Flying economy as a big person is not for the faint of heart.

This federal employee had always flown with a cheap but comfortable airline for work. His new approving manager, however, forced him to use only the cramped, contracted airline.

What happened next was nothing short of poetic justice.

Read the full story below to learn more.

Not letting pick my own airline to fly…enjoy paying for my business class seat on the contracted airline.

So, as a federal employee, when we fly, we have to book our plane tickets with the locally contracted airline.

However, our union agreement AND other federal travel regs/guidelines state an employee can fly ANY airline of their choice as long as the price is equal to or cheaper than the contracted airline.

My first two training trips to the midwest, I flew with Airline Z because I’ve been a frequent flier with them for 15+ years.

They offer plenty of leg room, their planes are newer and bigger, and seats are wide enough to be comfortable.

The first two trips, their price was cheaper than the contracted airline. I made my orders, booked my tickets with Airline Z and everything was approved. Easy done! Then it wasn’t.

The new manager denied his flight booking with Airline Z.

July 2017, it was going to be my third trip to the midwest. I did my orders, and booked my flight with Airline Z.

The price was slightly cheaper than the contracted airline price, so I figured “who doesn’t want to save money?” So I sent everything for approval.

Well…the new approving manager (AM) denied my orders! I called her and asked why were my orders denied? She said, “You didn’t book your ticket with the contracted airline.”

I explained that I’ve flown with two other times with Airline Z, the price had always been cheaper than the contracted airline and per the union agreement, my orders shouldn’t have been denied.

She goes on to say “Well…I wouldn’t have approved them then, and I’m not approving them now. Redo your orders.”

His seat on the approved airline was so cramped.

Okay, so I redid my orders with the contracted airline. Again, The price was slightly higher than Airline Z, but I do what I am told.

When I arrived at the gate, I noticed the plane that the contracted airline was using was smaller than Airline Z. I was hoping it was as cramped as it looked, but sure enough, when I got in, it immediately felt cramped!

At 6’1’’, my head was a few inches from hitting the roof of the plane. And being “ slightly” bulky, the seat I sat in was narrow and extremely uncomfortable!

If I raised the arm rests, my thighs spilled over to the other passenger’s comfort zone. Good thing the seat beside me was empty for this trip. My knees were literally hitting the seat of the passenger in front of me!

I somehow managed to grabbed my phone out of my pocket and take a picture of my legs and knees and showed how cramped and uncomfortable I was. It was the longest 3 hour flight ever!

As for the return flight, it was the same circumstance as the departure flight…except I had someone next to me who was also “slightly bulky.”

I pulled out my phone again and painfully took another picture. I discretely added the passenger’s size next to me to add to my discomfort flight.

The same thing happened on his next trip with the approved airline.

October 2017 comes around, and I’m heading to training again, and once again, I had to book with the contracted airline!

And the same thing happen: cramped seats, hurting knees, bulky passenger next to me. And this time, the passenger in front of me reclined her seat mid flight!!!

With my phone at the ready, I took another picture of my horrible circumstance. My caption would’ve been “this is how a sardine feels.”

On the return home, I paid for the emergency row…out of pocket! Booking the emergency exit row was an “extra cost” that wasn’t allowed on government credit cards.

So he booked a business class flight for his next trip.

It’s after Thanksgiving 2017, and I get advised I’m going back to the midwest for more training! This time I’m ready! I had done a little research on the federal travel regs.

I saw that business class was an option for air travel if the reason to book business class was for safety and health reasons…BINGO!

I created my orders, and this time, I booked BUSINESS class with the contracted airline and included my health as an exceptional reason. The total price was almost 3x the normal expense for this type of trip.

I submitted my orders for approval and not even a minute passes when AM calls me. I answered the phone, I didn’t even get a chance to say hello…

His conversation with the approving manager went like this.

AM: “Why the heck are you booking business class!?”

Me: “Because on the contracted airline, I don’t fit in the normal seats.”

AM: “That’s not a good enough reason, you need to change the class now or I am not approving these at all!”

Me: “No, its a health issue. I need business class to sit comfortable. My legs and thighs cramp up and my knees hurt from banging the seat in front of me.”

AM: “I am not approving that! I’m coming over there and we’re going to meet with your manager right now!” Click!

