Please tell me this is a rumor

[Marilyn Michetti]

O.K., I can't find anything official about this, but heard via e-mail, that some of the airlines are going to put a sur-charge on obese traveler's. I can't find anything on the scam link, and haven't heard what the cut-off weight would be, (assuming it's true). That seems like something that might be possible, but would be DISGUSTINGLY bias for people that are large. It's bad enough that they have to buy extra seats, without having to pay by the pound.

Makes me wonder what they'll charge for my scooter.

[Strmchsr]

No one has made any move like this yet. There was a big article which appeared a few days ago writing about the possibility of such a charge, but the same article also noted numerous problems with said charge. I don't remember the original source of the article (I saw it on Drudge Report) but it was one of the big newspapers like NYT or WaPo.

The big reason for this is that larger passengers cause planes to burn more fuel. I know it sounds weird, but planes are very sensitive to weight in the amount of fuel they burn. This is the reason you're seeing so many airlines charging for bags now - they're trying to get the weight down to reduce fuel expenses.

Already, however, an airline can require a large person to buy an extra seat if they cannot fit comfortably into one seat, if they cannot buckle their seat belt in one seat, etc. Being 6'4", 285 lbs I haven't found an airline outside of SW that's even remotely comfortable, so I just try to fly as little as possible.

[chicade88]

Hmm...while I don't see anything wrong with people having to buy two seats if they need to (which should be their choice, not something forced), I don't think the "pay per pound" thing would work and would be very upset if it were to be true! It just seems like a little over the line to have to be weighed before flying. I know that on the way back from Disney, I don't want to know how those mickey bars have affected my weight by having to be weighed. I'm hoping this is just some crazy rumor. But after the paying for the first checked bag fiasco, who knows anymore!

[thrillme]

Don't sweat it.

It started out as a "joke" (Derrie-Air) against all the ridiculous charges airlines are sticking in to include charges for checking the first bag. Unfortunately many people took it rather seriously.

There would be so many discriminatory lawsuits it would just be insane.

Some airlines do recommend "seriously" heavy passengers "consider" purchasing a second airline seat if they suspect they can't possibly fit in a regular one just because they may find the flight to be more comfortable that way.

I know if you purchase a second seat for this reason Southwest will offer to refund your money for the second seat if the plane turns out to be less than completely full. I don't know about how other airlines work this issue.

[Goofster]

Don't sweat it.

There would be so many discriminatory lawsuits it would just be insane.

I personally don't see a problem with requiring an extra seat or charging extra for an obese person (300 + pounds). If it costs more to carry the extra weight, then the airline should charge that individual extra.

An airline is a private company and is free (absent government intervention) to charge accordingly. An obese person is not a protected class, which makes discrimination a non-issue.

[Marilyn Michetti]

That would send me "flying" back to Weight Watchers. Fortunately, (?) my orthopedic problems make me keep my weight down, but it's not going to be pleasant if the airlines start imposing restrictions.

"Darrie - air"? They really said that?

[Strmchsr]

"Darrie - air"? They really said that?

Just google the name and you can find the site which ran the "joke" ads. That ad campaign, as thrillme said, was what started all of this. Then the newspaper article that ran recently that I was mentioning said that the idea isn't as far-fetched as some people might think and listed possibilities of the airlines actually running such a campaign. I think the combination of the 2, along with the recent idiotic practice of charging for luggage, got rumors flying all over the place.

[sisterdisco]

Marilyn,
you questioned if the airlines would impose a fee for your scooter. you might want to check out WWW.PVA.ORG (paralyzed veterans of amerca) or UNITEDSPINAL.ORG both are big disability advocate groups. It may very well be illegal to charge more for a power wheelchair, but I don't know about a scooter.

[AHOTE]

Heres an article that appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer after the Ad had run in the paper.
************************************************** **
PHILADELPHIA - Derrie-Air has been exposed. Readers of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News opened their papers Friday to see ads for a new airline called Derrie-Air, which purportedly charges passengers by the pound.


