U.S. airlines may need to start weighing passengers in order to comply with FAA rules. For safety reasons, carriers need to calculate an aircraft’s weight and balance, and it has to be within allowable limits for the plane. However the assumptions they’ve been using for passengers are outdated. Americans are getting fatter, and the federal government wants airlines to find out how much fatter their passengers have gotten, at least for smaller aircraft.
- The FAA realizes that passenger weight can vary by route and airlines may want to document this difference.
- Standard weights may not be appropriate for smaller planes, with smaller sample size and greater likelihood of variance from average.
Airlines can use standard weights published by the CDC for larger aircraft, with variance for winter and summer based on greater weight assumptions for clothing in the winter. However they outline a method for smaller aircraft to determine “[a]ctual passenger and bag weights” and to determine whether aircraft up to 70 seats should be considered small or large for this exercise.
Airlines also have to calculate average weights for crewmembers and crew bags, too.
How Some Airlines May Weigh Passengers
Air Insight reviews the details of new documentation requirements for aircraft weight and balance contained in ‘Advisory Circular 120-27F’ that are pending. The FAA took public comment on their draft guidance last spring, and we’re reaching the point where final FAA action should take place.
The FAA says that surveys should be done at airports representing at least 15% of an airline’s daily departures in the secure area of the airport (to ensure that connecting passengers are included) and should select passengers at random. This is voluntary and passengers have to be allowed to opt out, with airlines then selecting another passenger at random and not the person who is next in line.
Not only might we start seeing this soon, but it could become a regular occurrence, since “the FAA recommends operators accomplish such a review every 36 calendar-months.” Fortunately when airlines stick scales at boarding gates for this, the FAA notes, the scale’s “readout should remain hidden from public view” to protect passenger privacy.
Some airlines, by the way, might not do this as a statistically valid survey every three years – carriers have the option of marking down the actual weights of each passenger on every flight, either by weighing everyone or just asking their weights and then having gate agents guess if a passenger is lying.
Airlines All Over The World Weigh Passengers Already
While it’s foreign to the U.S., weighing passengers isn’t all that uncommon abroad. Air New Zealand just went through a passenger weighing exercise similar to what U.S. carriers are going to have to do.
Samoa Air reportedly charged passengers based on their weight, like the unmemorable chain restaurant I went to as a kid which ran a promotion charging children by their weight for meals. And in 2015 Uzbekistan Airways announced they would require all passengers to weigh in prior to boarding for safety even though airlines the world over maintain excellent safety records without the practice.
I’ve even had to get on the scale myself. When I first flew Maldivian from Male on my first visit to the Maldives in 2012 I had to get on the scale at check-in. So did my wife, and – it appeared – every other foreigner. Maldivians did not seem to be asked to weigh in.
On subsequent trips each year since the practice appeared to be abandoned. I was never asked to weigh in again, although Maldivian’s website says that the policy is still in place.
Q – Why do I get weighed at Check-in?
Ans – All passengers are weighed at check-in for safety requirements of our Dash-8 200 aircrafts.
Will New Weight Data Mean More Legroom For Passengers?
Some consumer advocates have wanted minimum standards for legroom on planes. That would never do anything to hurt American, United or Delta. Instead it would potentially outlaw the tight seating you’ll find on Spirit Airlines or Frontier. And as a result it would undercut the pricing pressure they place on American, United, and Delta. In other words, we’d wind up with the same seats on the major airlines we have today – along with higher prices.
However government weight rules could wind up affecting how many passengers the major airlines can place on board aircraft. Depending on the outcome of this study, American Airlines might no longer be permitted to stick 172 passengers on its Boeing 737s.
Each passenger weighing more might mean being allowed to carry fewer passengers – if not now, then if passengers on average gain weight in subsequent weigh-in exercises. And as a result of being allowed to carry fewer passengers, they might as well either give back some of the distance between seats (in economy or first), or make more seats extra legroom Main Cabin Extra.
None of this would be happening for passenger comfort. So even in the extreme, where airlines had to change their seating capacity, it would mean more legroom (fewer passengers) and not more seat width even though it is passenger girths that have changed.
Since airlines will be lobbying vociferously against changes that would affect seating capacity, and they have allies in Congress like House Transportation Committee Chairman Pete DeFazio (D-Airlines For America), I’m not betting that the FAA will make changes that require removing seats from aircraft no matter what the data says.
This reminds me of Curb Your Enthusiasm, where Larry’s friends were not willing to tell him their weight for a private plane, so he had to find a creative way to relay their weight to the flight crew.
Glad I’ve always watched what I ate.
I think that weighing passengers is a great idea, not only for airplane-weight maximums, but for those passengers who are so overweight that they take up no only their seat but half of the adjacent seat.
Interesting. As I mentioned in an earlier comment, as a pilot of small aircraft my training seriously included how to calculate weight and balance as these are critical factors for safe flights. And on modern airliners computers do what flight engineers used to and watch the distribution of fuel as it is burned to keep the aircraft within limits. And there have been some fatal tour boat accidents as old Coast Guard weight tables led to small ships being well over gross weights even if they were within their licensed capacities.
So this is no joke, but you can be sure people will be furious about it. The opt-outs and nasty complaints to the poor agents could be awful. Just another stress at the airport. (Wish everyone would be as mad about the grotesque body scanners and simply refused them. Those horrors would be gone in a week.)
Badly designed random sample set. If someone refuses, the airline has to randomly choose someone else. But if relatively more overweight people refuse, then the result of the survey will be skewed towards people who are not overweight.
Queue the “fat shaming” outrage in 3…2…1…
What NB said. Require random people to be weighed fully clothed. Don’t make a big deal about it. Don’t announce their weight. You could even do it so that the person doing the weighing doesn’t know their weight. This is a fairly basic and huge (no pun intended) safety issue. There should be no opt out.
Im sure there will be no backlash from the General Public lol. Let the Fat Shaming Begin!!!
Sorry to say there is a lot of truth to Americas Weight Gain. Just look around….
This is just a prelude to another new charge that the Airlines will soon be adding to your ticket in their quest to be the most greed driven industry of all time.
I am all for the airlines having a little rack the width of a seat at check-in the same as they do for carry on luggage. If your flab can’t fit, you get to buy out the seats beside you or stay home.
As someone who is 6’5″ tall and very broad shouldered, I am already screwed over by airline greed and the fact that they demand that I pay extra for a seat with a pitch that I physically fit in. As soon as the airlines are required by law to give me a seat that does not jam my knees into the seat back in front of me cutting off the circulation to my legs and crippling me after an hour while providing no head/neck support at all at no cost, then they can institute a “Can’t figure out how to put down the fork” charge.
