NationStates Jolt Archive

How would this be managed? Would they establish a base weight and then prorate for every pound over? Would people under the base weight then be charged less?

I can understand if an airline wants to charge for two seats if the individual can't confine his or her bulk to one (and as tiny as those seats are, you have to be emaciated to fit), but I think this is silly.


'Tubby Tax' on the way for obese travelers?
Posted: Nov 13th 2007 11:23AM by Martha Edwards
Filed under: Health in the Media, Diet and Weight Loss

When your luggage weighs too much, you have to pay an extra fee. But could this kind of excess weight tax be applied to your body weight as well? One doctor in Australia thinks so -- according to Dr John Tickell, an expert in nutrition and weight control, obese travellers should have to pay extra rates to fly because they are driving up the cost of flights for everyone, since it takes more jet fuel to transport them. Really? If that's true, it does seem a little unfair for all of us to be paying the same price, especially since we encourage airlines to charge more for people who bring too much luggage because we don't want to pay for their extravagance.

Still, it seems cruel and embarrassing to base the cost of a flight on how much someone weighs. What do you think if this idea?

Eh oh

It sounds fair enough. Indeed why should a man carrying 2 kilo extra in his luggage have to pay extra, whilst a man carrying 2 kilo extra on his body not?

good for me, I'm a light-weight.

Would one get a reduction for being below average weight?

Eh, I wouldn't worry about it whatever you weigh. The man is a nutritionist spouting off, not someone affiliated to any airline company. If some well-heeled airline representative starts talking about it, then you can take it seriously.

Well though I get the concept I doubt it would be pulled off with out a large fiscal hit. If they charge for every kilo/pound overweight that could would probably alienate lots of customers. I mean not only would that alienate big people it would also alienate people who lift weights and such as they can be "obese" too but due to muscle.

I think it would just be a bad discriminatory move. It makes sense but seeing as across the board in America and other countries weight is going up, so that would probably make profits less. It would however drive down prices as fewer people are using the planes to where it would cost less to pay for your ticket and weight than a regular ticket from the past :D I am rambling....

A simple test should do. Have a seat and if a person's fat-ass can't fit in it, slap a fat tax on 'em.

It sounds fair enough. Indeed why should a man carrying 2 kilo extra in his luggage have to pay extra, whilst a man carrying 2 kilo extra on his body not?
Because he is paying for multiple seats?

Would one get a reduction for being below average weight?
No, you'd get charged extra for taking up too little space.

There is a danger this kind of policy might discourage obese people from flying, but if your plane crashes in the Andes you are going to need at least one lard arse to snack on.

No, you'd get charged extra for taking up too little space.

Buh?

I just realized, if I weighed less than air, would I earn money with this new system?

'Tubby Tax' on the way for obese travelers?
Posted: Nov 13th 2007 11:23AM by Martha Edwards
Filed under: Health in the Media, Diet and Weight Loss

When your luggage weighs too much, you have to pay an extra fee. But could this kind of excess weight tax be applied to your body weight as well? One doctor in Australia thinks so -- according to Dr John Tickell, an expert in nutrition and weight control, obese travellers should have to pay extra rates to fly because they are driving up the cost of flights for everyone, since it takes more jet fuel to transport them. Really? If that's true, it does seem a little unfair for all of us to be paying the same price, especially since we encourage airlines to charge more for people who bring too much luggage because we don't want to pay for their extravagance.

Still, it seems cruel and embarrassing to base the cost of a flight on how much someone weighs. What do you think if this idea?

Encourage airlines to charge more???
I just paid 7 Euros for my ticket to fly to Germany from Ireland. I remember times when I had to pay more than 10 times as much. If anything, airlines are currently lowering their prices to frankly ridiculous levels, not raising them.
I call bullshit on that one.

I just paid 7 Euros for my ticket to fly to Germany from Ireland.

7 Euros? What the hell?

A tax on tubbies sounds like a good idea. They take up too much of the countries resourse via excess eating and drinking. They aslo use the counties valuable medical care to cure many of thier weight-related ilments and diseases. Plus I hate sitting next to a tubby on a train or plane; they take up some of the space allotted to me and I feel like saying, "You should have paid for two seat!!"

All good things come through Muaadeeb.

Representative of the Republic of Muaadeeb

"One cannot go against the hand of God."

There is a danger this kind of policy might discourage obese people from flying, but if your plane crashes in the Andes you are going to need at least one lard arse to snack on.

if it's based purely on weight, it might discourage non-obese people from flying too. My husband weighs a lot, but he is rather tall and has a lot of muscle.

This seems to be unrealistically cheap. Can you link to the site where this is offered?

