Should airlines charge according to passenger weight? (fares, travelling, alone)

[apexgds]

Originally Posted by botticelli

I have yet to see the source.

And even if you did, I'd be willing to bet you still wouldn't accept it.

[botticelli]

Originally Posted by apexgds

And even if you did, I'd be willing to bet you still wouldn't accept it.

I will do my own due diligence on the result, and find alternative research results as well.

[LoriBee62]

Originally Posted by JONOV

But here's the thing...It doesn't, at least not to the extent that you claim it does.

Upthread, someone compared the cost of fuel for an empty vs. fully loaded flight; $6,600 vs. $7,900. This averages out to $10/passenger. If you adjust for weight, then there might be a $5-$10 spread one way or another (And I think that's pushing it,) but not $2.50/pound.

So, you do see that there is only an incremental cost; a 150 lb person does not cost the airline half as much to fly as a 300 lb person.

But we all know this thread has nothing to do with saving the airlines money. It's a poorly disguised gripe about fat people taking up too much space on airplanes.

Since we're at it: I can literally go into an asthma attack over raunchy perfume. I think airlines need to make special sections for people who wear perfume, and charge them a fee that would cover the administrative costs of having to separate them from the rest of us on check-in.

See what a slippery slope we run into when we start deciding to regulate personal bias?

[cfa-ish]

Originally Posted by botticelli

I will do my own due diligence on the result, and find alternative research results as well.

Challenge accepted.
Go to Boeing: Airport Technology section 2, page 13/72 for Boeing 737-800.
Operating empty weight (does not include fuel or passengers, includes all other equipment and some crew): 91,300 lb. Useable fuel: 46,000 lb (6875 gal). Seating capacity: 184 (all economy config).

Assume all passengers are anne-rk-exic and weigh 100 lb each, except my fat behind that weighs 400 lb. (Ladies note: it does not. Pics available by request.)
So everything except me weighs 155,600 pounds and I make a difference of 300/156,000 = 0.19% in the airlines cost, by weighing 300 pounds more than I should.

AvGas is about the cost of gas, or cheaper, say $4/gallon, to be generous. Then the fully loaded plane has a fuel cost of 6875 gal * $4/gal = $27,500. Let's be generous again (we are not skinny mean bitcxes after all) and assume they spent all that fuel mid-air and landed empty. Then my extra 300 pounds just cost them $52.25 more. And they can charge me for that, no problem.

So per extra 100 pounds, the airlines can charge $17.41 extra, that will be fair.

[eok]

The could put a fancy scale on the walkway and automatically weigh and calculate as you walk over it, with no need to officially weigh you at check in. Or they could even put a scale under each seat, and have it automatically weigh you at random times during the flight to make sure the weighings are consistent. But it would mean charging you en route instead of at check in. At check in you would just give your credit card for them to charge, and they would give you an estimate or something. Or there could be a scale in the floor at check in. There are lots of ways to do it. Or should that be lots of weighs to do it?

[bigjretrac]

Such a policy would be the bane of tall people's existence. They already don't get enough leg room on the plane, but now they'll have to pay more.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by FlightAttendant

Oh come on! Yet another thing that would tick passengers off. No, not a good or practical idea. People are hassled and abused enough as it is without the added stress of stepping on a scale...even normal weight people do not want their weight to be available for public display.

What makes everyone think people will have to wait in line and be publicly weighed?

We have been using "weigh in motion" for yrs for trucking and for Livestock.

EZ
1) Buy your ticket and state your weight within 2 KG (4.5 #). With the understanding that you estimate Heavy, or face extra fee for weight + penalty for the hassle.
2) Weigh carry-ons at check-in (Asia and Euro Airlines do this anyway)
3) When you board, get 'Weighed in Motion' just like passing through the scanners for temperature / screening (No public readout). Or TSA data could collect your flight (bar code) / and send your weight to the ticket counter.
4) You get an email stating you were in violation. Send the dough within 10 days / Credit Card, or get penalized.

The article is not practical... Anywhere in USA for $29 for total weight of bags and passenger not to exceed 90# and $2.50 / lb after.

Realistic would be base fare per destination (fuel / overhead costs + Airport fees / std bag categories) then passenger categories...
<60 kg
61 - 80 kg
81 - 100 kg
...

I fly SWA in USA and LUV it (Tho platinum on several legacy airlines)

Coolers of PNW Salmon (bags) fly free and I can tweak my schedule for free (Did so painlessly last night from 12,000 miles away from home)

I fly many times / month and really appreciate the 'get-on-and-go' of SWA. Fewer HEAVY carry-on's to fall on your head when checked bags are free. And no need to HUNT for your seat... see an empty seat? take it and GO!

[bigjretrac]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

What makes everyone think people will have to wait in line and be publicly weighed?

We have been using "weigh in motion" for yrs for trucking and for Livestock.

EZ
1) Buy your ticket and state your weight within 2 KG (4.5 #). With the understanding that you estimate Heavy, or face extra fee for weight + penalty for the hassle.
2) Weigh carry-ons at check-in (Asia and Euro Airlines do this anyway)
3) When you board, get 'Weighed in Motion' just like passing through the scanners for temperature / screening (No public readout). Or TSA data could collect your flight (bar code) / and send your weight to the ticket counter.
4) You get an email stating you were in violation. Send the dough within 10 days / Credit Card, or get penalized.

The article is not practical... Anywhere in USA for $29 for total weight of bags and passenger not to exceed 90# and $2.50 / lb after.

Realistic would be base fare per destination (fuel / overhead costs + Airport fees / std bag categories) then passenger categories...
<60 kg
61 - 80 kg
81 - 100 kg
...

I fly SWA in USA and LUV it (Tho platinum on several legacy airlines)

Coolers of PNW Salmon (bags) fly free and I can tweak my schedule for free (Did so painlessly last night from 12,000 miles away from home)

I fly many times / month and really appreciate the 'get-on-and-go' of SWA. Fewer HEAVY carry-on's to fall on your head when checked bags are free. And no need to HUNT for your seat... see an empty seat? take it and GO!

Regarding the bolded, you do understand that the human body typically fluctuates +/- 5 pounds at any point during the day, right? That plus you have clothing weight, which would mean you'd have to hit the scale not long before leaving for the airport-- that would be another hassle on top of the existing hassles. Any sort of penalizing fee would definitely get challenged.

This isn't directed squarely at your post, but I'm getting the sense that people are championing this idea as a way to take their frustrations out on larger people who take up more room on the seats. That's sort of misguided when you consider all the other people it penalizes.

[old_cold]

Originally Posted by bigjretrac

Regarding the bolded, you do understand that the human body typically fluctuates +/- 5 pounds at any point during the day, right? That plus you have clothing weight, which would mean you'd have to hit the scale not long before leaving for the airport-- that would be another hassle on top of the existing hassles. Any sort of penalizing fee would definitely get challenged.

This isn't directed squarely at your post, but I'm getting the sense that people are championing this idea as a way to take their frustrations out on larger people who take up more room on the seats. That's sort of misguided when you consider all the other people it penalizes.

You weigh in before boarding.
Why look at it as a penalty instead of just paying more for something if you use more of it.
Do you object when having to pay more if your baggage weighs more?

[Greysholic]

It's quite a ridiculous idea.
The thin passengers and the fat passengers would balance the overall weight.