Should obese passengers pay more to fly?

BBC ^ | 20 October 2016 | Beth Blair

[Cronos]

Airlines want more money from heavy fliers, but some say it's a rights violation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight, and over 600 million were obese. (WHO defines "overweight" as a BMI greater than or equal to 25 and "obese" as a BMI greater than or equal to 30.)

Last month, lawyer Giorgio Destro from Padua, Italy sued Emirates, claiming his flight was disrupted by an obese passenger seated next to him. According to reports, Destro was not able to comfortably sit in his assigned seat, and spent much of the nine-hour flight from Cape Town to Dubai standing or sitting in crew seats. His proof for the lawsuit? A selfie that includes his fellow passenger’s arm in his seat space.

...Many airlines have responded to the growing obesity epidemic by insisting passengers of size buy two seats to ensure safety and comfort. Sometimes the airline will offer a refund if there was at least one other empty seat on the flight.

[wastoute]

I have gotten to where I just refuse to fly. The wife had hoped to travel in Europe and things someday but I just refuse to fly and I don’t think I would be interested in being coupled up on a boat filled with WalMart shoppers for days so that is probably out, too. Hard to drive to Europe. LOL.

[RC one]

if we’re interested in being fair, short people should pay less and parents of children that scream and cry should pay more.