An incident aboard a Delta Air Lines flight turned into what might be one of the most courteous cases of air rage I’ve ever seen. Guy Branum, an American comedian, writer and actor known for his quick-witted takes on pop culture, his hosting duties on Talk Show the Game Show, and roles in The Mindy Project and the movie Bros, recently shared a video and post on Threads titled “Flying While Fat.”
@guybranum: On Sunday a guy hit me on a plane and @delta didn’t throw him off the flight or have him arrested because they were too busy determining if I was too fat or not. (The flight crew was amazing and supportive but the @delta redcoat treated me like an object) #fat #airplane #assault #battery.
Guy Branum shares video on Threads
In the first part of the video, Branum explains what happened and then he shows the footage he took of the encounter he had with his seatmate. “So I had an exciting adventure on my plane flight today. Normally, when I’ve got more money, I fly business class because I’m a big guy and I don’t want to be in anyone else’s space. And this time I got a Comfort Plus ticket. I always got worried. I’ve had people freak out on me before. And today it was the middle seat. A guy came down, a white guy in his 60s, you’ll see. First he freaked out on a woman because she was putting something in the overhead compartment near his seat. Then he sat down next to me. He was immediately just pissed off at me. He asked me if I would move over and I was like, no I can’t. And then he just elbowed me just as hard as he could. And then I took this video.”
The trip began at New York’s JFK Airport, and it appeared the destination was Los Angeles (LAX), where Branum lives. According to his account, a flight attendant eventually asked a woman sitting across the aisle to swap seats with the man after she volunteered some of her frequent-flier miles — and Branum said he received a few of those miles, too, once he spoke up.
It was an awkward scenario, and it’s hard not to sympathize with Branum. He comes across as genuinely kind and has spoken openly about how challenging it can be to travel while plus-size. Although he often opts for business class to avoid discomfort, those fares aren’t easy to afford.
That said, sharing a row with someone who leans into your space for a long flight can be frustrating — but it’s no justification for lashing out or throwing elbows. From Branum’s description, the seatmate seemed difficult from the outset. It’s surprising the crew didn’t remove him, and he’s fortunate Branum chose not to pursue assault charges.
Here’s what some commenters had to say about the incident:
@redpolkadotpants: I’m sorry you experienced this. Why does @delta not have a zero tolerance policy for assault?
@olympiam: Middle seat gets both armrests. That’s long been established etiquette. So he can just piss off with his demand for an armrest after assaulting you.
@freddiemercurysmustache: I’m so sorry, this is totally a fear of mine as a bigger person. I’ve got wide shoulders and wide hips. I fly business whenever possible and buy an extra seat when I fly coach and I’ve been lucky to avoid problems. But that’s not a given at all and this incident you went through has my blood boiling.
One option Branum, and other travelers who need extra room, might consider is purchasing an additional economy seat or checking with the gate agent to see if an empty seat can be held beside them when a flight isn’t full. Of course, that’s much harder on busy routes such as JFK–LAX or on peak travel days like Fridays and Sundays. On a related note, Southwest Airlines recently discontinued its policy of reimbursing the cost of a second seat for larger passengers.