How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about wider

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Airfarewatchdog.com - Now that the federally-mandated three-hour tarmac delay rule is in place, and hasn't brought down the airline industry, maybe Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood needs to have his Department of Transportation address a far more common aviation crisis: the growing number of people who are too fat to fit into tiny airplane seats and the discomfort they cause their seat mates.

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Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

NewsBot said:
Airfarewatchdog.com - Now that the federally-mandated three-hour tarmac delay rule is in place, and hasn't brought down the airline industry, maybe Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood needs to have his Department of Transportation address a far more common aviation crisis: the growing number of people who are too fat to fit into tiny airplane seats and the discomfort they cause their seat mates.

Full Article...
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Thoughts?

Should wider seats be made, or is the onus on the passenger to lose weight if they want to fly?
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

IMHO, If you can't fit in to a seat, buy two. You'll be more comfortable anyways, and whoever you're sitting next to won't be squished. I don't think it's fair to require the airlines (although we'd all like them to do it anyways, for everyone) to make the seats wider, and not be able to charge more for them.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

BeRich said:
IMHO, If you can't fit in to a seat, buy two. You'll be more comfortable anyways, and whoever you're sitting next to won't be squished. I don't think it's fair to require the airlines (although we'd all like them to do it anyways, for everyone) to make the seats wider, and not be able to charge more for them.
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Buying an airline seat is buying that space for the flight. If the seat has more space, you should pay higher for the increased space, IMO..
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

it would make sense to charge by the pound for passengers and baggage. There would have to be some clause for an appropriate BMI so the tall fellas don't get hosed but in the end, it'd be best for all involved.

When I ship UPS/Fed Ex, I don't pay for a box, I pay by the pound. Business is business after all.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

Codyjp said:
it would make sense to charge by the pound for passengers and baggage. There would have to be some clause for an appropriate BMI so the tall fellas don't get hosed but in the end, it'd be best for all involved.

When I ship UPS/Fed Ex, I don't pay for a box, I pay by the pound. Business is business after all.
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While there's good logic to this premise, here's where the "discrimination against overweight people" crowd would come unglued.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

Just knock us out and stack us like chordwood. Think about the crazy CASM an airline could get! :p
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

Codyjp said:
it would make sense to charge by the pound for passengers and baggage. There would have to be some clause for an appropriate BMI so the tall fellas don't get hosed but in the end, it'd be best for all involved.

When I ship UPS/Fed Ex, I don't pay for a box, I pay by the pound. Business is business after all.
Click to expand...

bingo.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

We already have larger seats for larger people. Business and first. If we change the rules for the more rotund members of society, then the next debate will be about why the ticket prices have gone up.

Keep things the way they are. Don't penalize the rest of the world because you have a weight problem, and stop giving in to every group of people with a chip on their shoulder.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

Go to the Post office and tell them you want to mail a 5lb box for the same price as a first class letter. They'll laugh at you. Their business is moving packages, and you pay according to the amount you ship. The airlines in truth are no different. They make money taking you from point a to point b. You buy a ticket for one seat, if you cannot fit in one, buy two.
I'm not a little guy by any means. I do however fit easily into a cheap seat in the back of the plane. if you cannot afford it, don't fly. Their is amtrak (by the way those seat are nice and big!) Or grey hound. there are alternate sources of transportation.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

dvtpilot said:
We already have larger seats for larger people. Business and first. If we change the rules for the more rotund members of society, then the next debate will be about why the ticket prices have gone up.
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Problem is that seats keep getting smaller. I am an oversize person but can tell you the First class seats of today was yesterdays coach...don't even get me started on service...

If I can get into the seat with armrests down then I shouldnt have to purchase an additional seat. SWA is good, if the flight isn't full you get a refund for the second seat.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

Coach seats are too small. Not many males are convertible in a coach seat. Increase the seats slightly they charge for the extra seat.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

mooneyguy said:
Go to the Post office and tell them you want to mail a 5lb box for the same price as a first class letter. They'll laugh at you. Their business is moving packages, and you pay according to the amount you ship. The airlines in truth are no different. They make money taking you from point a to point b. You buy a ticket for one seat, if you cannot fit in one, buy two.
I'm not a little guy by any means. I do however fit easily into a cheap seat in the back of the plane. if you cannot afford it, don't fly. Their is amtrak (by the way those seat are nice and big!) Or grey hound. there are alternate sources of transportation.
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Don't forget the postal service has flat rate boxes and if you pack right you can squeeze a lot into those...

