Cost of flying based on weight?

[slag]

Originally posted by: rivan
While I can see some financial sense in this, I'm against it because I'm on the "going to get charged" end of the scale. I'm 6'5" and built like a refrigerator. When I was super-skinny in high school, I was still at 240. 260/265 is a good weight for me, and I'm at 280 now.

You guys are pretending it's only the 'fatties' that will be impacted by this - well if I was 280 but only 5'6" I'd be a 'fatty' - as it stands I just have a belly.

My shoulders are so wide that I don't fit into airline seats, stadium seats and most other 'normal-people' sized seats. My arms hang over both armrests but it's got nothing to do with my weight. If I'm going to be charged based on my size, I don't see how it would be unreasonable to demand seating that's "my size".

Thats because airline seats aren't made for the masses. They are made to pack as many people into a small area as possible, and then they want people to consider that "normal"

I had a flight on the way back from Denver where I sat next to a 6'2" or so guy who was athletic. Both he and I have broad shoulders and weigh at least 220ish, although he had more muscle on him. It was uncomfortable for both of us and I had to sit basically hanging out into the aisle the entire flight because the seats just weren't big enough. Its not that we are overly large people, but two guys, over 6 ft tall with broad shoulders is pretty common and the seats aren't made for it, yet the airlines want you to believe its "normal"

 

[Gibsons]

Originally posted by: JTsyo
If you look at the physics of flying you would realize that this doesn't make much sense. The weight of the passengers is just a small part of the overall weight. Also the weight comes into play mostly when you're accelerating. Once you're in steady flight, it's the drag of the plane that you need to overcome. Now weight is indirectly related to drag since you need to fly faster to create more lift for a heavier plane but that's going to be a real small change.

Making extra big people buy two tickets makes sense but ticket prices based on weights don't.

I think you're underestimating the effects of weight. Whether you fly faster (not an option in most cases from what I understand) or increase your angle of attack or something else, you have to increase lift such that it equals weight. Which probably means more induced drag, which means you need more thrust for a given speed and thus more fuel.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Phoenix86

Originally posted by: JTsyo
Making extra big people buy two tickets makes sense but ticket prices based on weights don't.

Not really when you look at it compared to handicap spots. The business has to provide these premium spots at their cost. You don't think those spots at the front of the store are free do you?

Apply that to airlines and obese people and you'd have set number of wider seats provided at no additional charge to the customer. Probably at the front of the plane (aka 1st class) where there's already wider seats...

Wait, are you saying that airlines should provide wider seats to fat people free of charge? Are you comparing fat people to handicapped people? Some fat people have a medical excuse, but most are just fat.

No, I'm saying lawyers will.

Notice those obese people with handicap stickers and motorized wheelchairs?

 

[Svnla]

There sure are a few skinny guys on ATOT (150 lbs or less). Airliners are desperate for money. There is talk about pay to use the toilet (not kidding).

http://abcnews.go.com/Business...tory?id=4990546&page=1

I hope they won't charge too much for my flight home at the end of this year/early next year.

I think 200 lbs is a good cut off point.

<<----- 190 lbs...and need to be around 180.

 

[lozina]

reminded me of this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w99CpLc2MHM

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Svnla
There sure are a few skinny guys on ATOT (150 lbs or less). Airliners are desperate for money. There is talk about pay to use the toilet (not kidding).

http://abcnews.go.com/Business...tory?id=4990546&page=1

I hope they won't charge too much for my flight home at the end of this year/early next year.

I think 200 lbs is a good cut off point.

<<----- 190 lbs...and need to be around 180.

Nowhere in that link does it say that there's talk about paying to use the toilet. Those are the author's funny suggestions.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Lola
Score for me!
I am by no means annorexic, however, my old jeep had automatic "on" passenger air bags. When I sat there, it did not turn on.

That is because it has a sensor and detected that you have your own air bags.