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Airlines may start weighing plus size passengers

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Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't like it, but I also don't have a good solution. I don't mind the actual flying part, but for me all of the logistics involved with taking a trip by air are just too much. My family hasn't flown in years, because even on "cheap" airlines we're priced out. We do like to travel but we stick to the ground for now. I actually rather like car trips.

    I haven't figured out what we might do for overseas travel. Do people still go by boat or is it all just freight? We'll have to travel like they did in the old days when you were gone for months or years. :D

    You can go by boat from NY to the UK and it takes about 7 days...about $2,500 round trip per person. You can fly for about $800 round trip per person and be there in 7 hours.
  • age_is_just_a_number
    age_is_just_a_number Posts: 631 Member
    Would be a whole lot easier to just increase the average weight the airlines use.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I don't like it, but I also don't have a good solution. I don't mind the actual flying part, but for me all of the logistics involved with taking a trip by air are just too much. My family hasn't flown in years, because even on "cheap" airlines we're priced out. We do like to travel but we stick to the ground for now. I actually rather like car trips.

    I haven't figured out what we might do for overseas travel. Do people still go by boat or is it all just freight? We'll have to travel like they did in the old days when you were gone for months or years. :D

    You can go by boat from NY to the UK and it takes about 7 days...about $2,500 round trip per person. You can fly for about $800 round trip per person and be there in 7 hours.

    Oof. Well, the boat's out, then - I don't need to see that much of the Atlantic. Still, though, the $800 for one person could feed my entire family for a month. If all of us go, you're talking half of our grocery budget for the year - just on airfare! :scream:
  • bazookagraf
    bazookagraf Posts: 1 Member
    Back in the early 70’s, a barber was charging me more than his posted rates. His reason was because I had more hair. It’s all about the $$$.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    I hate sitting next to very obese people. They always spill over into my seat. If someone can’t fit into one seat then they should buy two.
    I had a slightly bad experience at DisneyWorld because of sitting next to an obese person. So we didn't rent a car (4 families on vacation) and since we were all staying at the same Disney resort, we all rode the buses. On our way home one day, my brother in law was sitting on my left, and I was in the seat next to him against a pole (we're facing inward to the aisles). A lady and her family got on board and the bus was pretty packed already. She headed with her kids down the back where we were. She had to be at least 250+ on a 5'2 frame. I was just about to get up when my BIL pushed me back down and offered his seat to her. She gladly obliged. So now at EVERY STOP where the driver braked, she slid into me (remember I'm against a pole). My BIL totally did this on purpose and I saw the stupid smile on his face everytime we braked.
    I owe my BIL back. Still trying to figure out how to do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Oh no!!
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,498 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    I hate sitting next to very obese people. They always spill over into my seat. If someone can’t fit into one seat then they should buy two.
    I had a slightly bad experience at DisneyWorld because of sitting next to an obese person. So we didn't rent a car (4 families on vacation) and since we were all staying at the same Disney resort, we all rode the buses. On our way home one day, my brother in law was sitting on my left, and I was in the seat next to him against a pole (we're facing inward to the aisles). A lady and her family got on board and the bus was pretty packed already. She headed with her kids down the back where we were. She had to be at least 250+ on a 5'2 frame. I was just about to get up when my BIL pushed me back down and offered his seat to her. She gladly obliged. So now at EVERY STOP where the driver braked, she slid into me (remember I'm against a pole). My BIL totally did this on purpose and I saw the stupid smile on his face everytime we braked.
    I owe my BIL back. Still trying to figure out how to do it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    At least on a bus you can stand. Out of luck on a plane.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,307 Member
    edited May 2021
    So as a (now) normal weight person who has been glorying in the (now) remarkably comfortable economy cabins of the various Canadian airlines (air canada and westjet), I recently had the experience of flying in a brand new 737 Max.

    The particular airline's 737-700's have cabins that are a bit "older" and "tired" with... no chargers! The 737-800 are glorious examples of comfort and modernity for economy seats. Chargers and screens even. Oh, I am sooo checking in to flights that are using them if I can!

    The 737 Max so shiny and new... is a *kitten* piece of uncomfortable *kitten*. Jeez. Forget the row of soldiers where I expect to be able to sample everyone's halitosis as soon as masks are no longer "in".

    No screens of course... there would have been no room for a flat one! Entertainment is on your smartphone! The aisle seat only has partial under the seat storage. The middle seat has the best storage, but... well, it IS the middle seat. The window seat "appears" to be nice and roomy due to the curvature (under seat storage more generous than aisle but less normal than middle seat)... but it was utterly uncomfortable if you were TRYING to do anything other than primly hold your knees together! Because the curve is at elbow high... not where your feet are. And most certainly a plus person would not be able to navigate the aisle without wafting some "kitten* to the people they move their *kitten* in front off!

