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Should overweight passengers pay extra for airline tickets?
The argument about whether overweight passengers should pay for a second seat has been getting louder. Our friends at AOL Travel recently summarized some readers' thoughts on the subject of obese passengers, and now here's your chance to sound off!
Participate in our poll ...
| Yes. Passengers who overflow into a second seat should be charged for the space they occupy. | |
|---|---|
| Maybe. Is the flight full? If not, just place them near an open seat and be done with it. | |
| Absolutely not. How insulting is it to charge one person for two tickets?! | |
| Let's be honest: I don't want obese passengers on my flight. If they spill out into the aisle, or fall during an evacuation, my safety is at risk. | |
| How about if airlines offer "special seating sections" for larger passengers (and price them accordingly)? |
... leave a comment below, and then read more:
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 70)
Chrissy Dec 10th 2009 8:27PM
What you kidding me?
Charge overweight people for two seats?
No Way!
Unless you charge the skinny people for being bitchy because they are hungry!
Greg Dec 10th 2009 8:50PM
Let me guess you are pleasantly plump. Pleasent being the operative word.
If everyone is allotted an equal seat size and you do not conform be prepared to upgrade to a larger seat IE. first class or buy 1or 2 extras According to you would I be entitled to a discount the person next to me encroaching on my space. That would be providing I was not bitching because I was hungry.
Brady Dec 11th 2009 6:47AM
I was on an American flight from Paris to Dallas in October in Business class and one of the cabin crew was so over weight that she could ntot move down the aisle except side ways , and even then she would bump every passanger that was sitting in a aisle seat. If overweight passangers are a safety issue, what does do if the flight crew that has to help you during an emergency is too overweigth to do their job
Nan Dec 11th 2009 2:03AM
Now there is an airlines for pets only since trying to fly them is so difficult.
So why can/t the airlines have certain seats available for oversize people?
I am over 190, can still fit in a seat and buckle my seatbelt, but it is a bit tight since the seats are now smaller than before. Seeing as how many people in the U.S. are considered "over"weight, should they not do something to accomdate them? They do not charge more for some other folks who make flying miserable, like the drinkers, smellers, screamers, etc.
Pete Dec 10th 2009 8:25PM
I think the answer is simple, if the person next to you is spilling over then the appropriate fee should be paid. There are several ways to find a solution, possibly a sample seat to see if you fit accordingly, or some airlines should offer a section with bigger seats. First come, first serve basis. Lets face it, larger people need to be held to a different standard, be it making larger seats or paying more. The truth is the issue needs to be addresses, i don't care if someones feelings are hurt tuff sh*t, this country has become to PC.
megan Dec 10th 2009 8:24PM
Why should smaller sizes suffer? I have been on several flights where I've had to "accomodate" the larger person, and it is uncomfortable. Yes Americans are getting bigger, because they EAT MORE and refuse to exercise. If airlines made larger seats to accomodate, the seats would still cost more because more fuel is hauling their weight, and that is space that could have fit two smaller people rather than one larger one. It is a safety issue. I have never seen an obese person running a marathon or even move swiftly. I am stuck behind larger, slower people constantly, because they occupy the area, why would a plane be any different? Obese Americans need to quit making excuses. Even those with legitimate medical concerns, can purchase two seats or sit in first class.
Jack Dec 10th 2009 8:23PM
As a business traveler that flies frequently, I have many times been forced to be jammed into a seat by a larger person (I am 5'8" and weigh 175 lbs, so I fit my seat with room to spare). I find it uncomfortable and unpleasant, particularly on a flight longer than 2 hours - why shoud I have to suffer becaue someone is too big to fit into a standard seat on an airplane? Not to mention the safety factor which becomes critical in an emergency evacuation of the plane (if the crash or emergency landing is survived). I am not being unsympathetic of an overweight or larger person, but my seat is just as valuable to me as anyone else. And before any "large person advocate" jumps on my case about my comments, I smoke - I am no longer to smoke on an airplane or much of anywhere else - I accept and deal with doing without so as not to offend anyone else or break the law and in the process of quitting - you can outlaw that, so don't take away my comfort and safety because you can't push yourself away from the table. I don't smoke on a plane, so don't try to squeeze a 50 inch but in a 36 inch seat.
tammy Dec 10th 2009 8:47PM
Have you ever thought how uncomfortable it is for the heavy person to know they are spilling over and encroaching on your space? How embarrassing it is to be large and not be able to do a thing about it? While sitting in an airplane seat thinking this person next to me probably thinks I am fat because I eat like a pig, don't exercise, and am lazy? I realize you have a concern, however maybe you should be thinking there but for the grace of God go I. I used to weigh approx. 325lbs and had to have emergency gastric bypass to lose the weight quickly to get my diabetes under control. I did however manage to raise 4 kids, exercise 4 times a week, work a 50 hr a week job and go to school to complete 3 degrees while I was that large. I never slowed anyone down or endangered anyone when I was heavy on or off an airplane. I am thin now, but in no way a different or better person because of it.. just a thinner one.
aaron Dec 10th 2009 8:23PM
I think they should just be charged extra. I don't see how that photo is discriminating because the man is taking up half of the isle. What happens if there is an emergency? You telling me that man can get up and out of his seat fast enough? And sorry people but be realistic, adding a special section for large people won't just raise their cost of airline tickets but it will raise everyone elses because essentially there are going to be less seats on the plane. You hit the nail on the head Neil, I weigh a little more than I should but I know I can lose it and I really think that if people want to and if they work on it they could lose weight. Two seats, two payments.
