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Should airlines be charging passengers based on their weight? According to Fox News, that is the one million dollar question many companies are now debating.
In 2013, Samoa Air first introduced something they called ‘fat tax,’ where passengers paid according to their weight. However, this wasn’t very popular and died down quickly.
Highlights
- Airlines may be considering implementing weight-based charges for passengers.
- A heated debate was sparked online following the news, surrounding health and discrimination.
- Plus-size influencers advocated for bigger seats, while others said airlines should not have to accomodate their bodies.
Eleven years later, Finnair decided to expand its weight data collection initiative in February 2024. How it worked was that customers voluntarily weighed themselves along with their carry-on luggage at Helsinki Airport. It took place over three months and applied to both short flights and long haul flights.
RELATED:
Airline companies may start charging passenger based on their weight
Image credits: jaebaeproductions
All data remained anonymous, with only age, gender, and travel class being revealed. This information will then be used to “update the airline’s aircraft balance and loading calculations for the period from 2025 to 2030,” wrote the outlet.
Now, there is growing interest in weight-based strategies.
A recent study asked 1,012 U.S. adults for their opinion on charging based on weight. There were three options: a regular fee with a set luggage limit, a ‘weight threshold’ where those who weighed over 160 pounds would pay extra, and a ‘body weight’ model where tickets would depend on someone’s weight.
According to the results, lighter passengers found this to be more favourable than heavier passengers, who preferred the current system. Although, the latter group was still open to the idea.
Image credits: graciebon
But if we migrate over to social media, we’ll find that this option is being heavily debated.
Many influencers were against any changes, sharing their own experiences while traveling.
“Buying two airplane seats don’t fix my problem,” said one person. “Airplanes are too small for big people. It’s 2024 — bodies are changing. So, planes should too.”
Another woman named Jaelynn Chaney, who launched her own petition, claimed, “My body isn’t the problem. The system is. When you’re forced to buy two seats or squeeze into a space that wasn’t designed for your body, it’s not just inconvenient, it’s dehumanizing. This isn’t a luxury — it’s a basic human right to travel with dignity.”
Plus-size influencers shared their experiences traveling, saying they deserved bigger seats without having to pay extra
View this post on Instagram
Nearly 40,000 people have signed her petition at the time of writing, with Chaney’s next goal reaching 50K.
“Demand for the FAA to Protect Plus-Size Travelers,” she wrote with the hashtag reading #BodyEqualityinTravel.
She claimed she and her partner have had unfortunate experiences of “discrimination and discomfort” while on a plane. Her husband was allegedly the subject of many hateful comments and disapproving looks.
Image credits: graciebon
“People with smaller bodies get to pay one fare to get to their destination,” Chaney, who is a size 6XL, said to CNN Travel. “And we have to pay two fares, even though we’re getting the same experience. If anything, our experiences are a little bit more challenging.”
But many of those who watched her video were not in agreement with her solution.
“Stop right there,” said one user. “It’s time to take responsibility for your own life instead of expecting the world to change because you’ve chosen to weigh over 200kg. Your situation is a direct consequence of your choices — just like smokers, alcoholics, and drug users, who also face restrictions and limitations.
“When our luggage exceeds the weight limit, we simply pay the extra fee — we don’t complain or make viral videos about it. So either pay for the additional seats or stop complaining.”
Other netizens, however, didn’t think ‘bigger seats’ was the best solution
Image credits: graciebon
Another stated, “ACCESSIBILITY IS FOR THOSE WHOSE BODIES HAVE FAILED THEM, NOT FOR THOSE WHO FAILED THEIR BODIES! I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again as many times as I have to.”
A plus-sized passenger also weighed in on the issue, writing, “I HATE HATE HATE these videos. As a plus size person, I’ve had to use seat belt extenders in the past. This is a me problem. This is not an airline problem.
“It is NOBODY ELSES RESPONSIBILITY to cater to YOU!!!!! It’s f–cking absurd.”
View this post on Instagram
A fourth recalled, “What’s not fair is that someone else will have paid the full price for the seat next to you but will only get half of it. I’ve experienced this. I was between two large people. No consideration from them.
“One fell asleep and leaned on me even more. It was the worst flight of my life. Your selfish attitude creates the responses that you’re getting.”
One plus-sized passenger even advocated against the influencers
Image credits: jaebaeproductions
Image credits: jaebaeproductions
While no new policies regarding weight have been set, many airlines are considering the ethical and environmental implications of weight-based pricing.
As said by Fox News, climate researchers suggest that this kind of model could “significantly reduce carbon emissions by creating a more direct correlation between passenger weight and fuel consumption.”
Experts have calculated that every additional pound on an airplane increases fuel burn. Some estimates say a reduction of 1% in total aircraft weight may lead to around 0.75% fuel savings.
View this post on Instagram
However, there are technologies that are emerging, such as advanced lightweight materials and more fuel-efficient aircraft designs, that can potentially remove weight-based pricing while simultaneously reducing aviation’s carbon footprint.
“It should be double the cost,” claimed one comment
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What do you think ?
veirdbuttrue 9 months ago
Its a fad that she will not appreciate having done, when she's older that's for sure
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XenoMurph 9 months ago (edited)
Physics means more weight = more cost. Truth = more space for you = less space for someone else. Reality = life is unfair. Taller people can play basketball. Shorter people are better gymnasts. Tiny people should be allowed more baggage, because they cost less to fly, and they take up less space in seats, so they are more comfortable in the available space. There's a counterpoint to that. If you weight twice as much, and you take up twice as much width, ..... reality bites.
C P 9 months ago
I would also say as a tall person, I would obviously like more leg room so I take it upon myself to buy the extra legroom…
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Serena Myers 9 months ago
Miss BBL needs to pay for three seats, not two, her choice, not genetics or health.
Boredandsomea 9 months ago
just pay for two seats and there would be no problem. If you are so big that you take up somebody else seat you can´t have both. ' If you think your size is going to incontinence somebody else talk to the airplane company before you leave for your trip. This looks like made up drama for social media.
Lady Eowyn 9 months ago
"Incontinence someone"? Don't you mean inconvenience? Also: if I pay for a seat on an airplane - or bus, or train - I want that whole seat, not someone's overflow. I realize some people have medical issues that affect their weight, but that is still their problem, not mine.
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Marnie 9 months ago
Charging based on weight doesn't solve the problem of seats that don't fit them, or the person next to them not being able to use their full seat. How could any customer support this?
Riley Quinn 9 months ago
Obese people should have to buy business class tickets just like tall people who require the extra legroom.
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Riley Quinn 9 months ago
I'm with the guy who stated a policy fact - airlines charge extra for additional leg room. Height is not a choice, therefore if anyone is being discriminated against, it's tall people. Obese people can't use discrimination as an argument since their weight is due to their bad choices.
Barbara Wilcock 9 months ago
Sure il get downvotes. But they want airlines to spend millions to accommodate their surgery for big butt's. And you are only the size of that other lady because you stuff 1000s of calories daily. Not funny
person (i think) 9 months ago
To be fair, i believe the lady in white says people _should_ buy 2 seats.
Load More Replies... Kit Black 9 months ago
The problem here is that the airlines did have a solution and then refused to use it. They don't like to fly half empty planes, so they reduce the number of routes so that the planes will fly full. Then they overbook the flights to make sure they're full. Then they tell people who are overweight to buy two seats. Then if they buy two seats, the flight is overfull, they give the other seat to someone else - who paid full price and isn't even going to get a full seat now, while the person who is overweight and actually bought two seats is going to get a refund and spend the trip jammed into a seat and get told that they should have bought two when, in fact, they already did that.
Romy Rösli 9 months ago
It’s about time people start taking on responsibility for their lifestyles.
Chris the Bobcat 9 months ago
I'm 5'5" and can barely fit into an economy section seat. Not because of the width, but because my short legs can barely fit into the space. Shove a briefcase under the seat ahead of me and I have no place for my toes. I'm lucky too; taller people have to sit with their legs splayed outward at the knees. I ALWAYS buy an aisle seat because I'm a bit claustrophobic. I think I would rather drive most places now. At least my car is comfortable and I don't have to fight anyone to use the bathroom. Airline travel didn't used to be this way. Would it really kill them to make the seats fit an average sized person, maybe even have some for big & talls?
superfluous 9 months ago
I haven't flown for years. You have to fight to use the bathroom now??????
Load More Replies... superfluous 9 months ago
"This isn’t a luxury — it’s a basic human right to travel with dignity.” No it is not. Ride in a car. Take a train. Pay for first class. Let us concentrate on issues such as food and shelter. Once we get those for everyone we can expand the definition of BASIC human rights.
Dragons Exist 9 months ago (edited)
It always annoys me when people call modern inventions "human rights"
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Rosie 9 months ago
Isn't there also the issue of safety? What if everyone has to deplane quickly and the person has problems 1) getting out of the seat and 2) being slow down the aisle because it's tight for them.
Ursula S. 9 months ago
My concern is that during an emergency, these people might not move quickly enough as needed. I am speaking as a former overweight person.
Sordatos 9 months ago
There is reason, among others, that people that size aren't supposed to be in offshore facilities, space is limited, that lady would probably block half of hallway , in an emergency that could cause lives, not to mention that she no most like have difficulties going up and down stairs, or just walk about, and space on emergency boats
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Tiffany 9 months ago (edited)
Her self esteem and worth must be really bad to have to buy a butt like that. It's interfering with her daily activities. People should try good therapy first to learn how to truly love themselves. It doesn't matter what you do to yourself or how hard you try.. you can't force others to love you the way you want. You have to do that on your own.
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 9 months ago
At least I can use that gross, OTT fake butt as a flotation device in the event we crash
Rathoren 9 months ago
As a plus size (but not obese like the girl in video) girl i would be really hurt having to pay per pound BUT i think that if airlines had a test seat at check in and you didn't fit inside it (like Fun parks now have) then you have to pay extra or buy two seats. THAT system would be totally fair!
brookeannsimmer 9 months ago
I have two thoughts on this, they are not connected and one doesn't make the other less true and I think that's okay Seats should be bigger, it's greed and carelessness that has resulted in them getting as small as they are. When you are buying a ticket you are paying for space on a plane, if you need a second seat you need to buy a second ticket. You are preventing the airline from selling that second seat to someone else, so you need to pay for it.
