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Would you agree with making "heavier" people paying more for flights? It is interesting that discrimination is OK when based on "things" but not when applied t

Would you agree with making "heavier" people paying more for flights? It is interesting that discrimination is OK when based on "things" but not when applied to humans. After all "heavier" humans also use more resources just as "heavier" cars do.

simonw 3y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
- Towaway69 3y ago
  So drawing parallels is no longer allowed? Is lateral thinking also banned? Or do heavier people not use more resources then skinnier humans? What's wrong with drawing a parallel to cars?
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    > do heavier people not use more resources then skinnier humans? You’re arguing as if charging heavy people more to fly isn’t a thing. It is. And I don’t think that’s abhorrent nor even unfair.
    - Towaway69 3y ago
      I didn't know, I didn't know it was a thing. And yes, it's very murky as you say. There is a difference between genetic and chosen unfortunately the difference isn't obvious from just the optics.
      - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
        > difference between genetic and chosen unfortunately the difference isn't obvious from just the optics Okay, so let's get back to the actual topic. Help me understand how buying an SUV is fundamentally—beyond optics—similar to being genetically predisposed to obesity.
        Towaway69 3y ago
        If you have a large family and use this SUV as a transporter for your children or if use this SUV as a status symbol, an outsider cannot differentiate between these two use-cases. The genetics, in this case, is money: is the owner wanting to protect their family, has taken on debt to purchase this SUV just because they wish to have a "safer" car for their family. Or is the owner on their fourth SUV and it's just-another-car purchase. One owner is struggling, the other was born with a silver spoon. Not everyone is born to be able purchase an SUV, being born with or without money can influence peoples life, just as their genetics. Both are random attributes that are assigned upon birth.
maxglute 3y ago
Aren't some US carriers charging plus-size people 2 seats if they don't fit now? I think it's banned in Canada. But waist and weight limit seems reasonable without some sort of medical exemption.
- sokoloff 3y ago
  It seems reasonable to me that to occupy two seats costs the fare of two seats. If I want to eat two pizzas, I have to pay for two pizzas, regardless of medical condition… If I want two gallons of gas instead of one… If I want two months of Netflix instead of one… It’s unclear why people expect that some should consume two seats and pay for only one…
- kcplate 3y ago
  Some do. About 15 years ago I was doing a regular weekly commute and due to my size at the time, Southwest would ask me to purchase two seats. If the flight was not full they would refund one ticket. Since Southwest uses first come first serve seating, you would get preboard status and a little card to place in the second seat. I was ok with that accommodation, it seemed reasonable and with a little research into the flights and how often they were truly full it was rare that i didn’t get a refund.
ponector 3y ago
Humans are discriminated all the time: by passport, by place of birth, by sex, by wealth, etc. Maybe some airlines will come eventually with new fare where total weight with all clothes and luggage would be billed with different tiers, let's say 5: <20, 20-50, 50-100, 100-150, 150+ kg.
- Towaway69 3y ago
  Probably the only thing stopping them are privacy concerns. On the other hand, for frequent flyers it could be a great thrill to be told that they had lost weight since their last flight.
kehrin 3y ago
Maybe. Many countries in the EU already place heavy taxes on engine displacement, so a curb weight tax or vehicle size tax wouldn't be something entirely new.

simonw 3y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

Towaway69 3y ago
So drawing parallels is no longer allowed? Is lateral thinking also banned? Or do heavier people not use more resources then skinnier humans? What's wrong with drawing a parallel to cars?
- JumpCrisscross 3y ago
  > do heavier people not use more resources then skinnier humans? You’re arguing as if charging heavy people more to fly isn’t a thing. It is. And I don’t think that’s abhorrent nor even unfair.
  - Towaway69 3y ago
    I didn't know, I didn't know it was a thing. And yes, it's very murky as you say. There is a difference between genetic and chosen unfortunately the difference isn't obvious from just the optics.
    - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
      > difference between genetic and chosen unfortunately the difference isn't obvious from just the optics Okay, so let's get back to the actual topic. Help me understand how buying an SUV is fundamentally—beyond optics—similar to being genetically predisposed to obesity.
      - Towaway69 3y ago
        If you have a large family and use this SUV as a transporter for your children or if use this SUV as a status symbol, an outsider cannot differentiate between these two use-cases. The genetics, in this case, is money: is the owner wanting to protect their family, has taken on debt to purchase this SUV just because they wish to have a "safer" car for their family. Or is the owner on their fourth SUV and it's just-another-car purchase. One owner is struggling, the other was born with a silver spoon. Not everyone is born to be able purchase an SUV, being born with or without money can influence peoples life, just as their genetics. Both are random attributes that are assigned upon birth.

maxglute 3y ago

Aren't some US carriers charging plus-size people 2 seats if they don't fit now? I think it's banned in Canada. But waist and weight limit seems reasonable without some sort of medical exemption.

sokoloff 3y ago
It seems reasonable to me that to occupy two seats costs the fare of two seats. If I want to eat two pizzas, I have to pay for two pizzas, regardless of medical condition… If I want two gallons of gas instead of one… If I want two months of Netflix instead of one… It’s unclear why people expect that some should consume two seats and pay for only one…
kcplate 3y ago
Some do. About 15 years ago I was doing a regular weekly commute and due to my size at the time, Southwest would ask me to purchase two seats. If the flight was not full they would refund one ticket. Since Southwest uses first come first serve seating, you would get preboard status and a little card to place in the second seat. I was ok with that accommodation, it seemed reasonable and with a little research into the flights and how often they were truly full it was rare that i didn’t get a refund.

ponector 3y ago

Humans are discriminated all the time: by passport, by place of birth, by sex, by wealth, etc. Maybe some airlines will come eventually with new fare where total weight with all clothes and luggage would be billed with different tiers, let's say 5: <20, 20-50, 50-100, 100-150, 150+ kg.

Towaway69 3y ago
Probably the only thing stopping them are privacy concerns. On the other hand, for frequent flyers it could be a great thrill to be told that they had lost weight since their last flight.

kehrin 3y ago

Maybe. Many countries in the EU already place heavy taxes on engine displacement, so a curb weight tax or vehicle size tax wouldn't be something entirely new.