After posting my musing about the new United Airlines excess baggage charges, I received several comments from readers who were either irate about the new fees or who were resigned to the inevitable. However, one letter proposed an intriguing proposal.
Though this letter is written with tongue firmly in cheek, I’m sure that airline marketing and yield management folk have taken a good look at similar proposals.
Charlie,
I’ll grant that charging for excess luggage is a smart move business-wise. And in one sense, it’s moving towards fairness. If high fuel costs are going to result in higher fees/fares/whatever to offset them, then going after the excess weight makes sense.
So why not do this the really fair way? Each passenger gets a total allowance of, say, 275 lbs — of baggage AND person. A 200-lb man could check a 50-lb bag and have 25 lbs distributed between a carry-on and a briefcase, and that’s fine. A 150-lb man could check a second 50-lb bag.
But the 300-lb guy who already is more of a weight drag (alone) than the first two are with their bags, would pay an overweight charge for himself, and for whatever luggage he brought on. So much per pound, or so much for each 5 lbs — whatever it takes.
This is one instance where women would generally come out ahead (since they, on average, weigh less than men), and it’s without resorting to something cheesy like “Ladies Night.”
And it’s fair in more ways than fuel costs — I’m sure that overly heavy people produce more wear and tear on airline seats, etc. as well.
When it comes down to it, airlines are treating their passengers like little more than baggage, anyway. Why not simply complete the process and charge everyone based on how much they and their stuff weigh as a unit?
Kevin Morgan,
Baton Rouge, LA
Comments? Do you feel that the airline industry will ever go down this route?
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
MY GOD! Keven has got to be the smartest man alive! I have to whole heartily agree. I mean, have you ever had to sit next to a 300lb person on a trans-oceanic flight? Not only is there no space, every time said person moves, the entire row shakes (an obvious sign of increased wear and tear to the seats and seating structures that could be potentially dangerous).
Granted I have sat next to several obese people who couldn’t be friendlier and more polite in my 1,000,000 plus miles over the years, yet they are using more of the aircraft than I am so why should I be sacrificing my safety and comfort (what little is left) in the name of not hurting feelings?
Maybe this would have another positive effect on the nation as a whole–it could trigger a diet craze among obese people to eliminate the additional charges and embarrassment–more comfortable flights, lower costs and a healthier nation–what is not to love!
I suppose I would have to pay extra. But let’s take this a step further. If a first class seat is twice the space of an economy class seat, then let’s have them cost twice as much (instead of 14 times as much, which I often see).
They will be pretty close to trucking companies if they charge by weight and space!
I notice that Air Canada gives you a $5 discount for not checking a bag, and United charges $25 to check an extra bag. So what is the value of an extra bag? $5 or $25?
I think the whole think is ridiculous!!
Nickel and dime – Nickel and dime..Can someone please advise the airlines to raise their airfares to a level where they can make money off of each ticket instead of giving so many seats for nothing, then charging a fee for a blanket, pillow, meal, bag..next thing you know they will have a pay toilet.
This whole thing is obsurd. We as the traveling public are paying the same rate to fly JFK to LAX that we did back in 1980 when I starting working at PanAm!!! How can any company charge the same price for 28 years and still remain profitable. I believe as a traveler, consumer, and travel agent, that the time has come to charge a fair price for fair service.
Why do you get a gate or ticket agent that is snippy? Because they haven’t been paid a liveable wage in 20 years…Talk about Wal-mart being a digusting company to work for, what about American, United and other airlines that keep cutting their employees pay because YOU want a couple of dollars off your airfare?
BE FAIR PEOPLE!!!
AIRLINES – RAISE YOUR RATES TO A PROFITABLE LEVEL AND LEAVE THE SERVICE IN!!!!
Mark,
Thanks for the compliment, though I’m hardly that smart – just mildly observant of the world around me. I proposed this solution half tongue-in-cheek, half… well, not seriously, but half to provoke a discussion about both fare “extras” and how passengers are treated. But there are questions that would have to be addressed: If you pay for transportation by weight, are you entitled to additional seat room if you’re overweight and large? After all, that’s really the problem you’re referencing in your ‘using more of the aircraft than I am” comment. How do we determine the “base” allowance per person?