Miriam Insidecor 9 months ago
More space and bigger seats isn't going to resolve this problem. Flights need to consider weight (passengers and baggage) for safety. Passengers that are obese or need more room due yo augmentation will impact how much can be carried by the plane. Anyone that exceeds the seat size should be booking two sears. The alternative is the airlines having wider seats for larger people, which come with higher prices.
Sophia Pandia de Delphia 9 months ago (edited)
Watched an Airlines Disaster episode where the fuel was factored incorrectly for the weight. Haven't flown since then but that's all I can think about. I'm overweight, I know. But I don't want my plane to go down because we've let such problems of being inoffensive and indiscriminate to "overweigh" the direct need to weigh and properly fuel a plane that won't crash because of this issue!
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LauraDragonWench 8 months ago (edited)
I'm both fat and tall. The one I can't control (thanks, dad!) and the other is completely under my control. The last time I flew (in 1997, flying from Newark to Gatwick, UK) I never moved from my seat for fear my weight (which was far less than now) would somehow throw off the plane's balance. Stupid, I know (and thank goodness I was only 19 so blood clots were far less possible) but should I ever fly again, I would happily pay not just for extra leg room, but also for my extra weight.
PenguinEmp 9 months ago
As a pilot myself weight is everything. If the weight is off bad things happen. I fly a 172 and with 4 adults we have to put less fuel in or less luggage. Otherwise we don't get off the ground. Now airlines use a common data point for male and female, winter or summer.
zovjraar me 9 months ago
there was actually a plane that crashed due to the "average weight" being incorrect. they were using average weights from like, 1950's, but this was in the 80's or 90's, and people were 30 lbs heavier on average. multiply that by 300 people and that's a lot of additional weight that wasn't accounted for. i don't know how i feel about charging based on weight, as it's not always something a person has control over. even if i'm skin and bones and 50 lbs, someone taller, with thicker bones, who is also skin and bones skinny, would still weigh more than me. i don't know what a fair solution is.
Dragons Exist 9 months ago
"just make them bigger" oh but they DO make them bigger, that's why the plane is divided up into classes
Sordatos 9 months ago
It would drive the prices up, that woman on White shirt would take pretty much half row of seats, that would mean less seats overall... Sure they could add some seats for the morbidly obese but they would most likely cost more and which would be labeled as unfair... Being obese is lot a disability nor a protected group
person (i think) 9 months ago
How are they supposed to provide wider seats? It’s not like they can widen the plane. If they made rows have 2 wider seats instead of 3 narrow ones, they would still have to charge more for them, so people would still complain
tai 9 months ago
Just like the fairground rides, you should have to meet a criteria. Now look at what happened in Toronto. How on earth are those people featured making it out of that plane at all and what's worse is the people they block escaping and then the people that will have to enter a very dangerous situation to rescue them.
Caro 9 months ago
Just buy two seats if you need them. Don't worry about the money, bigger seats would be more expensive ( as in business class) as there would be less seats available in total then which would cost the airlines a lot of money. Since they would not accept losses they would charger passengers for the bigger seats so that you can as well buy two seats or business class now. It definitely won't get cheaper for bigger people.
Heather Menard 9 months ago
I weigh 186 and fit in a normal seat with room. Why would I have to pay more?
Tamra 9 months ago
It does not matter if I'm sitting next to a man or woman, if they're so fat, or muscular, or tall that they're spilling onto me in my seat, then they need to purchase two seats.
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UKGrandad 9 months ago
"Experts have calculated that every additional pound on an airplane increases fuel burn." What? The more mass something has, the more energy is required to move it? Well who'd have thought that would be the case? Thank the gods I don't believe in for giving us such knowledgeable experts! What other revelations will they give to blow our tiny minds? The further away an object is, the further one has to travel to reach it, perhaps?
Beth H 9 months ago
It’s a tough call. Some people do weigh more due to medications like steroids. I weighed less before my RA diagnosis but I still don’t come close to 200 lbs or whatever they are talking about with these photos. Would you get a pass for medically induced weight gain? Also what about pregnant people who are pushed over the threshold? I have no strong feelings about weight based flight prices as long as it’s fair to everyone.
Tara Noe 9 months ago
How selfish do you have to be to demand everyone pay for your bad choices except you? Other passengers have to suffer you spilling over onto them. The airline needs to redesign their seating. Companies should be forced to lose money to accommodate you. Safety to be thrown out the window when you block the aisle, unable to evacuate, or allow others to do so. But no, the right to do whatever you want to yourself is SO much important and everyone else should pay.
olaff 422 9 months ago
If you take up more than one seat, you should pay for both. Sorry. I'm sympathetic to a lot of things when it comes to things you can't control, although some of this is a choice with some people, but two seats are not one. There's also physics to take into account. Every ounce costs money to get airborne. Hell. 1 pound can cost around $10k to put in space.