The problem, as I see it, with us gravitationaly challenged folk is two fold. One the current law needs to get changed on descrimination?

Second how do you define and uniformally apply the rule? Do you go my weight, waist size, chest size, should width, etc... The airlines seem to be just doing it arbitrarily now at best.

My suggestion would be to put a seat at the ticket counter and if you can get in it, put both armrests down, and your buttox isn't on the seat next to you you should be good to go.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

MikeD said:
Thoughts?

Should wider seats be made, or is the onus on the passenger to lose weight if they want to fly?
Click to expand...
Do away with the bag templates to see if the bags will fit in the overhead. Instead have a butt template to see if your big ass will fit in the seat. If not, there is a butt fee.. just like the bag fee. :beer:
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

Anyone notice how much bigger the seats are at the gate then on the plane??
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

BeRich said:
IMHO, If you can't fit in to a seat, buy two. You'll be more comfortable anyways, and whoever you're sitting next to won't be squished. I don't think it's fair to require the airlines (although we'd all like them to do it anyways, for everyone) to make the seats wider, and not be able to charge more for them.
Click to expand...

It's a nice idea, but passengers are going cheap at all costs. Think about how many people balked at the bag fees. Many passengers don't care about the people around them on the plane(think obnoxious kids, smelly foods, smelly people, etc). When I get on the plane, the first thing I do is put down both armrests. It doesn't solve the problem of three guys in a row with big shoulders, but I digress.

I wonder if people would flip out if the airlines seated people not by letting people pick their seats, but by size so you could put big people and small people in the same row(almost fitting them like a puzzle) to maximize the space available. I'm half kidding, but half not. My guess is that this would then make the small people feel penalized.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

This is obviously an opportunity for the airlines. After all, clothing stores sometimes charge more for larger shirts because there is more material to go into them. Maybe the airlines do need to offer larger seats, however they should be charging for them. I'm not sure what kind of backlash that would have on the obese community though.
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

I always wondered why they don't charge per weight...

People that would burst out saying discrimination, please listen and I'll try to make my point.


We pay x amount per bag up to I think it's 50 lbs in most airlines now. after that you have a fee correct?

You pay one stamp on a letter until 1oz and then more stamps after.

Why not make it so a passenger pays per lb? It would be hard to implement (maybe ask you the weight online and then double check as you're walking in through the gate?)


I know lots of people are gonna attack me because "OMG THEY SHOULDN'T NEED THAT KIND OF INFORMATION INVASION OF PRIVACY OMG OMG OMG!"

Fact of the matter is: We weigh everything that gets flown, even passengers in most GA. In the airlines, they average if I'm not mistaken. Why not charge for the weight we fly? don't like the idea, don't fly. It's a choice, unlike going through absolutely false sense of security TSA lines

I understand people will completely flip at this idea, but this would be airline backed, as opposed to TSA Backed. the Public seems to have very little against x-ray body scanners that can save images, I really don't understand.

I guess it's because the body x-ray scanners are implemented by SECURITY whereas the bag fees and weight fees would be implemented by the airline THOSE EVIL AIRLINES TICKET PRICES GOING UP EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN STAGNANT FOR DECADES BUT I'M TOO DUMB TO UNDERSTAND HOW INFLATION WORKS
 
Re: How should airlines handle obese passengers? How about w

I think the airlines should put one or two rows in coach that are plus sized seats. Offer them during the booking for an additional fee to offset the cost of capacity reduction. Even non plus sized folks would consider them as they offer more room and comfort. The costs would be far less than first class due to no first class service. Anyone not fitting in a regular seat would be required to purchase a plus sized seat for obvious reasons. If you are a plus sized person you typically aren't going to purchase a Mini Cooper or a Corolla are you? I would think you are more likely to pay a little extra for a mid or full size vehicle that offers better comfort and utility. What's the difference? You are just purchasing options that fit your needs.

I am 6'3" and know that in a typical airline seat I am going to be challenged with leg space; therefore, I pay the extra and book an exit row or a bulkhead seat that offers better comfort. It has never occurred to me to expect the airlines to make seats to cater to taller folks as I realize that they are trying to maximize revenue and passengers. Just a fact of life in a very competitive industry.
 
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