worldinabag

It had to happen! Air Asia are apparently considering charging people by their weight. Could this "spread" to all airlines? $-)

Here's the scoop (oops sorry)

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/...014090,00.html

traveller1959

Firstly, they discriminate people by their weight.

Secondly, they discriminate disabled people because of the weight of their wheelchairs.

Thirdly, they discriminate aged people because they are moving more slowly and causing extra cost in the boarding process.

What else?

Maybe charging higher fares from women because they need full toilets while for men urinals would be sufficient?

Luckily, we have recent anti-discrimination legislation in the European Union!

nona1

We don't have anti-fat-people discrimination laws though.

Seems fair enough to me. If me and my luggage weigh less than some lardy person, why shouldn't I pay less?

ira

"Mr Wright said charging larger passengers ....<

Notice that smaller passengers won't get a discount.

willit

I speak as a large person, so I am biased. I think the only way this is not discriminatory is if they only apply it to grossly overweight people.

Airline seats should allow for at least an average person + x. If the average person is 5'8" and weighs 65kg, then is it OK to penalise a 6'5" person weighing 120kg?

Maybe the charges could be extended - smaller people should be charged double at a restaurant on the grounds that they won't eat as much, so the opportunity for dessert sales is less.

travelgourmet

I think the implementation would be so difficult to prevent this from happening. But I do think it is funny this is coming from an Asian carrier - large by Asian standards might be quite normal by Western standards.

hetismij

Not everyone is overweight because they are lazy, eat too much or whatever. Some people do genuinely have medical problems which cause their overweight.
Some people have addictive natures and are addicted to food, rather than drugs, fags or booze. It is easy live with without the latter three, but not possible to live without food.
I am large. A combination of things. I get sick of people making comments about overweight people. One reason I overeat is depression - and comments about being lardy and the like do not help self esteem or depression. It is not funny, it is cruel, and thoughtless.

Maria_H

I'm fairly average height and weight but find some people's attitude to this rather unpleasant. As the last poster said, there are valid reasons why some are heavier and they shouldn't have to explain this to check-in staff. I can't see how it could be implemented anyway - what about short vs tall - a guy of 6'6 is going to weigh a lot more than a a 4'11 woman, both of "normal" weight Are they going to get tape measures out too! What about pregnant women? Just imagine the check-in queues!

nona1

True, there is a tiny minority of larger people who have a medical condition but the vast majority don't have any such reason. I'm a bit overweight myself and I can't deny I've been decidedly fat at times. If you feel so precious about it, lose weight?

RM67

If something like this ever did get introduced surely they'd have to take into account the weight of your baggage as well. Someone might be 5lbs over the body weight cut-off, but have 10 kilos less luggage than the average passenger.

And what about the fact that (seated) children often get reduced prices even though they are taking up a full seat? If people travelling without kids are effectively subsidising those with kids, how is that different to subsidising the overweight?

To be honest, I'm not sure whether I agree with this proposal or not, but I do know that until every other seating and baggage format gets standardised pricing, it won't be fair.....

flanneruk

What's fairness got to do with any of this?

I'm fat - entirely because I choose to consume (and therefore pay for) more food than average. No-one argues Waitrose should charge me the same for my large packet of Cecconi pasta as Nora the Nibbler pays for her sparrow-size packet: so why should she be penalised by paying extra for the fuel I use up being flown?

Airlines are businesses, not weight disorder treatment services. No-one expects them to fly a tonne of fresh fish for the same price they charge for a kilo: so what's the logic in them charging thin people more per gallon of fuel than they charge me?

If anyone seriously believes society has some moral obligation to subsidise us fatties, they should lobby for fat subsidies to be paid to airlines, much as local councils subsidise bus companies to operate in places that are uneconomic. I'm sure everyone can think of of a gazillion higher priorities.

But let's be clear. Air Asia X ISN'T suggesting this to create fitter Australians. The only health it's concerned with is that of its cashflow

RM67

Flanner - why should some groups be subsidised but not others. Why should people who take a load of baggage pay the same as someone with one carryon. Why should a family with kids pay less per seat that a couple or single traveller?

The point is, rightly or wrongly, we already have inequality in the system, so why should one group - the overweight- be singled out to pay extra - when none of the other profiting groups are.....

flanneruk

"why should one group - the overweight- be singled out to pay extra"

We wouldn't be singled out. Fuel's the most expensive element in air transport, and msay well be getting costlier still. And the amount of fuel I's responsibe for burning up is directly proportional to the weight I bring on board. When oil was $10 a barrel, extra weight might have been trivial: if it hits $200 a barrel it's catastrophic.

Some fat people might be carrying 50 or even 100 lbs more than the person sitting next to them: if they're bringing luggage too, flying them can cost two or three times the cost of flying their seatmate.

Life is indeed unfair. And it's about time society stopped thinking it's got a resposibility to subsidise people's lifestyle choices.

nona1

lol back to the fat people seating arguments

Really fat people should at least be made to buy two seats. I've been stuck next to a woman who, while very pleasant, made my journey extremely uncomfortable.

Can we also extend this principle to men who have to sit on public transport with their legs splayed wide apart, taking up two seats. I always ask them if they have a medical problem with their genitals otherwise could they please sit normally so that there is room for my legs. Nice and loudly.

RM67

''We wouldn't be singled out''

Yes you would. If you don't penalise everyone who increases the load (whether by body weight, luggage weight, addition of children in cut-price seats etc) then you are singling out just one group. That's what makes it discriminatory.

zippo

The fuel used in a flight is only vaguely related to the passengers' weight. The weight of the plane itself, its age, its engine model and how fast it flies have more effect.
When they weigh baggage they are more concerned with size really. (except carry ons which might fall on someones head)Weight is only used because its easier to measure.
Does the airline take into account which plane it is using? No.
This is just a way to "justify" charging extra in these tough times. Predators often attack those who are a bit slower or are separate from the rest of the herd.
Bunch up! Bunch up!

RM67

''When they weigh baggage they are more concerned with size really. (except carry ons which might fall on someones head)Weight is only used because its easier to measure.''

Actually, weight is used to calculate fuel load, so it does matter....

zippo

If it actually mattered then how do they manage to fly planes without weighing the passengers?
Trust me RM67 it really is BS.

RM67

They assume an average weight per passenger and then add the weight of the weighed luggage. On small aircraft they DO sometimes weigh passengers, and/or specifically try to balance both sides by telling people exactly where to sit.

flanneruk

"he fuel used in a flight is only vaguely related to the passengers' weight. "

Twaddle. Complete gibberish.

On a fuel-efficent plane, a 200lb fatty burns up more fuel than a 100lb skinny. On a fuel-inefficient plane, the skinny burns up more fuel - but still only half what the fatty burns up.

RM's right, of course, that it's a bit unfair to charge us extra JUST because we're fat. But a charge/passenger of €x per total kilos (personal weight plus bags and children) is utterly fair - and if we ever do get to $200/barrel, unavoidable.