When it comes to air travel, we’re all just trying to survive the TSA “non-cupid” shuffle, hoping the middle seat stays empty and that we win the window seat lottery.
But for comedian Guy Branum, his latest flight wasn’t just about losing the armrest territory — it was about being literally elbowed out of it.
Last week, Branum shared a video from his Delta Airlines flight from New York to Los Angeles, capturing his encounter with a passenger who clearly woke up and chose violence—or at least passive-aggressive cardio. The seatmate, reportedly in his 60s, had already “freaked out at a woman” over the overhead bin before sitting next to Branum and demanding he “slide over.”
Guess he thought the armrest came with a side of attitude.
Branum, a larger passenger who usually splurges on business class for extra space, admitted he was uncomfortable about taking a middle seat in the plane’s Comfort Plus section.
When he explained he couldn’t move, the man’s solution was simple: an assault with his elbow.
Branum captioned the Instagram video with:
“On Sunday a guy hit me on a plane, and @delta didn’t throw him off the flight or have him arrested because they were too busy determining if I was too fat or not. (The flight crew was amazing and supportive, but the @delta redcoat treated me like an object) #fat #airplane #assault #battery”
In the clip, the man can be heard complaining about having to pay for his seat. Branum reminded him he had paid too, something airlines love to weaponize against plus-sized passengers, before the man suggested they “at least share the armrest.”
Branum shot back:
“Yes. We’re not sharing the armrest right now. You are using the armrest because you elbowed me to get out.”
And you just know every eavesdropping passenger on that flight was silently slow-clapping as Branum handled that turbulence with zero layover.
The man then had the audacity to brag:
“I’m a member of Weight Watchers. I swear to you. I can show you on my phone. That is how I lost the weight.”
Translation: he doubled down on fat-shaming while squeezed into the same cramped aluminum tube as everyone else.
Branum told his followers:
“When a flight attendant came by I told them that he had hit me, but I was okay to stay in the seat if necessary.”
Eventually, the man swapped seats with someone across the aisle, but not before forcing Branum to justify his right to sit there. To make matters worse, Branum says Delta staff on the ground considered removing him from the plane, even asking him to delete the video documenting the incident. He refused.
Because nothing demonstrates “world-class customer service” like threatening the person who got elbowed, instead of the person doing the elbowing.
You can watch the full video below:
Branum, who’s appeared on Chelsea Lately, No Strings Attached, and even Jeopardy!, made it clear this wasn’t just about one grumpy old man’s sharp elbow:
“Fat people shouldn’t be waiting for some future moment when we’ll be worthy of traveling and living our lives.”
And he’s right. Airlines love to nickel-and-dime passengers for baggage, seat assignments, and upgrades—but when it comes to plus-sized passengers, they often prefer humiliation over compassion. Branum’s video shows what happens when that stigma leaves the policy manual and turns into bruises.
The internet quickly rallied to Branum’s defense:
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But he isn’t leaving it at hashtags and sympathy likes; he told paparazzi he plans to drag the man who hit him on the Delta flight into court, pressing charges and suing over the midair assault.
Branum even posted pictures of the bruises from the armrest scuffle:
In an official statement, Delta told TMZ:
“Delta sincerely appreciates the actions of our crew and customers for de-escalating this situation. We apologize to our customers for the delay and thank them for their understanding. Delta’s Customer Care team is reaching out to speak directly with our customer as we look into his claims.”
Which is corporate-speak for: “Sorry your armrest war turned into a brawl, please don’t sue us.”
And this isn’t the first time plus-sized flyers have been treated like excess baggage. Airlines have long forced larger passengers into humiliating choices: buying a second seat out of pocket, begging for seatbelt extenders, or relying on the good graces of strangers to swap.
Southwest has a “Customer of Size” policy that requires extra seating if you don’t fit with both armrests down, while other carriers handle complaints inconsistently—sometimes upgrading passengers, other times treating them like the problem to be solved. In practice, plus-sized travelers are often made to justify their existence in a space they’ve already paid to occupy.
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