Fatties to pay more to fly?

[lxskllr]

check-in nightmare! fuck that.

Why's it a check in nightmare? You pay for Xkg, and a hold gets placed on the credit card for some reasonable arbitrary amount. You scale up at the airport, and the total gets adjusted. That also makes pricing between airlines easy. You pick a destination, and choose the airline that gives the best price per kg. Their reputation will allow decisions based on service. That removes all the bullshit from airline fees.

 

[skimple]

I agree with this idea entirely. I travel with two kids that barely weigh 90 pounds put together. I should pay for their seats. But why am I paying the same price as two people that total 450 pounds?

Price tiers every 50 pounds.

 

[stlc8tr]

Tell me this, how does FedEx determine their shipping price? Is it the same for every package, or is it based on some other objective metric?

FedEx and other shippnig companies charge by either actual weight or dimensional weight, whichever is more.

 

[OutHouse]

Why's it a check in nightmare? You pay for Xkg, and a hold gets placed on the credit card for some reasonable arbitrary amount. You scale up at the airport, and the total gets adjusted. That also makes pricing between airlines easy. You pick a destination, and choose the airline that gives the best price per kg. Their reputation will allow decisions based on service. That removes all the bullshit from airline fees.

so sort sighted...

the check in for baggage and people is already a pain in the ass especially on busy days. then throw in money refunds or pay more and people lose their shit. yea nightmare.

 

[lxskllr]

so sort sighted...

the check in for baggage and people is already a pain in the ass especially on busy days. then throw in money refunds or pay more and people lose their shit. yea nightmare.

Money changing hands takes zero time; that's electronic. The scales and scanning can be done in one shot. There's no reason it should take any more time.

 

[jlarsson]

so sort sighted...

the check in for baggage and people is already a pain in the ass especially on busy days. then throw in money refunds or pay more and people lose their shit. yea nightmare.

To some extent, that occurs today already (not with the weight of the person). Most airlines have baggage fees. So, as part of the check-in process bags are weighed. Airlines charge customers during the check-in process for each bag (plus extra if the bags are over a certain weight or are over-sized).

Now, having personal weight restrictions would inconvenience people who travel light and don't check any luggage (and check-in electronically).

 

[SKORPI0]

Thereshould be a "fat people section" in the middle part of the airplane. :awe:

 

[sunzt]

Realistically, the closest you'll get to charge by lb is charge by # seats, which is what they're currently doing.

 

[SamQuint]

You are dreaming if you think this plan would make the ticket of anyone's flight actually go down. All they would do is charge the same prices and then tack on the penalty for overweight people.

This is all about airline profit rather what is fair for the customer. Hell even now not everyone pays the same price for a ticket. Some guy that books in advance gets a cheaper seat than someone that books last minute. They are the same seat but the price can vary by hundreds of dollars. Same seat, same plane, same destination but they are charged different prices? The airlines don't care about what is fair they just want to maximize profits. (not that there is anything wrong with that)

 

[OutHouse]

Money changing hands takes zero time; that's electronic. The scales and scanning can be done in one shot. There's no reason it should take any more time.

the human factor is more than enough reason. all it takes is one person to bitch about being charged more because the airlines scales are "wrong" and its chaos.

as far as already doing this for luggage, yes that is true but a lot of people do not check luggage and very few people pack thsir case with enough shit to bust the limit.

what being discussed in this thread is weighing EVERYBODY.. sorry but that will never work and anybody suggesting it is a retard.

 

[Paul98]

As long as they put a good model in for this. Seems like it could work if they have a base cost per seat and cost per pound. But I expect this would just be the airlines wanting to make more money so they would make the rules so that no one pays less and you only end up paying more if you are over a certain weight...

 

[mvbighead]

I agree with this idea entirely. I travel with two kids that barely weigh 90 pounds put together. I should pay for their seats. But why am I paying the same price as two people that total 450 pounds?

Price tiers every 50 pounds.

Problem with your argument is that your children could be replaced on the flight by other passengers that would earn them more money. From a profitability standpoint, deducting anything for "underweight passengers" is going to cost more money, and that simply won't happen.

I think the only reasonable solution is to charge for those that are more wide than the seat allows. Make special seats available, at a reasonable increase in rate, but require that a passenger fits in his allotted seat. If they do not, they must pay for the space of two normal seats or for the upgraded seat if one is available.

Personally, at 6-3, I find standard seats to generally be far too short. I prefer emergency exit seats with a bit more leg room. I honestly wish companies like southwest would do a better job of holding those seats for longer passengers, and that other companies would require people in those positions to be something other than 5-5 130lbs.

As it is, flights are designed for the average sized person. Tall or wide is generally unaccounted for. Punishing someone for being tall is a bit strange. However charging the fat guy for the extra space he occupies is reasonable given that being fat is something that one can control.