We have hand baggage sizers but no people sizers. Sitting in coach next to an obese person is a huge issue, no pun intended.
I’d like to see a scale system installed on the jet-bridge or at the boarding pass scanner. Weigh passengers and carry-ons as they board. No one but the flight crew has to see the numbers.
There are other sources for the data. It isn’t necessary to weigh the flying public.
Unless you are concerned about the weight and balance of a particular flight and then even very one will get weighed.
It really wouldn’t be all that difficult to have some sort of pad that you have to step on as you go through the boarding door – you just scanned your boarding pass, tie the weight read to that to assign it to a seat. Yes, it would be better if people stood still, but I don’t think the weight has to be that accurate, probably within 10 lbs to get a moving weight. (Truck scales can weigh a slowly moving truck.) And you’ll be getting the weight of all their clothes and carry-on items. Totally unobtrusive, and the boarding agents don’t even need to see the number, just make sure that one got recorded. (Although they might want to make a number visible to the boarding agent so it seems reasonable.) Have a policy of deleting the weights 72 hours after landing unless some sort of safety issue occurred, and most people aren’t going to have a problem.
Eastern Air Lines was weighing passengers at the gate about 60 years ago?
For the limited purposes of the survey, just install a weight sensing mat in the gangway that everyone has to walk over while boarding. After the cabin door closes, you divide the total aggregate load by the number of passengers and crew who actually board and you’ve got your per-flyer average including carry on items. Maybe knock something off for wheel chair assisters who don’t actually board. The collected data is already anonymized for the study. If the aggregate load is actually over the safety limit for that flight, you address it at the time by removing passengers and/or luggage. The advantage of this system is that you will also be collecting the weight of carry on items and so can calculate a per-passenger estimate for that factor as well. Currently, airlines only consider the size and not the weight of carry on items. Over the past decades, passengers have added carry on weight in the form of electronics.
FAA wants updated passenger weights but not updated evacuation tests on new densified seating. What model 737 and 321 were tested compared to current characteristics. Will they test with updated passengers weights and non employees? SURE!
As a retired military member I am afforded the opportunity of flying “Space A” on military flights. If you are lucky enough to get a seat on a DOD owned (Or controlled, i.e. charter) aircraft you WILL provide your weight or you won’t fly…
The old Royal Hawaiian Air Service used to fly small planes out of the Kaanapali airstrip on Maui. The pilot used to ask every passenger his or her weight and write it on a sheet on a clipboard. When he would ask a woman he would listen to her answer, give her an up and down look, and then write on the clipboard. The pilots could probably guess weights better than any carnival barker.
They definitely should overestimate. How I learned about the weight/safety issue. At Burbank airport, when a bit windy, I’ve seen the airline reduce the passenger count/offload some passengers to make weight. I was on a flight in New Zealand where my friend and I were the only passengers (both small women) on not a small plane, and the flight attendants made us sit on opposite sides of the plane for takeoff and landing. And when I was a child and my family took a small charter plane from the Bahamas to Miami, we learned (mid-a very rough flight) that the pilot had not loaded full fuel because we had so much luggage.
I believe inaccurate weight projection was a factor (combined with a mechanical/maintenance issue) in US Airways commuter jet crash in CLT not all that long ago…
This is ridiculous and no, contrary to what the article states, weighing passengers in not “wide spread” in other countries. I have flown all over Europe and have never been weighed.
They do weigh carry-on bags, which I totally understand.
What’s next? Measure our feet to ensure our legs stay in our small seat space?
We are paying the airlines for a service, through our ticket. We, as taxpayers, have bailed them out multiple times with billions. It seems all airlines want to do, is shove us in like Army cattle and offer the bare minimum for a higher cost.
It’s getting ridiculous.
Airlines should charge customers by weight, including the weight of all baggage and carry-ons. Perfectly reasonable.
Maybe they could have some method of weighing people automatically as they walk to their seats. It can include whatever carry on luggage they are bringing on.
I just got weighed for my physical and I’m down 15+ lbs from last year. Eating at home more often (nothing fried, smaller portions) and rarely ever drinking helps a lot!
Depending how the airlines handle this I can see people filing petitions for violation of their PII (Personal Identity Information) and also ADA violations if the airline denies a passenger after the passenger had reservations but was later denied.
Can’t come soon enough and back off Feds with discrimination BS! On a flight from SAT to ABQ I could hardly breathe in the middle seat between two wide bodies! Absolutely disgusting! I watched several of them pour themselves into the ever smaller seats, literally bending and torquing the seats.
Just how large do these people intend to get? They should be seated in the hog pen section.
@Ryan Waldron: When you buy a car, does the dealership give you a larger car for the same price as a smaller one because you don’t fit comfortably in the smaller car?
I don’t think so.
Safety first!
Tall and/or large people have no rights, and have been effectively cancelled by the airlines for ages. Flight attendants, when possible, try to accommodate us. But the formal airline policy has no accommodation.
Flying coach is like going into a shoe store that only sells size 8 shoes.
Size shaming is a shame!
But we are very poor promoting our rights!
The whole concept of “estimating” weight flies in the face of gender-based assumptions about weight. Trans people are more likely to not fit the estimates for the gender they appear to be.
The only ACCURATE weigh to know the weight of people that are onboard is to weigh the people that actually get on THAT aircraft. Given that WN was fined for inaccurate estimates of bag weights and counts, you can bet every US airline is wrong about passenger weights and distributions.
and the suggestion to just weigh everyone that boards and then divide the weights is not accurate either. There is actually a fair amount of observational data that says that larger people do buy a higher percentage of more premium/ greater legroom seats – but that is far from the only factor that determines who sits where they do.
And then you get airlines like WN that don’t assign seats so you have no idea where people sit although there are decent assumptions about where people will sit when seat assignments are not made at specific load factors for a flight.
Some airlines do directly connect their seat assignments to their weight and balance system so several rows of unoccupied seats are factored into balance – which affects aircraft performance while the inverse is true.
And then you have carryons that might end up in overhead bins many rows from where a passenger sits
The bottom line is that there will always a certain amount of guessing unless you weigh every person with their carryons and then assign them and then their carryons to a specific location.
That is simply not going to happen, even on regional jets.
Of course, the less an airline uses regional jets and also assign seats, the less this whole discussion applies to that airline. Maybe Spirit is the winner in all of this is United is the loser.
