Inclusive Air Travel: Weight Based Discrimination in Aircraft Design
Background
Weight-based discrimination is prevalent in employment and medical settings, but its impact on air travel is often overlooked. For plus-size passengers, flying frequently involves discomfort, embarrassment, and discrimination. While existing research highlights these challenges, there is a significant gap in identifying practical improvements for their air travel experience.
Design question
How can we improve the experience of air travel for plus-size people?
Design solution
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Inclusivity training for airline staff
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Transparency & information around airline processes
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Change policies
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Accessible online booking system
My role
UX researcher, Service designer, Strategic designer
Methods
Literature review, online ethnography, survey development, in-depth interviews, data analysis
Design process
The need for social change
Air travel is essential for global connectivity, yet plus-size passengers often experience discomfort and social discrimination, negatively impacting their travel experience. My passion in designing for social change has drawn me to this issue. In recent decades, airlines have cut costs by reducing economy-class seat sizes. As financial considerations continue to overshadow inclusivity, the challenges faced by plus-size travellers are largely overlooked, revealing a crucial area in need of advocacy and reform.
"You are a nuisance and a pain in their side before you are ever a human being or a paying customer. Because profit matters more than dignity, or basic human respect, ever will."
Some body-positivity journalists and influencers, like Shannen Findlay are speaking out about their experiences.
Research
I started by researching the experiences of plus size people within the airline industry, focusing on how they navigate air travel and any barriers they face. I reviewed existing literature and performed an online ethnography of forums where plus size people shared their travel experiences. This allowed me to capture real-time sentiments and narratives, and informed the development of a survey tool, ensuring that I was addressing the most pertinent issues faced by my target demographic. I then conducted in-depth interviews with several members of the Australian Weight Issue Network (WIN) to explore personal narratives and gather nuanced perspectives of their challenges and experiences.
Insight
The experiences of plus-size travellers during air travel often entail significant challenges and barriers that impact the mental health and overall well-being.
Main challenges identified through data collection:
Emotional burden
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Guilt, shame
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Hostility from other passengers,
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Taxing conversations with staff
Process uncertainty
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Confusion around seat policies
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Unpredictable staff responses
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Inability to plan
Practical challenges
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Cramped seating
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Inaccessible bathrooms
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Financial strain from upgrades
Lack of solutions
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Reliance on personal research
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Fasting before flights
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Using family members as buffers
Ideation
Through an idea workshop, we generated a wide range of possible solutions. The workshop was divided into three phases. In the first phase, we analysed the current situation to identify key challenges. The second phase encouraged free brainstorming and creativity, which opened up a diversity of ideas. In the last phase, we evaluated the solutions with a practical focus to assess their feasibility.
Strategy
We used the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) and RAMI 4.0 to guide service transformation across three layers.
Customer Experience Layer
Challenge:
Reduce emotional and procedural friction.
Solution:
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Digital twin of passenger journey - Simulate diverse body types across aircraft layouts to identify friction points (e.g. seatbelt extenders, lavatory access).
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AI-powered booking assistant - Integrate predictive UX to recommend optimal seats, flag refund eligibility, and provide pre-flight accessibility info.
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Emotional safety protocols - Train staff using VR empathy modules and sentiment analysis dashboards to reduce hostile environments.
Operational Layer
Challenge:
Standardise and automate inclusive processes.
Solution:
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Seat sizing API across airlines - Create a centralised database of seat dimensions, policies, and pricing rules, accessible via airline apps.
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Smart check-in kiosks - Use biometric scanning (optional) to recommend seating and flag accessibility needs directly.
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Dynamic pricing engine - Offer bundled pricing for extra space that adjusts based on load factor and loyalty status - removing financial penalties.
Governance & Ecosystem Layer
Challenge:
Embed inclusion into airline policy and industry standards.
Solution:
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Inclusive design certification - Develop a badge system for airlines meeting accessibility benchmarks (seat width, pricing fairness, staff training).
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Passenger of size advisory panel - Co-design policies with lived-experience experts to ensure dignity and feasibility.
Implementation
Implementation Roadmap
Customer Journey