Laura Osborne 9 months ago
As a fat person, I buy 2 tickets for whatever public transport I'm using, 1 for my comfort and 2 so I don't end up 'sitting' on the next passenger. Unfortunately, some airlines don't have common sense - the last flight I was on I had 1 seat in 12a the second? 19b. How exactly did that work considering I said the 2 seats were both for me and I'd need an extender on the seatbelt so they were aware. Having said that, many smaller people also complain about the size of the seats so yes, make them bigger even though the cost would be more, but I'm not saying make them bigger so fat people don't need to buy 2, just make everyone comfortable, especially long flights. (The seats may not have been the exact seat numbers I put, but were far apart so I couldn't use both)
Troy Parr 9 months ago
You keep saying, "plus size". Oh come on, some of these pictures of people are way beyond "plus size". What will happen when all the passengers of the flight turn up and they are all huge like this? Some of them simply won't be able to fly because they will not all fit, and the plane could be in danger of being overweight. Would the flight be cancelled or would some people just be left behind? Obviously these huge people know they are huge and have to reply on there being enough regular and slim people around to "compensate and balance" them out. I would not be surprised if one day the airlines declare a weight limit for passengers. Just as fairgrounds display signs saying "You must be THIS tall to ride". Airlines could display signs saying, "You must weigh less than, ----kg to qualify for this flight"...
Alexandra 9 months ago
An airline is concerned with economics: bigger seats mean fewer seats per plane means fewer people in the plane means less money coming in means the seats will become more expensive. This means that everyone has to pay for the minority of people who are morbidly obese or who have implants. I don't mind paying taxes: we all need health care, decent public transportation and our garbage picked up, but i'm not going to subsidize someone who refuses to pay for the two seats they need in order to travel comfortably.
Courtney Christelle 9 months ago
Meanwhile, first class can fully recline their seats with leg room. Regardless of a person’s weight, I think we can all agree the seats are too small with next to no leg room.
Mark Childers 9 months ago
Flying used to be fun, and seats used to be much bigger. Airlines are focused on profits, cramming more and more people into planes, charging more and more fees, and making everything much harder than it used to be. Flying is awful now, and I almost refuse to do it except in cases where I cannot get out of it. Fewer people on planes with bigger seats would alleviate the fuel costs and make for much more enjoyable flights. I remember when seats could recline, and it never interfered with the person behind you. We really had room!
BoredPangolin 9 months ago
The "problem" is a bit more complicated than those influencers make it look. The first one being that people from the US has an enormous % of overweight people compared to the rest of the world. So, it's hard to convince plane companies from around the world to adjust seats based on ONE country. Second, increasing seat size means reducing the total of seats which means less seats per plane and all tickets are going to cost a lot more. Now, I do think obesity can be the result of a medical condition and that we should kindly accomodate for differences when we can (like the front seats for taller people who need more let space). What about adding a FEW larger seats on the plane, with an extra fee (otherwise, just about everyone will want it). It would come with larger seat and longer belts. Larger people could travel comfortably and safely and it wouldn't be so expensive to implement or need to change the pricing for all.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 9 months ago (edited)
Okay, I see I'm going to have to haul out this ol' chestnut again. People from the US do NOT have "enormous % of overweight people compared to the rest of the world". That is patently untrue. From a report from 2022: Kuwait's obesity rate is 45.36%. Qatar's is 43.7%. Egypt's is 42.99%. America's is 42.87%. Mexico's is 36%. New Zealand's is 34%. Greece's is 33%. Australia's is 31.8%. The UK's is 28.7%. Russia's is 28%. Compare those to the average of many of the African countries, which is around 5-8%, and Japan's at 4.94%. Many, MANY countries have obesity rates in the 40-30% percentile, and there are 12 countries that have HIGHER obesity rates than America (Tonga, Nauru, Tuvalu, Samoa, Bahamas, Marshall Islands, St. Kitts/Nevis, Kiribati, Micronesia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Egypt.) I cannot stand the ignorant stance of "hurr durr only Americans are obese!" Yes, many Americans ARE obese. But we are not the "only" country with a high obesity rate, nor do we have the highest obesity rate in the world. (Edited to add that the report I was cross-referencing was from 2022.)
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StrangeOne 9 months ago
I just see 160 lbs. Really??? That's a good average weight. Not that much overweight, and for some some, that is a healthy weight. I weigh about 175, and I don't consider myself that much overweight. But if people are going to be weighed at check in, everyone should be weighed at check in. Maybe, then, more people will realize weight doesn't look the same on everyone. But I do believe people need to be honest with themselves. I may not be a lean chicken, but my hips and legs are narrow, while my upper body is like a marshmallow. I can fit in a smaller seat. my daughter weighs about the same as me, is shorter, but with much wider hips. If I booked us a flight I would need to take her comfort and size into consideration. Regardless, I do find plane seats, as any public transportation seat, too small and narrow. The passenger's comfort is not factored in.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 9 months ago
A lot of people are fixating on this "160 lbs" thing, but the article clearly states "A recent study asked 1,012 U.S. adults for their opinion" - and ONE of the survey choices was "a ‘weight threshold’ where those who weighed over 160 pounds would pay extra". It's not something that's even being seriously proposed. It was an answer option in ONE ludicrously small-sample-size survey.
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Inés Olabarria Smith 9 months ago
Seats in airplanes have gotten smaller but when they were bigger and there was not extra cost for luggage and other “fancy treats “, big people paid extra for double sits. Don’t think it’s discrimination.
