Should Fat People Pay Extra When They Fly?

If you’re planning to book a flight with Air France next month you better watch your weight. Starting from the 1st of April 2010, people who are too big to squeeze into their seats will have to pay for two seats instead – calling it ‘Fat Tax’.

This is a sensitive subject around the world, and airline companies have been sued during the past few years for discrimination against clinically obese customers, simply because they forced them to pay extra for the use of two seats.

Are they doing the right thing by asking heavy people to pay more?

Some people think it’s discriminating and outrageous, and that people shouldn’t be treated any different because of their size. While others claim it’s not fair if they don’t have to pay extra as it’s more expensive to fly heavy people, and shouldn’t you should pay for as many seats as you use?

Also isn’t it strange how if we bring more than 20kgs of check-in luggage we are forced to pay so much for that excess baggage – but someone who weighs 50-100kgs more than the average person doesn’t have to pay more…

Maybe they should start setting their prices based on your weight, so skinny people pay for half a seat instead :p

I mean, nobody can argue that heavy people are more expensive to fly, and it makes sense that the aircraft needs to use more fuel to stay up in the air when flying with a heavier load.

Do you want to give away half of your seat and armrest because somebody you don’t know doesn’t fit in their own chair, and prefers to take up half of yours than pay for another one himself?

Isn’t that a bit rude and egoistic?

Shouldn’t the customers that are flying take some responsibility as well?

If you already know you don’t fit into a normal-sized plane seat, then wouldn’t you wonder what is going to happen? You’d obviously squash the person next to you, or half stand up during the whole flight, which you probably wouldn’t want to do for a long flight.

If you don’t know if you’d fit into their seats, and you know you’re ‘of the larger size’, wouldn’t you make sure to check how wide the seats are?

Why do we have to tiptoe around obese people and pretend that they’re of a normal size, when it is an obvious problem? And which is also something most of them have the ability to change simply by eating less and doing a bit of exercise. We need to be able to discuss this to find a good resolution for all of us.

So what are your thoughts about this?

Are you willing to share you seat with a stranger, or would you prefer it if they would get honest with themselves and buy the right amount of space their body needs?