Argument for Pay as you Weigh airfares

[lovestotravel]

Just doing some back of the napkin maths, an "average" person, weighing 70kg (I think that's the figure that airlines use), comes in at 0.0176% of the total weight of a 747-400 at MTOW, even ramping that person up to say 130kg, that's still only 0.0328% of the MTOW of a 747-400 with a difference of 0.0152% of additional weight, that's hardly a massive increase. Yes if you have an entire plane load of people at 130kg, that will make a difference, but a couple of individuals your not really talking about a big change at all.

Well think of it this way

400 passengers, each weighing 30kgs extra.... that is 12 tons of extra weight...... That is quite a substantial difference

 

[harvyk]

Well think of it this way

400 passengers, each weighing 30kgs extra.... that is 12 tons of extra weight...... That is quite a substantial difference

True, but if you took a random sample of 400 people, chances are that the average weight of those 400 won't shift that much from what is considered the average weight. Of course you do have the problem that as a population we are getting heavier, but that is no one individuals doing, and even then doesn't break the average calculation.

Plus if it does make that much of a difference on fuel, you can bet your bottom dollar that the fuel fine will go up.

 

[medhead]

The larger the sample the lower the variation from average for a population.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

True, but if you took a random sample of 400 people, chances are that the average weight of those 400 won't shift that much from what is considered the average weight. Of course you do have the problem that as a population we are getting heavier, but that is no one individuals doing, and even then doesn't break the average calculation.

Plus if it does make that much of a difference on fuel, you can bet your bottom dollar that the fuel fine will go up.

Except if you're in America lol