Who She Is
Kirsty Leanne is a 30-year-old travel content creator in the U.K. who posts about flying and traveling as a “plus-sized person.”
Her TikTok account has earned over 4.6 million likes and she shares guidance aimed at helping larger travelers feel more comfortable while on the move.
What Sparked the Backlash
Leanne recently posted advice for her nearly 130,000 TikTok followers about improving comfort on flights—specifically, how to increase the chances of having an empty seat next to you without paying for a second seat.
In one of her most-watched videos, she described “one of the most daunting things” about flying as a plus-sized person: not knowing how much space an economy seat will provide.
Her Main Tip: Ask at the Gate
Leanne’s suggestion was straightforward:
Ask a flight attendant at the gate if there are “any seats where there’s two seats next to each other free.”
She emphasized that this won’t work on every flight, especially fully booked flights
But she said it can still be “worth the ask” if available seats exist