I am all for charging more to heavier passengers. I appreciate that the first class cabin subsidizes my flight, and I hate the fact that my ticket is more expensive so that the big guy who is invading my personal space doesn't have to pay extra because I am paying an equal share.
People would plan and pack differently if they weren't shielded from the economics of flight this way.
I have been on a few non-commercial flights, and they always make me step on a scale before I get on the plane.
> I have been on a few non-commercial flights, and they always make me step on a scale before I get on the plane.
The weight variation makes a big difference for smaller airplanes. Big airplanes can use a statistical average for weight calculations, but small ones cannot.
The weight calculation is necessary to compute fuel load and takeoff distance, for example.
As I recall, there was a major airline crash once because the airplane was overweight compared to its calculated weight. Since then the airlines revised the average passenger weight upwards.
I am sorry if I have hurt anyone's feelings. Having someone lean on you for 5 hours because they don't fit in their seat is extremely unpleasant. I thought "invading personal space" would be the polite way to put this.
People would plan and pack differently if they weren't shielded from the economics of flight this way.
I have been on a few non-commercial flights, and they always make me step on a scale before I get on the plane.