Thought this was relevant to both the current political climate and T-Nation members as well.
[i]
Could Airlines Start Charging A "Weight Fee"?
Reporting
Dana Kozlov
CHICAGO (CBS) �?? With soaring fuel prices, airlines have been trying to cut costs where ever they can. On Thursday, Continental Airlines announced around 3,000 layoffs.
But as CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports, there's another way airlines can make up the money by easing their load on gas. But will it fly?
What do you think of the idea of airlines charging passengers based on weight? Read what other viewers had to say
It's been a bumpy ride for the airline industry of late. Carriers have slashed services and raised fees to try and stay in the air, angering lots of flyers.
American now charges $15 for one checked bag; Delta charges $25 for a phone reservation. Since record high fuel prices are a big part of the problem, some airlines have been looking to boost fuel efficiency, too, by eliminating extra weight. Could the next step be fares based on a person's size?
At O'Hare International Airport Thursday afternoon, traveler Kathy Michalski said, "Oh crump! Not now. 20 years ago I would've been fine."
Still, it's an idea floating around in cyberspace and aviation expert Aaron Gellman said he understands one airline pitched the plan for a Far East route. So instead of just baggage on the scale, passengers would stand on it, too, and would be charged based on their weight.
Gellman didn't think it would fly. "What are you going to do about the people who weigh less? Are they going to get some of their money back? The whole thing seems to me to be rather silly."
He wasn't the only one.
Air traveler Erika Lopez said, "I heard that. I think that's ridiculous and they're going to force people to stop flying."
But one passenger seemed to agree with the notion. Mike Schulp said, "The airlines are really strict on weight on your baggage. I think they should, yeah, definitely look at people's weight."[/i]
They should have done this a long time ago. An FAA person used to be 170 lbs. Now I think it’s up around 200. We thinner people are paying for jet fuel for these fatasses while we can’t even check 1 bag anymore.
[quote]Natural Nate wrote:
“I’m sorry Natural Nate but we’re going to have to charge you extra because you’re so freaken diesel.”
Me: “Sweet.”[/quote]
This is the debate I was hoping we’d start. Most of us that visit this site take pleasure in our freakish size.
I don’t look at the airlines charging passengers for their weight as a punishment but rather as a means to distribute cost for usage. Broads will start thinking twice about packing 17 pairs of shoes, every appliance in their bathroom, and enough wet naps to clean up Chicago.
This is gonna be awesome if they actually go thru with it: Think of all those loudmouth, suburbanite, middle-age women that won’t be flying because they have weight “issues”. This also means little Johnny and Susie won’t be flying either. At long last, peace and quiet at the airport and on the airplane.
Nirvana can be achieved, my friends. It only takes one airline CEO with a little courage to do what everyone else wants to do, then the rest will fall like dominoes.
[quote]LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
Natural Nate wrote:
“I’m sorry Natural Nate but we’re going to have to charge you extra because you’re so freaken diesel.”
Me: “Sweet.”
This is the debate I was hoping we’d start. Most of us that visit this site take pleasure in our freakish size.
I don’t look at the airlines charging passengers for their weight as a punishment but rather as a means to distribute cost for usage. Broads will start thinking twice about packing 17 pairs of shoes, every appliance in their bathroom, and enough wet naps to clean up Chicago.
This is gonna be awesome if they actually go thru with it: Think of all those loudmouth, suburbanite, middle-age women that won’t be flying because they have weight “issues”. This also means little Johnny and Susie won’t be flying either. At long last, peace and quiet at the airport and on the airplane.[/quote]
I thought for a moment of a good comparison, and I realized, duh, shipping businesses like Fedex. Bigger and heavier the package - the more money you pay. No hard feelings, that’s how you ship things. And the transportation business is the shipping businesss…of people.
I made a conscious choice to lift and get big. I actually don’t mind paying a reasonable fee because lets face it - extra weight = more fuel.
But for maximum effect, if someone is wider than they are tall, they’re paying for two seats. I’m not flying cramped up next some middle aged opinionated fat bitch ever again.