This tickets cost harldy anything. Thare are various airport charges and the like associated with flying.

7 Euros? What the hell?

And that was cause I was rather inflexible regarding the airport I want to fly to. Ryanair flogs tickets for 1 Euro, if you're early enough.

I just realized, if I weighed less than air, would I earn money with this new system?
Inhale lots of helium.
All good things come through Muaadeeb.

Representative of the Republic of Muaadeeb

"One cannot go against the hand of God."

Eh, this is an out of character forum.

This seems to be unrealistically cheap. Can you link to the site where this is offered?

This seems to be unrealistically cheap. Can you link to the site where this is offered?

www.ryanair.com
www.aerlingus.com
www.easyjet.com

This is really kind of funny when you think about it. What does any empty jet liner weigh? A couple hundred tons? I really doubt someone weighing an extra 5 kilos/10lbs or even 5 times that is going to cause that much more energy to be used.

The reason for luggage weight limits lies more with the fact that they don't want every person bringing everything including the kitchen sink with them.

A headwind or tailwind have a much greater affect on energy used than weight will.

Charging for the second seat is fine, but charging for weight is laughable. It already takes hours to get through an airport having to weigh each passenger will make it take that much longer. Not to mention raise issues with invasion of privacy.

This seems to be unrealistically cheap. Can you link to the site where this is offered?
It's not actually all that uncommon. The last time I was heading to the Netherlands I paid about 10 Euros to fly from Prestwick to Dusseldorf (Weeze). There are additional charges under the heading of airport taxes, but this is representative of the prices available for the budget carriers in Europe.

if it's based purely on weight, it might discourage non-obese people from flying too. My husband weighs a lot, but he is rather tall and has a lot of muscle.

That'd be my problem too. I'm currently 230 lbs, but I have a heavy musculature, not a heavy belly.

That'd be my problem too. I'm currently 230 lbs, but I have a heavy musculature, not a heavy belly.

I think that's about where hubby sits, but at 6'2" it's not like he has any fat to speak of.

That'd be my problem too. I'm currently 230 lbs, but I have a heavy musculature, not a heavy belly.

Also, I put on a bit of weight recently due to steroid treatment. Should I get taxed because I'm ill?

Actually, I think that if you live in a country where your countrymen are paying for your healthcare you ought to pay more if you've participated in activities that raise the bill to your fellow citizens.

Edited note: I eat sufficiently poorly, drink sufficient booze and caffeine and stress way overmuch, so if my country were to have such a system I would be right up there on the list.

How would this be managed? Would they establish a base weight and then prorate for every pound over? Would people under the base weight then be charged less?

I can understand if an airline wants to charge for two seats if the individual can't confine his or her bulk to one (and as tiny as those seats are, you have to be emaciated to fit), but I think this is silly.

Charging by body weight is stupid.

It's also fucking stupid for airlines to charge extra for people who can't fit in coach-class seats, because I'm a very small person and I find coach seats a little too small for comfort. NOBODY fits in those seats, so charging extra for anybody who is "too big" would just be another assholish way for the airlines to jack up their prices.

Charging by body weight is stupid.

It's also fucking stupid for airlines to charge extra for people who can't fit in coach-class seats, because I'm a very small person and I find coach seats a little too small for comfort. NOBODY fits in those seats, so charging extra for anybody who is "too big" would just be another assholish way for the airlines to jack up their prices.

Try sitting next to a person who truly doesn't fit in those seats.

Try sitting next to a person who truly doesn't fit in those seats.
I do, every single time I fly (around 10 times per year).

Did you not read my post?

I'm a "tubby" and I find myself supporting something like this. I agree that if someone has to pay extra because their suitcase is overweight, then so should a human have to pay extra if they are larger than the norm. I've long felt that folks who are so large as to infringe on the seat-spaces next to them should have to pay for those seats instead of sticking some poor paying customer beside them to battle the bulge.

The tricky part comes in when you try to decide what is "the norm". I think I am just a few pounds above the norm, but some airline schmuck might say I'm many pounds over. Who is right?

Baggage is something that is highly variable, while body weight is not. You can choose to pack less/light, or you can pay the extra hundred dollars for bringing bunches of books back. You can't just drop a couple pounds like that.

I'm a "tubby" and I find myself supporting something like this. I agree that if someone has to pay extra because their suitcase is overweight, then so should a human have to pay extra if they are larger than the norm. I've long felt that folks who are so large as to infringe on the seat-spaces next to them should have to pay for those seats instead of sticking some poor paying customer beside them to battle the bulge.

The tricky part comes in when you try to decide what is "the norm". I think I am just a few pounds above the norm, but some airline schmuck might say I'm many pounds over. Who is right?