It’s about time. When fat people make a reservation, they know they won’t fit into a coach seat. But nobody else does. It’s an honor system … but people refuse to cooperate, so the onus of what to do with the big person falls on the airline when the pax checks in. That’s a dumb business plan and not fair. Just start weighing pax and soon the pax will cooperate by buying 2 seats or one up front (unless a first class seat isn’t big enough either). I can see it now, a scale on the floor that we walk over, our weight flashes up on a board and we either keep moving or a siren goes off and we step out of the boarding line. Oh, it will be so much fun.
a previous poster said, Airlines should charge customers by weight, including the weight of all baggage and carry-ons.
Me: They already treat us like freight. being charged by the pound is the next logical step.
1KBrad: No, I don’t expect a car manufacturer to make a larger car, because car manufacturers do not year after year cut an inch out of the length of their cars making the seats closer and closer to the steering wheel in an attempt to make more and more money at the expense of the comfort and health of their customers.
What I do expect is for others to bother to think before they try to call me out on a post I make….I know it’s a lot of effort for the lazy masses like yourself, but please do so so in future to both save me the time of having to set your ignorance straight and to prevent yourself from exposing it to the public.
I’ve worked for Continental Airlines for 16 years and worked as a baggage agent. One of my jobs was working operations. Ordering fuel, assigning gates and weight/balance flights. When it comes to a passengers weight; the FAA created a list that airlines would use to calculate the weight for each flight to ensure it was safe. Each passenger was 170 lbs (summer) and 175 lbs (winter). The difference is during the winter, passengers are also carrying winter coats. Each checked bag was 30 lbs and heavy ( + 50lbs) 60 lbs. So on a Continental 737-800 held 155 passengers = 26,350 lbs. The reality is that people comes in all shapes and sizes and the aircraft’s weight is going to be off. Think of the aircraft like a seesaw. If each end of the seesaw has a 200 lb person on it; the seesaw should be leveled and balanced. But if you replace one person with an elephant; the elephant is going to win and send the person flying off the seesaw. Well the aircraft is like the seesaw. Where the wings are is the imaginary bar of the seesaw. If the aircraft isn’t balanced properly or is over weight that can compromise its safety. If that imaginary bar (center of gravity) isn’t balanced the plane could stall in flight and crash. There is a video on the internet from a few years ago involving a 747. The 747 was transporting military equipment from Afghanistan and was taking off from a military base. As the 747 took off, it had to climb at a steep angle. As it did, the plane stopped climbing and stalled and then crashed. The investigation pointed out that the cargo ( like a tank or vehicle) broke from where it was strapped to and shifted to the tail of the 747. Because there was too much weight in the tail; there wasn’t anything the flight crew could do and the 747 was doomed. Another reason why the weight is so important for a flight.
Leave it to Gary Neff to sensationalize an airline article. The title should be “Airlines May Start Offering Voluntary Surveys to Update Passenger Weight Data”
I’m beginning to think that Gary is a sensationalist. Another silly clickbait article.
@10 Years in the Industry
Why shouldn’t fat people pay their fair share? Why should thin and fit people subsidize fat people’s flights? This is inequitable.
Given that obesity compromises the immune system, it stands to reason that sitting next to a fat person could increase one’s likelihood of exposure to communicable diseases. It is well known that COVID-19 kills fat folx at a far higher rate than non-fat folx.
I think there should be a Monty Python catapult at the gate and when an obese flyer steps on the scales they are immediately thrown to the runway below. We need to have some incentive for not being such obnoxious pigs! Can’t wait for the Bill Maher sketch!
Gary you nailed it. The main issue (with heavier pax and just in general) is seat width, especially on wide-bodies like the 777 where the original 9 abreast has become 10 on almost every airline. Having less width per seat on a long haul aircraft than regional/domestic is insanity.
But let’s all be honest, nothing will change from this study. There’s just as much chance of this study leading to AA stuffing more seats on their 737s/777s as there is of the gov’t creating a seat pitch minimum.
“And in 2015 Uzbekistan Airways announced they would require all passengers to weigh in prior to boarding for safety . . . .”
Ensuring the aircraft is within weight and balance limits IS a safety issue. Why does the author suggest that this is about anything but safety.
When overloaded, offload the weightiest ones first.
If that sounds too draconian, go the capitalist way and charge by the kilogram.
If that’s too greedy, fly empty planes and collect billions from the gubmint…..oh, waitaminute
Flyoften: Learn your isms….Kilograms would be the socialist way, has to be pounds for capitalism. 😛
I’m a big girl, but I understand. I’ve been trying my best to lose weight so I can be happy and comfortable while I’m flying long haul.
I work at the airport. And I’ve seen people who shouldn’t physically be able to fit in those economy seats, but somehow they manage. And there are some bigger than me.
With that, I also believe as much times passengers are being told their bags have to be a certain weight, most of us let those couple of pounds or kilos go. They end up adding up. This, I believe we really need to slam the hammer down and really enforce that too.
inLA had the best answer. 100% of the passengers need to be weighed, on EVERY flight, and this can be done easily by putting a scale at the gate entrance. The individual weight does NOT need to be displayed… we have software that can aggregate the passenger weights and produce a total for the flight. This total weight determines the gallons of Jet-A fuel that is needed to fly that poundage for the specific distance.
People don’t realize that weight differences are more pronounced in aircraft. On the ground, we all believe that NJ to NY in a vehicle uses the same amount of gas whether you weight 110 lbs or 250 lbs. But in the air, with hundreds of passengers, the total weight plays a significant difference in the # of gallons of gas needed to fly the same distance.
There SHOULD be NO sense of discrimination in weighing passengers. It’s pure safety. You’re much safer in an aircraft where the weight is known and the appropriate amount of fuel is on-board. If you err on the side of caution and load way too much fuel, then the flight is slower and uses more fuel because of the fuel’s own weight, which consumes more fuel and causes future prices to increase. i.e. It takes more fuel to fly excessive unneeded fuel.
There will be no discrimination complaints if every passenger has to step on the weighted platform and no weight is displayed, just tabulated in the internal computer.
I also support paying per poundage. Because humans ARE freight. However, that’s a different discussion and is fraught with gender complaints because males are more dense than females. And just don’t let transgender people fly. The world doesn’t need the trouble they introduce in everything.
Weighing women, before they get on a plane.
Oh this should be fun. I will absolutely grab a beer, sit near gates and watch hilarity ensue…..
If the FAA is requiring this because of safety, they need to also look into the spacing between seats so passengers can safely exit the plane. No way in hell I’m going to be able to evacuate safely and quickly when everyone is stuffed in a row.
