Charging overweight fliers

soundoff (9 Responses)

1. Bruce Karjala
   

   If someone needs to occupy two seats he or she should pay twice. What if you buy a ticket on a sold out flight, then get to your seat to find you can not get inot it because someone else is using half of it? What do you do, leave?
   If that wide person purchses two seats, the sold out flight can accommdate everyone and you won't have to forfeit your trip. Fair is fair and in this instance the person needs two seats so they should pay for two seats.

   April 21, 2009 at 10:50 am |
2. Patrick
   

   Yes, Rick and Josh, we know, you hate fat people. However, your personal aesthetics don't get to guide an entire industry.

   Here's the point many of you are missing: It is the airlines' business to move people. And people, regardless of dietary consumption, DO NOT COME ALL IN ONE SIZE. They never have.

   As a result, it would be in the airlines' best interest – as well as the interest of other people – to make some seats wider. They do this on a very small scale for taller people, but they could – and should – make some seats wider.

   Unless I've missed something, NO business can afford to turn away paying customers. Businesses of all varieties, not just airlines, need to market to more than just the middle.

   Some of us need bigger seats and bigger clothes. Not all of us are Caucasian, or Christian, or straight, but many businesses still operate on the anticipation that we are.

   April 20, 2009 at 9:28 pm |
3. Tara
   

   Hey Josh....more and likely you are already invading someone else's personal space with your sweaty slimy body...even for thin people the seats aren't that big and spacious...they pack everyone in like cattle...no matter what airline you're on...and one might suggest that an obese person sit in first class or business class...but even then..on most airlines it's not roomy..and you're STILL jam packed next to the person next to you...

   and who's to say there isn't some slimy sweaty smelly skinny person sitting next to you Josh...why don't you lose some of that 240 to make the person next to you more comfortable.

   Don't bother slammin me either..yes i'm obese and yes I buy two seats and i sit next to my husband so there is no one else next to us...3 seats in a row and we have the whole row to ourselves...and yes it was nice to stretch out and lay down to take a nap with my head in my husbands lap while all you skinny people tried to move as far away from the person next to you as possible..but oh....you had no where to go......

   Basically if you're fat enough to fill two seats...buy two seats...if you're skinny enough not to....good for you....

   April 20, 2009 at 4:11 pm |
4. Vikram, Laurel, MD
   

   Obese people MUST purchase 2 seats each. Charging higher prices for obese people while offering only 1 seat will be a commercial success for the airline and torture for the passengers in the next seat.

   April 20, 2009 at 3:55 pm |
5. freqflyer
   

   Agreed. The feelings of the obese are not an issue here at all. It is a matter of how costs are calculated. Everything is based on weight; fuel is bought by the pound, you are alotted x amount of weight in your baggage or there is a charge.
   No doubt there should be a base weight and if you are under it you receive acredit of X amount per pound and if you are over it you receive X amount per pound. If you are more than 25% or so over the base amount you are automatically charged for two seats (the base cost for two people). The obvious reasoning if you are impeding on the minimal space the others are paying for you can pay for two seats so obesity isnt they scourge of the others on your row for the next X amount of hours.
   Now this could also be based on flight time. If your flight is only a hour, maybe a two seat penalty is a bit much and could just a per pound penalty. But a cross country or anything of a significant time frame should be a two seat charge.

   April 20, 2009 at 3:27 pm |
6. Richard Shumate
   

   Airlines haul freight, some of it live and some of it not. In my view each airline fare should be calculated based upon the combined total weight of each customer and their luggage. Some say that discriminates against heavier patrons. No more so than the extra a thin person pays today to haul someone heavy, or someone with all their many bags in the overhead and luggage stowed below. Forget about the nickle and dime way airlines are running their business today turning the flight attendants that were trained to provide safety and courtesy into hawkers of pillows, blankets, beverages,food and movies. No wonder airlines are losing customers and money.

   April 20, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
7. josh
   

   yes, you should get charged if you are rolling over into both sides.. lliterally..
   i am a 240 pound guy and about close to needing 2 seats.. if you are an obese person, YES, it is your fault for eating all day and night , and your fault that you take up2-3 seats .. i refuse to sit by a slimy sweaty huge person on a plane, it is almost criminal..
   pay

   April 20, 2009 at 2:49 pm |
8. Rick From Philly
   

   Of course it's your fault, Kate! The reason you can't fit in airplane seats is because you can't control what you put in your mouth. I shouldn't have to risk my personal space just because you eat your emotions.

   April 20, 2009 at 2:46 pm |
9. Marc
   

   It not a question of discrimination, it a question of physics. If a person weighs more it costs more to move them from Point A to Point B. They charge more if a passengers bag is overweight so why not the passenger. Even more is the fact that I weigh about 140 lbs, my 6 yrd 37 lbs, my 8 yrd 50 lbs, and my 12 yrd 60 lbs. altogether were at about 350 lbs but we’re charged for 4 full fares and someone else who weighs 350 and needs 2 seats only wants to be charged for 1 fare? Does anyone else remember when kids used to be charged ½ price?

   April 20, 2009 at 1:37 pm |