Should overweight people pay more for airfare? I think the answer is obviously yes. Obesity creates externalities- they make life uncomfortable for others. Specifically, in tight places like on airplanes. I think that we are all given a certain amount of space on this planet and some people are taking up more space than has been allotted to them. Consequently, they must pay more.
I, like the woman in the video, struggle to find the reason why people who spillover into others' seats should not have to pay extra. Her argument appears to be that it's discrimination. I increasingly find this argument troubling. Fat people have been pushing this discrimination argument as if they are victims of a cruel society. However, their argument must fail because of the idea of choice. Gays are denied rights mainly because society, and more specifically the law, views homosexuality as a choice and thus not worthy of much sympathy.
If this is true...why then should anyone feel bad for someone who is overweight? Granted, many argue that it's not their choice and is instead genetic and/or medical. Indeed, just yesterday a co-worker advanced this argument. However, I still observed a difference in our eating habits. She ate much more than me. This happens consistently, which is why I find the medical problem argument unavailing. It's a choice. You choose to eat more, you choose to eat unhealthy food, you choose not to go to work out and you choose not to seek a medical solution to your medical problem. You can choose to jeopardize your health if you want to, but why do I have to suffer? Why do I have to be uncomfortable? Why do I have to pay higher insurance premiums? