Let's face it, if you're supersized, it ain't no fun to fly. And it ain't no fun for the people next to them. And they charge an arm and a leg to fly first class. So let's just make some of the seats on each flight the width of a first-class seat but otherwise just like a regular coach seat and put them in coach. Charge 1.4 times the rate of a regular coach seat for the privilege. Airlines don't need to charge 1.5 times the regular fare because they are serving fewer passengers, less meals, less security checks, etc. People of all sizes are happy.

Course it would make us happier if ALL coach seats were like that, but I know that's not going to happen.
-- arghblah, Sep 24 2001

(??) baking? http://ca.news.yaho.../010925/6/axvf.html
"How the issue is resolved could result in hefty consequences for the industry." [mihali, Sep 24 2001, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Fat_20Baffles an alternative solution [xenzag, Jul 31 2016]

how does the fat people rows a plane?
-- technobadger, Sep 24 2001


well believe it or not, this issue is being debated right now by the canadian transportation agency. the hearing was initiated by a "morbidly obese" woman who was charged 1.5 times the normal fare because of her size. see link for the story.
-- mihali, Sep 25 2001


Unfortunately the airlines would rather sell the fat person 2 seats and then jam a kid or someone small in his second seat.
-- Jscotty, Sep 08 2005


Surely if an airline charges a fat person an arm and a leg, that person will be a little narrower and lighter?
-- wagster, Sep 08 2005


Assuming the arm and the leg are on the same side. At least if they did it the other way, there'd be a strange and disturbing symmetry.
-- hidden truths, Sep 08 2005


If I'm paying twice as much for the seat, I'll want to get on and off the plane twice as quickly, and expect to wait half as long for my baggage. I'm gonna want twice as much courtesy, half as much waiting around, twice as many air miles, two stewardesses to keep me twice as settled and content and that's as well as twice as much food and drink... And all that at half the price.

Oh, and my fish should count twice! - Coz I'm twice your size(probably).
-- Dub, Sep 11 2005


How about skinny people rows, too? Extra seats crammed in. Just to be fair and all.
-- bristolz, Sep 11 2005


I think that what the airlines are doing is perfectly just. Have you ever been forced to sit next to an obese person on a plane with already too small seats. Personally, I don't like fighting a battle over an arm rest with a sleeping fat person's rolls. The whole trip just becomes that much more annoying. How about instead of considering the obese person's feelings you consider that of more abundant average flier and charge the obese one more for the other's inconvinence.
-- PapaSmurf, Sep 12 2005


i didnt think they let fat people on buses.
-- benfrost, Sep 12 2005


It would be fairer to charge per kilo. Maybe there should be separate rates for people and their luggage, since the cabin space is probably at a premium. If the seats could be slid forwards and back they could also let people choose their economy/comfort trade-off.
-- Loris, Sep 12 2005


That is a great idea [Loris]. I am pretty thin so I rarely have trouble with the width of my seat but there is rarely enough room for my legs. I once flew from San Fransisco to Frankfurt with lufthansa with my feet in the magazine rack of the seat in front. It was the only way to make them fit (and I'm not even excessively tall, slightly over six feet).
-- stilgar, Sep 12 2005


It makes sense to charge extra for height over, say, 5'4"

And also for those who have additional lung capacity.
-- bristolz, Sep 12 2005


And also for those with inflated egos. Although I'm not sure if metaphorical volume would cost the airline materially - perhaps in noise level.
-- Adze, Sep 12 2005


Surely when you book your ticket you book it for one person rather than one seat (as suggested by the different costs for adults and children). If people can't fit into the provided seats it probably says more about the amount of space that the aircraft company is providing than anything else.
-- hidden truths, Sep 17 2005


Actually its more work because the security gaurds have to search all those folds.
-- Antegrity, Sep 17 2005


Oh, just anesthetize us & stack us like cordwood...

At 6'1" and 350 lbs., I think maybe a special FedEx packing box would be the best solution...
-- smendler, Jul 30 2016


The online ticketing app could require a Body Mass Index value and adjust the ticket cost accordingly. Skinny bun, no butter [+]
-- whatrock, Jul 31 2016


First class is for Fat Cats, not people.
-- popbottle, Aug 01 2016



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