UKCityGent

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-22001256

Ive worked out that at $4.16 per kilo it would cost me $570 for me and 30kg suitcase and with taxes ($523) it would cost me over $1093 from Q8 to London.

With BA (and flying economy) it costs $523 for taxes and $428 for the fare which equates to $851

So i have to pay $242 extra for working out 6 hours in the gym and 8 hours doing martial arts a week, and watching what i eat ????

seven seas

I'll need a second mortgage to pay for my manly muscles...

Millhouse

I have always thought that this is the fairest system. The more you weigh the more it costs to transport you. How you got to that weight isn't exactly the problem of the airline.

scrubbedexpat141

You would say that you pint sized flier.

Millhouse

Or... I could say that as someone of a larger build you are quite happy with me subsidizing your fuel costs.

The fact is that we should pay based on consumption. A bit like tax, most hate taxes that are not consumption based.

scrubbedexpat141

Plane will still fly with or without you or I.

Pay for te seat. If you don't fit in your seat or hang over the sides, be charged more.

I'd much rather see a clamp down on people bringing huge wheeled cases on as hand luggage.

mikewot

I concur, weight is a cost factor in flying. However there doesn't appear to be any consideration given to the logistics of implementing this. The UK low cost airlines are penalising passengers who don't do online check in but want to check in at the airport. It saves them staff manning the check in desks. If you implement a weight system how does it work? Do people estimate their weight when booking and pay accordingly, then at check in it's a weigh in and you pay more or get refunded dependant on your weight on the day? How many extra staff involved in doing this and what does it then do to check in queues? OK for a tiny airline like Samoan Air but imagine if Emirates tried it

weasel decentral

It would be interesting to see how it could be applied, not possible in my opinion. The logical extension of this argument would mean that all transport costs should be weight based; taxis, trains, boats, buses etc.

mikewot

Airlines work out fuel burn by weight, distance, wind etc. and it's very accurate. Other forms of transport as generally not quite as weight critical and there are a lot of other factors in play plus the distances by taxi and bus are generally very short, so weight wouldn't be such an issue. I don't believe (but I'm happy to be corrected) that train and ship manufacturers are overly concerned about the weight of their transportation devices, whereas aircraft manufacturers are always looking at ways to shave off weight.

Boomhauer

customary to post this picture.

scrubbedexpat141

OK, what about this one:

You won't be welcome on flights because you're little and they won't make as much money. You can't do anything about that, can you?

I can't do anythng about my height, if I was slim like Millhouse, I'd still weigh more.

It's a terrible idea, utter gimmick and completely impossible to enforce.

britexpat76

This I totally agree with. I carry a light over the shoulder record bag when I travel yet I see people bringing cases onto the plane that are bigger than my suitcase. They then struggle for 20 minutes looking for a locker where some other wanker has not placed a bag which contains a months worth of clothes.

Really, Really pisses me off.

kittycat1

I'll be screwed as I'm fat and am always way over my baggage weight. I wonder if they would be applying this for business and first class passengers... hardly a premium service.

I wouldn't use them out of principle as the only people who see me on the scales are me and my doctor. Can you imagine how humiliating if they weigh you in front of everyone and tell you you weigh more than you purchased. It truly would be cattle class. What if you are wearing a heavy sheepskin coat that day, that weighs 5 kgs, what if you gain or lose weight from when you purchase your ticket. No woman will use this airline. Terrible idea- sounds like the sort of shit easyjet would come up with- and I don't use them either.

Personally I'd ratehr they do something about people travelling with annoying children, they should be charged more and the extra money taken from the ticket price of the poor sods sat nearby. Kids piss me off far more than fat people. Oh and if they could charge smelly people too.

scrubbedexpat141

I'd pay more if I got extra leg room without the responsibility of emergency exit and without being in a bulkhead seat with cots and babies and kids around.

Oh and in a little bubble where I could have a fag too would be ideal.

I'd pay more for that, not because my cock weighs 34kgs

Millhouse

I'm still waiting for 'family' flights -- i.e. all economy but where the last few rows are converted to a creche. That would solve a lot of problems for everyone.