Fat passengers should pay more, says ex Qantas finance chief

kyle4jem

This popped up as an item on one of my trade eZines:

Fat passengers should pay more, says ex Qantas finance chief

A former Qantas group chief economist says people who weigh more should pay more to fly on planes.

Writing for Business Day in Fairfax newspapers, Tony Webber, now managing director of Webber Quantitative Consulting and Associate Professor at the University of Sydney Business School, claims fuel burnt by planes depends on many things 'but the most important is the weight of the aircraft. The more a plane weighs, the more fuel it must burn'.

Webber said if passengers on the aircraft weigh more, the aircraft consumes more fuel and the airline's costs go up.

In turn, the airline would need to lift airfares to recover the additional costs. And when they did, the burden of the higher fees should not be lumbered 'on those who are shedding a few kilos or keeping their weight stable'.

Webber said airline fuel costs have increased since 2000 not just because of higher oil and jet fuel prices'¦' but also because the average adult passenger is carrying a bit more heft'.

Between 1926 and 2008, the average weight of an Aussie female adult increased from 59 kilograms to 71 kilos and the average weight of an Aussie male adult increased from 72 to 85 kilos, according to Webber.

On a route like Sydney to London via Singapore, Webber said the extra passenger kilos meant around 3.72 extra barrels of jetfuel per flight is burnt, 'which at current prices cost about $472'.

'This tally may not seem like a lot of money but when you add it up over all flights for a year the extra cost can all but wipe out an airline's profits, such is the thinness of margins these days particularly on international routes.'

Webber concedes that while a weight surcharge may be a good idea in theory, it would not be easy to implement as passengers would have to be weighed at check-in.

'As the obesity crisis worsens, however, and the price of jet fuel continues to spiral upward, such user-pay charge may be something the airlines can't ignore for too much longer,' Webber wrote.

What I'd like to know is are they proposing a system where the price of the ticket is based on the weight of the passenger, so if you are petite and very light you pay half the fare than a 6'+ Aussie bloke? Or that child places will be radically reduced on long-haul?

BerryH

It should be done like horse-racing handicaps, with an upper limit of total passenger and luggage weight (maybe averaged across the entire travelling party if there are skinny people or kids etc.) before a subsidy is added.

stayxtrue

this isnt happening, its just the airlines trying to stir up a little bit of controversy. The fact is they literally and morally could not do this! It is discriminating someone. Its the same as me not being allowed to enter half the clubs here because I have a sleeve. Its just people with strong oppinions wanting to get their own way

AtticusFinch

I think the weight and fuel consumption created by the 'larger' passenger is negligible in cost terms, but if your *kitten* is so wide you need 2 seats you should definitely pay a higher premium.

I guess you could make it into a competition - book more passengers than available seats, then let people race for them, survival of the fittest would decide who gets to fly.

Obviously you'd need to compensate for age and family groups, etc - didn't say it was perfect, just a work in progress.

ClarkMer

It is terrible that this would even be suggested. If you are severely overweight they already make you buy 2 seats, so that is embarrassing and expensive enough

vim_n_vigor

He didn't mention the increasing weight of all the other stuff the planes transport now too - extra luggage, packages for UPS and other companies, etc.

SassyCalyGirl

I am always the one sitting next to the person "pouring" out of their seat! It makes my travel very uncomfortable. Being squished for 4 hours isn't fair either-perhaps they can have special seating for "larger" passengers-they know who they are.

Biggipooh

It think, if they take the other passengers space away by that much, they should pay for 2 seats. I sat once right beside a very obese person in an airplaine and he took half of my seat just with his arm. It was horrible.

Barneystinson

I am always the one sitting next to the person "pouring" out of their seat! It makes my travel very uncomfortable. Being squished for 4 hours isn't fair either-perhaps they can have special seating for "larger" passengers-they know who they are.

Yeah, I end up in the same deal on some flights.

Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk to someone who's aware that they're very overweight or large, but I paid for a ticket, too, and I'd like to have use of the full seat I paid for - not 80% of the seat because someone's side gut is hanging into it or the very large frame person who feels the need to jut their elbows directly into my side. If you are that big and have a difficult time, please either buy a seat in economy plus, business, or worse, buy 2 seats.

I typically have this problem with larger, older men. I don't know if they have a superiority complex, but dudes, for God's sake stop being rude and keep it in your own seat. I realize I'm a petite woman not filling up a seat, but I PAID FOR THE SEAT.

It's rude and it's unfair but considering most airline passengers are already treated about as nicely as steerage, it's not unrealistic.

ninerbuff

While I do think it is discriminatory, there should be a few seats where larger people can sit in so that they don't cause discomfort to their neighbor. I used to fly quite a bit and thankfully we (family of 3) usually took up a full row, however there has been a time that I sat beside an obese person (who sat in the middle) and every time they had to use the bathroom, it took them more than 30 seconds trying to squeeze out of the row. Not to mention that their shoulder girth hung over onto my seat. Not fun when the trip is 5-6 hours long.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
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jtmh2012

this isnt happening, its just the airlines trying to stir up a little bit of controversy. The fact is they literally and morally could not do this! It is discriminating someone. Its the same as me not being allowed to enter half the clubs here because I have a sleeve. Its just people with strong oppinions wanting to get their own way

I agree that it most likely won't happen. However, it's not too much different than shipping a package. The more the package weighs, the more it costs to ship.

taramaureen

Do we get more room if we're fat too? I personally don't like to be sandwhiched against the wall next to a 300+ person. I'd go for it if it meant being comfortable, but if not screw that!

Kirsty_UK

I flew on a long haul flight once in the front row of economy, on those seats where the tray is in the arm rest because there's no seat in front for it to hang from. It made the seats a little narrower, and as a result, everyone but me asked to move because they were uncomfortable. That left me with a whole row of seats with lift up arm rests so I got to lay down and sleep for the trip :laugh:

jendarlin

I guess you could make it into a competition - book more passengers than available seats, then let people race for them, survival of the fittest would decide who gets to fly.

Airlines already do this anyway, well minus the survival of the fittest race lol

cloveraz

That is why I enjoy taking Amtrak.

ElizabethRoad

He didn't mention the increasing weight of all the other stuff the planes transport now too - extra luggage, packages for UPS and other companies, etc.

Yes but they do charge for extra luggage, and for packages.

livinginwoods

Yeah, this is one reason I don't fly any longer. I don't want to pay for two seats or have nasty people be rude to me or give me nasty looks. It is embarrassing. Had it happen. It is amazing how cruel and rude other people can be......however, once I reach my goal weight I will fly again so now I drive to see my family.

Kirsty_UK

Yeah, this is one reason I don't fly any longer. I don't want to pay for two seats or have nasty people be rude to me or give me nasty looks. It is embarrassing. Had it happen. It is amazing how cruel and rude other people can be......however, once I reach my goal weight I will fly again so now I drive to see my family.

I can understand how people would feel victimised having to pay more, but I can also understand the opposite side of things, if in fact, someone does need two seats. Those two seats are costing the airline the price of a ticket, if they sell them both for the price of one.

There's no excuse for rudeness or nastiness though. I think people like to hide the anonymity of "I doubt I'll ever see this person again".

ljcatch22

I was about to say that it would be nice if they had bigger seats with more room that cost a little more, but isn't that first class?

Honestly curious, if you're that worried about fitting in the seats, why not just get first class? Wouldn't it be cheaper than two coach tickets?