Should overweight air passengers be charged additional fees for their weight?

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Health Debates

27 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
41% of users

  • Flight is a privalige, not a right.

    As a transport aircraft crewmember and mechanic with 23 years in the aviation industry, I can say that some overweight persons should not be allowed to fly at all. Transportation on an aircraft is not a right, it is a privilege. The federal no fly list is proof of this. Persons are put on this list in order to keep potentially dangerous persons off of aircraft. Is that discriminatory? No, because they pose a danger to those on board the aircraft. Aircraft seats are limited to a safely support a specific amount of weight. If that weight is exceeded, the seat could suffer structural damage that may go unnoticed until an accident. For example, if said aircraft is approaching V1 speed, (the point at which the aircraft must take off) and a runway incursion occurs, the pilots will abort the takeoff. This will happen by full application of the brakes and thrust reversers. Anything not locked down becomes a missile (please refer to Newton’s laws). If damage to a seat has occurred, that seat can separate with its new passengers in the seat. Further, if an overweight person is on board an aircraft that happens to catch fire on the ground and needs to be evacuated, the overwing exits could become blocked. Those exits are limited in size and will not accommodate some people. If an overweight person blocks an exit inside of a burning aircraft, who is it not fair to. I suggest to you that it is not discrimination. If I do not put a handicap ramp on my home because no one in my home is handicapped am I discriminating against someone that I am unaware of. If the seatbelt in my car is not rated to protect someone that is overweight in a nine G forward impact, did I discriminate against that person. If I get a ticket for having an unbuckled toddler in my car, am I being discriminated against for having a toddler that likes to unbuckle. If a person with an infant under the age of two years that wants a seatbelt for his child, is that person being discriminated against if he is charged for that seat? By law that infant can be lap held, with no seatbelt on an aircraft. If the person has a genetic or medical condition that causes their obesity, then they should choose to fly on a medical transport aircraft. If it is not a medical condition, which is the case with almost all obese conditions, then that person is discriminating against you by putting your life in danger and infringing on your right to life.

    Yes Anonymous

  • I believe that overweight air passengers should be charged additional fees for their weight because, on airplanes, their size impedes other people.

    I believe that overweight air passengers should be charged additional fees, because their weight impacts both passengers and crew alike. Airliner seats are small enough as it is. When seated next to a very large person, their body mass not only fills their own space, but encroaches on their neighbors', narrowing their neighbors' space further. That passenger often has to shift their position, so as not to be right up against the larger person. Planes have weight restrictions. An extremely obese person occupies a higher percentage of the weight load than the average customer. If airlines can tier the price for luggage based on weight, then that model should be applied to the passengers, as well.

    Yes ThoughtfulRoosevelt53

  • Overweight passengers should be charged additional fees for their weight, because they take up more space.

    Overweight air passengers should be charged extra, because they take up more than one chair. They should be charged the extra ticket, because they are not going to be able to fill up the chair, otherwise. The airline will be able to make up that money, and the other customers wouldn't be made uncomfortable by getting the seat next to them.

    Yes RandallS

  • Equality through the freedom of choice.

    People may argue that this is somehow 'unfair' but the fact is people choose to be large. By using excess equipment of the airline (seatbelt extensions, pull up arms etc), they need to pay for this or they are getting a 'free lunch.' Allowing them to not pay for this will in fact be unfair to normal weight passengers who get nothing for free.

    Yes Anonymous

  • yep

    if there fat flows into the other seat or severly annoys the other passagnges the yes

    Yes Anonymous

  • Overweight passengers should pay additional airline fees since, in most cases, because they chose to let themselves become overweight.

    I am not someone who subscribes to the thinking that all overweight people have a "disease" or "disorder". I believe most of them have let laziness and unhealthy eating habits lead to their weight problem, a choice that they have personally made for a long time. Eating right, and more importantly exercise and activity, can fight almost all weight problems. Therefore, those who choose to let themselves become overweight should have to pay for their choice, when it comes to airline seats, movie seats, public transportation, and so on.

    Yes BrianDj

  • Just as there are penalties for people who don't wear a seat belt while driving, sometimes people have to be have guidelines to reduce the impact on others.

    As Americans continue to gain exorbitant amounts of weight, the responsibility is increasingly on them to take care of their health and should they not, there are natural consequences such as higher premiums, not being eligible for public assistance, insurance or certain jobs. Many people have reported they quit smoking when it became illegal in public areas. Same holds true for the embarrassment of being charged extra for weighing more. If left unchecked, where will it end? There is only so much weight an airplane can carry. If one person takes up too large of a spot so an airline can't fill the seat next to them, it is only fair the "space" being used is paid for by the larger person. People who get defensive about this are also the very same people who don't think they have any responsibility to others (family, co-workers, fellow insurance holders) for how their choices impact others.

    Yes Ramon Griffith

  • Overweight passengers should be charged additional fees for their air flights.