 

[bignateyk]

I don't have a problem with it over a certain weight. There should be a lower limit to it thought because an 80lb kid still occupies a whole seat on the plane, so the airline would stand to lose money by having an 80lb kid taking a seat that could comfortably fit a 180lb adult.

 

[Exterous]

Money changing hands takes zero time; that's electronic. The scales and scanning can be done in one shot. There's no reason it should take any more time.

While I see the reasoning behind the idea it would take more time - perhaps substantially. Why? 9 out of 10 times I fly I don't go to the counter. I already have my boarding pass and no checked luggage so I just walk in the airport and straight to the security line. Generally my first interaction with anyone employed by the airline is when I hand them my ticket at the gate. As a lot of FF do this you are going to get a shit ton more people who are standing in line at the airline check in

Furthermore what about connections? Are these weights going to be implemented or standardized across all airlines in the world? Likely not. So, for those with connections on different airlines - do they have to leave the airport and come back in? Additional check in scales for airlines at departure gates? Even if everyone is weighed for every flight how do you ensure that the scales in Istanbul or Nepal are calibrated correctly? I can see a lot of graft and corruption overseas if this were to happen

 

[skimple]

I'm quite certain the airlines would price it so that they weren't losing money on "lighter" people. Base cost for seat covers up to X pounds. Then, upcharge for each X pounds.

A lighter plane means using less fuel. They could offer a lower price, and increase margin at the same time.

Its the same thing that restaurants do with "kids eat free". Those kids still take up seats at the table, but they consume less resources, and provide incentive for the adults to come in and spend money.

 

[Rakehellion]

Airline costs are probably more dependent on weight than size. Weight translates directly into fuel costs.

Right, which is why they estimate what you're expected to weigh and charge everyone that.

The weight of one person on one plane isn't going to affect the airline's bottom line. And if Americans are getting fatter as a whole, everyone's prices go up.

 

[lxskllr]

While I see the reasoning behind the idea it would take more time - perhaps substantially. Why? 9 out of 10 times I fly I don't go to the counter. I already have my boarding pass and no checked luggage so I just walk in the airport and straight to the security line. Generally my first interaction with anyone employed by the airline is when I hand them my ticket at the gate. As a lot of FF do this you are going to get a shit ton more people who are standing in line at the airline check in

Furthermore what about connections? Are these weights going to be implemented or standardized across all airlines in the world? Likely not. So, for those with connections on different airlines - do they have to leave the airport and come back in? Additional check in scales for airlines at departure gates? Even if everyone is weighed for every flight how do you ensure that the scales in Istanbul or Nepal are calibrated correctly? I can see a lot of graft and corruption overseas if this were to happen

Why couldn't you be weighed while you're getting radiated by the TSA? You have to stand there getting your asshole checked anyway. There's no reason you can't stand on a scale.

 

[jacktesterson]

Im 6'7 and weigh 300 lbs and workout 6 days a week.

I am in good shape, better than most.

Anyone that tries to charge me nore because of my weight simply wont get my money.

To be honest the thought if this idea is offensive to me, in shape or not.

 

[NuroMancer]

Well they can offset the reduced passenger (ie kids) weight with more cargo.

The tricky part would be when people come in significantly over what they said and you have to reoptimize your cargo to passenger ratio.

Start charging a pentalty if your weight that you enter online is over a % vs in the airport

 

[OutHouse]

I agree with this idea entirely. I travel with two kids that barely weigh 90 pounds put together. I should pay for their seats. But why am I paying the same price as two people that total 450 pounds?

Price tiers every 50 pounds.

I bet you did not pay what the people in your story paid.

 

[OutHouse]

Why couldn't you be weighed while you're getting radiated by the TSA? You have to stand there getting your asshole checked anyway. There's no reason you can't stand on a scale.

seriously when was the last time you flew? its clear you have no clue.

you go to TSA AFTER YOU GET YOUR BOARDING PASS AND CHECK YOUR BAGS. you dont do both process at the same time.

 

[jacktesterson]

Im 6'7 and weigh 300 lbs and workout 6 days a week.

I am in good shape, better than most.

Anyone that tries to charge me nore because of my weight simply wont get my money.

To be honest the thought if this idea is offensive to me, in shape or not.

I agree with this guy. ..

 

[lxskllr]

seriously when was the last time you flew? its clear you have no clue.

you go to TSA AFTER YOU GET YOUR BOARDING PASS AND CHECK YOUR BAGS. you dont do both process at the same time.

Yea, because that's etched in fuckin' stone by god himself. We CERTAINLY couldn't do anything differently, cause god will send a lightning bolt up our asses :^S

 

[NuroMancer]

I agree with this guy. ..

Im 6'7 and weigh 300 lbs and workout 6 days a week.

I am in good shape, better than most.

Anyone that tries to charge me nore because of my weight simply wont get my money.

To be honest the thought if this idea is offensive to me, in shape or not.

Because your the same person?

 

[surfsatwerk]

Everyone should have the mass checked by water displacement and pay accordingly.