Should the overweight pay more for airfare?

[galdon2004]

when you're like 300+ pounds, that's your fault, you're a fat slob and should get some god damned exercise.

http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/89/4e183d644ea70f6b980643a5b6fcc884/l.jpg

Yeah! Just look at this fat 300 pound slob! He can only bench press 550 pounds, the lazy jerk, he needs to get more damn exercise!

You know, this is why BMI is the absolute worst model for measuring a person's health. Muscle mass has a gigantic impact on your body's total weight.

In general I think it's a perfectly fine method, nobody is going to call the guy in your picture fat, but when this walks up to you:

I think it's going to be pretty safe to conclude he's a 300+ pound fat slob. Anyway you're arguing the irrelevant based on a technicality, fat people are fat, muscular people are muscular, what's your point?

My point is, BMI does not care if you are fat or muscular. It also does not care if you have a toothpick build or have wide shoulders. Weight alone should not, and should never have been the sole method for deciding somebody's health. Being X pounds means nothing. Fat, TRULY fat people can pay extra in seating to get a second seat so they can sit down. There's no reason to penalize people who are just healthy and physically fit by using an arbitrary weight limit.

 

[Lim3]

Since I just got back from a flight where I was crammed against the armrest because the lady next to me took almost half me seat and since the flight was full I was unable to change seats I am ALL FOR charging really large people extra. I PAID for my seat...the ENTIRE seat...the fact that someone else's girth encroaches on that should entitle ME to have part of my seat (that she took without my permission) refunded...not to mention the chili dogs she was eating and the horrible gas she had after an hour in the air...

hahhaha.

This, right here, is an argument for weight based pricing. If they are charged extra for a seat they should also be given a slightly bigger seat.

I'm against it because its partially discrinitory, but as I weight less then 160 lbs I would be happy to take extra luggage to make up the difference between me and someone who weighs 200 lbs.

I think the front or back half of the plane should be child free - because I have been stuck behind a family with 3 young brats who trashed their isle and it is not fun. It was a 16 hour flight I think and all the passangers complained at the end of it.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-12/charge-airline-passengers-by-weight-call/3768804 video on the issue from a former Qantas economist (Qantas is Australia's national airliner).