Ponyo (they/them) 9 months ago
personally, i don’t think tall people should have to pay extra for seats either
firecrackershrimp 9 months ago
Too much shaming going on here with the assumption everything is within a person's control. With the new glp d***s out there it's become evident that your body weight is not always under your own control. Also some people are naturally smaller or larger than others, how do you account for that? There are plenty of woman out there who don't fit the petite model. If I'm naturally four inches taller than the average person of course I'm going to weigh more. And what about boob weight not to be funny but if your naturally a triple d your body weight is going to be higher. And how about gym people? Muscle weighs more than fat but that person is not going to be necessary ily larger just heavier. Now all that being said if you know your not gonna fit you need to ask for accomodations when you book. Because you also don't have the right to impede in someone else's space, for whatever the reason may be. Best example is if you are traveling with a wheelchair or medical equipment.
Nathan Lewis 9 months ago
The GLP d***s prove that eating less will make you lose weight, as they are appetite suppressors
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CertifiedCatServant (he/him) 9 months ago (edited)
The thing that gets me is that many people can be at a perfectly healthy weight but never be under 160lbs. How is that realistic? It seems unfair to people that are naturally taller or have different body types even at healthy weights. I’ve lost a ton of weight recently, and even still my doctor has specifically told me not to go below 180lbs because that would no longer be healthy for me. Would I have to pay the extra fee just because I’m 6 feet tall with broad shoulders? What about everyone else that is >160lbs but at a healthy weight for their body type?
LakotaWolf (she/her) 9 months ago
A lot of people are fixating on this "160 lbs" thing, but the article clearly states "A recent study asked 1,012 U.S. adults for their opinion" - and ONE of the survey choices was "a ‘weight threshold’ where those who weighed over 160 pounds would pay extra". It's not something that's even being seriously proposed. It was an answer option in ONE ludicrously small-sample-size survey. It's not something that's actually being proposed or being put into effect. It was on a survey sent out to 1,000 people. That's it.
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The girl who wore glasses 9 months ago
I don't need two seats, but I have an autoimmune disorder that has caused my 5'10" body to balloon to 200 lbs. Even before the disease, I weight 170, so I'd have to pay more. In other words, short thin people are the only ones who can fly for a reasonable price?
Tamra 9 months ago (edited)
You absolutely do not need two seats at 170 pounds, nor should you have to pay extra.
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Dragons Exist 9 months ago
Yep, and if you're built so that you don't fit in a plane seat then you should either not fly or buy two seats
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Ruth 9 months ago
I don’t disagree with you. However, are we willing to pay twice as much for airfare, which would be the direct result of less people per flight?
Load More Replies... veirdbuttrue 9 months ago
Its a fad that she will not appreciate having done, when she's older that's for sure
Load More Replies... XenoMurph 9 months ago (edited)
Physics means more weight = more cost. Truth = more space for you = less space for someone else. Reality = life is unfair. Taller people can play basketball. Shorter people are better gymnasts. Tiny people should be allowed more baggage, because they cost less to fly, and they take up less space in seats, so they are more comfortable in the available space. There's a counterpoint to that. If you weight twice as much, and you take up twice as much width, ..... reality bites.
C P 9 months ago
I would also say as a tall person, I would obviously like more leg room so I take it upon myself to buy the extra legroom…
Load More Replies... Serena Myers 9 months ago
Miss BBL needs to pay for three seats, not two, her choice, not genetics or health.
Boredandsomea 9 months ago
just pay for two seats and there would be no problem. If you are so big that you take up somebody else seat you can´t have both. ' If you think your size is going to incontinence somebody else talk to the airplane company before you leave for your trip. This looks like made up drama for social media.
Lady Eowyn 9 months ago
"Incontinence someone"? Don't you mean inconvenience? Also: if I pay for a seat on an airplane - or bus, or train - I want that whole seat, not someone's overflow. I realize some people have medical issues that affect their weight, but that is still their problem, not mine.
Load More Replies... Marnie 9 months ago
Charging based on weight doesn't solve the problem of seats that don't fit them, or the person next to them not being able to use their full seat. How could any customer support this?
Riley Quinn 9 months ago
Obese people should have to buy business class tickets just like tall people who require the extra legroom.
Load More Replies... Riley Quinn 9 months ago
I'm with the guy who stated a policy fact - airlines charge extra for additional leg room. Height is not a choice, therefore if anyone is being discriminated against, it's tall people. Obese people can't use discrimination as an argument since their weight is due to their bad choices.
Barbara Wilcock 9 months ago
Sure il get downvotes. But they want airlines to spend millions to accommodate their surgery for big butt's. And you are only the size of that other lady because you stuff 1000s of calories daily. Not funny
person (i think) 9 months ago
To be fair, i believe the lady in white says people _should_ buy 2 seats.
Load More Replies... Kit Black 9 months ago
The problem here is that the airlines did have a solution and then refused to use it. They don't like to fly half empty planes, so they reduce the number of routes so that the planes will fly full. Then they overbook the flights to make sure they're full. Then they tell people who are overweight to buy two seats. Then if they buy two seats, the flight is overfull, they give the other seat to someone else - who paid full price and isn't even going to get a full seat now, while the person who is overweight and actually bought two seats is going to get a refund and spend the trip jammed into a seat and get told that they should have bought two when, in fact, they already did that.
Romy Rösli 9 months ago
It’s about time people start taking on responsibility for their lifestyles.