But the new carrier will never get off the ground. It's a one-day advertising campaign about a fake airline by Philadelphia Media Holdings, the papers' owner, and Gyro ad agency.

In light blue banners throughout the papers — as well as on their Web site, Philly.com — Derrie-Air cheerily trumpets its policy: The more you weigh, the more you pay. The ads direct readers to the Web site.

Philadelphia Media Holdings spokesman Jay Devine said the goal is to "demonstrate the power of our brands in generating awareness and generating traffic for our advertisers, and put a smile on people's faces."

The company will track traffic to the Derrie-Air site. Devine said there's already buzz about the campaign on online blogs.

Visitors to the airline site learn that Derrie-Air is the world's only carbon-neutral luxury airline, and it justifies its fare policy by saying that it takes more fuel to move heavier objects. The carrier pledges to plant trees to offset every pound of carbon its planes release into the atmosphere.

Derrie-Air's sample rates range from $1.40 per pound to fly from Philadelphia to Chicago to $2.25 per pound to fly from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.

Those who scroll to the bottom of the home page find out the truth behind Derrie-Air.

A disclaimer labels the ad campaign "fictitious" and says it is designed "to test the results of advertising in our print and online products and to stimulate discussion on a timely environmental topic of interest to all citizens."

"In other words," it says, "smile, we're pulling your leg."

BTW the Ad was quite successful, it was later reported that their web site received over 2.7 million hits

[crazypoohbear]

I personally don't see a problem with requiring an extra seat or charging extra for an obese person (300 + pounds). If it costs more to carry the extra weight, then the airline should charge that individual extra.

An airline is a private company and is free (absent government intervention) to charge accordingly. An obese person is not a protected class, which makes discrimination a non-issue.

So if a person weighs 280 lbs and has an infant/child to be carried on their lap that weighs over 20lbs do they have to pay extra???
OR suppose you are pregnant with multiples and your weight balloons over 300lbs, do you pay then or do they count each fetus as an indivdual??
and does height come into play, what if you are 7 feet tall and weigh 300lbs, you would not be classified as obese. Who's scale would you use and who is going to tell you that you are too fat to fly regular?
What if you weigh 285lbs, go on vacation for 3 weeks, eat your way around Europe and gain 17 lbs. do you have to pay extra for the flight home??
And there have been successful lawsuits based on weight, discrimination is just that you do not have to fall into a certain catagory to make it wrong to discrimiate against you.

[Dakota Rose]

Even though this "weight fee" is bogus, all the other fees airlines are tacking on these days is just another example of when struggling businesses try to extrapolate additional $$ from their patrons. Unfortunately, usually rules, restrictions and fees tend to only further restrict patronage because they alienate a percentage of the company's customers. Okay enough of the soapbox for me.

[SteveL]

If you really give it a little thought, it would make sense, it's fair, and doesn't discriminate against anyone.
After all, the rates charged to ship freight by air are all based upon the weight.
When freight is large but doesn't weigh a lot then the density of the freight determines the costs. This is calculated with a simple mathematical formula (l x w x h / 194 for domestic).

[kakn7294]

If you really give it a little thought, it would make sense, it's fair, and doesn't discriminate against anyone.
After all, the rates charged to ship freight by air are all based upon the weight.
When freight is large but doesn't weigh a lot then the density of the freight determines the costs. This is calculated with a simple mathematical formula (l x w x h / 194 for domestic).

Actually, if that were true, I should pay a whole lot less for my 8 yo who weighs 55 lbs. Why should I pay full price for her when she's far below the average customer weight? I also wonder if this were to come to pass, how would it be enforced? Would customers who "appear" to be above any pre-set weight limit have to be subjected to a weigh-in at the airport? I would much rather drive 16+ hrs than be embarrassed at the airport in such a manner because my weight falls into that questionable range.