    All in all, as a just below average tall male (172.25cm)... apparently I need to move to below my current BMI 23 to comfortably fit in a 737 Max as configured....
  • Analog_Kid
    Analog_Kid Posts: 976 Member
    This issue has been debated for years. I can remember back in the 90s when this was one of the hot topics on talk radio that was sure to generate a lot of calls (especially on a slow news day).

    If ever such a rule or regulation was implemented, the only people who would benefit from it are lawyers.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    In 2004 I flew on a very small plane in Costa Rica and all of the passengers and luggage were weighed. I had no problem with this, possibly because while in the USAF I had cargo aircraft load planning training, and so was well aware of the need.

    The article is a little confusing because it mentions weighing both plus-sized passengers and choosing passengers using random selection.

    I'd be against weighing plus sized people only, as it would then be mathematically impossible to achieve the stated goal of getting an average weight, and this practice would be ... fraught. I think it would be better to weigh everyone. Or if sampling is done, to make it perfectly clear that random selection is being used.

    Been on a flight as well where passangers were weighted, to Alderney. I think the plane was for 10 people.
    To be honest, it might not be a popular opinion, but very obese people should always buy two seats. There's nothing worse than sitting for hours next to a person who flows over into your seat. And it's double terrible when you're on the spectrum. I don't want to touch people. They should stay away from my seat.

    I'm not sure how unpopular that opinion is. I agree that if you don't fit into the seat, you should buy two seats. I paid for my seat and don't want someone else in it.

    But also the airlines are trying to cram too many people in.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    In 2004 I flew on a very small plane in Costa Rica and all of the passengers and luggage were weighed. I had no problem with this, possibly because while in the USAF I had cargo aircraft load planning training, and so was well aware of the need.

    The article is a little confusing because it mentions weighing both plus-sized passengers and choosing passengers using random selection.

    I'd be against weighing plus sized people only, as it would then be mathematically impossible to achieve the stated goal of getting an average weight, and this practice would be ... fraught. I think it would be better to weigh everyone. Or if sampling is done, to make it perfectly clear that random selection is being used.

    Been on a flight as well where passangers were weighted, to Alderney. I think the plane was for 10 people.
    To be honest, it might not be a popular opinion, but very obese people should always buy two seats. There's nothing worse than sitting for hours next to a person who flows over into your seat. And it's double terrible when you're on the spectrum. I don't want to touch people. They should stay away from my seat.

    I'm not sure how unpopular that opinion is. I agree that if you don't fit into the seat, you should buy two seats. I paid for my seat and don't want someone else in it.

    But also the airlines are trying to cram too many people in.

    The cramming of more people into the plane seems to be done via reduced seat pitch, the width of the seats of the seats hasn't changed. While I'll blame the lack of sufficient leg room on the drive to add more seats to the plane, spilling into the seat next to you is due to our increasing width.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    xrj22 wrote: »
    Unfair and pejoritive to target those who appear heavy. Are they also going we weigh people who are heavier because they are over 6' tall? If they really need to weigh passengers, then weigh everyone. If the weight of all passengers (or all passengers in 1 section) is too high, then ramdomly pick people to move or remove until total weight is low enough.

    But the real problem is that airlines are just trying to pack on too many people and not leaving any margin. Quit packing in more seats and over-booking flights.

    And how much more are you willing to pay for "unpacked" flights? 10%, 25%, 50%?

    We can complain about the lack of room on airlines, but the fact of the matter is, we are voting with our collective wallets for this. The market is providing other options for those willing to pay a higher price, such as Economy Plus seating.
  • Alinouveau2
    Alinouveau2 Posts: 6,467 Member
    For the record I've been weighed getting on a flight. I think the plane ended up being smaller than they had anticipated and they had a lot of cargo and needed to make sure they would have enough fuel to get us from Vancouver to Hawaii.

    I didn't read he article just saying I have seen this happen and it wasn't in private you basically stepped on a scale as you walked away from the gate.
  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,769 Member
    Years ago there was a Candid Camera episode where passengers were weighed along with their luggage. If they were found to be too heavy, they either had to leave their bag or forfeit their in-flight snack.

    I know most of you are probably too young to remember this show.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,498 Member
    edited June 2021
    ilfaith wrote: »
    Years ago there was a Candid Camera episode where passengers were weighed along with their luggage. If they were found to be too heavy, they either had to leave their bag or forfeit their in-flight snack.

    I know most of you are probably too young to remember this show.

    That would never fly (no pun intended) in today's environment.

    Speaking of in flight snacks, we just flew for the first time since the pandemic. 2 of the legs were too short for any drink/food service, one they offered drinks, but no food.

    The longest one they offered drinks and handed everyone a small pack of generic mini pretzels. Why do they even bother?

    Also one of the flights was on a small regional jet, so small you couldn't put a traditional roller carry on bag in the overhead compartment. Couldn't see how a plus size person could be next to someone.