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Why don't fat people pay more (i.e. extra weight) to fly?


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If they didn't charge for extra bags etc some folk would take another 5 bags with them (well our lass would).

 

I never thought of that. Jeez. They'd never get off the ground if there were no restriction in the amount my lot could take.

 

:hihi:

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I think the extra charge for overweight luggage is partly to do with baggage handlers having to lump it around and the health and safety issues of handling baggage above the generally accepted 20kg.

 

 

The airlines always say it's due to increased fuel costs for the extra weight. Are they lying?

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The airlines always say it's due to increased fuel costs for the extra weight. Are they lying?

 

If you spread 10-20...100Kg over an aeroplane load in general it is like adding a pack of chewing gum to your car.

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The airlines always say it's due to increased fuel costs for the extra weight. Are they lying?

 

From the virgin Atlantic web site

 

Please note: In accordance with the Heath and Safety Executive, no bag can weigh more than 32kg (70 lbs), regardless of the appropriate amount.

 

This safety measure, which will applies to all airlines and destinations from the UK, was introduced to reduce strains and injuries amongst baggage handling staff. Passengers who exceed the weight limit will be asked to repack their excess baggage into smaller units and pay the appropriate charges before they can check in.

 

Link here:

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/baggage/excess.jsp

 

 

That was the very first link i clicked.

 

Can you post a series of links from airline companies stating the reason they charge for excess baggage? If it really is what they always say, it shouldn't be too hard.

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I've been arguing for years for the weight allowance to be based on passenger + luggage, but having had a look at the weights involved, I may have to have a rethink...

 

Take a Boeing 747-400 as an example (figures rounded slightly).

 

Empty weight of aircraft = 178,000 Kg

Maximum take-off weight = 378,000 Kg

 

So, the total load it can carry is 200,000 Kg.

 

The maximum fuel capacity is 200,000 litres. Now, the weight of fuel can vary, apparently (because of temperature, for example), but using a figure of 6.66lbs/gallon, I make it that that converts to a maximum fuel weight of about 160,000Kg.

 

So that leaves 40,000Kg for passengers, hold luggage, hand luggage, and all the sundry other bits.

 

Assume 450 passengers if fully-loaded. That's going to be less than 90Kg allowance for each passenger+luggage... which doesn't seem a lot to me :huh:

 

How long before other airlines adopt Air Nippon's latest wheeze?

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Can you post a series of links from airline companies stating the reason they charge for excess baggage? If it really is what they always say, it shouldn't be too hard.

 

As of now, I'm afraid I can't slacko, and the source of my information that airline companies charge extra for baggage because of additional fuel costs, was one of these TV airport programs, where a passenger was told the extra cost was because of the extra fuel required.

 

Not the most reliable source in the world I know (and I'm sure the airline reps will say anything to justify extorting additional monies from passengers).

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No it doesn't. It is denser, so the same volume of muscle weighs more than the same volume of fat.

 

Fair enough, but it's irrelevant to the fact that it's unfair to base these charges on people's weight. A small percentage of fat people cannot change the amount they weigh, tall people can't help that they weigh more.

 

You could go down this road by why stop there. People who eat sugary snacks that lead to Diabetes should pay more to the NHS? You could go on, and on, and on.

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