AirAsia X may charge passengers by weight

By staff writers August 04, 2008 01:45pm

AIRASIA X is considering charging passengers depending on their weight in a bid to fight rising fuel prices and to "help Aussies lose weight"

The airline is allegedly considering weighing passengers to calculate the overall weight of the aircraft, said AirAsia X general manager Darren Wright.

After Australia's airlines vowed never to weigh passengers, Mr Wright told travel trade magazine Travel Today that AirAsia X is considering more extreme measures to increase revenue if fuel continues its march to $US200 a barrel.

Although admitting the move would be difficult to implement, Mr Wright said charging larger passengers "could help Aussies lose weight".

Mr Wright said the new weighing system would enable the airline to calculate the remaining weight allowance to be taken up with additional cargo.

Peter

AirAsia X may charge passengers by weight

By staff writers August 04, 2008 01:45pm

AIRASIA X is considering charging passengers depending on their weight in a bid to fight rising fuel prices and to "help Aussies lose weight"

The airline is allegedly considering weighing passengers to calculate the overall weight of the aircraft, said AirAsia X general manager Darren Wright.

After Australia's airlines vowed never to weigh passengers, Mr Wright told travel trade magazine Travel Today that AirAsia X is considering more extreme measures to increase revenue if fuel continues its march to $US200 a barrel.

Although admitting the move would be difficult to implement, Mr Wright said charging larger passengers "could help Aussies lose weight".

Mr Wright said the new weighing system would enable the airline to calculate the remaining weight allowance to be taken up with additional cargo.

Peter

Sounds like they want to "help themselves lose customers". If that's their attitude, I will never fly them.

Undoubtedly only male passengers will end up flying that airline....

only unfair if youre fat

Never happen, besides oil prices are marching down.

Besides just charge more for ticket for everyone - problem solved. I really don't understand these airlines - raise prices to cover your costs and small bit of profit. Not a hard concept.

only unfair if youre fat

Don't have to be fat to be heavy.

Anyway, weight affects the energy required by any mode of transport, not just air. So what will be next?

AirAsia X may charge passengers by weight

By staff writers August 04, 2008 01:45pm

AIRASIA X is considering charging passengers depending on their weight in a bid to fight rising fuel prices and to "help Aussies lose weight"

The airline is allegedly considering weighing passengers to calculate the overall weight of the aircraft, said AirAsia X general manager Darren Wright.

After Australia's airlines vowed never to weigh passengers, Mr Wright told travel trade magazine Travel Today that AirAsia X is considering more extreme measures to increase revenue if fuel continues its march to $US200 a barrel.

Although admitting the move would be difficult to implement, Mr Wright said charging larger passengers "could help Aussies lose weight".

Mr Wright said the new weighing system would enable the airline to calculate the remaining weight allowance to be taken up with additional cargo.

Peter

Sounds like they want to "help themselves lose customers". If that's their attitude, I will never fly them.

Sounds great to me so long as they charge LESS for passengers that are not heavy and therefore not using up so much fuel, I'd be able to fly first class for the cost of your economy

I have always thought this a great idea. There should be a wieght allowance of Body weight and baggage. Why should I have to pay overage charges on my baggage when some one 3x my size does not pay any overage.

And lets not talk about how much room I take up in a seat!

Great for me

Great for me

and me

I have always thought this a great idea. There should be a wieght allowance of Body weight and baggage. Why should I have to pay overage charges on my baggage when some one 3x my size does not pay any overage.

And lets not talk about how much room I take up in a seat!

Gain some weight if you feel slighted.

AirAsia X may charge passengers by weight

The latest marketing brainstorm to soon go the way of "New Coke," the "McLean" burger, "Crystal Clear" Pepsi and other stillborn ideas.

I've long been peeved by this, having more than once been charged like a wounded bull for an extra kilogram of luggage while some elephant sits next to me... fair is fair set an average based on fuel consumption per kg, then calculate back. If cargo, mail etc. can be charged per kg, then shy not people? why would anyone want to make it a discrimination issue. Kids fares sorted... Its logic people, and a legitimate business calculation.

Oz

Seems a better idea than an arbitrary blanket charge for a check on bag, they charge feight by weight. Actually makes a lot of sense, Asians would love it.

Imagine round trip to Brisbane from BKK just $5 a pound includes all taxes and fuel surcharges.

As I said raise their prices for all and problem solved. Then airlines will make a nice profit in addition to covering their expenses.

Actually it's a fair way of doing business, why would someone who weighs 70 kilo have to pay the same as someone who is over a hundred. It has nothing to do with being fat or not.

Women generally weigh less than men. Should they get cheaper airfares?

Actually it's a fair way of doing business, why would someone who weighs 70 kilo have to pay the same as someone who is over a hundred. It has nothing to do with being fat or not.

It's all moot - you will pay for the seat and not weight, so being fair has nought to do with it. Airlines have tried this before, were sued and lost. In the end it cost them more aggravation than it was worth.

Well it is obvious that a plane full of 60 KG people, will have way less take off weight then a plane full of 100KG people, therefore the last plane will consume more fuel. It's not only seat in reality.

I agree, that it might not be easy to do, and I guess they won't get away with it in the end.

Air France, Southwest and few others tried it and got smacked by courts pretty quickly. Logic - people aren't packages so can't charge weight. Don't get me wrong it does make sense, but never happen simply because the lawyers would have a field day with this not to mention the BAD PR for the airlines.

Well it is obvious that a plane full of 60 KG people, will have way less take off weight then a plane full of 100KG people, therefore the last plane will consume more fuel. It's not only seat in reality.

