Are obese passengers charged double if they occupy more than one seat in an airline?

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Purple Monkey Dishwasher

Why pay for 2 economy class seats when you can purchase a Business class seat at 30%+ more seat width and extra comfort and other perks?

If travelling in Economy, just ask for the seat next to be blocked if possible. Aviod bulkhead seats as the armrests can't move upwards to create more room, and try and book on flights with low loads as this heightens your chance to be seated next to no one.

And no, airlines are not considering to force obese people to pay two fold for economy seats.

TJVT

Very funny experience. I met a customer who was really really big. And guess what, he couldn't fit in the economy class seat. Normally we would block a seat next to him for his comfort, but that flight was really full in economy. We suggested to put him in the business class, but he refused to pay the difference. We end up have to off-load him and let him fly with other airlines.

What I heard afterwards that he couldn't fit in other airline's economy seat either and was asked to pay for business class seat and he ended up paying for that bussiness class seat, which cost more than our airline.

Sawbuck

Curious to know if you are Canadian. A Canadian court just ruled this week that the airlines in Canada are not allowed to charge double for obese people, or for handicapped people who have to fly with an attendant. Interesting to see if this decision gets appealed!

Doomass

If you need 2 seats then yes you will be charged for both.

But obese people are only charged if they are THAT obese for 2 seats.

Mr Smart

Just like an other thing that a person of extra-ordinary size might require, such as 2XX or 3XX shirts, 48 inch waist trousers or skirts, size 14 shoes, or similar which cost more than lesser sizes, the airlines can and will charge for 2 seats IF there is no alternative.

Also if the airline staff feels that ths size of the passenger may interfere with the alloted space of an adjacent passengre, or possibly make contact or harm another passenger, then the oversize passenger will HAVE to buy a second seat ticket. This is NOT discriminatory, dont even go there.

jackson

Some will but as another said a person would have to be REALLY obese. If not super huge the airline will accomadate you sometimes. Certain seats in economy offer more room than others.

Even if they got a preassigned seat when booking at checkin a person could ask to be reassigned to a seat that has nobody next to them.

Even once in the air a person can just get up and move to an empty row as the crew really does not care. I fly often and see people do it all of the time. I do it myself sometimes and I am of normal size.

But yes, if they were to ask someone to pay for two seats it would generally be cheaper to just pay for an upgrade. I would be willing to bet that if you just asked for an upgrade they might just give a person one........ "the seats are a little tight for me". At checkin I would think that they would be willing to accomadate rather than stop the line, get a manager or deal w. asking a customer to pay twice.

brian777999

Not at the moment but the airlines are seriously considering it.

PS I am in Australia !

Titties

A couple airlines do charge extra. I don't think it would be entirely fair to make people over a certain weight buy two tickets and in any event the human rights issues would create a legal nightmare - no airline would risk offending fare-paying passengers like that... or would they

I think there's a definite argument in favor of taking into account the combined weight of the passenger AND their luggage and basing excess baggage surcharges on that weight. This would also enable a more accurate calculation of the 'plane's takeoff weight to be calculated - which may be useful in working out how much fuel is needed for the flight.

Perhaps if the excess baggage charge was above a certain point it might actually be cheaper to buy two tickets.

Tapestry6

Well they did, I don't know when it stopped. But if you required 2 seats you were charged at least 50% more for your ticket. Went to school for travel agents awhile back.

alyosha_snow_crash

The trend towards obesity in the first world means that people are weighing 10-15% more, which means airplanes are carrying 10-15% more, which requires more fuel, which means they have to recoup their costs somewhere. Right now the double fare comes up if you take up a double seat, but as seats shrink, expect this to be the rule rather than the exception.

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