Bill – You make a valid point about first class vs. coach seat pricing, but there’s a lot more to first class than extra room. There’s early boarding privileges, free drinks, free food (if there’s food at all), MUCH better service (one attendant for 12-16 people, as opposed to two attendants for 150 or more). Those things must be factored into the cost of the seat as well. And actually, a first-class seat is typically not that much more than what is called full-fare coach – the walk-up, refundable fare you’d pay to get a seat on the day of the flight. The difference is that airlines don’t offer nearly as much of a discount (if any) on advance purchase of first-class seats. Now, one could argue that those fares are closer to the “true” cost of flying and that airlines are shaking people down for the last-minute and first-class fares, but then that’s supply and demand at work. In the real world, cost doesn’t always affect price.
As for what is the value of an extra bag: value is whatever the customer is willing to pay. No doubt some United customers will skip an extra bag because it’s not worth $25; some will pay it without question. Might United make more money on extra bags if they lowered the price to $10 or $15? Perhaps. But that’s the kind of calculation the market will end up determining.
Many years ago I mean 50 or 60.My parents flew from Elins WV via an airlines I think United and they were weighed in at the time and it did count total weight and baggage.I am not sure of the airline..but it did happen I know it…Regards Buck Kinnaird
Buck,
If this was 50 or 60 years ago, chances are good your parents were flying on a prop plane. If that’s the case, weight becomes critical, and not just total weight, but distribution of that weight on the plane, because the engines didn’t have a lot of excess capacity.
I flew on a small (20-25 seater) turboprop flight about ten years ago on American Eagle; the flight was full, and we were waiting on the last two passengers. This is a 2+1 seat configuration plane, and the two open seats were a window and aisle seat one row apart. When the FA saw the two passengers leave the terminal to walk to the plane, she hurriedly had the two people sitting next to the empty seats sit together. Both of the last two individuals boarding were in the 300+ lb. range, so they had to endure an hour and a half of flight crammed next to each other.
And after they boarded, the ground crew had to re-arrange the luggage under the plane because of the new weight distribution. More had to be shifted to the opposite side of the plane to offset the weight of just two passengers.
Nowadays, though, it’s done with leveling gauges that guide the crew on how to load luggage to balance the passenger weight, instead of the indignity of weighing passengers at the terminal.
Kevin, I’ve been saying the same thing for years, though as a 100 pound female, much less tongue in cheek. It hardly seems fair for me to pay for an excess 10 pounds in my suitcase coming home from France with a new copper pot in my luggage, when the guy behind me double my weight pays not a penny extra. I’m glad you’ve gone public with this idea, though of course I know it would NEVER happen.
I am an overweight person, and I would have NO PROBLEM paying more for a little more space. I don’t want the extra service in first class – the food, the flight attendants, etc. I just want the space, and would be willing to pay more for it, on a proportional basis. (not 14X the price, as mentioned earlier). I’ve proposed bench-like seating with moveable armrests that can move back and forth so people can pay per inch for their seat. I’ve sent letters to each major airline (and got form letters back for some, and nothing from others) proposing this idea.
I am an overweight person. At 320 pounds, I would expect to buy 2 seats if I fly economy. Even though I can fit into one of the seats semi-comfortably, why should I subject others to my size? I don’t want to be rubbing up against them just as much as they don’t want me taking up some of their seat. Some overweight people just think the world owes them; and that is not the case. Pay for the space you use; that is what is fair.
I work for a company that has several people, I included, and that travel extensively. Normally I am spending more time in the air, than some Flight Attendants and pilots. I can see my penny pinching boss wanting us all to lose weight, and having people interviewing these coveted positions step on a scale at the interview.
That said, I am all for this. I have flown on flights with “LARGE” passengers who outweigh me by double, and they have forced me more than once to almost sit in the aisle. Not only are they a pain to sit next to, they are also a safety hazard. The airlines should make those who take up half of the seat next to them to purchase that seat, not make someone share their half of the seat with them.
Or at-least have a row or two of seats designated for these overweight travelers, with extra large seats, and longer seat belts.
Back in the dark ages–40’s and early 50’s–you were often asked how much you weighed when checking in. I always lied–and then was terrified that the plane would crash because of my fib.
