Pay-Per-Pound Travel

A very controversial and important decision regarding price fairness and travel is in the wings, so to speak, and according to the Telegraph, British travelers have largely made their minds on the subject.  Should airlines charge the same rates to all customers, regardless of their size or weight?  

If you're thinking this sounds incredibly unfair, remember that these concerns never come into question when you reserve a car hire, and we offer the cheapest rates on  car rentals to accommodate all shapes and sizes.  Unfortunately, like many of the other incredibly intrusive aspects involved in commercial flight these days, weigh-ins may become common across airlines, and I'm not talking about just your luggage.

Somalia Air has become the first commercial airline to charge passengers by their weight.  Can you imagine, stepping on the scales along with your baggage?  I guess it can't be much worse than the "naked body scanners" you have to pass through in many United States Airports.  The Samoan airline defends their pay-as-you-way fares, and with good reasoning: Samoans are heavy.  Or heavier, on average at least, than the average traveler.  A Brown University study shows the problem begins at birth, with up to 23.3% of 15 month old Samoan boys already classifying as obese, and that number surpassing 50% by the age of 20.  The very real issue for this airline, which flies mainly between the two main islands of Samoa, is not how many seats it can fit in an aircraft but how many pounds it can carry.

While carriers like Ryanair have come out and stated they will "never consider such a policy," the benefits for families with children as well as slim travelers may gain enough support to push airlines to make a new policy.  I know personally, it is so frustrating to pay for a full-priced adult ticket for a 2 year old who weighs less than my carry-on!  Of course, she always gets to ride at no extra charge in the car seat of my car rental.