TikToker Shares Eye-Opening Examples Of 'Things Plus-Size Travelers Hate'

Ryan Ford
The interior of a passenger plane's cabin
Unsplash | JC Gellidon

Let's face it: as much as we love vacations, we hate getting there. Airports are big mazes with security everywhere and $12.00 sandwiches. And even if you make it through security without an embarrassing pat-down, or worse, you have to worry about oversold flights, delays and cancelations, and whether or not your luggage will make it to your destination with you.

You almost need a vacation from your vacation, amirite? And there's a TikToker who wants to remind us that as bad as it is, things get even more complicated for plus-size people. After all, the average woman isn't a size 14 anymore!

This is Jae'lynn Chaney, a 25-year-old content creator on TikTok and Instagram.

One of her passion projects is bringing awareness to the struggles of plus-sized people when traveling.

That's why she's started a series highlighting all the things she hates about traveling, and her videos have struck a chord with audiences. Chaney is up to more than 88,000 followers on Instagram, and more than 100,000 on TikTok.

One of her top hates is the lack of room on flights.

A woman squeezed into a plane seat, with text overlaid reading "Having little to no room to move"
TikTok | @jaebaeofficial

Anybody who has flown economy in the past decade can tell you it's a tight squeeze at the best of times. When you're plus-size, it's that much worse.

That also means difficulties with the little tray tables.

POV image of a person trying to put an airplane tray table down and failing, with text overlaid reading "When the tray table can't come down"
TikTok | @jaebaeofficial

They can't come down for plus-sized people, which means there's no spot to rest a drink or a snack from the cart, further reducing the level of comfort for plus-sized travelers.

Those chairs at the airport are pretty annoying, too.

The waiting area at an airport gate
Unsplash | Hans Isaacson

Just like plane seats, the seating at the gate waiting areas are not designed to accommodate plus-size people, so the discomfort of armrests digging into your sides starts before you even board your flight.

One item smaller travelers don't ever think about: seatbelt extenders.

A hand holding a rolled-up seat belt extender, with text overlaid reading "Worrying about asking for a seatbelt extender"
TikTok | @jaebaeofficial

It's a necessary safety device, but also something a plus-size traveler will have to ask for — and that can be pretty uncomfortable for someone who's already feeling self-conscious about their size.

Narrow aisles and bulkheads are a challenge, too.

The interior of a plane cabin viewed from the aisle, with two flight attendants in masks serving passengers
Unsplash | ismail mohamed - SoviLe

There just isn't much room to go around on planes, so even when plus-size travelers manage to get out of their tiny seats, just moving around up and down the aisle still isn't easy.

And then there are the bathrooms.

On anything approaching a longer-haul flight, you're going to have to brave the narrow aisle and make your way to the bathroom. It doesn't get any roomier there. Jae'lynn says that plus-size travelers should simply try to use the bathroom at the airport before getting on the plane. "This is just the reality for people of our size when flying," she wrote.

One of Chaney's bigger fears? Breaking toilets.

A broken toilet seat
reddit | SketchtheHunter

Can you imagine the embarrassment of breaking a toilet while on vacation, off in a foreign land? Well, that's what Chaney has to think about, knowing that, especially overseas, public bathrooms weren't designed for plus-sized people.

Towels at resorts tend to be one-size doesn't fit all.

Jae'lynn Chaney demonstrating how a towel won't fit around her waist
TikTok | @jaebaeofficial

As Chaney demonstrates, those towels you grab poolside at your resort tend not to fit around plus-size people's waists, and really, aren't up to the task of drying you off.

Lack of suitable souvenirs can sour a good trip, too.

A woman browsing a clothing rack
Unsplash | Becca McHaffie

Chaney says she wears a 6X size, so finding articles of clothing that fit can be a challenge at the best of times, never mind at souvenir shops.

Chaney also says that ladders and turnstiles can be challenging.

A pool ladder extending onto the pool deck
Unsplash | Jake Johnson

If you need to take public transit while abroad, chances are that means using a turnstile, which raises fears of getting stuck.

And pools and boats in particular are going to have ladders that are difficult for a plus-size person to use.

However, despite all the struggles plus-size travelers face, Chaney says it's all worth it.

Her posts aren't all about highlighting the extra hurdles plus-size travelers have to deal with — she also posts a lot of tips about how to travel as a plus-sized person, gives inside scoops on airline policies for travelers of size, and answers questions from her viewers on things like whether to buy two seats when flying.

She also tries to keep everything positive and encourages plus-size people to travel despite the struggles.

"Everyone deserves to travel comfortably no matter their size or abilities," she wrote in a post. "My comment sections are flooded with people telling us we don’t deserve to travel, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Don’t listen to all that nonsense, I’m here to remind you that you can live your best life at any size."

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!