The talk with his manager and the approving manager began.

I was ready for this. I got my phone and walked to my manager’s office. He’s on the phone so I quietly sit down and did not say anything. He gets off the phone.

He then looks at me and asks, “what’s up?” I smile and shake my head when in comes AM.

AM: “Glad you’re here, he wants to book business class for his training trip!”

Manager: “You know you can’t do that, why did you?”

Me: Pulling out my phone, “Remember my trip in July? Well, here’s my first experience with the contracted airline heading TO training.”

I give my manager my phone and he raises his eye brows in disbelief. AM didn’t look at the photo.

The approving manager stood her ground.

AM: “That is not the government’s problem.”

Me: “Okay,” manager hands me back my phone, “Well, here’s a picture from the RETURN trip and it was more uncomfortable than the Outbound trip. I couldn’t get settled the entire trip. My thighs and legs cramped a bit.

I showed my manager my phone again and he cringes. AM is still unfazed.

AM: “Your comfort is not our concern. We just need to get you there and that’s it!”

Me: “And finally…” I got my phone back and showed them the October trip.“This happen on my last trip which left my right thigh in pain for a few days, my lower back ached while sitting in training.”

“This made it uncomfortable to learn or study the material. Not to mention the sore knees I had from bumping into seat in front of me… again.”

I showed my manager the sardine picture and he made the face like he just swallowed a lemon!

But his manager felt for him.

Me: “I really do cramp up in those seats, I can’t sit or stand up comfortably, I’m in the next passenger’s personal space, and I cannot really adjust my knees or legs at all during the flight.”

“If I get hurt really bad where I can barely walk, I might have to miss a day or two in training class. Therefore, for health reasons, I need business class on the contracted airline.”

AM: “Well, that ain’t gonna happen because I am not approving them! You need to change it back to coach. You’ve done coach before with the contracted airlines, you can do it again.”

My manager just looks at her for a minute. Being a big guy himself, he knew my pain.

Manager: “Well…I think you should approve his orders. But I understand if you don’t want to. He’s provided me with enough info here to get a health exception. I can’t have him miss training due to an injury because of cramped seats.

If I have to, I’ll have him send his orders to your manager for approval. Of course, I’m also gonna send him a quick email with those pictures to back up the health exception. Do you mind sending me those pictures to my email?”

Me: “sure…and sent!”

The approving manager said there is no other option.

Manager: “Thank you.” He’s quiet for a minute until he turns back to AM. “What would’ve been the alternative to flying the contracted airline?”

AM: “There is none! We have to fly the contract airline!”

I’m staying quiet because it’s no longer my fight.

Manager: “Are you positive on that?”

AM: “Yea! 100%”

Manager: “Then I guess we have to book him business class.” And he turns to his computer to start typing something.

AM though, doesn’t want to admit defeat especially to her own boss!

On her final attempt to win, approving manager suggested booking with Airline Z.

AM: “Wait!” She says with one arm stretched out trying to get my manager to stop typing, which he does. “You know… He could fly coach with Airline Z! That’s an alternative!”

AM is now trying to save face now, but my manager isn’t buying it.

Manager: “Are the tickets the same price as the contracted airline?”

I did a quick internet search on my phone (which btw, is NOT the way you research official travel prices. You must use the gov’t search engine and AM should’ve caught this…she did not.)

Me: “No sir, all prices are up really high now!”

AM is angry knowing that she has lost completely.

His business class trip was approved and his next flight will be on Airline Z.

Manager: “So…before I finish my email and send it off to your manager, will you approve his orders?”

AM nodded like a spoiled child and she walked out of the office.

I thanked my manager and left to resend my orders to AM with business class for my November training!

BTW, it wasn’t much difference except for wider seats, more leg room (my knees didn’t touch the seat in front of me), and free drinks!

January 2018 comes around and I get another training class. Except this time, I got approved to fly with Airline Z from AM!

All that hullabaloo just to come full circle!

What do other people think about this story? Let’s see.

This one calls the approving manager a petty tyrant.

An insight on airline contracts from this user.

Great revenge, says this person.

Here’s a valid question.

And this one shares a similar story.

Penny-pinching often backfires.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.