Weighting for the backlash

[quisensoucie]

Weighing aeroplane passengers is not a new phenomenon, so the 'fat-shaming' trope is rather misplaced
'In the early days of air travel, Airlines frequently weighed passengers and even crew to properly balance the smaller, less sophisticated aircraft, according to the Smithsonian.

Passenger weight can have an impact on another aspect of flying: seat size.'
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/then-amp-now-a-weighty-matter-46320857/&ved=2ahUKEwi8--2O452EAxU2a0EAHa-9B8sQFnoECCsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw36nIvu41LW3mTW1jC32O9v

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/airlines-weigh-passengers-check-in-baggage-cargo-balance-a8860071.html

This is a safety issue, not about making larger people pay more. But again, the science and physics are dismissed because 'feelings'

As nothing in life tends to be free I can only assume increased costs somewhere else to cover these 'free' seats - tbh it might be the fairest way to do it though, to ensure comfort of all passengers.

I must admit to finding a bit of a disconnect between having to weigh luggage to the last Kg, but the weight of the person is ignored. Obviously there are equalities issues because some people are a very high weight because of health issues, but there are also equalities reasons why a person may need to have heavy luggage. Either weight costs money and matters, or it doesn't.

Perfectly fair in my opinion. I often wonder, as I check in my less than generous baggage allowance, why I'm only allowed the same limit as someone twice my size.

I think this is the problem, this sort of post

Im overweight, Im a lot less overweight that before. There can be a lot of different reasons why people are overweight but in any discussion about obesity, the least likely explanations of obesity are put forward as the most likely reasons for it. We eat too much, most of us.

There is no heroin chic that Ive noticed at all

Ozempic and other weight loss drugs are an absolute miracle in the fight against obesity and should be celebrated.

Clearly the system needs to show both seats as unavailable, passengers actual seat and their 'extra seat' - on the system and on the boarding card it should have two seats listed and these both automatically thus made unavailable for another passenger.

1.57m 48kg

3 have that I know of
1 in Canada (us military highered a commercial plane to move troops) they used average weights and it crashed
2 in the US 1 was a delta airline and the other was a small Alaska air flight.
So yes you missed it may I suggest watching air crash investigation for more information

It isn't a safety issue.

It's about airlines wanting to put the bare minimum of fuel in to save money.

It would almost be easier to weigh the plane and then adjust the fuel...

Logistics aside!

Do they not just use the leftover fuel for the next flight? 😂

I honestly don't know what I weigh as I don't own scales - however the last time I was weighed (approx 4 years ago) I was well within a healthy range for my height (and I eat much the same, only exercise a little less and fit into mostly the same size of clothes....). I know that I am around 170cm depending on the time of day. I wouldn't mind being weighed, I just don't do it personally! I also travel quite light too.

which is bloody fair enough

these are commercial businesses not charities
plus it will impact prices they charge
plus not great for the climate to even even more fuel being used

this seems perfectly fine and rational to me. people want greener travel and the airlines are trying to do their bit. Knowing the total weight of everybody and everything on the plane will aĺow them to be more precise about fuel allocation an use less as currently they guesstimate and add more than is necessary.

Asking people to step onto some sort of pressure pad at check in isn't humiliating them. They're not going to broadcast the weight.

Also https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/09/pilot-error-too-much-weight-cited-as-causes-for-fatal-2019-plane-crash.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Midwest_Flight_5481

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-11960653/Cargo-plane-clipped-tree-took-filmed-passing-mere-feet-electrical-wires.html

whether it’s for safety
or
to save money being spent on fuel (which also impact consumer prices)

both completely fair enough in my opinion

Nope they use it up on that flight because they need to use more fuel for a heavier plane and fuel weights quite a lot and is added to the total weight of the plane

Its not remotely useful to the discussion for posters to start declaring their own weight and height. All that does is give people the opportunity to reduce the debate to 'fat v thin' and 'fat shaming' accusations, with people disregarding the views of the larger people as being defensive and the smaller ones as fatphobic, when what matters is the points made not the size of the person making them.

might not be “useful”

would be interesting though (for some of us!)

I completely agree.

Maybe an extreme example but the singer Aaliyah died because of the weight + weight distribution of the plane. AFAIK all the music equipment (they were shooting a music video) were put at the back, and then the security staff (some weighing 300lbs+) sat at the back too... The weight calculations for the plane during the inquest only accounted for 800lb total weight for 9 people, which is of course, ludicrous.

Hence my slightly tongue in cheek reply to the person who did.
Of course we don't want this to become about fat shaming, more just the realities of transporting larger people and the implications for them and those around them.

Oh, and for the record I'm 5,5 and 9 stone.

I used to be overweight.

I love vintage planes and it's part and parcel of going up in one that everyone has to be weighed and then seated accordingly to ensure even distribution of weight.

All this fat shaming stuff is just ridiculous.

I added mine because as OP, I was responding to a suggestion from another poster!

People seem to believe that their weight is going to be broadcast over some tannoy system for the whole airport to hear

they don't reuse extra fuel. They have to dump it over the ocean before landing for safety as they don't want to land with it in case of incident as it would it much worse and people would die in a fireball even from survivable impacts. I'd rather they used fuel more efficiently and didn't dump it all over marine life, personally.

I'm neither fat nor thin and have absolutely no problem with myself and my family stepping on a pressure pad scale at checkin. You could presumably do it with your luggage anyway so it wouldn't highlight your own weight.