Back in the Dark Ages–40’s and early 50’s– you were often asked how much you weighed when checking in. I always lied–and then was terrified that the plane would crash because of my fib.
“Or at-least have a row or two of seats designated for these overweight travelers, with extra large seats, and longer seat belts.”
The problem with this idea is that the smaller people would book these seats so they’d have “a little more room”…………..just like on cruise ships (and hotels) when able bodied people book the handicapped rooms just so they’ll have extra room. The only difference is that on cruises, handicapped people cannot then sail, and on airplanes, they’d be back in the regular seats and everyone would be complaining again.
Can we say the word descrimination!!!!! As a person who use to work for the airlines I understand if a person is obese and has to by an extra seat on an airplane for comfort and safety reason but my God charging someone(who can sit in an airplane seat comfortably) because they weigh more than the next is a little ridiculous. Heck then next thing would be lets charge a pregnant woman because she isn’t technically traveling by herself after all she is “with child” so why not charge her for her weight and an additional airplane ticket too. This has gotten completely out of control when people start suggesting to charge by the passengers weight.
I would be happy to pay extra on a flight to get a comfortable seat with leg room. if the airline is going to charge extra for weight the space provided should also be provided,so that the skinny idiot sittng next to me has nothing to complain about . i will also be comfortable not worrying about interfering withsomeone elses space.I would love to see that 160lb person stuffed into a seat made for a 100 lb body
I agree with this idea personally, but looking at it from a different perspective, wouldn’t that be discriminatory against obese people?
This is extremely discriminatory. Why is this even being considered as a good idea? It’s rude to heavy people. I’m not the tiniest of women, but I sit comfortably in one single seat. That should be the only criteria on how much I pay for my seat. Those who don’t fit in one single seat have to pay for two. That should be it. People, for every person who checks two 50-lb bags, there are people who check one 25-lb bag, or no bags at all. It evens itself out. Charging people a certain airfare based on how much they way is downright humiliating, and if a lawyer wanted to take it on, could probably be seen as a violation of civil rights. If not civil rights, then the ACLU would have some fun fighting this one. Absolutely not, this is not acceptable. Do little kids and teeny cheerleaders get a discount because they’re under 100 lbs? Seriously.
This is a matter of economics not finger pointing at heavier people.
The airlines should be able to charge based on the total pounds they fly from point A to point B because the cost of fuel is a major part of tproviding transportation services. Think of it this way, even for ready-to-wear clothing where the fabric cost is a minor part of the total product cost, there is an extra charge for plus sizes. Is that discrimination? Of course not. As far as the humilation factor, that could be minimized by how discretely the “weigh-in” would be done but ultimately it comes down to how an individual feels about their own weight. As it is right now, I don’t see anything fair about someone who weights 140lbs having to pay extra for a bag a few pounds overweight while someone who is 225 lbs has the same luggage allowance!
OK, so let’s see, if I weigh 280 and travel with my wife, who weighs about half that – say 140 – do we get (275 lbs X 2 =) 550 lbs ‘allowance’? That might seem fairer, since I (which really equals WE, as both tickets typically go on my credit card which is paid from OUR funds; I just make the reservations) appear to pay for both tickets. So together we weigh 420, and thus can bring up to 130 lbs of luggage, right? OK, but how about if we want to bring our 110 lbs niece and 20 lbs of carry-ons instead of the luggage? Etc., etc. ad nauseum.
Then there is the small matter of the “Air Carrier Access Act of 1986″ (49 U.S.C. 41705) and its implementing regulations (14 CFR Part 382), which seems to make some air passengers more equal than others, because they are disabled! Personally I would prefer whole but less equal.
The deregulation of the airline industry back in the 1970s under Jimmy Carter was not thought through carefully enough (as were many things done during that time). Subsequently, the major airlines adopted an overly aggressive strategy toward their clients, resulting in a war no business can win, and we are living with the result. The ‘charge by weight’ suggestion at least has logic behind it.
Actually, I feel like the airlines treat us as baggage already, so why not.
After my flight to Seoul, South Korea last October, I told people that I should have bought some long johns, a sleeping bag, portable oxygen, and stuffed myself inside a refrigerator box and sent myself to the hotel in Seoul via FedEx. I would have been more comfortable than I was on the United Airlines flight I was on.