Mon, Jun 24, 2013
But Airline Still Charging By Weight To Fly
Samoa has one of the world's highest rates of obesity, so it may come as no surprise that Samoa Air, which was the first to charge passengers by what they weigh, is now offering special seating for its extra-large customers.
The airline is introducing what it calls "XL Class" seating for passengers who weigh more than 286 pounds (130kg). In a report from Australia's ABC and relayed by the U.K. newspaper The Telegraph, Samoa Air executive Chris Langton said the changes in seat spacing ... an increase of 12-14 inches ... would be completed this week.
Samoa Air, which is the national airline of the island nation, charges passengers a fixed price per kilogram, which adjusts depending on the length of the flight. The charge includes the weight of both the passenger and their luggage.
Langton said other airlines are likely to begin using such a pricing structure, and modifying their aircraft to accommodate larger passengers.
But a Jetstar spokesman said that it would not be imposing a "size surcharge" for its larger passengers despite a growing obesity problem in Australia. Jetstar is a subsidiary of Qantas. That airline does recommend that a passenger purchase two seats if he or she cannot sit comfortably in one with both armrests down. Virgin Australia said through a spokesman that it does sometimes weigh passengers for the purpose of making accurate weight and balance calculations for its airplanes.
(Promotional image from Facebook)
More News
From 2023 (YouTube Version): Legacy of a Titan Robert (Bob) Anderson Hoover was a fighter pilot, test pilot, flight instructor, and air show superstar. More so, Bob Hoover was an i>[...]
Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]
Aero Linx: B-52H Stratofortress The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic spee>[...]
Altimeter Setting The barometric pressure reading used to adjust a pressure altimeter for variations in existing atmospheric pressure or to the standard altimeter setting (29.92).>[...]
"Knowing that we play an active part in bettering people's lives is extremely rewarding. My team and I are very thankful for the opportunity to be here and to help in any way we ca>[...]