Basing Airfare On Passenger's Weight [Weigh-in at the ticket counter]

WTVW ^ | 6/4/08

[mngran2]

Basing Airfare On Passenger's Weight Possible Given Surging Fuel Costs

Setting passenger airfares the same way air freight charges are calculated -- by weight -- may not be so far-fetched as the airline industry grapples with surging fuel costs.

Bloomberg.com reports an Air Transport Association official says airline CEOs are considering everything in efforts to cut costs and increase revenue.

That's because airline fuel costs have nearly tripled since 2000. U.S. airlines had combined first-quarter losses of one-point-seven-billion-dollars and could end up with losses totalling six-point-one-billion-dollars in 2008.

[Petronski]

It will not survive attacks based on race and sex discrimination, and especially not the Americans with Disabilities Act.

[TxAg1981]

When I used to fly domestic, I would only fly Southwest; you’re correct, they are very good. At these prices, I doubt they’ll be in business much longer.

Ahh...one would think that. However, I saw a report last quarter that showed, even with sky high fuel prices, Southwest Airlines was the ONLY profitable airline in the US. In another analysis (can't remember the magazine) showed the potential to stay alive in this market and Southwest was at the top with the next competitor at less than half the strength of SWA. Last month I heard an analyst state that he expected American to file bankruptcy in 2009.
I have friends who work there and they have nothing but praise for how the company treats its employees. That good treatment goes from top to bottom and obviously extends to the Customers.

[MarkL]

I’ve always been in favor of overweight people having to buy two seats. It’s not a pleasant flight next to someone who’s 400 lbs squeezed into coach.

That's fine, as long as I get BOTH seats... On the other hand, if they demand that I pay for 2 seats, but then limit me to a single seat, that's wrong.

Mark

[MarkL]

This was an extreme case, but the width of airline seats lost any connection with the width of American flyers quite a while ago. Americans in 2008 are big people but airline seats are built for Americans in 1958.

And don't even get me started with the legroom! After a 2 hour flight I'm so cramped and stiff and sore from having my knees crammed into the seat in front of me that I'm hardly able to stand up. If you have an inseam longer than 30", you're screwed!

Mark

[BooBoo1000]

I am not a lawyer, but I can tell you that is rank discrimination. I hope they try to implement that stupid idea.

[HamiltonJay]

Does this mean they’ll be going back to skinny young stewardesses? and not heavy bitter old shrews?

[glorgau]

And then, who really wants to fly anyway. The service sucks, the help is hostile, the airports are ugly, crowded and downright dangerous, the racist goons they use for security hassle anyone lighter than Mohammed Ali, the food is over priced and it sucks as well.

You must be fat. ;-)

[glorgau]

Is it really practical to spend all that time checking and weighing in and performing transactions to extract the premium for a few people who are overweight?

It's not just a few people. America is the land of lard a**es.

[Slapshot68]

Agreed.