Chris the Bobcat 9 months ago
I'm 5'5" and can barely fit into an economy section seat. Not because of the width, but because my short legs can barely fit into the space. Shove a briefcase under the seat ahead of me and I have no place for my toes. I'm lucky too; taller people have to sit with their legs splayed outward at the knees. I ALWAYS buy an aisle seat because I'm a bit claustrophobic. I think I would rather drive most places now. At least my car is comfortable and I don't have to fight anyone to use the bathroom. Airline travel didn't used to be this way. Would it really kill them to make the seats fit an average sized person, maybe even have some for big & talls?
superfluous 9 months ago
I haven't flown for years. You have to fight to use the bathroom now??????
Load More Replies... superfluous 9 months ago
"This isn’t a luxury — it’s a basic human right to travel with dignity.” No it is not. Ride in a car. Take a train. Pay for first class. Let us concentrate on issues such as food and shelter. Once we get those for everyone we can expand the definition of BASIC human rights.
Dragons Exist 9 months ago (edited)
It always annoys me when people call modern inventions "human rights"
Load More Replies... Rosie 9 months ago
Isn't there also the issue of safety? What if everyone has to deplane quickly and the person has problems 1) getting out of the seat and 2) being slow down the aisle because it's tight for them.
Ursula S. 9 months ago
My concern is that during an emergency, these people might not move quickly enough as needed. I am speaking as a former overweight person.
Sordatos 9 months ago
There is reason, among others, that people that size aren't supposed to be in offshore facilities, space is limited, that lady would probably block half of hallway , in an emergency that could cause lives, not to mention that she no most like have difficulties going up and down stairs, or just walk about, and space on emergency boats
Load More Replies... Tiffany 9 months ago (edited)
Her self esteem and worth must be really bad to have to buy a butt like that. It's interfering with her daily activities. People should try good therapy first to learn how to truly love themselves. It doesn't matter what you do to yourself or how hard you try.. you can't force others to love you the way you want. You have to do that on your own.
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 9 months ago
At least I can use that gross, OTT fake butt as a flotation device in the event we crash
Rathoren 9 months ago
As a plus size (but not obese like the girl in video) girl i would be really hurt having to pay per pound BUT i think that if airlines had a test seat at check in and you didn't fit inside it (like Fun parks now have) then you have to pay extra or buy two seats. THAT system would be totally fair!
brookeannsimmer 9 months ago
I have two thoughts on this, they are not connected and one doesn't make the other less true and I think that's okay Seats should be bigger, it's greed and carelessness that has resulted in them getting as small as they are. When you are buying a ticket you are paying for space on a plane, if you need a second seat you need to buy a second ticket. You are preventing the airline from selling that second seat to someone else, so you need to pay for it.
Miriam Insidecor 9 months ago
More space and bigger seats isn't going to resolve this problem. Flights need to consider weight (passengers and baggage) for safety. Passengers that are obese or need more room due yo augmentation will impact how much can be carried by the plane. Anyone that exceeds the seat size should be booking two sears. The alternative is the airlines having wider seats for larger people, which come with higher prices.
Sophia Pandia de Delphia 9 months ago (edited)
Watched an Airlines Disaster episode where the fuel was factored incorrectly for the weight. Haven't flown since then but that's all I can think about. I'm overweight, I know. But I don't want my plane to go down because we've let such problems of being inoffensive and indiscriminate to "overweigh" the direct need to weigh and properly fuel a plane that won't crash because of this issue!
Load More Replies... LauraDragonWench 8 months ago (edited)
I'm both fat and tall. The one I can't control (thanks, dad!) and the other is completely under my control. The last time I flew (in 1997, flying from Newark to Gatwick, UK) I never moved from my seat for fear my weight (which was far less than now) would somehow throw off the plane's balance. Stupid, I know (and thank goodness I was only 19 so blood clots were far less possible) but should I ever fly again, I would happily pay not just for extra leg room, but also for my extra weight.
PenguinEmp 9 months ago
As a pilot myself weight is everything. If the weight is off bad things happen. I fly a 172 and with 4 adults we have to put less fuel in or less luggage. Otherwise we don't get off the ground. Now airlines use a common data point for male and female, winter or summer.
zovjraar me 9 months ago
there was actually a plane that crashed due to the "average weight" being incorrect. they were using average weights from like, 1950's, but this was in the 80's or 90's, and people were 30 lbs heavier on average. multiply that by 300 people and that's a lot of additional weight that wasn't accounted for. i don't know how i feel about charging based on weight, as it's not always something a person has control over. even if i'm skin and bones and 50 lbs, someone taller, with thicker bones, who is also skin and bones skinny, would still weigh more than me. i don't know what a fair solution is.
Dragons Exist 9 months ago
"just make them bigger" oh but they DO make them bigger, that's why the plane is divided up into classes
Sordatos 9 months ago
It would drive the prices up, that woman on White shirt would take pretty much half row of seats, that would mean less seats overall... Sure they could add some seats for the morbidly obese but they would most likely cost more and which would be labeled as unfair... Being obese is lot a disability nor a protected group
person (i think) 9 months ago
How are they supposed to provide wider seats? It’s not like they can widen the plane. If they made rows have 2 wider seats instead of 3 narrow ones, they would still have to charge more for them, so people would still complain
tai 9 months ago
Just like the fairground rides, you should have to meet a criteria. Now look at what happened in Toronto. How on earth are those people featured making it out of that plane at all and what's worse is the people they block escaping and then the people that will have to enter a very dangerous situation to rescue them.
