Should airlines charge obesity surcharge?
First there was the obesity tax. Now there is the obesity surcharge for airfares.
Early last year, United Airlines started charging extra-wide passengers for an extra seat. Airline seats are designed for an average-sized person and passengers who do not fit this category need to have seatbelt extenders and lowered arm rests – at the discomfort and the inconvenience of the passenger in the neighboring seat. According to the United Airlines website site:
United Airlines was one of the first of the major airlines to implement such a policy. Another was Southwest Airlines.
Last week, media reports indicated that the alliance Air France-KLM might follow suit starting February 1. However, the airlines that they have plans for implementing an obesity surcharge. According to a released statement,
They recommend, however, that extra-wide passengers should buy a second seat at 75% of the normal price, a recommendation that was in place since 2005.
What do you think?
Is it fair for airlines to charge overweight passenger extra? Is it fair to the other average-sized passengers? Is obesity surcharge discriminatory? Is it an effective measure to fight the obesity problem?
