Fat pride influencer who says other passengers should fund free seats for plus-size flyers travels without oxygen tank for first time in four years…and proudly flaunts her seatbelt extender
A Fat Pride influencer who is calling on regular travelers to subsidize free extra seats for plus-size fliers has flown without her oxygen tank for the first time in four years.
Jaelynn Chaney, known as Jae Bae, uploaded a video to her TikTok channel of herself proudly sitting on a flight without her breathing aid.
She explained to her followers that she previously needed supplemental air to ensure she could breathe comfortably in the pressurized airplane cabin.
At one point in the video, Chaney holds up her seat belt and smiles as she shows how much it has been extended.
Chaney, whose TikTok account has more than 135,000 followers, shares her concerns in a large flyer in the background of the video.
Dramatic music plays and Chaney ponders, “What if I have a medical emergency on the plane?”
Jaelynn Chaney, known as Jae Bae, uploaded a video to her TikTok channel showing the plus-size influencer proudly flying without her portable oxygen tank for the first time in four years
Then she asks, “What if I cause an emergency landing?”
But she stops herself and announces, “No, forget that. Whatever they say and whatever it looks like, traveling is for everyone.’
The video then shows Chaney being driven through an airport gate to the plane.
Chaney is then shown in her seat, where she shows how far her seat belt is loosened.
The TikTok ends with a close-up of the great influencer’s grinning face.
In her caption, Chaney explains the context of her flight and talks about how she has relied on “supplemental oxygen” while flying for the past four years.
“It all started in 2019 after a hospital stay where they suspected I was having a stroke,” Chaney wrote.
‘It turned out it was pulmonary hypertension, and since then I have needed oxygen therapy. Traveling just wasn’t the same anymore.’
Chaney explained in the video’s caption that she had been traveling with an oxygen machine since doctors at a hospital suspected she had suffered a stroke.
The plus-size influencer, who has more than 135,000 TikTok followers, previously called on the FAA to provide overweight people with up to three free seats when flying
She said she went “from chasing waterfalls in Hawaii” to “doing everything so differently.”
After doing intensive research, the influencer landed on portable oxygen concentrators.
‘I shared my discoveries online, thinking this would become my new normal.’
But Chaney found portable oxygen concentrators “a no-brainer.”
She said using the device was “expensive, stressful and downright scary.”
Her recent flight was the first time in four years that she flew without an oxygen concentrator, an experience that left her “anxious and scared.”
‘But guess what? I did it and it went better than I could have imagined,” she wrote triumphantly.
Commenters on TikTok praised the plus-size influencer.
One wrote: ‘What a brave hero.’
And another enthusiastic: ‘Travel is for everyone!! I love this!!’
One user provided an insightful tip: “I lost 35 pounds and it helped me breathe a lot easier!”
The scope of Chaney’s TikTok is not limited to larger-scale cases. She also uploads content related to her polyamorous lifestyle.
In a TikTok titled “Plus size, polyamorous, and queer,” the influencer uploaded a clip of her and her partner kissing in a hot tub.
A text appears on the screen that says, “If you’re ride or die, but are polyamorous and also want a boyfriend.”
Chaney, who has worked with companies ranging from Google to McDonalds, has also used her TikTok to defend a petition she launched demanding the FAA give plus-size flyers extra seats for free.
“Join my petition calling on the FAA to require all airlines to have a written official customer-of-size policy for plus-size travelers.”
The petition states that plus-size passengers should be given up to three free additional seats due to their size.
Chaney’s TikTok also explores her polyamorous lifestyle. The influencer has collaborated with companies ranging from Google to McDonalds
“Under this policy, employees must be trained to handle sensitive situations and provide appropriate customer service.”
The petition currently has approximately 39,000 signatures.
About the petition, Chaney said:
‘We are not asking for special treatment or luxurious accommodation. We just want enough space to travel comfortably and safely, without fear of being discriminated against because of our size.”