[SteveL]

Many are moaning about the adverse effects of increased fuel costs. The airlines are feeling it too. It only makes sense that they are going to recover these costs somehow.
In the freight industry the fuel surcharges are now more than the normal freight charge.
A simple fact is that as the payload increases so does the amount of fuel burned to carry it.
Why shouldn't those who want the airlines to move more weight pay more than those who don't?
Perhaps everyone and everything going onto the aircraft should be put on a scale and rated accordingly.
As far as a 55# kid, there wouldn't be a reduction. A dimensional weight factor, such as the one I alluded to earlier, would come into play.
To me it seems to be pretty fair. I'm no lightweight so it would end up costing me more, but it would be fair.

[Mickey'sGirl]

and does height come into play, what if you are 7 feet tall and weigh 300lbs, you would not be classified as obese. Who's scale would you use and who is going to tell you that you are too fat to fly regular?

Actually our 6 ft 9 280 lb friend is forced to pay Business Class or First Class fares so that he can sit in an airline seat. That's just how it is. He's had to do this for years, and doesn't expect a break or compensation because he can't use economy. He is also forced to decide between paying the big bucks so that his wife and two small children can fly alongside him, or splitting up.

[TheDuckRocks]

and does height come into play, what if you are 7 feet tall and weigh 300lbs, you would not be classified as obese. Who's scale would you use and who is going to tell you that you are too fat to fly regular?

Sorry, but the Body Mass Index would put you in the overweight catagory and if you were 300.1 pounds you would have hit the obese catagory.

I did have to laugh at this though as we will be flying at the end of Sept. and my DH is planning on wearing his leather jacket no matter what the weather maybe like. The dang thing weighs so much he is completely convinced that putting it in his luggage will put it over the 50 pound limit. We will be cruising to Canada and he will be needing that jacket as we travel north to colder climates.

[Tink&Goofy]

I just can't see the airlines doing "weigh ins" when you check in. Although the weight may be an issue, anyone that this would affect would likely be subject to buying a second seat. I know they rarely enforce this second seat issue, but personally, wish they would. I sympathize with those put into this awkward and expensive position, but having flown more than once, being stuck in the middle seat next to someone that takes up a seat and a half, I have issues with this. I paid for a full seat, and should be entitled to the comfort of a full seat. On one flight I sat between 2 LARGE people. We were wedged in tight - even the arm rests didn't help. Paying for 2 seats may not seem fair to some, but to passengers sitting next to them it is.

[mjstaceyuofm]

For those of you who have flown on smaller prop planes to more exotic locals you know that this happens all the time. Last year when my wife and I took our boys to Eleuthera, we all had to step on the scale they use to weigh luggage independently with our carry-ons. On smaller planes, balancing the weight is a critical issue. it was a twin turbo-prop that sat 15, so they actually generated seat assignments based on weight.

Regardless of the "charge by weight" issue, weighing people for plane trips can and does happen, however embarrassing it may be.

[Goofster]

So if a person weighs 280 lbs and has an infant/child to be carried on their lap that weighs over 20lbs do they have to pay extra???
OR suppose you are pregnant with multiples and your weight balloons over 300lbs, do you pay then or do they count each fetus as an indivdual??
and does height come into play, what if you are 7 feet tall and weigh 300lbs, you would not be classified as obese. Who's scale would you use and who is going to tell you that you are too fat to fly regular?
What if you weigh 285lbs, go on vacation for 3 weeks, eat your way around Europe and gain 17 lbs. do you have to pay extra for the flight home??
And there have been successful lawsuits based on weight, discrimination is just that you do not have to fall into a certain catagory to make it wrong to discrimiate against you.

If you weigh over 300 lbs, regardless if you're pregnant or carrying a small child on your lap, you are, by definition, obese. So...if one weighs 300 lbs when they get on that airplane seat...they should pay extra.

Also, your discrimination point is off-base. If an airline charges extra for an obese person, they have good reason to - the extra weight costs more. What would be their reason for charging extra based on gender, religion, or national origin? Nothing.

[brownie]

The larger issue, no pun intended, is that as we become bigger on average as a society, that will require bigger seats on current planes which will mean fewer seats. In the long run, we could all end up paying more.

I would hate having to pay extra, but I could see some sort of graduated surcharge system based on weight if you weigh more than a certain base amount.