Airline passengers need to get over it! The only reason for checking weights is for safety. I am a woman, 40lb overweight. I fit into my seat, no seatbelt extender required, and I would rather be weighed in public than fall out of the sky! 🙂
Oh well here we go againwith more passengers cutting up at airports. First and foremost if you don’t want to be weighed drive!! It’s like folks who don’t want to wear a mask if a business( not the government) require it. Don’t shop there. But just want to do a side note that there should be MANDATORY jail time not those weak civil penalties..but jail time for people who cause disturbances at airports and especially on planes.
Lindy, I agree with everything you said up till last 2 sentences. Such prejudice & discrimination
I hate to say it. This will only lead to discrimination based on weight. Obese people will be charged more. It will be a nightmare in America since 42 percent of the population is obese. Though larger seats and less people would add comfort. I don’t think this will ever go over well.
WTF, are they gonna start charging by the pound??
Is this where we’ve come?
Lets get a few things straight for all you ignorant ranting morons out there. All modern commercial airliners have scales built into the aircraft. The pilots just push a button and the aircraft computers automatically calculate the weight and balance of the aircraft. The plane does their fuel calculations for them and tells them exactly how much fuel is needed to get to their destination and any alternate airports that are in range.
This is all done without the need to weigh any bag or person at all! The plane does it all for them with redundant and accurate systems. We have been flying airliners for decades without weighing passengers and not one of them has “fallen out of the sky” (Astounding ignorance there) because they failed to weigh passengers.
So….unless you are flying in one of the very few GA aircraft carrying paying passengers (Think a plane where you can reach out and touch the pilot from your seat), there is absolutely no technical reason to weigh passengers at the gate individually when the aircraft does it as a whole for the flight.
Any airline that is requiring this for flights on modern aircraft is only trying to find another way to extort more money from their already overpaying customers, plain and simple. Anyone here continuing to rant for any other reason than this is just a simple minded idiot who likes the sound of their own voice more than they do reason or common sense.
I flew a B52 as an aircraft commander and copilot. As such, I was required to do weight and balance to insure we remained within a narrow CG/CB range. I later was responsible for loading civilian and military aircraft with cargo while assuring CG/CB. I have reviewed hundreds of aircraft accidents and have yet to find that even one was caused by out of balance passenger loading. I have seen in some small commuter aircraft where pilots direct the reseating of passengers nearest the CG/CB but that is only when the aircraft is not at full capacity. In my view this is overreach and unneccessary.
I’m far from being “Fat” but I do find it offensive the way this is worded. Maybe use the word “Bigger” instead of “Fatter”. I’m sure it’s a good idea to weigh everybody before flying, just don’t “Fat” shame people.
Flight from St Martin to Saba. Not only weighed esch passenger and each carry on item, they used that info to assign seats and choose where to put carry ons. Runway in Saba half the length of an aircraft carrier, so need everything balanced just right
The fat/overweight will say no, that’s ridiculous The thin/slim will say yes, it’s about time. Honestly it’s very uncomfortable sitting next to overweight/fat people. Maybe they should just make them pay more for a different section where the seats are wider.
I believe that is disrespectful but if the government and the FAA wants to know how much fatter passengers are, they should also start weighting Flight Attendants and Pilots. Many Airline’s employees are fatter than passengers.
Heaven flowing many different commercial heavy Jet,B 707,B727,DC10,L1011,DC8, I can say it’s about time, the faa’s standard weights are BS and has been out of date for 40 plus years, I have taken off over 30,000 pounds over gross weight on some of these aircraft and if an engine even hiccup I’d be dead along with the 300 plus passengers behind me
The idea that an older, heavier person should pay more or sit in the “fat” section is ludicrous on its face, and discrimination to boot! This is the next Civil rights cause rearing its head, and I welcome the fight. Yes, I too was once young and skinny, and those who look down on others due to their size, I hope you find out what that is like some day!
Already had a comment from a whining woman about “fat shaming”
Maybe it’s time the skinny people start fat shaming fatties. Weigh them. If they’re too fat, don’t let them on the flight. Take the damn bus. Oh, and if you think I’m insensitive, Oh well, that’s on you. I’m just dishing back out the abuse society heaped on me in my measly 36 years of existence.
Time to weigh and limit fat people! Americans need to start dieting and eating healthier. And stop with this fat is beautiful, being obese is not beautiful!
Generally, the length of takeoff would only be minimally impacted by CG/CB. Other factors such as total weight, temperature, and altitude will have an impact.
I find this article poorly written and, if true, US Airways will lose passengers. Can they really afford that?
I miss the days of Eastern Airlines where passengers were treated with respect.
I was just on a flight from Florida to Oklahoma and there was a huge guy boarding the plane it was extremely uncomfortable knowing he was flying with us for the love of God weigh them so the plane don’t Crash! Now if you crying liberals don’t like it too damn bad! Fat is not attractive or pretty! I’ve had 3 kid’s 2 are serving in the Military and I’m proud I take care of myself!
What people don’t realize is that overall aircraft weight is extremely important for safe takeoff. That as well as temperature, humidity, distribution of weight, fuel requirements according to aforementioned factors, as well as other needs I may not be familiar with.
As an anecdote when I worked for an airline many years ago a friend who was an agent at the airport told me of the time when a few of them crossed their fingers because the flight was taking of overloaded. They knew the jet would burn quite a bit of weight on fuel prior to trying to lift and would make up for the excess weight and be able to lift off the ground.
This is to show how important the weight overall of the whole craft it’s important for taking off safely.
This is click bait.
First, the Advisory Circular is optional.
Second, medium size cabin (30+) can follow large size survey recommendation. In other words, only 5-29 passenger cabin may need to do actual weighing.
Third, the whole point is about balancing the aircraft, not fat shaming anyone. The AC went into details over how an onboard scale should work and get approval, and other goodies over aircraft weighing. It’s only the blog post making this about partner weighing. Oh, and it also discussed crew weighing, so this is never about abusing anyone.
One side note: I understand you have a political orientation, and it doesn’t align with mine. It’s ok if you express some misgiving about the other aisle. But please, don’t rub it. It’s your blog, so you have certain freedoms, but don’t be a ****. Airlines have lobby. What’s new? Are you saying only Democratic party support them? And what’s with that label D-Airlines for America? It’s either D-OR, or nothing. And he is far from the only one supported by that exact org. What are you trying to pull?
People should be charged based on their weight just like mailing a package, the heavier the parcel the more u pay
Hahaha! What a bunch of sensitive chunkies. Opt out my foot. Only in America! 6’8″ @ 260 lbs. You will find me in the emergency asile. Right over the wing! (Tears of laughter)
Am I missing something. What political bias?
