4 ms·

I’m surprised that the price of an airline ticket has not tracked the increasing weight of the average passenger over the last 50 years or so, since I presume p

I’m surprised that the price of an airline ticket has not tracked the increasing weight of the average passenger over the last 50 years or so, since I presume payload weight is a significant factor in fuel consumption. I wonder if the average passenger payload for an aircraft has actually increased or not? Is it that some passengers are much slimmer thereby negating the effect of the contingent that has gained weight. Do heavier people not travel as much as lighter people? I’m also old enough to remember this fatal crash, caused by exceeding TOW and botched maintenance.[1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Midwest_Flight_5481 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Midwest_Flight_5481

JimtheCoder 3y ago
Maybe the increased weight of passengers has been offset by increased jet engine efficiency? Just a guess...I'm not sure if it's true...
CydeWeys 3y ago
There are many other factors that go into the changing cost of a plane ticket over decades. It's not just average passenger weight!
Cerium 3y ago
The difference is just not worth it on a per passenger basis. I looked into this to answer another passing curiosity some months ago. For a thousand mile flight the cost per pound is about $0.05. Source: Based on this forum thread [1] the marginal cost per pound to fuel efficiency is about "0.0155 gallons per pound per 1,000 statute miles". Over a 737's life it may fly about 50 million miles [2]. Combining facts one and two results in a fuel consumption per marginal pound of 775 gallons. Current jet fuel prices are about $3.40 per gal [3]. [1] https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/712294-anyone-kno https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/712294-anyone-kno... [2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/cox/2012/11/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/cox/2012/11/... [3] https://www.iata.org/en/publications/economics/fuel-monitor/ https://www.iata.org/en/publications/economics/fuel-monitor/

JimtheCoder 3y ago

Maybe the increased weight of passengers has been offset by increased jet engine efficiency? Just a guess...I'm not sure if it's true...

CydeWeys 3y ago

There are many other factors that go into the changing cost of a plane ticket over decades. It's not just average passenger weight!

Cerium 3y ago

The difference is just not worth it on a per passenger basis. I looked into this to answer another passing curiosity some months ago. For a thousand mile flight the cost per pound is about $0.05. Source: Based on this forum thread [1] the marginal cost per pound to fuel efficiency is about "0.0155 gallons per pound per 1,000 statute miles". Over a 737's life it may fly about 50 million miles [2]. Combining facts one and two results in a fuel consumption per marginal pound of 775 gallons. Current jet fuel prices are about $3.40 per gal [3]. [1] https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/712294-anyone-kno https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/712294-anyone-kno... [2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/cox/2012/11/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/cox/2012/11/... [3] https://www.iata.org/en/publications/economics/fuel-monitor/ https://www.iata.org/en/publications/economics/fuel-monitor/