The airlines are trying to maximise profit by squeezing as many people into a plane as possible, regardless of the comfort, health or safety of passengers. An airline seat should be able to accomodate any passenger who flies - to introduce discriminatory pricing to punish people who do not happen to fit in an undersized seat is just plain wrong.

I'm a "tubby" and I find myself supporting something like this. I agree that if someone has to pay extra because their suitcase is overweight, then so should a human have to pay extra if they are larger than the norm. I've long felt that folks who are so large as to infringe on the seat-spaces next to them should have to pay for those seats instead of sticking some poor paying customer beside them to battle the bulge.

The tricky part comes in when you try to decide what is "the norm". I think I am just a few pounds above the norm, but some airline schmuck might say I'm many pounds over. Who is right?
And what about people simply being different sizes?

Like I said before, I'm a small person. I would be extremely fat if I weighed as much as my boyfriend does, but he's the normal and healthy weight for his height.

So a "tax" of this kind would mean that somebody who is small-framed (like me) could be 100 pounds overweight and still not have to pay extra, while somebody with my boyfriend's heavy frame could end up paying an additional fee if he gained 15 pounds.

And what about people simply being different sizes?

Like I said before, I'm a small person. I would be extremely fat if I weighed as much as my boyfriend does, but he's the normal and healthy weight for his height.

So a "tax" of this kind would mean that somebody who is small-framed (like me) could be 100 pounds overweight and still not have to pay extra, while somebody with my boyfriend's heavy frame could end up paying an additional fee if he gained 15 pounds.
Yeah, there simply isn't a 'fair' way to do it. I weigh in at around 220lbs (last time I checked), but I'm a little over 6'4" tall, and I'm certainly not what you could describe as 'fat'.

I can see the argument for airlines being allowed to charge more. At the end of the day they are simply freight carriers, whose expenses rise as the weight that they're carrying increases.

However, if it ever gets to the stage where they want me to pay extra for being larger, and this reaches the point where I am effectively paying for 2 seats, then I want the seat directly in front of whichever one is assigned to me removed, so that I can stretch my legs :)

Charging by body weight is stupid.

It's also fucking stupid for airlines to charge extra for people who can't fit in coach-class seats, because I'm a very small person and I find coach seats a little too small for comfort. NOBODY fits in those seats, so charging extra for anybody who is "too big" would just be another assholish way for the airlines to jack up their prices.

I dunno, when I flew earlier this year those shady little seats seemed perfectly fine, even for me and my 6'1 215 pound frame. It was in one of those dinky little Embraer 135's too.

I dunno, when I flew earlier this year those shady little seats seemed perfectly fine, even for me and my 6'1 215 pound frame. It was in one of those dinky little Embraer 135's too.
Maybe it's different on different airlines. I end up getting stuck flying Northwest a lot, and I will freely admit that they are a horrible airline. Could be that they have rotten aircraft, too.

Maybe it's different on different airlines. I end up getting stuck flying Northwest a lot, and I will freely admit that they are a horrible airline. Could be that they have rotten aircraft, too.

I flew...Delta I think.

But, yes, Northwest is awful, they can't turn a profit even if they try, and they're in constant fiscal crisis, and there's a very good reason for that, and it has a lot to do with how they treat their customers.

I flew...Delta I think.

Haven't been on one of their flights in a long while. If they have good seats then they can take +10 coolness points. :D


But, yes, Northwest is awful, they can't turn a profit even if they try, and they're in constant fiscal crisis, and there's a very good reason for that, and it has a lot to do with how they treat their customers.
Seriously. I hate them. So much. I keep having to fly with them because my parents live in Mpls and Northwest flights there are so much shorter and cheaper than any other airline, and sometimes I just can't come up with an extra $100 to fly with some other airline. But every time I fly with Northwest I fantasize about them going bankrupt and some other airline taking over their turf.

Baggage is something that is highly variable, while body weight is not. You can choose to pack less/light, or you can pay the extra hundred dollars for bringing bunches of books back. You can't just drop a couple pounds like that.

Well, not without expensive elective surgery...or one hell of a lot of spontaneous bleeding all over the ticket desk. "Thank you for flying Shylock Airlines."

Baggage is something that is highly variable, while body weight is not. You can choose to pack less/light, or you can pay the extra hundred dollars for bringing bunches of books back. You can't just drop a couple pounds like that.
That's a very good point. Also, a whole lot of research is showing that it's actually LESS healthy for most people to try to lose large amounts of weight than to simply stay at their current weight. It seems pretty fucked up to make people pay extra if they choose to be more responsible about their health.

