Should airlines charge more for overweight passengers?

[Deleted member 9966]

So are you comfortable in a plane then, Liz? Or do you dread the seat in front of you squashing your kneecaps?

it's been a long time since I had to fly G, but if I can't have a front row seat, I tend to ask for a seat next to the emergency exits on the wings or an aisle seat. stick me in the middle of a row and I'll be up and walking around because I can't stay sat in the same position for that long.

if I booked a seat with more leg room, then I would expect to pay for it. surely, it works the same way for larger people?

 

[user123]

Yes, I choose the emergency exit seats, too when available, but why should we have to pay extra for decent leg room just because we have long legs???? We are just normal people, ...well in that particular respect anyhow..:lol:

 

[Mouldy]

So are we not in buisness to make money? I know I am!

Running an aircraft is expensive weather we like it or not. The cost of fuel, (as we all know), is ever increasing. So is the cost of insurance; the cost of living, (and therfore the cost of wages/salaries); H&E legislation, (which cost's money to implement). Reduce the cost of seating and the ticket costs will increase.

We are hit with taxes becasue we are told that aircraft are destroying the planet. I personally think this is BS and that aircraft are actually quite a good way to move people around. You can move a large quantity of people with relative ease and speed compared to something like a bus or a car, unless of course you reduce the amount of seating making them less efficient.

Being charged for overwieght luggage is fair. Your told quite clearly what your allowance is before you get to the airport, so if your over you should be charged. 'Cheap' airlines are not that cheap when you take into consideration the baggage allowance's. eg the only time I have ever gone on a cheap airline the allowance was for hand luggage only. You paid extra to put luggage in the hold.

Call me a bigot if you like but this is my opinion, some of which is fact. :smiley2:

 

[aph257]

also what miffs me i weigh 13 stone (average male) and i had a extra 7lbs in luggage total (29 lbs) i got charged £20. the obese person weighing approx 20 stone who actually has 28 times more extra weight than i do pays nothing.

 

[user123]

Ehm, Mouldy, the question was not about luggage, but about people.....?

 

[Mouldy]

Yup, I know.....but thanks for pointing that out! Was responding to the point of luggage that has been raised.

The point about overweight people was answered in my first post.

Luggage can be moved around a plane to get the CofG with in the allowed paramaters. Get on a plane with a load of fatties and I for one would be getting off. Pilots are talented people but they can't change the laws of physics!

 

[tfs]

I reckon there should be a combined passenger/ luggage wieght if they are gonna go down that route, and it should be put down as an additional luggae charge. I think this would be fair.

You pay full price for a 3 year old to fly so whether you weigh like 3 stone or 18 stone they charge full wack. Yet luggae allowance currently remains the same

 

[tfs]

This may even encourage over weight adults to keep there children in good shape to beneift from some of the kids combined weight allowance.:lol:

 

[Daz]

I've only skimmed this thread so apologies if I've missed the point.

My opinion is quite straight forward and blunt. If someone is too wide for one seat or is likely to make life very uncomfortable for the person next to them, then they should have to purchase 2 seats. Weight is very personal and subjective and I think the airlines would eventually run in to human rights issues if they pursued that line so physical size should be the determining factor IMO. Perhaps they should introduce a seat next to the check in desk (just like they have the frame for hand luggage) :lol:

 

[mikethetile]

this is nothing to do with weight or centre of gravity, you would have to weigh a considerable amount to affect a planes balance. if that was the case they wouldnt be allowed to walk up the aisle when the plane was in the air

its simply the logistics of fitting them in to such small seats, fact is if you are over a certain size you will have to fly on aircraft with bigger seats which is going to cost more