Singing the Praises of Belt Extenders

Air travel is uncomfortable for almost everyone; the seats are cramped, there’s little leg room, the aisle is small. But flying while fat comes with other landmines to negotiate, many of which can get you unceremoniously kicked off a plane with no recourse, leaving you potentially stranded in an unfamiliar city or country or forcing you to miss important business or personal appointments.

I was recently on a flight to Dallas from my hometown of Philadelphia. My wife and I were attending a wedding in north Texas. We are fortunate enough to be able to book first-class tickets for most of our domestic travel, and we were blown away at the accommodations we had for this particular flight. The plane had come in from an international location, so the first class cabin had lay-flat seats and more leg room than I’ve ever had on any flight, first class or coach. I noticed that the seat belt had a lot of length to it, but nevertheless, I deployed my belt extender. I purchased one a long time ago so I could stop asking the flight attendants for them and bring attention to my fat self.

The flight had already been delayed a couple of hours because of weather in Dallas, and it was taking a long time for boarding to finish. Being up front, I heard the flight attendants checking in with each other in a controlled but semi-frantic tone. A passenger needed a belt extender and they were having trouble locating one. Apparently there were none on board. The safety instructions were delivered via video on that flight, so the belts used for demonstrations were absent.

The longer the search went on, the closer I paid attention. Our lateness and the time it was taking to look for this belt made me worry that the passenger in need would be asked to deplane so we could get underway. I resolved in my mind to give my belt extender to that passenger and take a chance with my own seat belt rather than have that happen.

Fortunately, the gate agent was able to get two belt extenders down to the plane rather quickly and we departed. The rest of the flight was uneventful, but my mind kept drifting back to that fellow fat passenger. The flight attendants were nothing but kind and diligent in looking for the belt, and showed no signs of malice or frustration at needing to procure one. But I knew things could have gone badly wrong for them.

So, if you’re someone who has even once used a belt extender on a plane, whether you fly frequently or not, it is my recommendation that you invest in a belt extender for yourself. You can get them on Amazon for as little as $10. Some will note that they are FAA approved, and if something like that matters to you, go for it. I have never had anyone question my extender when I’ve used it on a plane. Note, though, that Southwest’s buckles are different, so make sure you know what you’re getting. I did buy two back in the day because I was flying Southwest every so often.

Does having my own belt extender mean I am guaranteed to never be kicked off a plane? No. But it does mitigate having attention drawn to me. A passenger might still complain about having to sit next to my fat body, and if they kick up enough of a fuss, I could still be asked to leave. Having my own belt, though, gives me one tool to use to try to keep my seat.

Also, if you’re having trouble with the seat belt in your car, I recommend a belt extender for that, too. I have used mine for awhile now, and I feel so much safer with it. I even took it with me to Dallas because I knew we’d be getting a rental car and I had no way of knowing how the belts would fit (or if they would fit).

I resisted these tools for a long time. There is so much shame attached to admitting that you need something extra. Finally, I had to place my own comfort and safety above the shame, and my life is better for it. It’d be wonderful if the world considered our fat bodies while making things like seat belts, but until they do, I encourage you to obtain the tools you need for yourself.