A woman who has faced prejudice while flying is sharing her plus-size travel tips to help others feel more comfortable when they go on holiday, as anyone should be able to go abroad

Travel should be accessible for everyone, but unfortunately, many plus-size people may have struggled to navigate the world of flying and travelling – and Kirsty Leanne hopes to be the guiding light for these people.

But it’s not been an easy journey for Kirsty, as she’s shared she gets fat-shamed on flights and has had people refuse to sit next to her, just for the fact she inhabits a bigger body.

Kirsty shares travel advice online for larger-bodied people, but she has faced criticism for being plus-size, with some rudely suggesting she should just lose weight, rather than promoting travelling as a plus-sized person.

Kirsty believes everyone should be able to travel ( 
Image: Jam Press/@kirstyleannetravels)

She hopes to inspire others with her social media ( 
Image: Jam Press/@kirstyleannetravels)

Kirsty, who posts online as @kirstyleannetravels has also had people behave cruelly in real life, including on a flight to Spain. While she travelling in a window seat, a woman sat in the middle seat made no secret of the fact she wasn’t pleased.

“When she saw me sat in the window, she instantly made it clear she didn’t want to sit there and started huffing and puffing”, Kirsty, who shares her tips on her blog, Plus Size Travel Too, said.

“I apologised that there wasn’t much room and she didn’t reply, so I did my usual and squashed myself against the window. For the whole flight, she was pushing the armrest as far down as she could – it was 98% down but that last 2% was super painful – and causing me to bruise.

Kirsty has had some unpleasant experiences ( Image: Jam Press/@kirstyleannetravels)

But she won’t let that stop her from living her best life ( Image: Jam Press/@kirstyleannetravels)

“Eventually, she turned to her friend a few rows back [and said] ‘I can’t sit next to her anymore’. I pretended I didn’t hear but I wanted the ground to swallow me up.”

But now Kirsty has promised herself in future situations, she will no longer let people’s mean comments slide. “I tend to ask flight attendants if I can move to a seat with more room and an extra seat next to it now, to help prevent this from happening and to ensure everyone is as comfortable as they can be”, she shared.

“Often I do have to sit next to people while they find me a seat so I do my best to be kind and understanding, in the hopes they return with the same sentiments.”

The traveller also says she can often tell when someone isn’t pleased to be seated near her because they “usually make it known.” She said: “Most people are super friendly and understanding, but some people use it as an excuse to be mean and to lash out. While I understand it’s uncomfortable, acting in that way is unnecessary and likely to be the worst way to come to a solution.”

On her videos, she often gets a mixed reaction, with some praising her saying: “You shouldn’t have to apologise for existing”, and: “For those saying it’s her fault – EVEN IF IT WAS – what is she meant to do in that very moment? Making her feel worthless doesn’t get you more space.”

Some disagreed, however, with one writing: “I get what you’re saying but the seats aren’t ‘a little small’. I’m failing to see how this isn’t your fault.”