Should Airline Passengers be weighed along with their luggage

Big Jeff

Big Jeff

Winger
At present, airlines use “assumed mass” – estimating the total weight of the passengers by using set figures. Typically each passenger is assumed to weigh 88kg.

Airlines may use gender to refine this figure, allowing 93kg for men and 75kg for women.

But should passengers be weighed along with their luggage?
 


Big Jeff said:
At present, airlines use “assumed mass” – estimating the total weight of the passengers by using set figures. Typically each passenger is assumed to weigh 88kg.

Airlines may use gender to refine this figure, allowing 93kg for men and 75kg for women.

But should passengers be weighed along with their luggage?
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Yes, reminds me of a flight back up from London a good few years ago.

The plane was quite empty so they have to distribute the passengers to balance out the weight. Three barcodes (in tops) towards the back of the plane, two men and a woman, all 18 stone plus and they insisted in sitting in 3 adjacent seats. The crew were polite (didn’t call them fat tramps) but they still wouldn’t move. Eventually the pilot came down and told them if they didn't move either side of the aisle he would have to get security to offload them.

They moved. Flight was uneventful after that.
 
Mixed emotions on this.

If its to help with calculations for the flight, then no problem. If they're using an assumed weight which is wildly over (imagine an NFL charter flight with all the gear and the big lads!), then it's probably good to know. Especially if it's a small aeroplane.

Equally if the flight is massively below the assumed weight, it will allow the airline to take a little less fuel, burn a little less fuel and save a few quid.


My fear is though, next step is charging a surcharge for heavier passengers. Because it won't be a discount for lighter ones!
 
Redandwhitedust said:
My fear is though, next step is charging a surcharge for heavier passengers. Because it won't be a discount for lighter ones!
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It's a tricky one a 6 foot 3 bodybuilder will weigh well over the norm and I don't think folk like that should pay any more. However, some grossly overweight passenger who takes up half my seat doesn't have my sympathy.
Maybe they should weigh body fat .
 
Redandwhitedust said:
Mixed emotions on this.

If its to help with calculations for the flight, then no problem. If they're using an assumed weight which is wildly over (imagine an NFL charter flight with all the gear and the big lads!), then it's probably good to know. Especially if it's a small aeroplane.

Equally if the flight is massively below the assumed weight, it will allow the airline to take a little less fuel, burn a little less fuel and save a few quid.


My fear is though, next step is charging a surcharge for heavier passengers. Because it won't be a discount for lighter ones!
Click to expand...

No-one would dare go there, it would be one of the biggest backlashes going and a PR disaster, even Ryanair couldn't pull that one off and get away with it.
 
Totally agree. Everyone gets 90kg allowance total including bags. Refund a quid per kilo not used. Add two on per kilo over.
They actually used to weigh people and their bags as I saw this in the airport museum in Lanzarote.
 
Zimba said:
No-one would dare go there, it would be one of the biggest backlashes going and a PR disaster, even Ryanair couldn't pull that one off and get away with it.
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Correct - the media would massacre the first to try it.

Technology aside , what is wrong is some fat bastard squeezed in next to you on a flight - bits of flesh hanging over you , they are permanently uncomfortable and shifting around.

There should be a max weight per seat per person - otherwise they buy 2 seats - simple as . Get all airlines to sign up and there you go.

And if anyone plays the victim card - then tough. Lose some timber or get the boat / train.
 
Pnematic1 said:
Correct - the media would massacre the first to try it.

Technology aside , what is wrong is some fat bastard squeezed in next to you on a flight - bits of flesh hanging over you , they are permanently uncomfortable and shifting around.

There should be a max weight per seat per person - otherwise they buy 2 seats - simple as . Get all airlines to sign up and there you go.

And if anyone plays the victim card - then tough. Lose some timber or get the boat / train.
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Honestly can't disagree, proper awful ain't it? It's not just planes either. Concerts etc are just as bad, least on a plane you have an arm rest to keep them apart.

Sadly, we seem to be going the opposite way lately though where being overweight is alright when it's really not because of the health issues that come with it.
 
Zimba said:
Honestly can't disagree, proper awful ain't it? It's not just planes either. Concerts etc are just as bad, least on a plane you have an arm rest to keep them apart.

Sadly, we seem to be going the opposite way lately though where being overweight is alright when it's really not because of the health issues that come with it.
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Like a lot of things mate the conversation has been shut down and anyone “ going there “ is labelled a far right fascist pig … or something!
 
Redandwhitedust said:
Mixed emotions on this.

If its to help with calculations for the flight, then no problem. If they're using an assumed weight which is wildly over (imagine an NFL charter flight with all the gear and the big lads!), then it's probably good to know. Especially if it's a small aeroplane.

Equally if the flight is massively below the assumed weight, it will allow the airline to take a little less fuel, burn a little less fuel and save a few quid.


My fear is though, next step is charging a surcharge for heavier passengers. Because it won't be a discount for lighter ones!
Click to expand...

If they allow 93kg for a man and a 20kg baggage allowance, then there should be a total personal allowance of say 130kg then anything above is a surcharge per kg.
 
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alicante mackem said:
It's a tricky one a 6 foot 3 bodybuilder will weigh well over the norm and I don't think folk like that should pay any more. However, some grossly overweight passenger who takes up half my seat doesn't have my sympathy.
Maybe they should weigh body fat .
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I don't care if someone is invading my personal space with fat or muscle. Either way I'm suffering for their choices.

But if you say "excuse me stewardess, this person is too fat for this seat, can you please move me or them?", suddenly you're the arsehole.
 

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