Same in any mode of powered transport.

Actually it's a fair way of doing business, why would someone who weighs 70 kilo have to pay the same as someone who is over a hundred. It has nothing to do with being fat or not.

It's all moot - you will pay for the seat and not weight, so being fair has nought to do with it. Airlines have tried this before, were sued and lost. In the end it cost them more aggravation than it was worth.

I can see your way of thinking that we pay for the seat. But in aviation it is all about weight.

Weight of the cargo/people/fuel/the food taken onboard/whatever.

I think it would be a problem to let someone pay more based on his or hers posture, but looking at it from the aviation side it would make sense.

Postal parcels we never give it a thought, i mean you send a heavier package .. you pay more.

We `are` packages, wanting to be moved from A to B. Some large, some small, some can help it, some cannot.

Uptill now there has been an averege weight taken into the calculation depending just on the number of passengers. We are all seen as having a standard weight.

But with rising fuel prices this standard `unit` is becoming a problem. Not ofcourse if everybody just dishes out the extra money to pay for the more expensive fare, and that is where the problem is. Airlines are in trouble because people donot want to or cannot pay that `extra`.

So what we see now is that the problem is really there, routes are taken of the scheme, or less flights to a destination. So now the weightproblem has to be really dealt with, if not prices will sore even more and airlines will have to lay of more staf or even go out of business.

So on that side there is a human factor too, try telling the kicked out staff that the overweight people are the cause of this ( i know this is very black and white) . It is not easy to try and solve this. But some airline`s wil absolutely start being " creative". They will just have to.

As I said airlines will try, they will be sued and lose even more money. Sure airlines will go out of business, however a few will remain and just charge more for EVERYONE. Those who can afford the price will pay, those who can't simply won't fly.

Creative aspect will mean charging more for everyone - we already see it happening: ie charging each piece of luggage, charging for food, charging for drinks, charging for choice seats. The problem with the airlines simply they aren't charging enough for their flights to cover their expenses and make a profit. Weight will have little to do with this argument.

As I said airlines will try, they will be sued and lose even more money. Sure airlines will go out of business, however a few will remain and just charge more for EVERYONE. Those who can afford the price will pay, those who can't simply won't fly.

Creative aspect will mean charging more for everyone - we already see it happening: ie charging each piece of luggage, charging for food, charging for drinks, charging for choice seats. The problem with the airlines simply they aren't charging enough for their flights to cover their expenses and make a profit. Weight will have little to do with this argument.

Weight is the problem, because `weight` is what has to taken from A to B. More weight means fuel, fuel means big money.

True, the airlines ar not charging enough, well if they would, a lot of people wouldnot be able to afford it anymore.

You can, because i think that is what you are saying. Not blaming you for this, but i think that is your position. You are willing and able to pay the higher prices, a lot of people cannot.

It means that aircraft will be flying around the globe half empty, well that means less fuel too, but than the other costs will be a factor, there will be no profits.

So what happens now is that the airlines let staff go and take back on the amount of flights or even cancel the destination they used to fly to as a whole, because they cannot make a profit anymore.

How else do you explain the fact that almost every major airline wherever in the world is cutting back on flights and letting of staff ??

If you say it is about fuel, you are also saying it is about weight, because aviation is about weight.

A lump of metal and systems and cargo and human `units` has to be taken to another place, it is about weight versus fuel and it`s prices.

Trying to stay in business, that is what is going on, that is what it is all about right now.

Edited August 5, 200817 yr by Carib

Tall people weigh more than short people.

They should be charged more?

Ridiculous idea, discrimination lawsuits will be rampant.

What would people say if the headline read....."Airasia X May Charge Passengers By Height"

Edited August 5, 200817 yr by pumpuiman

I would say 'Go for it Air Asia".

If you're going through with this, I say you've done a good deed for your fellow passengers like us who had been abused by their hippo-size seatmates.

It's a nightmare to be in this unfortunate long haul and sardine packed like.

As I said airlines will try, they will be sued and lose even more money. Sure airlines will go out of business, however a few will remain and just charge more for EVERYONE. Those who can afford the price will pay, those who can't simply won't fly.

Creative aspect will mean charging more for everyone - we already see it happening: ie charging each piece of luggage, charging for food, charging for drinks, charging for choice seats. The problem with the airlines simply they aren't charging enough for their flights to cover their expenses and make a profit. Weight will have little to do with this argument.

Jet blue is now charging $7 for a pillow & blanket on flights of more than 2 hours. US airways is charging for tea, coffee, bottled water and soft drinks on domestic flights. And some airlines are charging a fee to those purchasing tickets with FF miles (not included the usual tax and fees--Delta, US Air and American)

It seems that the really budget airlines have no "extras" to charge for, so they may just have to go with weight.

Yes would work BUT they will need to fit one area of the plane with larger seats [make another class]..

or people over 95kg or over 6' tall can only fly Business Class.

Why should a larger person pay extra to sit in a small persons seat?

Why should a larger person have to take the flight with no seat belt, because there is no more extensions ?

It seems that the really budget airlines have no "extras" to charge for, so they may just have to go with weight.

Unfortunately there will be no budget airlines!!! (charging for weight won't help them)

Let's be honest most of the flights are booked with small asians with few farang sprinkled in... so if you are female anything above 45-47kg - u are overweight. If you are a lad - 60-70kg and you are overweight.

What other bright ideas will they come up with?

How's this charging to use the toilet in the aircraft?

Take away all the seat and have passegers all stand