This is crazy…you have to worry about your weight before you can get on a plane. I’m leaving on American in two weeks…weigh 165…do I need to lose weight. Crazy ‼️
This is not about “fat shaming”. It’s a calculation calculated to keep passengers safe. Average weights have increased. That’s a fact no one should deny or try to cover up.
Time to update the “standard” weights!
AND the weight of all the carry on crap.
Exceeding the MTOGW by a few pounds is one thing. A few hundred pounds begins to be a problem depending on the rwy length and temperature.
Let’s do it right!
The airlines charge if your luggage is too heavy but not if the passenger is too heavy. If your BMI is normal you should get some flexibility on your luggage weight. What difference does it make where the poundage is coming from? Will they weigh my cat next to make sure he is not too heavy to travel?
We need to think of this as a unique opportunity to tilt the scales in our favor. Start putting on tons of weight and AA will be required to roll back oasis
If it is a safety issue, then definitely weight each passenger and Crew members. Also, if you know you are using part of another’s seating area then you should make a responsible decision to purchase a larger seat. It is called showing respect for others. Don’t make others have to ask you to select a wider seat. You are inviting unnecessary trouble. Take responsibility for your own body size requirement.
Modern jet airliners show the aircraft weight on a dash readout in the cockpit. The pilot knows exactly what the gross weight of the airplane when he pushes back.
I hate to say it, but I have been squished in my seat by a morbidly obese passenger twice. I never said anything and I didn’t glare at them….but yes, I was angry. It was extremely uncomfortable….No commercial passenger should have to be deal with being touched by another passenger, intentionally or not. I know I sound petty bit I’m being honest.
Taking a trip in september…NOT looking forward to that new rule!!!!! Hope they don’t plan to announce it outloud!!
I worked in 3 areas of 3 different airlines. I agree weight has become an issue w flt crew. In reservations, if a psgr requested wchr assistance, ( carry on carry off) we HAD to ask them their wt. ( for the sole purpose of not causing physical injury to the airline employees )
But above all, people, carry -on is limited to one item of SPECIFIC WT and Dims. The Crap you bring on is pathetic. Psgrs don’t abide by the rules. I sit and look at all of you who push gates agents to extremes.
When Eastern Airlines introduced the non refundable fare in 1986, we all said that all it did was take people off buses and put them on a plane.
It’s never been the day since then. Airlines contract is to get you front point A to point B. Period
Airlines are charged with flying passengers SAFELY from point a to point b. Drinks, meals, hot towels, etc. are secondary to their responsibility for the souls on board.
That being said, air travelers have been subjected to all kinds of ” change ” over the past decades. Playing musical chairs with the passenger seating has put many travelers into difficult situations. Add more seats, shorten the leg room between the seats, non existent meal service on many flights are just a few of the downsides.
Most importantly, these changes have Never been for the passengers. Now, we have the weigh in. Right up there with being searched for terrorist potential, also a safety Hazzard. Why don’t the powers that be list everyone at 200lbs, and balance it out in the cockpit?
From what I have observed, there are some very ugly people spouting ugly comments about this issue.To all of you, you are STILL BUTT UGLY… and the victims can always lose weight.
Love all the comments about how fat people should be charged more to fly. How about we charge criminals a higher % of the cost to police our neighborhoods? Or better yet, we can start charging the homeless more to pay for fire protection services, since they are more likely to start fires vs. the average person. Then hey, maybe we can start charging those who drive faster in their cars a larger share of the road taxes, since the faster speed puts us all at risk. And amusement parks should 100% be charging on a sliding scale based on weight, since the fat certainly put more wear on their rides right? Maybe we should also start charging the main stream news a tax to help pay for the mental health services of those who they mentally screw up with their constant fear mongering? Maybe we should go in the direction of China, and start keeping a social score for all internet communications, since words matter right? Why shouldn’t the internet trolls be held responsible for their words and actions…..
Charging sliding scale prices based on weight for planes would be no different then the above. I would suggest that the system we have in place works, and it is more fair to have everyone pay the same average prices, since trying to determine User cost add, gets pretty invasive and disturbing.
Gary Leff. In addition to being the sagacious thought leader of the global aviation industry, linked from the Drudge Report was this article with your byline. Accordingly, I officially award you the title of a perspicacious world-renowned journalist by the power vested in me as an American Airlines AAdvantage elite frequent flyer.
People are also getting taller. Have you ever actually tried to get in the crash position shown on the little safety info sheet? I’m 6’1” and there’s no way. If I were a little shorter I might have a chance of wedging my head behind the seat in front of me, and then end up with a broken neck if the plane made an abrupt move. The seat rows are too damn close.
The last paragraph is key: The FAA will not require seat removal, even though that’s exactly what needs to happen. I’m wagering that no positive change for customers will come of this.
Complete rubbish according to the commercial airline pilots we know. Just another way to make sure they can get more money. Very often it’s the 90 pound twenty year old who has 125 pounds of luggage with her, according to them. I fly often, I’m 6’3” and weigh 200 pounds. My carry on bag weighs about 20. Do the math. This is about another way for them to make more money. Plain and simple.
Everything is fine and dandy until you hit v2 and lose an engine. Weight does matter especially on a very hot summer day and an immediate crisis arises. Weight matters and it’s not to shame people but to keep everyone and everything in the air. I think over the years the cargo weight + passenger weight has been creeping up to a point where it starts to matter.
You think by now aircraft would be built with strain gauges in the landing gear to have the aircraft weight itself when parked at the gate. That technology has been around for at least 50 years.
Am I considered obese?
I’m 6’2″ and 295lbs with a BMI of 21. With a 62″ chest I barely fit in a first class seat because of the width of my shoulders. Delta’s comfort + is a tight squeeze and forget about economy or any main cabin seats!
I was a loadmaster in uncle Sammy’s airplane club for over 10 years, so I know how weights and balances are…HOWEVER, the airlines have people packed in like sardines on a can, so it is easy to throw the COG and balance of an aircraft off if quite a few obese people are lined up against the fuselage down one side.
IMHO, this problem is 2 phases. One is that the airlines who already make obscene profits are trying to pack even more bodies into an aircraft to increase their profits; and the obesity epidemic plaguing America.
All modern aircraft have load cells built into the landing gear. They show the pilot the exact load and balance of the aircraft as soon as all the doors are closed and the jetway retracted . If out of balance it is normally adjusted by moveing fuel.
Why does the tease for this story show a counter top scale? The new generation of “journalist” spend so much time on snowflake courses they don’t learn to use common sense and their articles often are confusing and incomplete.
