http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europ...yout/index.html

LONDON, England -- A woman injured while squeezed next to an obese passenger on a trans-Atlantic flight has been given £13,000 ($20,000) by the airline.

Barbara Hewson, 63, was offered damages by Virgin Atlantic after suffering a blood clot, torn leg muscles and sciatica following a flight to Los Angeles in January 2001, the UK's Press Association reported.

She said the woman passenger was so large she had to sit with the arm rests up, but when she complained, the crew said there was nothing they could do as the plane was full.

Hewson, of Swansea, Wales, who still has medical treatment, was quoted by PA on Monday as saying: "It was never about the money. No money would pay for you having sleepless nights with the pain."

The freelance writer, who travelled with her husband Roy, 67, said she spent most of her holiday in bed. "It ruined the holiday. We went out very little."

Hewson added that half-way through the flight the woman asked if she was okay, saying to her: "I'm sitting on your lap."

"I had three sessions of sitting in the hostess seat and I stood for a little while," added Hewson.

Virgin Atlantic said in a statement: "This was an unprecedented set of extremely unfortunate circumstances.

"We have apologised to Mrs Hewson and offered her compensation, which she has accepted, and we are pleased that this has now reached a conclusion."

I don't understand how you can suffer from torn leg muscles under these conditions.

I feel for the lady though. Being crammed in those small seats for 8 hrs with average size people is bad enough.

I swear these seats are getting smaller every time I take the plane.

I agree with Angeline~ how exactly were these injuries caused by sitting next to someone obese? I'd definitely say, that this was more than a case of just having the arm rests up... wouldn't you? I think the airline could've done something tho... perhaps put a person smaller in stature than Hewson next to the "obese person", and letting Hewson have their seat.