Jenny Dec 10th 2009 8:25PM
Why should the person sitting next to an obese flier have to suffer through a long and crowded flight? Obese people should be sat in the back of the plane and have to pay for the space they occupy. If they take up over one seat, they should have to pay for two. The people who have commented how they are obese and it's the airlines fault that they don't fit are merely embarrassed by the fact that they cannot fit into a regular plane seat any more. Just because the fat person cannot control their eating habits does not mean they should make their fellow passengers suffer, and possibly die in the case of an emergency.
Terracne Dec 10th 2009 8:26PM
Airlines should have 2-4 "larger seats" installed (perhaps in the rear of the plane) to accommodate larger passengers. In the event there are no large passenger for a flight, then the seats could be converted to accommodate 2 people. I also believe that airlines should charge people by their weight, not by the ticket, including their luggage. Such as, up to 149 lbs, 150-199 lbs, 200-249 lbs, etc. After all, every shipping company I know charges by weight to send a package, and that is what we are to the airlines. Or they can copy one firm's advertisement and have a demo seat by the counter, "if it fits, it ships" for one low price! Outside the box, pay more.
rkrone4520 Dec 10th 2009 8:27PM
Some people cannot help being obese. But, no matter. If they are obese then we as a county should try to help all of them. Obese people even not a fault to them create a health problem to themselves and cost the health care system. No one really whats to be obese. With that said we as a county need a program that must start with the first grade of school or so to help those that tend to be obese to get a handle on the problem. We as a county have really brought all of this on ourshelves. Back in the 50's when I was growing up we had very few really obese people. One of them was my very much loved grand ma and I was always hurt when people made fun of her. She maybe could have helped it, I will never know.
john Dec 10th 2009 8:27PM
if they do not infringe on my space that i payed for there is no problem.when their elbows end up in my chest ,.that then becomes a seriouis problem .i don't care how much you weigh, just fit it all in the space that you paid for .
bennoenno2012 Dec 10th 2009 8:26PM
OH MY GOODNESS this is genius! fat people are SO annoying on any transit system, and they really ought to pay more. Obviously, there is a difference between being a little overweight and being obese, but the idea of a demo seat is fabulous! I have been waiting for SO LONG for someone say this thank you thank you thank you
Chloe Dec 10th 2009 8:30PM
Yes, see, the world was listening to our conversations. I do hope that they actually give a second thought to this. Or else it'll be very very, seriously, disappointing.
If the bus tips slightly when you get on, pay double. I think it should work like that. Subway wise, fitting through the turnstile would be a start.
L Dec 10th 2009 8:32PM
I have been starving myself for 5 years now, eat a healthy diet and stay under 1000 calories. I gained 125 lbs in 5 months this way and exercising 3 hours a day. It got to where I could not keep the weight off. I gained 35 lbs in 3 weeks. This all happened under the care of endocrinologists. I have lost 20 of it. Should I have to pay for a larger seat because I have spent 10's of thousands of dollars fighting my weight gain and no one can find out why?
I watch others pound down all sorts of crappy fattening food and not gain weight, I can't eat that way. I was on steroids for a while and blew up like crazy. Should I have to pay more for a child sized seat on a plane? Everyone knows that the seats AND now the aisles are too tiny for most people,. I feel so sorry for men I see with their knees crammed into the seat in front of them and their heads bent over because the ceiling isn't even high enough for them to stand. They can hardly move.
When will planes return to being flyer friendly instead of hey, we don't give a rip about whether you are comfortable. You got a problem sitting up for 10 hours to sleep with no decent healthy food or comfort? That seems to be the attitude. When I fly a great dane dog in cargo, I don't buy a crate for a teeny dog, I buy one for his size and comfort. This is just common sense.
Get real. People are real. Deal....
Dave T Dec 11th 2009 3:48AM
You cannot weigh more than you take in (eat)! It is a physical impossibility. I call Horsesh*t on this story. Do you gain weight from the air? You are lying to yourself and your doctors if you spout your drivel.
Britt Dec 11th 2009 4:37AM
But doesn't the bigger dog crate cost more?
otis Dec 10th 2009 8:29PM
The overweight passenger should not have to pay more money but the Airline should have special seating for larger customers. You act as if there are only certain sized people in this world. The comment by the Captain who says overweight passengers are a safety risk because he is not strapped in and could hurt passengers. If the plane crashes who is going to survive? This is just another form of discrimination to overwight people "pay or don't fly" is what you want. No I am not overweight, I weigh 185 lbs.
JimmyD Dec 10th 2009 8:28PM
I am skinny but tall. I feel crammed every time I fly. I would be willing to pay a few extra dollars to have 6" of extra leg space so I'm not folded like a taco on a 5 hour flight. The seats are designed for small people. All the seats don't have to match perfectly in size. I recommend having 5 seat sizes. When you book your flight you reserve a size A,B,C etc. I have to sleep in a king size bed, never a twin size. Let me have a choice of seat size too.