Trump’s ‘so-called’ fortune just went down… A LOT!.
Americans are getting fatter! I am in my early sixties and am of regular weight. The reason why I am of regular weight has nothing to do with genetics. I can gain pounds easily. What i do is control what I stick in my mouth. I exercise by taking walks. How many of you can go 24 hours without food? If you can’t fast every now and then; then you have a problem. You can’t remain fat if you stop eating high fat products. You can’t remain fat if you stop eating. My doctor’s advice is: If you can’t exercise then don’t eat. Most Americans don’t have a weight problem. They have a mouth problem. It is a complete fallacy to say it is harder to loose weight when you are older. This is just an excuse. It has been easier for me to loose weight in my sixties then it was in my 30s. It is called control what you eat. Eat low fat. Choose only healthy snacks and limit those snacks. Drink more water. Stay away from sugar and sugary drinks. And this is the most important advice I could ever give you. NEVER ask an overweight person how to loose weight. ONLY take the advice of somebody who is of regular weight who has their weight under control.
All you fatties crying foul need to put down the garbage you shove down your throat and go get some exercise.
You did not blow up to that size overnight and it was not an accident. You did it to yourselves.
Yes, there is a tendency to gain weight as you get older. I experience the same thing. I just control my weight by not constantly shoving garbage down my pie hole and go walking daily for at least 1hr .
How about rude ones? Maybe they should be on the list too, along with commies, morons, didn’t pass high school, jokers of all stripes, politicians, cone heads, bearded, non-bearded, with heavy body odor, not enough money in the investment account…..Don’t give anymore ideas to Spirit Airline. These profiteers the one brought the baggage fees….
It has been a while since I flew on a commercial plane but Iwas aware that the seats seemed smaller, but thepassengers were larger. Some of them reallyhad a hard time putting luggage in over head bins, so I suspect that luggage should have been in the cargo hold. Going thru the checkout at the grocery store, it is obvious most folks are heavier than the amount used in airlirne old figure.
I am 6’2 and 202 lbs so I am probably overweight by airline stds.
Airlines want to know how much your bag weighs, why not how much you weigh. If fat people are “shamed” by their weight, then lose weight. That’s not my problem.
The weighing should not be optional. You can pretty much guarantee that overweight passengers are going to be more likely to opt out of being weighed so there is no way you are going to get an accurate estimate of average passenger weight.
I guarantee you that along with this BS tactic, comes an additional charge $$ for people that don’t meet their “standards”. It’s all bull crap. When is the last time you heard of a commercial large aircraft crashing on takeoff because of weight issues? Small prop planes, sure…it’s the right thing to do. Airlines are always scheming on how to get more of your $$
So are they going to give people that weigh LESS than their standards a discount? Yea, right.
Well, won’t be getting any of mine if that’s the case.
So if I am 50 pounds over the limit and my wife is 50 pounds under do we cancel out? If not, why not?
Should all the people below the limit be given a discount? Seems they should if the airlines want to be fair. But they probably only count money one way, towards them, not towards you.
Fat shaming? If your BMI is over 40, it’s the same as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Our healthcare systems is overwhelmed by people who stuff sugar and fat into their gaping maws. STOP EATING SO MANY CALORIES. It isn’t science. I have extremely low thyroid and epilepsy, stop using chronic health issues as an excuse. Stop eating so much.
Of course you should pay more for your plane ticket. If I weigh 150 and you weigh 300, it costs more to get the plane in the air. If you choose to pack on the weight, pay your fair share.
I’m a flight attendant with a regional airline. The FAA required our crew members to “weigh in” this past year. Felt very invasive, but we did it for your safety. Weight and balance has always been an issue with smaller aircraft. Never benefits the airlines and the crews dislike dealing with it. You really have no idea what we put up with to comply with weight and balance, so be nice. Check out: Air Midwest #5481 and the recent Global Air crash that killed 112 people in Cuba (that crash is probably what is causing this renewed focus and analysis of our weight and balance procedures.) The FAA doesn’t go around making willy nilly rules just to make your life miserable. There is a reason for every rule. Often based on a previous deadly outcome to prevent a future deadly outcome.
If we are going to weigh people then we should also measure width and height. Allow us over 6 foot and that have spent our time working out to not sit next to the scrawny folk. If we are going to say the “fat” people need their own section then it’s only fair we segregate all the passengers. The scrawny and week should indeed have their own area…. maybe with the luggage. They can fill in the voids there. Maybe we can have a trans section also. O what that’s offensive but weighing a person and making them pay more or givin them a different area to sit based on weight isn’t??????? C’mon people…. you want equality?? Or you only want equality on your terms???
Read up on US Airways Express 5481.
I know of no current production commercial aircraft that have strain gauges (load cells) on board. the 747-100 had them as an option and the system was disabled most of the time because the readings didn’t match the paperwork and that meant that the plane could not legally fly till the system was written up as failing and disabled.
from FAA AC120-27E(2005)
b. The standard average passenger weights in Table 2-1 include 5 pounds for summer clothing, 10 pounds for winter clothing, and a 16-pound allowance for personal items and carry-on bags. Where no gender is given, the standard average passenger weights are based on the assumption that 50 percent of passengers are male and 50 percent of passengers are female.
TABLE 2-1. STANDARD AVERAGE PASSENGER WEIGHTS
Standard Average Passenger Weight
Weight Per Passenger
Summer Weights
Average adult passenger weight 190 lb
Average adult male passenger weight 200 lb
Average adult female passenger weight 179 lb
Child weight (2 years to less than 13 years of age) 82 lb
Winter Weights
Average adult passenger weight 195 lb
Average adult male passenger weight 205 lb
Average adult female passenger weight 184 lb
Child weight (2 years to less than 13 years of age) 87 lb
Sorry, but it is just staggering how many of you people claim you work in the industry and have absolutely NO CLUE what you are talking about.
1. Modern aircraft DO have weight and balance sensors that feed directly into the FMS to help calculate fuel and balance the aircraft. This precludes the need to weigh passengers or bags for “safety”.
2. Stop trying to use the unfortunate crashes of 50 year old puddle jumpers to justify this absolute crap for people flying on modern airliners. You can give us all the “Look Up” and “Look At” examples of former incidents that have ABSOLUTELY NO BEARING on this discussion to justify your point….it doesn’t make it any more valid.
