Weighty question?

Hakahura · 08-25-09, 03:13 PM

Ok, so this is an old story

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...o-tickets.html

But another article I was reading linked me to it and it got me thinking.

1 United may well have a good point here.
2 They could go further.

Maybe instead of Airlines charging us for our seats and giving us a baggage allowance, what they should do is combine each passengers weight and that of their luggage and then set a total allowable limit. An excess baggage charge could be levied in much the same way as it is now. Sounds fair to me, after all it's the total weight of the contents inside an Aircraft fuselage that determine the fuel burnt per sortie not just the baggage. Now if you then combined this with United's idea of making the more generously proportioned customer purchase an extra seat, (if they are unable to contain themselves within their own without encroaching on fellow passengers,) would not the cost and service be fairer to all?

After all there are issues of passenger safety at stake. Would you be pleased if you were unable to reach the emergency exit because one of your fellow passengers was unable to extract themselves from their seat?

I feel safe posting this not because of the anonymity of the internet, but for the fact that those most likely to take offence would be unlikely to catch me as I run away.

GoldenRivet · 08-25-09, 03:26 PM

where the issue here is.

airlines make money by selling seats.

if an ass occupies 2 seats which are designed to accommodate 2 separate asses - the person with the oversized ass should pay more under the current system.

if you charge by the weight of the individual someone somewhere will piss and moan about discriminating against fat people.

the aircraft obviously has a weight limitation, so selling seats by weight wouldnt be profitable because inevitably you would depart with a fair number of empty seats which would have otherwise been filled.

the fairest way to do it is to sell seats for a specified price.

if you need two seats, buy two seats.

roman2440 · 08-25-09, 05:38 PM

First off the costs of operating aren't all in the fuel costs. Fuel is a big part of airline costs, the single biggest part, but its only ~16% of the whole pie. The other aspects have no impact from the weight of the passengers.

GoldenRivet · 08-25-09, 05:55 PM

CEO / management pay Scales
Pilot Pay Scales
Flight Attendant Pay Acales
Maintenance Pay Scales
Line/Ramp worker Pay scales
Gate Agent Pay Scales
Clerical Pay Scales

Oil
Fuel
Airport Gate Fees
landing Fees *if any
general maintenance (cost of new parts, new engines)

this is just the tip of the proverbial airline operating cost ice berg

SteamWake · 08-25-09, 06:20 PM

I agree with the pay per seat point of view.

If your stern is wide enough to take up two seats then you have to pay for it.

Im very sorry but there are consiquences to your actions.

GoldenRivet · 08-25-09, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamWake

If your stern is wide enough to take up two seats...... Im very sorry

on behalf of fat asses everywhere...

apology accepted

View Poll Results: Which side do your Scales of Justice favour?
The New Weighty United Plus idea	3	50.00%
The Existing Heavy Alternative	3	50.00%
Voters: 6. You may not vote on this poll

08-25-09, 03:13 PM	#1
Hakahura Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Posts: 785 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Weighty question? Ok, so this is an old story http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...o-tickets.html But another article I was reading linked me to it and it got me thinking. 1 United may well have a good point here. 2 They could go further. Maybe instead of Airlines charging us for our seats and giving us a baggage allowance, what they should do is combine each passengers weight and that of their luggage and then set a total allowable limit. An excess baggage charge could be levied in much the same way as it is now. Sounds fair to me, after all it's the total weight of the contents inside an Aircraft fuselage that determine the fuel burnt per sortie not just the baggage. Now if you then combined this with United's idea of making the more generously proportioned customer purchase an extra seat, (if they are unable to contain themselves within their own without encroaching on fellow passengers,) would not the cost and service be fairer to all? After all there are issues of passenger safety at stake. Would you be pleased if you were unable to reach the emergency exit because one of your fellow passengers was unable to extract themselves from their seat? I feel safe posting this not because of the anonymity of the internet, but for the fact that those most likely to take offence would be unlikely to catch me as I run away. __________________ Sir Humphey Appleby, GCB, KBE, MVO and MA. Britain's Greatest Orator, well bar that Churchill fellow. Last edited by Hakahura; 08-25-09 at 03:23 PM. Reason: Spelling

08-25-09, 03:26 PM	#2
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	where the issue here is. airlines make money by selling seats. if an ass occupies 2 seats which are designed to accommodate 2 separate asses - the person with the oversized ass should pay more under the current system. if you charge by the weight of the individual someone somewhere will piss and moan about discriminating against fat people. the aircraft obviously has a weight limitation, so selling seats by weight wouldnt be profitable because inevitably you would depart with a fair number of empty seats which would have otherwise been filled. the fairest way to do it is to sell seats for a specified price. if you need two seats, buy two seats. __________________ Last edited by GoldenRivet; 08-25-09 at 05:36 PM.

08-25-09, 05:55 PM	#4
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	CEO / management pay Scales Pilot Pay Scales Flight Attendant Pay Acales Maintenance Pay Scales Line/Ramp worker Pay scales Gate Agent Pay Scales Clerical Pay Scales Oil Fuel Airport Gate Fees landing Fees *if any general maintenance (cost of new parts, new engines) this is just the tip of the proverbial airline operating cost ice berg __________________

08-25-09, 06:20 PM	#5
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I agree with the pay per seat point of view. If your stern is wide enough to take up two seats then you have to pay for it. Im very sorry but there are consiquences to your actions. __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

08-25-09, 05:38 PM	#3
roman2440 Seaman Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 32 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	First off the costs of operating aren't all in the fuel costs. Fuel is a big part of airline costs, the single biggest part, but its only ~16% of the whole pie. The other aspects have no impact from the weight of the passengers.