Caro 9 months ago
Just buy two seats if you need them. Don't worry about the money, bigger seats would be more expensive ( as in business class) as there would be less seats available in total then which would cost the airlines a lot of money. Since they would not accept losses they would charger passengers for the bigger seats so that you can as well buy two seats or business class now. It definitely won't get cheaper for bigger people.
Heather Menard 9 months ago
I weigh 186 and fit in a normal seat with room. Why would I have to pay more?
Tamra 9 months ago
It does not matter if I'm sitting next to a man or woman, if they're so fat, or muscular, or tall that they're spilling onto me in my seat, then they need to purchase two seats.
Load More Replies... UKGrandad 9 months ago
"Experts have calculated that every additional pound on an airplane increases fuel burn." What? The more mass something has, the more energy is required to move it? Well who'd have thought that would be the case? Thank the gods I don't believe in for giving us such knowledgeable experts! What other revelations will they give to blow our tiny minds? The further away an object is, the further one has to travel to reach it, perhaps?
Beth H 9 months ago
It’s a tough call. Some people do weigh more due to medications like steroids. I weighed less before my RA diagnosis but I still don’t come close to 200 lbs or whatever they are talking about with these photos. Would you get a pass for medically induced weight gain? Also what about pregnant people who are pushed over the threshold? I have no strong feelings about weight based flight prices as long as it’s fair to everyone.
Tara Noe 9 months ago
How selfish do you have to be to demand everyone pay for your bad choices except you? Other passengers have to suffer you spilling over onto them. The airline needs to redesign their seating. Companies should be forced to lose money to accommodate you. Safety to be thrown out the window when you block the aisle, unable to evacuate, or allow others to do so. But no, the right to do whatever you want to yourself is SO much important and everyone else should pay.
olaff 422 9 months ago
If you take up more than one seat, you should pay for both. Sorry. I'm sympathetic to a lot of things when it comes to things you can't control, although some of this is a choice with some people, but two seats are not one. There's also physics to take into account. Every ounce costs money to get airborne. Hell. 1 pound can cost around $10k to put in space.
Laura Osborne 9 months ago
As a fat person, I buy 2 tickets for whatever public transport I'm using, 1 for my comfort and 2 so I don't end up 'sitting' on the next passenger. Unfortunately, some airlines don't have common sense - the last flight I was on I had 1 seat in 12a the second? 19b. How exactly did that work considering I said the 2 seats were both for me and I'd need an extender on the seatbelt so they were aware. Having said that, many smaller people also complain about the size of the seats so yes, make them bigger even though the cost would be more, but I'm not saying make them bigger so fat people don't need to buy 2, just make everyone comfortable, especially long flights. (The seats may not have been the exact seat numbers I put, but were far apart so I couldn't use both)
Troy Parr 9 months ago
You keep saying, "plus size". Oh come on, some of these pictures of people are way beyond "plus size". What will happen when all the passengers of the flight turn up and they are all huge like this? Some of them simply won't be able to fly because they will not all fit, and the plane could be in danger of being overweight. Would the flight be cancelled or would some people just be left behind? Obviously these huge people know they are huge and have to reply on there being enough regular and slim people around to "compensate and balance" them out. I would not be surprised if one day the airlines declare a weight limit for passengers. Just as fairgrounds display signs saying "You must be THIS tall to ride". Airlines could display signs saying, "You must weigh less than, ----kg to qualify for this flight"...
Alexandra 9 months ago
An airline is concerned with economics: bigger seats mean fewer seats per plane means fewer people in the plane means less money coming in means the seats will become more expensive. This means that everyone has to pay for the minority of people who are morbidly obese or who have implants. I don't mind paying taxes: we all need health care, decent public transportation and our garbage picked up, but i'm not going to subsidize someone who refuses to pay for the two seats they need in order to travel comfortably.
Courtney Christelle 9 months ago
Meanwhile, first class can fully recline their seats with leg room. Regardless of a person’s weight, I think we can all agree the seats are too small with next to no leg room.
Mark Childers 9 months ago
Flying used to be fun, and seats used to be much bigger. Airlines are focused on profits, cramming more and more people into planes, charging more and more fees, and making everything much harder than it used to be. Flying is awful now, and I almost refuse to do it except in cases where I cannot get out of it. Fewer people on planes with bigger seats would alleviate the fuel costs and make for much more enjoyable flights. I remember when seats could recline, and it never interfered with the person behind you. We really had room!
