodies receive the same flying experience, the former category must pay for two seats and that their experience is challenging.

Back in April, in her petition, Jaelynn Chaney urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the airlines provide an extra seat or multiple seats if required to plus-size passengers, for free, so as to accommodate their needs while ensuring their safety and comfort, as well as of those around them.

Chaney told CNN Travel in a recent interview:

“We need the policies to be a little bit more standardized. At the bare minimum, we need every airline to have a policy that tells people of size how to navigate their airline.”

However, Jaelynn's demands were criticized by people online. Aside from receiving outright offensive comments, many people sincerely pointed out the impracticality of the influencer's insistence. One user @JimmyHarrity commented on a tweet by Daily Loud containing Jaelynn's story and wrote that it was Jaelynn Chaney's consequence for living an unhealthy lifestyle.

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Jaelynn Chaney gets slammed for discussing "discriminatory" airline policies in her latest interview

Despite, Jaelynn's petition getting a lot of signs and approvals from plus-size travelers alike and a few others, the majority of people have continued to criticize her. Many said that if she does not have a medical condition, which causes her obesity, then her making these demands and calling the airlines' policy "discriminatory" is on her.

They argued that at one point, one has to take responsibility for their health conditions without blaming others and causing inconvenience to them. A few also felt that if a person carries extra luggage with them, they have to pay extra for those, so, paying for an extra seat is almost similar.

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The shrinking size of airline seats continues to be a significant concern for plus-size travelers

The decreasing size of aircraft seats has been a big issue for many passengers who are larger than average. The average seat width on airplanes has decreased by 1.5 inches during the past two decades.

Gabor Lukacs, a Canadian Air Passengers Rights advocate, for instance, considers the practice of charging plus-size passengers for two or multiple seats a human rights issue.

Lukacs feels that nobody gets up in the morning and takes the decision that they are going to be bigger in size. Speaking to CNN Travel for the article in which Chaney also participated, he stated:

"It is not a choice. Through the lens of human rights, I do not see justification in charging larger-sized passengers a double fare. Smaller seat sizes should not just concern plus-size customers, but everyone. Being crammed in a very small space could affect one’s health, if not disrupt their comfort."

While Jaelynn Chaney and a few others are advocating for the FAA to bring some changes to their airlines' policies, outside the United States, there are laws that prevent airline passengers from being charged different amounts depending on their body sizes. Such laws exist in Australia and Canada for domestic flights.