5 ms·

Paying airfare per seat and per pound (body and luggage) could lead to some unexpected health benefits. Ticket price could be structured as a fixed part per sea

Paying airfare per seat and per pound (body and luggage) could lead to some unexpected health benefits. Ticket price could be structured as a fixed part per seat and variable price per difference of total mass from a baseline, e.g. you will get discount if you and your luggage weighs less than 175 lbs. (more on long distance flights). Now go ahead and down vote me.

yNeolh 5y ago
So... Airlines would be interested in heavier people because they pay the most, isn't? And people in low economic brackets would try to lose as much weight as possible, probably getting below healthy conditions just so they can travel cheaper. Healthy indeed...
- Arrath 5y ago
  Airlines would probably still be interested in more people on the plane, as that allows for more incidental charges like carry-on bags, checked bags, overweight bags, in-flight snacks, drinks, etc.
- 542354234235 5y ago
  > Airlines would be interested in heavier people because they pay the most, isn't? No, because other factors bring in orders of magnitude more money, which is why airlines cater to business travelers that buy expensive tickets last minute, not leisure travelers, that buy tickets months in advance. Weight (and the cost of fuel to move it) is only one of many factors that contribute to the total cost of airline tickets. > And people in low economic brackets would try to lose as much weight as possible, probably getting below healthy conditions just so they can travel cheaper. If we take baggage fees as in indicator of cost, we could assume 50 lbs will cost or save you about $30. And people are going to not only lose weight, but lose so much to be unhealthy to save…60 bucks round trip on a once yearly vacation? If giving people $60 a year to lose weight is real, we have just discovered a way to save billions on healthcare.
technofiend 5y ago
I won't downvote you but I will disagree: airlines already seek to optimize revenue per passenger. And to that end their best benefits and service are targeted towards high profit business and first class customers. For those there will be no paying by the pound because the miniscule increase in profit cannot be reconciled against the risk of losing their business and will most likely be waived anyway as a status benefit. However for the no status / low status passengers although in my opinion there's a baseline revenue target per seat airlines would like to hit and therefore we probably won't see discounts for skinny customers or children, penalizing overweight passengers for an added revenue stream seems entirely realistic. Airlines already hit no status/low status customers with a long lost of contrived fees for everything from picking your seat, slightly better legroom, boarding position and luggage count. Piling on another fee would be profitable and no doubt heartily embraced if it can be disguised as a safety concern.

yNeolh 5y ago

So... Airlines would be interested in heavier people because they pay the most, isn't? And people in low economic brackets would try to lose as much weight as possible, probably getting below healthy conditions just so they can travel cheaper. Healthy indeed...

Arrath 5y ago
Airlines would probably still be interested in more people on the plane, as that allows for more incidental charges like carry-on bags, checked bags, overweight bags, in-flight snacks, drinks, etc.
542354234235 5y ago
> Airlines would be interested in heavier people because they pay the most, isn't? No, because other factors bring in orders of magnitude more money, which is why airlines cater to business travelers that buy expensive tickets last minute, not leisure travelers, that buy tickets months in advance. Weight (and the cost of fuel to move it) is only one of many factors that contribute to the total cost of airline tickets. > And people in low economic brackets would try to lose as much weight as possible, probably getting below healthy conditions just so they can travel cheaper. If we take baggage fees as in indicator of cost, we could assume 50 lbs will cost or save you about $30. And people are going to not only lose weight, but lose so much to be unhealthy to save…60 bucks round trip on a once yearly vacation? If giving people $60 a year to lose weight is real, we have just discovered a way to save billions on healthcare.

technofiend 5y ago

I won't downvote you but I will disagree: airlines already seek to optimize revenue per passenger. And to that end their best benefits and service are targeted towards high profit business and first class customers. For those there will be no paying by the pound because the miniscule increase in profit cannot be reconciled against the risk of losing their business and will most likely be waived anyway as a status benefit. However for the no status / low status passengers although in my opinion there's a baseline revenue target per seat airlines would like to hit and therefore we probably won't see discounts for skinny customers or children, penalizing overweight passengers for an added revenue stream seems entirely realistic. Airlines already hit no status/low status customers with a long lost of contrived fees for everything from picking your seat, slightly better legroom, boarding position and luggage count. Piling on another fee would be profitable and no doubt heartily embraced if it can be disguised as a safety concern.