Point - Counter Point: Airlines Charging by Weight at Her Active Life

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Point - Counter Point: Airlines Charging by Weight

Posted June 27, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Lindsay Hutton

Section: Her Health, Her Story, Her News

ENTER IMAGE NAME BETWEEN QUOTES - USE ENGLISH NOT FILE NAMING STRUCTURE The concept of charging people more money to fly based on how much they weigh is a heavy issue. In this article, Lindsay Hutton sides with their airlines and frames the idea as a necessary evil. In the companion piece Martinique Haller argues that there is no way this can be carried out reasonably. Read the articles and then leave a comment letting us know what you think!

It’s not often I like to comment publicly on a controversial issue. Sure I have my opinions, but aside from family and friends, I don’t feel the need to voice them to every passer-by I see on the street. However, every once in a while, something will pop up that just begs to be addressed.

Before I start this, though, I would like to point out that I am not a 90 pound woman who eats lettuce for lunch. So before you jump to the conclusion that I’m an itty bitty waif that won’t be affected by this, I’d like to cut you off now and say I’m not, by any means, considered petite.

And so, here we go…

Should airlines start charging passengers based on their weight? It’s been on the news lately, and the internet is flooded with comments ranging anywhere from snarky jokes, to full blown anger, to people who actually agree. Now, I’ll admit, when I first heard of this, the first thought that ran through my mind was, “Who the hell do they think they are? I would never get on a scale in front of a plane full of people!”

But the more I thought about it, my view started to change. Is it fair? No. Of course it’s not fair. Is it reasonable, and perhaps even necessary? I think it is.

Listen, I know I’ll probably make a lot of people unhappy with this comment, but I can see where the airlines are coming from. Fuel costs have almost tripled since 2000. Anybody with a car knows how painful it is to fill up your 15 gallon tank at the pump. Now imagine having to fill up a 57,285 gallon tank on a Boeing 747. Airliners typically have to weigh their fuel in pounds, and airplanes require more for heavier loads. And, like it or not, Americans are getting heavier. Obesity in adults has increased 60% over the last 20 years, while obesity in children has tripled.

The airline industry has already had to cut costs in other areas. For those of you who fly frequently, you may have noticed you no longer get the tasty bag of peanuts along with the complimentary beverage service. Was this the airlines way of saying “Listen people, you’re getting too big for us to fly you all over creation. No more peanuts for you!” This way, they have an excuse. “Well, you can’t say we didn’t try. Guess we’ll have to start charging.”

My question is why are we so quick to blame the airlines, a struggling business that we all rely on at some point or another, for our weight problems? Because face it, that’s what this boils down to. People aren’t angry at the idea of paying more money. Ticket prices have been creeping up for a while now, and while people grumble and complain, they pay the money and go on their way. But the minute someone’s weight comes into play, suddenly the airlines become Satan in a stewardess uniform. Comment boards are flooded with opinions from defensive people justifying their consumption of 3 Whopper’s a day for lunch. “So I like me a little red meat. Now that means I can’t fly coach on an airplane at a reasonable price?” I wouldn’t be thrilled about a public weigh-in, but I realize if I gained 100lbs it would cost more to fly me.

OK, so that may have seemed a little harsh. I know, in reality, a lot of people have weight problems that are out of their control, due to an overactive thyroid and other medical conditions. For these people, an exception should absolutely be made. Charging these people would be the equivalent to charging someone just because they have red hair, or brown eyes, or charging a pregnant woman for two tickets. But for those people who are obese just because, well, they FEEL like it, then I think they should be held responsible for their own actions. This isn’t any different than people who choose to speed while driving paying more for their car insurance. If you smoke, you pay more for life insurance.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is, airlines are a business. And just like most businesses these days, they’re struggling. They are trying to find ways to keep their head above water. If that means turning to unconventional methods to save a little cash, go for it. They already charge passengers more money for more bags of luggage because it weighs more. What’s more important- making a big deal about getting on a scale in front of people who you’ll never see again and who very possibly aren’t even paying attention and don’t give a rat’s ass how much you weigh, because all they want to do is get to wherever it is they’re going, OR trying to save the jobs of thousands of people who are in danger of getting laid off?

If you think about it that way, it makes sense.

Her Active Life would like to state that these are the opinions of two writers and they don’t necessarily reflect the views of this site. We support all women, regardless of body size, activity level or any other factor.