3. As to the comments that the FAA does not do things “willy nilly”, again you are an idiot. Ask any pilot how many politically motivated and outdated BS laws and regulations the FAA trots out to show when they have a problem with a pilot that has no real basis in law. The FAA is a political organization….pure and simple. If you trust politicians to keep you safe, you have no place voting or discussing these things for the rest of us with common sense. The FAA is also largely made up of people from the industry….with financial reasons to write the idiotic laws and regulations that they push for. It’s a lot like electrical supply companies making up the electrical code….a complete conflict of interest and if you people were not so busy stroking your egos and shouting to hear your own voices you might realize it and put a stop to it.
As I have said so many times before on this site, if you don’t know what the hell you are talking about, stow your ignorant itchy fingers and you might actually learn something. Just because you are obsessed with the sound of your own voice, does not mean the rest of us want to be exposed to your ignorant ramblings.
Just stop being so fat. Also, this will prevent fatsos from putting their fat on me for flights.
Carry-on bags have to fit in a specific size device of exact dimension. All passenger should have to fit in a test chair at the gate in the same way. If they don’t fit, they should have to buy two seats or be ejected. The test chair could be fitted to a scale as well if they are to be charged by the pound. That fat person is taking up half of my seat without paying for it. Why do I have to subsidize them?
Why don’t they put three scales at each gate? The aircraft has one wheel on each scale. They load/fuel the aircraft and after the doors are closed the scales can accurately tell how much cargo is loaded, the pilot accounts for the weight, everyone is happy, safe and they fly into the wild blue yonder where no one is singled out by rude Karens who desire to run everyone’s life.
Sad, we have all these marvelous technologies but don’t apparently know how to use them. If you’re afraid to sit next to what you consider to be a fatty, remember the fatty probably doesn’t want sit next to a Karen or Ken who thinks they know how everyone else should live their own lives. Do us a favor and just don’t get on the aircraft.
Mmmm….cheeseburgers.
The security screening equipment should be the same width as the armrests. If you can’t fit then buy another seat. Why do we coddle fat people for making bad food and exercise choices. They should be treated like smokers and pay more for being fat. Covid comorbidities are heart disease obesity and diabetes. Fat people
Good start but overweight people should also pay more. I’m not only tired of sitting next to obese passengers but also tired of paying higher health insurance premiums because the fatties are unhealthy.
The Democrats will lose their mind on this……at least we’ll see some really good hair weaves getting yanked out.
Ryan Waldron said,
“Sorry, but it is just staggering how many of you people claim you work in the industry and have absolutely NO CLUE what you are talking about.
1. Modern aircraft DO have weight and balance sensors that feed directly into the FMS to help calculate fuel and balance the aircraft.”
Really? I’ve been an airline pilot for 30+ years and have never had an airplane with that capability. Fuel, yes, but not weight of pax and cargo.
This thread has become to weighty
Color me ignorant here but why not do what banks do and manage a stress testing scenario based on much larger estimates of passenger average size?
I’ve been on smaller planes where we load balanced the passengers when the plane was not full, but if the airlines are running dangerously close to max takeoff weight with a small buffer where a 30-40 lb difference in average passenger weight is going to make or break the takeoff, then perhaps the FAA should actually be forcing the reduction of passenger capacity instead. This highlights to me that the FAA is more interested in supporting the financial goals of the industry rather than that of safety.
A “fat tax” has been looming for a while, and this is the first step into implementing it. Obese people (most Americans these days), will have to pay more since it takes more fuel to haul their bulk than normal people. This could also be expanded to road tax, as fat Americans driving their Teslas with already-heavy battery packs cause more damage to roads, which they are not contributing to the repair of via gasoline taxes. Another area will be health insurance. If you are a bloated American you will expect to pay more for health insurance than a healthy person. Don’t fret though, fat people die much sooner than us healthy folks, so you won’t have to suffer too long.
FitFinigan-Don’t fret though, fat people die much sooner than us healthy folks, so you won’t have to suffer too long.
FitFinigan-You are pathetic. You are a narcissist. You think you are superior to everyone else. Some thin people die before fat people. Enough said.
WTF is wrong with you inhumane, fat-shaming mother fuckers? Some people have real health disorders like thyroid issues that cause them to be a lot heavier than you self-righteous jerks. Of course, there are some who don’t keep a healthy lifestyle but can you make that call? Are you going to stand at the gate and judge someone you don’t know who might have legit health issues? Will you open your stupid, ugly trap and say some stupid shit to someone about eating too much? I guarantee you pussy asses won’t. You’ll go online and bitch about it like the judgmental cowards you are. Chances are your porn consumption is probably unhealthy. Chances are you dickheads drink and drive. Chances are your children are drug abusers. Glass houses bitches. Wake the fuck up and have some compassion for Christ’s sake.
Obesity (and not covid, systemic this or that, or the relative scarcity of self driving cars) is the primary health threat to the US. It is serious, embarrassing and very expensive (visit your local hospital, who have had to install new double-wide chairs, wheelchairs and beds as only one example). It is accommodated without limit. Until there are reasonable policies put in place to bring some reason to personal behavior it will continue costing everyone. Twice a person in size? Buy two tickets. BMI in the red? Health insurance surcharge kicks in. I’m surprised the global climate alarmists haven’t weighed in on this, as morbidly obese people consume 3-4x the calories otherwise required for a human. Are you listening, Michael Moore? It is a disgrace to our country.
When I lived in Puerto Rico in the 50’s, we were weighed with our baggage and were charged if the amount was over a certain amount. I think that should be the case now. A thin person who has luggage weighing over the limit has to pay a fee. A grossly overweight person with a light suitcase gets away without paying extra even though the total weight of he and his luggage is way more that that of the thin passenger. This makes no sense.
People are the only cargo NOT shipped by weight. Case closed.
I think the airlines should sell tickets based on weight. You get a total pound per ticket. Add person, carry on and checked baggage to figure out the weight. If you are over you pay more. If you are less than you can sell your weight allotment back to the airline to sold to passengers who are over or packed more stuff.
But if you have to use a belt extender they have to buy a second seat and this has to be disclosed before the day of travel so the airline can accommodate them. I’ve been smooshed into the bulkhead before by someone so large if there had been an emergency requiring a quick exit no one would get past them and it was not even remotely safe or fair.
Human Garbage…. what is wrong with us “”Fat Shaming MFs??”” you ask? Because you have control of what you put into that gaping maw you call your mouth, that’s what. Thyroid issues, no Thyroid, BMI 23, no excuse. Anyone with a BMI over 35 should be paying a “”Fat Tax.” More for health insurance, more to fly.
Total BS. The airline industry has been using an outdated method for calculating weight all this time. No need to “weigh” passengers. If the current numbers are believed to be off by 20%, then just freaking adjust it by 20%.