I've been learning a lot about obesity and overwightness in my nutrition class*. While definately there are many cases of obesity attributed to overeating and a sedentary lifestyle, others have problems which lead to excessive weight gain, such as a type of medication like Prednizone or a glandular imballance. Are we to tax them for something that isn't their fault? Forget that, should we be taxing ANYONE for their body?

Point...? It just sounds discriminatory to me is all...

*ironic that the fuckwit who's suggesting this is a nutritionist.

This makes no feasible sense. A man who is 7' tall will generally be heavier than, say, a 5'6" female. What, are they going to calculate everyones BMI to figure out what they "should" weigh and then charge based on that? It already takes forever to check in. That would take far too long.

This plan would go against obease people, muscular people, tall people, males (who tend to weigh more than females)

Well then. We need to increase taxes and fees for various things.

Too fat
Too skinny
Too dark of skin
Too light of skin
Talk to much
Dont talk
IQ (Sliding scale)
Looks (Attractive scale)
Personality test
GPA
Shoe size
Gender
Clothing worn
Disposition
Medical history
Income level
Debt to Income ratio
Amount of flatulence
Smell of flatulence
Married/single
Religion
Medical history
Number or children
Sexual history
Penis size
Breast size

Then we can all be fee/taxed to death

I've been learning a lot about obesity and overwightness in my nutrition class*. While definately there are many cases of obesity attributed to overeating and a sedentary lifestyle, others have problems which lead to excessive weight gain, such as a type of medication like Prednizone or a glandular imballance. Are we to tax them for something that isn't their fault? Forget that, should we be taxing ANYONE for their body?

Point...? It just sounds discriminatory to me is all...

*ironic that the fuckwit who's suggesting this is a nutritionist.

Evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil... yeah... you get the point. ;)

Aside from that... no one thinks my idea would work? You don't weigh the person, you just have a chair and if they can't reasonably fit into it, then they get charged a surtax.

Evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil... yeah... you get the point. ;)

Aside from that... no one thinks my idea would work? You don't weigh the person, you just have a chair and if they can't reasonably fit into it, then they get charged a surtax.

We could have every person run a gauntlet of medical tests prior to determining what to charge them in surtaxes. Lets have complete physicals doled out (at a profit of course) and decide on their results what to charge.

They could have a disease, a cough, a cold, urinary issues, I mean the list is endless. Just think what we could learn! (and charge)

Well, one airline (let's call them Dubya Airlines) will be the first to try that, only to watch their customer count plummet like Nixon's approval rating. The others will take notice, and quietly pretend the idea never happened.

And on another airline (lets call it shrillary air) they will try to charge based on income and political affiliation. Then after a terrible debate they would loudly announce the whole idea was Bush's and try to get people to believe that the moderator was the real issue and any questions regarding this plan cannot be asked until after the election.

Well, one airline (let's call them Dubya Airlines) will be the first to try that, only to watch their customer count plummet like Nixon's approval rating. The others will take notice, and quietly pretend the idea never happened.

You had to choose that name for your airline? Look what you've done!

And on another airline (lets call it shrillary air) they will try to charge based on income and political affiliation. Then after a terrible debate they would loudly announce the whole idea was Bush's and try to get people to believe that the moderator was the real issue and any questions regarding this plan cannot be asked until after the election.

BAD Generalite! *rubs SL's nose in Naughty's post* BAD! No biscuit!

And on another airline (lets call it shrillary air) they will try to charge based on income and political affiliation. Then after a terrible debate they would loudly announce the whole idea was Bush's and try to get people to believe that the moderator was the real issue and any questions regarding this plan cannot be asked until after the election.What is it now, shillary or shrillary? :confused:

Evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil evil... yeah... you get the point. ;)

Prednizone's a friggin' double whammy too. Not only does it make you retain excess water depending on your sodium intake, it drives your appetite not just TO the wall, but fuckin' THROUGH the wall and into the next room.

Insane, yeah?

At least it fixes what it's perscribed for most of the time.

What is it now, shillary or shrillary? :confused:

Probably both. She is a shill and a shrill and since jolt does not permit editing of the subject line, it will have to stand :)

You had to choose that name for your airline? Look what you've done!



BAD Generalite! *rubs SL's nose in Naughty's post* BAD! No biscuit!

Well, I guess that tells us what side of the aisle you are puking in :)

That's not fair. They already have to pay extra for a second seat.

I'm underweight and even I only have a few extra inches of space on those seats...

If overwieght people have to pay more, shouldn't I get a discount as I am somewhat underwieght?

If overwieght people have to pay more, shouldn't I get a discount as I am somewhat underwieght?

No because then they will set the standard size to a 90 pound asian female and charge everyone extra!