Airlines ticket based on your weight

[George Wallace]

Get rid of the moving sidewalks and make people walk the whole way to their gates.

Seriously though, what I don't think is "fair" is paying for a seat and having someone beside me take up 1/3 of it. So while charging obese people for two seats seems discriminatory, charging thin people for a 'whole' seat that is being partially occupied by the person(s) beside them is not right either.

Or the airlines could take out 1/3 of those tiny seats. 

 

[Celticgirl]

Or the airlines could take out 1/3 of those tiny seats. 

I'm not sure what you are getting at. Do you mean thin people should get smaller seats and heavy people get larger ones? Or do you mean that they should make all the seats larger? Larger seats may solve the passengers' problems (heavy people get enough space, thin people don't have someone's abdomen flowing over their armrest into their space), but the airlines would lose money because obviously there would be fewer seats and less profit.

 

[aesop081]

Forget weight......charge by volume........

 

[George Wallace]

I'm not sure what you are getting at. Do you mean thin people should get smaller seats and heavy people get larger ones? Or do you mean that they should make all the seats larger? Larger seats may solve the passengers' problems (heavy people get enough space, thin people don't have someone's abdomen flowing over their armrest into their space), but the airlines would lose money because obviously there would be fewer seats and less profit.

Some, or many, depending on your views, airlines pack people in like sardines.  There is no leg room, no elbow room, etc.  That contributes to your problems of "personal" space.

 

[kratz]

Forget weight......charge by volume........

;D That was priceless.  

As George just mentioned, the North American sense of personal space is actually greater than someone coming from other areas.

 

[aesop081]

;D That was priceless.  

I need a T-shirt that says " the contents of my ass may have settled during travel"

 

[kratz]

Ok, That's it...I am laughing to hard to be serious now. I's pay to see a shirt like that. 8)

 

[Strike]

I don't know about the other airframes on the mil side, but we tend to use a standard weight on the Grif side.  The actual weight of a pax can go either way, but it all tends to work out.  I noticed on some of the links I provided above that most airlines do the same, but it is also dependent on sex and has been steaily increased throughout the years to take into account the increase in weight of the average person.

Does it annoy me sitting next to an overweight person who infringes on my personal space?  Sure.  But I've also had the misfortune of sitting next to someone my own size who didn't seem to understand the invisible barrier that exists at the armrest.  Which was more annoying?  The one who was trying to give me space but physically couldn't and was uncomfortable throughout the whole flight?  Or the person who had more than enough room in their own seat but HAD to take over some of mine as well?  I'm sure you can figure out the answer.

 

[Kat Stevens]

You already pay for the fuel consumption in the form of the fuel surcharge.  I therefore pay my share of the fuel used to transport my fat ass to all the places my job requires, where I earn the money i use to pay my taxes to enable this wonderful country to function.  That plane would still go where it's going, with or without my butt on one of those pine planks that the airline calls a seat.  I  pay my fare, and am transported to the desired location.  Our transaction is complete, no different than a bus or taxi ride...X number of dollars for a ride to location Y. 

 

[armyvern]

I don't think a fit 6'4" business man should have to pay more than a 5'1" mother and her screaming 1 year old combined.

Especially were it this particular 8 month old; he doesn't seem to be screaming though:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26458218#26458218

Yikes. 

 

[BinRat55]

Especially were it this particular 8 month old; he doesn't seem to be screaming though:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26458218#26458218

Yikes. 

Yikes is right!!  Holy crap... and I say again, the logistics behind something like this "proposal" would be maddening. Soooo many things to figure in. If the country wants to make a mark in healthier living, make tobacco and fast food illegal. And that's coming from someone who LOVES his take-out and smokes!!

 

[George Wallace]

Well.  Terminals will have to go through major renovations.  They would have to install scales at all Ticket locations, including those new 'do-it-yourself' ones, so that those with only carry-on luggage will be checked for total weight (person and luggage).

Nope!  I don't think the Airlines would go through this expense.

 

[aesop081]

Nope!   I don't think the Airlines would go through this expense.

Some of the smaller comuter airlines are already installing scales at the check-in counters. This came about after a few airline incidents where improper weight-and-ballance was blame for aircraft crashes.

 

[Sheerin]

When I was in Ireland back in '97, we took a small side trip to the Aran Islands, to get there we took a Aer Arann Britten-Normal Islander.  When we and the other passangers checked in, each of us got the pleasure of standing on a scale.  Granted each person's weight didn't affect the price of the flight, it just determined where we sat in the aircraft.
Although I do remember there was this one girl with her family who was maybe 13 and was somewhat overweight.  She didn't really appreciate the fact that everyone in the terminal could see what her weight was.  If I remember correctly she began to cry almost immediately. 

 

[aesop081]

If I remember correctly she began to cry almost immediately. 

Too bad for her. Its done for her own safety.

 

[Sheerin]

Too bad for her. Its done for her own safety.

Oh I know that (and I knew it at the time even though I was only 15).  It's just if something like this were ever to be implemented, they would have to find a way to ensure customer privacy. 

 

[aesop081]

Oh I know that (and I knew it at the time even though I was only 15).   It's just if something like this were ever to be implemented, they would have to find a way to ensure customer privacy. 

Thats an easy fix.....put the screen on the agent's side where only he/she can see it.

Standard weights in , at least, civillian aviation will go by way of the Dodo.

 

[Nieghorn]

Slightly beside the topic, but I (big, rugby playing dude) was weighed on a Twin Otter flight from Samoa to American Samoa a few weeks ago.  Was warned ahead of time about this by a big local, but they were doing it for everyone.  Pilot friend reckons they could calculate fuel, etc. but said they didn't bother on the N. Ont. bush runs.

Felt a bit self conscious, though. 

 

[George Wallace]

Slightly beside the topic, but I (big, rugby playing dude) was weighed on a Twin Otter flight from Samoa to American Samoa a few weeks ago.  Was warned ahead of time about this by a big local, but they were doing it for everyone.  Pilot friend reckons they could calculate fuel, etc. but said they didn't bother on the N. Ont. bush runs.

Felt a bit self conscious, though. 

I understand that this is also quite common in many locations in South America, especially with flights that will be into the higher altitudes.