BoredPangolin 9 months ago
The "problem" is a bit more complicated than those influencers make it look. The first one being that people from the US has an enormous % of overweight people compared to the rest of the world. So, it's hard to convince plane companies from around the world to adjust seats based on ONE country. Second, increasing seat size means reducing the total of seats which means less seats per plane and all tickets are going to cost a lot more. Now, I do think obesity can be the result of a medical condition and that we should kindly accomodate for differences when we can (like the front seats for taller people who need more let space). What about adding a FEW larger seats on the plane, with an extra fee (otherwise, just about everyone will want it). It would come with larger seat and longer belts. Larger people could travel comfortably and safely and it wouldn't be so expensive to implement or need to change the pricing for all.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 9 months ago (edited)
Okay, I see I'm going to have to haul out this ol' chestnut again. People from the US do NOT have "enormous % of overweight people compared to the rest of the world". That is patently untrue. From a report from 2022: Kuwait's obesity rate is 45.36%. Qatar's is 43.7%. Egypt's is 42.99%. America's is 42.87%. Mexico's is 36%. New Zealand's is 34%. Greece's is 33%. Australia's is 31.8%. The UK's is 28.7%. Russia's is 28%. Compare those to the average of many of the African countries, which is around 5-8%, and Japan's at 4.94%. Many, MANY countries have obesity rates in the 40-30% percentile, and there are 12 countries that have HIGHER obesity rates than America (Tonga, Nauru, Tuvalu, Samoa, Bahamas, Marshall Islands, St. Kitts/Nevis, Kiribati, Micronesia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Egypt.) I cannot stand the ignorant stance of "hurr durr only Americans are obese!" Yes, many Americans ARE obese. But we are not the "only" country with a high obesity rate, nor do we have the highest obesity rate in the world. (Edited to add that the report I was cross-referencing was from 2022.)
Load More Replies... StrangeOne 9 months ago
I just see 160 lbs. Really??? That's a good average weight. Not that much overweight, and for some some, that is a healthy weight. I weigh about 175, and I don't consider myself that much overweight. But if people are going to be weighed at check in, everyone should be weighed at check in. Maybe, then, more people will realize weight doesn't look the same on everyone. But I do believe people need to be honest with themselves. I may not be a lean chicken, but my hips and legs are narrow, while my upper body is like a marshmallow. I can fit in a smaller seat. my daughter weighs about the same as me, is shorter, but with much wider hips. If I booked us a flight I would need to take her comfort and size into consideration. Regardless, I do find plane seats, as any public transportation seat, too small and narrow. The passenger's comfort is not factored in.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 9 months ago
A lot of people are fixating on this "160 lbs" thing, but the article clearly states "A recent study asked 1,012 U.S. adults for their opinion" - and ONE of the survey choices was "a ‘weight threshold’ where those who weighed over 160 pounds would pay extra". It's not something that's even being seriously proposed. It was an answer option in ONE ludicrously small-sample-size survey.
Load More Replies... Inés Olabarria Smith 9 months ago
Seats in airplanes have gotten smaller but when they were bigger and there was not extra cost for luggage and other “fancy treats “, big people paid extra for double sits. Don’t think it’s discrimination.
Ponyo (they/them) 9 months ago
personally, i don’t think tall people should have to pay extra for seats either
firecrackershrimp 9 months ago
Too much shaming going on here with the assumption everything is within a person's control. With the new glp d***s out there it's become evident that your body weight is not always under your own control. Also some people are naturally smaller or larger than others, how do you account for that? There are plenty of woman out there who don't fit the petite model. If I'm naturally four inches taller than the average person of course I'm going to weigh more. And what about boob weight not to be funny but if your naturally a triple d your body weight is going to be higher. And how about gym people? Muscle weighs more than fat but that person is not going to be necessary ily larger just heavier. Now all that being said if you know your not gonna fit you need to ask for accomodations when you book. Because you also don't have the right to impede in someone else's space, for whatever the reason may be. Best example is if you are traveling with a wheelchair or medical equipment.
Nathan Lewis 9 months ago
The GLP d***s prove that eating less will make you lose weight, as they are appetite suppressors
Load More Replies... CertifiedCatServant (he/him) 9 months ago (edited)
The thing that gets me is that many people can be at a perfectly healthy weight but never be under 160lbs. How is that realistic? It seems unfair to people that are naturally taller or have different body types even at healthy weights. I’ve lost a ton of weight recently, and even still my doctor has specifically told me not to go below 180lbs because that would no longer be healthy for me. Would I have to pay the extra fee just because I’m 6 feet tall with broad shoulders? What about everyone else that is >160lbs but at a healthy weight for their body type?
LakotaWolf (she/her) 9 months ago
A lot of people are fixating on this "160 lbs" thing, but the article clearly states "A recent study asked 1,012 U.S. adults for their opinion" - and ONE of the survey choices was "a ‘weight threshold’ where those who weighed over 160 pounds would pay extra". It's not something that's even being seriously proposed. It was an answer option in ONE ludicrously small-sample-size survey. It's not something that's actually being proposed or being put into effect. It was on a survey sent out to 1,000 people. That's it.
Load More Replies... The girl who wore glasses 9 months ago
I don't need two seats, but I have an autoimmune disorder that has caused my 5'10" body to balloon to 200 lbs. Even before the disease, I weight 170, so I'd have to pay more. In other words, short thin people are the only ones who can fly for a reasonable price?
Tamra 9 months ago (edited)
You absolutely do not need two seats at 170 pounds, nor should you have to pay extra.
Load More Replies... Dragons Exist 9 months ago
Yep, and if you're built so that you don't fit in a plane seat then you should either not fly or buy two seats
Load More Replies... Ruth 9 months ago
I don’t disagree with you. However, are we willing to pay twice as much for airfare, which would be the direct result of less people per flight?
Load More Replies...
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