    Overweight passengers should be charged additional fees for their air flights. Current airline seats are arranged so that there is minimal space for passengers because the knee space has gotten smaller and the seats slimmer in order to accommodate more people. When you are sitting in one of these cramped seats and an overweight person sits next to you, it makes your ride incredibly uncomfortable. While raising the rate for these passengers will not make my ride more comfortable, it may encourage the airlines to form an ?overweight section? with slightly larger seat space so that these individuals can get what they pay for and the thinner passengers will be allowed to get what they paid for.

    Yes SilverMathi

  • Of course they should, if they lap over two seats, they should pay for two seats.

    Obese people really should check them selves. They don't have a disease, they have an eating disorder. They should not become a protected class of citizen just because they are fat. Airlines have every right to charge a fatty more for his or her ticket. If they are extremely obese, and take up two seats they should pay for two seats. Who wants to sit next to an overweight person with their blubber lapping over the seat?

    Yes BriaBlacken

  • Fuel and space costs money, so overweight passengers should have to pay for it.

    It's difficult to charge overweight passengers extra for the extra space and fuel they use without appearing overly judgmental, but the alternative is higher ticket prices for everyone as airlines try and make up the difference. If airlines were making money hand over fist, I might be more sympathetic, but I heard on the news that airline profit margins are less than 5% due to fierce competition, especially from low-cost carriers. Excessive fares from having to charge overweight passengers the same might damage the industry as a whole.

    Yes 54uIIan

  • Overweight air passengers should be charged extra fees for the space they use.

    Airlines charge fares in direct response to the amount of space and weight that is occupied on each flight, An overweight air passenger reduces the amount of baggage that can be taken on a specific flight and are in turn largely responsible for the implementation of carriers charging fees for each piece of luggage now.

    Yes ThegaXen
Voice Your Opinion
No
59% of users

  • I do not think overweight passengers should be charged more for their weight, because the problem is cramped space, not overweight passengers.

    The problem lies not within charging overweight passengers, yet within the structures of the planes themselves. Unless a person can afford the luxury class, coach is cramped and crowded, even if you are not overweight. There is rarely enough room. I do think that if there is a free seat on the flight, an extremely overweight person could be placed next to the free seat. Otherwise, it is going to be up to the airlines to design more spacious coach class airplanes, in general.

    No PointlessElbert47

  • No, overweight passengers should not be charged more for airline passage, since this would be discrimination.

    Several studies have shown that overweight people, especially obese people, are subject to terrible disdain, prejudice, and discrimination. I do not think it is fair or just to charge more for airline tickets, unless a person will occupy more than one seat. While the actual costs for carriage may be higher for the very heavy person, this averages out with the smallest people occupying seats. I would only favor increased pricing if every passenger paid per weight.

    No baltute

  • While there is a case to be made for charging passengers who actually require more than one seat, the idea is fundamentally obnoxious and unfair.

    Granted that the airline industry is not wildly successful, and that cost-cutting measures may be important, this particular idea is discriminatory and generally nasty. It doesn't take into account the demographic reality of the customer base: one-third of Americans are obese, and two-thirds are overweight. The seats used should be changed, if necessary, to accommodate customers' comfort and convenience. If a person actually takes up two seats, under any seating scheme, a case can be made for charging the person extra, since the individual is depriving the airline of income, and another would-be passenger of access to the flight. But this situation does not arise often, and this example seems to get raised to justify the entire category of making weight-based cost distinctions, rather than to save the airlines money or expand the number of available seats. Flying is stressful and expensive. Airlines should provide better service to remain profitable.

    No M4I4cFeIine

  • Unless the whole fee system is changed, overweight people should not be charged more.

    Overweight people should not be charged more airfare unless they need two seats, because airfare rates are charged per seat and not per pound per seat. I would support charging overweight people more if passengers under the average weight were charged less. If the airline wants to make more money on fat people, they should restructure their fee schedule to charge not by the seat but by the pound.

    No EImerBuddie

  • I don't think that overweight passengers should be made to feel any worse about themselves by getting additional charges.

    Knowing what it is like to be overweight, I think that it is absolutely unacceptable to charge overweight passengers extra. It would destroy their self esteem and make them feel bad about themselves. A little extra cash for the airlines should not be made at the expense of the poor overweight passengers.

    No danoneeno

  • It is highly impractical to charge someone based on their weight when they cannot help being over- or under-weight.

    It is not correct to charge passengers based on their weight, since if that is the case, the underweight passengers would have to be charged less. This could lead to an unmanageable situation where there would be no standard guidelines. Besides, overweight passengers are rare, and their weight is negligible compared to the luggage-weight.

    No darknesse

  • Overweight people should not be charged addition fees for their weight.

    Charging overweight air passengers additional fees for their weight sounds and looks like discrimination on the part of airlines. And it may also hurt the individual who is overweight. It is not fair to discriminate against the air passengers on the basis of their physical appearance.

    No I0rFashion

  • People should not be charged based on their body composition.