This is all to weight shame people. You idiots assume, that people who are obese, not only WANT to be obese, but sit around all day eating hamburgers and twinkies and drinking soda. My neighbor who has had a thyroid problem all her life, is obese. I watch her struggle eating less than 900 calories a day, trying to lose weight. But her illness and her medicines make it nearly impossible.
Also, I know other people, who have medical problems where they have mobility issues, and not being able to move and burn calories, causes weight gain also.
But there ARE things that can be done to help some people. When it comes of SNAP benefits, make it so trash foods can no longer be purchasable. If it doesn’t meet a federal standard for healthy consumption, it won’t scan. No soda, no chips, no cookies, no cakes, no pies…etc… All it takes is to eliminate those bar codes as to what will no longer ring up at the register. Under state medicaid programs, allow people to join a fitness center. It is worth $10 a month, not to pay for the $1,000’s of a month to treat the illnesses associated with obesity. Diabetes medicines and supplies, along with the meters and their supplies, are expensive. The welfare programs can have local chef’s and local growers, give free cooking classes, to show how to cook healthy at home, instead of buying junk for quick meals. Have a class on how to shop to get the most bank for the buck.
But fat shaming will get you no where. The problems, that CAN be solved, need to be addressed.
David G wrote, “Read up on US Airways Express 5481.”
Indeed. 21 people died, in part because they underestimated the load.
Ryan Waldron wrote, “2. Stop trying to use the unfortunate crashes of 50 year old puddle jumpers to justify this absolute crap”
US Airways Express 5481 crashed January 8, 2003 (only 18 years ago), and the plane was less than seven years old.
I dont have a thyroid but I whatch what I eat and exercise and take medication. I am 5ft 11 195 male with low body fat. So that medical issues is void saying you cant help yourself.
David G: The Beechcraft 1900 was introduced in 1984. It is a little 19 passenger aircraft that is barely used in commercial passenger aviation. I’ll say this again because are obviously to much of a moron to have gotten it the first time around. Stop trying to use old general aviation aircraft where the passengers can literally shoot spit balls at the back of the pilots heads to justify an argument about modern day airliners. I don’t know how much plainer I can make it, they don’t support a font in crayon with the Rs backwards for simple minded idiots like yourself. Know that the hell you are talking about before you open your mouth. Stupidity is dangerous because there are people as stupid as you that will believe the garbage you are shoveling…..and that is FAR more dangerous than an out of balance aircraft big or small!
Basically..it ALL comes down to respect..A passenger should never be cramped out by someone else regardless of medical reasons. Perhaps if its thd same family or party..But nevet by a stranger..the 3 seat thing sounds harsh and doesnt really fix the problem if they dont fit in A seat..The Airlinr should have larger 2 seat rows that cist perhaps 50% mote…worse case scenerio..if someoned is taking ip You space .that person needs to have funds directed to uou..via the the airline collecting and crediying upu
I’m 6’6″, and my shoulders protrude about 30% into adjacent seats. I’m heaver than the average passenger, simply because I’m a bigger person. Is it fair to force me to purchase a second seat because of something that I have no control over?
about time .personal weight plus cargo is fee. i love it. stay home obese or pay ur weight. if u ever long haul with a fat stinky neighbour?yaks.let them pay
Thank you JakkiK for being thoughtful and respectful toward other humans.
The commentary here is pretty striking!
Morbidly obese people exist and for various reasons, either biological or mental health reasons. Either way, I suspect all of them struggle with shame and suffer discomfort in so many ways. Even those who simply eat a lot yet have bodies that would easily lose weight if they ate less are nonetheless humans who should be intrinsically valued by our systems. That being said there’s true costs to the accommodations. We’ve decided to accommodate the wheelchair bound, and that has cost government and corporation billions of dollars that end up paying for. Who knows why someone’s in a wheelchair? It could have been their own stupidity that landed them there but we don’t judge them because we have been socialized to avoid that.
What if all passengers could buy 1.5 $ tickets for a 1.5 width seats? Buying two tickets to sit in a seat designed for average people can’t be a comfortable experience. First class tickets cost a lot more and are limited to airlines and flights that offer them. The 1.5 width seats might not be needed on some flights and might not be enough on others. If not needed, but are the only seats available, they will be purchased nonetheless in the airline won’t lose money. If they sell out the buyer can choose another flight for buying ahead. Is this a viable idea?
Gotta love all the fat shaming in the comments…which started in the article. There were plenty of better words to use than fatter.
Also…I love how everyone wants to shame the large passenger, but no discussion how the majority of planes were designed to accommodate fewer passengers, and the airlines are who are making the seats smaller. Give me the seat that Boeing or Airbus designed, and likely you wouldn’t have to worry about the size of your seat companion.
In the end, it doesn’t matter WHY people are getting heavier, it all comes down to airlines refusing to recognize that people ARE getting heavier. In fact, airlines operate as if the opposite were true: The increasingly design planes as if people were getting thinner and shorter. Given the safety concerns, this is reckless and should not be allowed. Airlines should NOT be able to effectively say, “well people SHOULD be thinner and shorter, and therefore we’ll design our planes accordingly.” Auto companies can’t say, “people SHOULD pay more attention when driving, therefore we’ll get rid of bumpers, air bags, and seat belts.” Spacing between rows should be increased. Width of seats should be increased. Ticket prices will increase accordingly, but that’s the way it is. Or at least should be.
Obviously the author hasn’t the time to obtain the knowledge to produce an accurate article on the given subject. I would strongly advise finding people who do have the knowledge and experience and asking a few questions before publication.
It would go a long way in enhancing your credibility and popularity with those of us in the industry.
Scales at the gate? Self weighing airplanes? I have to say some of the comments are truly amusing at best.
You could take every one of these problems and tie it to the pursuit of and blatant worship of profit. Our disgust should be for the devouring Corporations with far too much control over our government to allow it to work in the interests of the people.
The DOT weighs trucks to identify those that are over loaded. It would be a lot easier to just weigh the planes at the airport and adjust accordingly.
The model no. Is WTW5600VQ0
and the problem is its not working most off the time
I saw right away when it came that this was used or defective because even when I put up the hot water pipe the threads was warn I had to put 2 washers its should not go all the way in and it should not leak
Then when I put it on it makes a silent noise when I knock on the valve sometimes it starts working
Anyways this part is defective
Please send me a new one
or refund me please
Thanx
I don’t think it is anyone’s business how much you weigh if there is a problem with the weight on plane’s charging more or bigger seat may not be the answer if there is not the right weight do not let as many on or just maybe use sand bag’s to make up the difference