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I don't understand this- can a larger flyer buy 1.5 seats? Or a little kid buy .5? Otherwise it seems like it might be a little more comfortable for obese passengers but way less comfortable for average sized. At least when a larger passenger is seated they have the guideline of the seat divider as where they should try to stay, even if they can't. Plus I feel like this opens up issues of average size people "man-spreading" too. I just think the lines delineating space are a good idea.

(Says the woman who wants to draw a line down our king size bed so DH will stay on his side.)

I wouldn't want to sit on a bench seat. I like my own defined space. I could see having a few rows of bench seats though.

@BabyBoecksMom: I agree!

@Foodnerd81: i agree, this totally opens up "manspreading" problems! people already passive-aggressively hog the armrest. also, this would mean no seat recline, right? unless the whole bench reclines as one unit.

Bench seats would only be OK in my opinion for parties traveling together, like families. For strangers, no way. Too easy to abuse - regardless of your size. I can easily see someone determining that their expensive handbag "can't" go on the floor and has to sit on the bench next to them, etc.

I would love to see "wide" seats (not bench seats, but like 2 seats where there are normally 3) offered for a premium price. I'm not obese, but would strongly consider it, especially on longer flights. This would be awesome when traveling with a lap infant!

Not a fan of the idea. I don't think the solution should be make bigger seats, it should be people take care of their health and get smaller. Otherwise, pay for a larger seat in first class or buy two seats.

Noooo way! I already feel like I have to strictly guard what precious little space I have. On my flight last week, I was next to a teenage girl with practically waist length hair. She was napping by lying on the tray table and her hair kept falling into my lap or onto my table or touching my arm. Yuck! I hate being touched (other than by loved ones, obviously), like it makes me physically recoil, so I really would not like this concept.

I think for larger people and families it could be nice, so maybe just a couple of rows on each plane? Then maybe test out their popularity from there.

I'm kind of confused by the concept too - so you basically buy a percentage of the bench that's supposed to correlate to your size? I agree that it'd be good for a family to just buy a bench together, but not too keen on the idea of sharing a bench with a stranger.
I also wonder if there would be some larger people who'd say that having to pay more for a spot on the bench is discrimination. Plus I'm pretty petite, so I don't want people to be able to encroach on my space even easier - just because I'm small (and tend to squish myself as far from others as possible) does not mean you may have the unused portion of my seat.