    Companies should have the ability to cater to all types of passengers. Do buffets charge more for people who are greedy? Do skating rinks or bowling alleys charge people extra because they have big feet? Do handicap people get charged more because they may need specialized seating or extra room for their equipment? Would a really fair skinned person be charged an increase rate to use a tanning bed? No, because this would ostracize a valuable customer, and a human being, based on their physical. The bottom line is that it is the company's job to be able to accommodate all of its patrons equally. After all, they are the ones making the profit. Or, maybe an airline should be developed specifically catering to larger sized patrons. I'm sure they would be happy to make the money.

    No MohaI0v35

  • Overweight passengers should not be charged additional fees because it is a discriminatory practice.

    Overweight air passengers should not be charged additional fees because it is discriminatory. Being overweight can be hereditary or some overweight passengers could have an eating disorder. If the weight of the passenger increases the cost of operation for the airline, the cost should be distributed over all passengers who are purchasing tickets.

    No w00dwitch

  • I don't think they should charge overweight passengers because they shouldn't judge people based on weight

    If you weigh a lot more than normal citizens that shouldn't make you pay more on an airplane trip. That is like saying because your skinny you won't get to the eat the same amount of food as an obese person. It should be equal for everyone and just because they weigh more, doesn't mean charge more.

    No waffletime

  • Overweight and obese customers should be charged a standard fee, while underweight and small customers should have prorated tickets.

    Given that men are 20% larger than women, this would allow for an instant discount for women fliers on the average, and children and babies would be flying for a fraction of the usual rate. As everyone knows how much fun it is to make air travel with a plane with an unusually high number of minors on board, the inexpensive tickets for the women would only be chivalry. Being large or obese can be a real nuisance. As you've already figured out by now I'm an man, well taller than most people, who though a Tae Kwon Do instructor, I cannot suck in my shoulders, especially for the length of a long flight. Tucking in my legs is at least that hard and I can't fly without them. "Wow, look at that wedding band! Can you put a quarter through?" (answer, yes) People who are obese can no more fly without their adipose than I can send out for smaller shoes and smaller feet for the duration of the flight. It would be fair to rebate small people for having to sit under my shoulders while I wrap my arms around myself and try not to make eye contact. It's not fair to fat people to penalize them more than being fat already does. As an instructor it really bothers me when society is mean to fat people, and airplanes are a special peeve of mine.

    No groovybox

  • I do not believe overweight air passengers should pay and additional fee because this would be a form of discrimination

    First I think this is an impossible decision for an airline to make. At what point is a person considered overweight? This would necessitate a complex set of rules where the sex, height and weight of a person must all be included and computed. Should a 6'5" 250 lb. football player be considered overweight if a 5'3" 250 lb woman is? Then all big and tall men even if they are normal weight for their size would have to pay more. A second reason this is unfair is that airlines accommodate all passengers with special needs. They do not charge persons with wheelchairs extra. Parents can bring their child's baby stroller on board and park it up front. As more and more people struggle with weight problems airlines need to start accommodating the needs of their passengers, and not shove people into the same size seats that were adequate 30 years ago. Obesity can be a medical condition the person has no power over, and the airlines should be responsible for accommodating obese passengers just as they accommodate any other person with a special problem.

    No gaijinboy

  • Overweight passengers should not be charged additional fees because that would be discrimination.

    Overweight people should not be charged additional fees for their weight. This would be a form of discrimination. Airlines should accommodate overweight people, particularly since so many people in the world are becoming overweight. Overweight people have as much of a right to travel via airplane as other people. There is no reason why they should be charged extra.

    No VasilBuddy

  • I don't think punishing a person for their sixe is appropriate or right.

    It's embarrassing enough that you have to pay for another seat on certain flights, having to pay for being overweight is just taking things to far. Firstly what would be the guide lines for being overweight. If the airlines made the choice based on the traditional height versus weight chart then most people would be considered overweight. What about athletes who have large muscle mass, they too would fail the test. Lastly if this is a guide line for only obese people then what would stop airlines from refusing a person the right to fly based on their weight.

    No C0ImEIite

  • Passengers who fly on commercial airliners should not be charged additional fees because of their weight because modern aircraft are designed to hold a greater amount of weight than any group of passengers could ever assemble.

    Passengers who fly on commercial airliners should not be charged additional fees because of their weight because modern aircraft are designed to hold a greater amount of weight than any group of passengers could ever assemble. The practice of commercial airlines charging additional fees to passengers because of their weight is a clear case of discrimination based on imaginary fears and cultural bigotry. The modern airliners of today are designed to hold an excess of weight that could never be challenged by a plane full of overweight passengers. Also, seats that were designed fifty years ago to accommodate the travelers of the past no longer matter in today's world. Even the smallest of adult passengers should be entitled to leg room and freedom to stretch.

    No 53r3n3Piers

  • Overweight passengers should not necessarily be charged extra for airline travel.

    I think it is unfair to discriminate against overweight passengers by charging them extra for a seat. That being said if a passenger is morbidly obese and requires two seats it is reasonable to charge them for both seats. This should be judged on a case by case basis and determined by their individual seating requirements

    No R3n5God2iIIa
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