Airline seats are rarely comfortable (well, in coach, anyway), but if you're one of the many people who are too large to fit within the confines of those tiny chairs, you're entitled to double the space for the same price everyone else is paying (at least, according to the Sureme Court of Canada, anyway). Doesn't seem fair, does it? Absolutely not! And that's what the majority of air passengers told Skyscanner in a recent survey, according to reports from the National Post. In fact, 76 percent of people believe that airlines should start charging a "fat tax" for overweight and obese passengers.
Of course, it's a bit of a tricky issue. "It's not unreasonable for airlines to charge passengers extra if they occupy more than one seat," said Barry Smith of Skyscanner. "On the other hand, many would argue that it should be the responsibility of airlines to adjust their standard seat size, enabling them to comfortably accommodate all passengers," he added. But will that drive up the cost of air travel for the rest of us? Some have suggested the price of airline seats be calculated by the weight of the passenger and their luggage -- though hopping on the scale at check-in sounds like a nightmare, too.
Here in Canada, airlines have to accommodate passengers of all sizes without charging them extra. But as the post reports, other airlines have more stringent policies -- United and Southwest Airlines make obese passengers pay for their extra seat, but they can claim a refund if the plane isn't full. Air France charges for the second seat but at only 25 percent of its original cost. If you're interested in finding out more, here's a run-down of extra-seat charges by Smarter Travel.
What do you think? Should overweight and obese passengers be paying for their weight?
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