Ryanair considers ways to impose a 'fat tax'

[NM]

from news.com.au:

BUDGET airline Ryanair is considering how to impose a "fat tax" after more than 30,000 passengers voted for an extra charge to be applied to overweight passengers.

More than 100,000 passengers voted for cost-reduction ideas on the airline’s website, with excess fees for overweight passengers revealed as the most-supported idea.

 

[Saab34]

Discrimination anyone?

In all seriousness, Ryanair have most definitely gone a little too far with this one. They will be driving pax away and talk about shocking PR that will develop from this.

I just cant see a checkin agent telling a overweight passenger to "please pay up because you are fat". :shock:

Obviously my submitted idea of a online seat selector didn't work, but this competition has gone mad.

 

[pauly7]

I'm no fan of Ryanair but I am a fan of some way to manage overweight people impacting on other pax personal space...

 

[simongr]

I'm no fan of Ryanair but I am a fan of some way to manage overweight people impacting on other pax personal space...

Fat people are no different to smelly, chatty, elbowy, high demand, frequent toileters, droolers and unattractive people. They are just a more obvious target at checking in. One doesnt know how unpleasant their seat buddy might be until that seat buddy breaks wind...

If there was to be a fat tax then it would need to be a total weigh consideration to be fair. Fat person with one small piece of hand luggage may weigh less than a less fat person with full checked and hand luggage allowances being used.

 

[JohnK]

So fat people are the new easy target for airlines?

I wonder if any airline would consider a highly ridiculous "fat tax" if all overweight or fat people, and sympathisers, decided to boycott airlines that implement a highly ridiculous "fat tax"? Would the airline still consider the highly ridiculous "fat tax". It is hard to get an accurate breakdown but in western society more than 50% of the people are overweight and I am not sure how many of these people are obese and would have trouble fitting into an airline seat.

By the way I am not supporting overweight or fat people, and I am one of them, but where do you draw the line?

 

[simongr]

By the way I am not supporting overweight or fat people, and I am one of them, but where do you draw the line?

88.3KG

 

[tuapekastar]

It's a very silly idea. The only area where really overweight people perhaps could be 'penalised' for want of a better word, is where they cannot fit into their seat, and take up a portion of the seat(s) next to them as well. The people who bought those adjacent seats are entitled to use all their seat space (as per pauly7's post), so unfortunately anyone who impinges on it should buy a second seat, or move up a class or two.

 

[dajop]

but where do you draw the line?

While they're at it why don't they impose a tall person tax as well. Someone who is tall but thin could be heavier than someone who is short and overweight, so got to capture those as well. Actually also, need to have a fit persons tax, because even though they may have no body fat could have sufficient muscle to make them heavier than average.

I guess it is simple really, instead of having a luggage scale at checkin, just have a full person scale you step onto with your hand luggage and checked luggage. Then scale your airfare proportionally. Adds another dimension to the oft used phrase self loading cargo.

 

[NM]

By the way I am not supporting overweight or fat people, and I am one of them, but where do you draw the line?

88.3KG

Is that famed "yellow line" below which you may get voted off the aircraft?

 

[JohnK]

So it is not really a "fat tax" but rather a "can't fit into the seat tax" instead as has been noted in some of the excellent examples. I agree there are some wide passengers, both at waist and shoulders, who make no effort whatsoever to stick to their own space but there are all kinds of inconsiderate people on an aircraft.

I still think the "fat tax" or "can't fit into the seat tax" is a highly ridiculous silly idea....

 

[serfty]

88.3KG

For me 'tis 84Kg ...

You can vote if you wish:

Ryanair - News : One In Three Ryanair Passengers Vote for ‘Fat Tax’

#4 for me:

• Charge for a second seat if passengers’ waist touches both armrests simultaneously.

Although I reckon it should read:

• Charge for a second seat if passengers’ waist touches the outside of both armrests simultaneously.

:shock:

 

[Natt]

Grr - i think this is just silly

I think the only justification for this might be that larger people = more weight = more fuel

OK so someone might be slightly bigger than the seat, enroaching on your space .. so are they going to start charging for people who put their seat back, encroacing far worse. How about those with children on their laps, what about that particularly large newspaper the person next to you is reading, or maybe they should pay extra for that cheese snack as you hate the smell, or perhaps you are offended by meat, so that person next to you should pay extra for that?

Its all part of air travel, the seats are narrow, the leg space is cough, and theres just not enough room full stop. Deal with it, or by another product.

And on my last flight I had a thin person, who did nothing to intrude on my space, but looked and smelt like she had not showered for a week (this was Qantas mind you), I was so thankful to the staff who offered me a move (I did not even have to ask), but its just one of the joys :shock: of airline travel.
.. /endrant

 

[zzyss]

Gee, why not go with "health tax" - if you have a risk of heart attack, DVT or diabetes risk (from eating airline food) then you have to pay extra.

Crazy.

 

[vt01]

This is always a hard question to deal with as it encompasses not only very overweight people but also healthly large people such as people with broad shoulders and a number of others.

As much as I do not like people encroaching on my seat, the bottom line is that airlines choose the size of the seat. We all know the size of the seat. When we travel Y, we know this is where the vast majority of people sit and therefore we are likely to be seated next to a cross section of the travelling public which includes all shapes and sizes. I may think I am buying a seat and space which is entirely mine, but that is clearly not the case The airlines provide transport from one location to another with a place to sit (not comfortably sit).

I think if any airline chooses to try and address this issue, they will need to look at increasing the size of the seats. If they do try and impose a 'does not fit in seat' tax, then I'm sure they would be challenged on what gives them the right to decide the average size of a seat that fits the majority of the population of the planet. And then do certain medical conditions prevent them from charging the passenger more?

IIRC most overweight people are in the lower income bracket and therefore more likely to travel in Y and on budget airlines. Therefore should the average seat size be worked out on those statistics?

Perhaps every flight should have a few extra large Y seats in case it is required by large Y customers. This could be catered for by including a few smaller seats in that row for 'little' passengers. As mentioned in previous threads, there could be a a seat at checkin that large passengers must sit in to see if they need to be given the extra large seat. Perhaps all passengers should include their waist size with bookings to determine you gets the large seats.

Just a few ideas.

 

[moa999]

I'm 6'3", a decent weight but fit in the healthy BMI range.
Whilst I certainly fit in the seat and don't spill my guts over the divider, my shoulders generally stick out into the aisle.

Should I have to buy two seats?
Or should I sue the airline everytime a trolley slams into my shoulder?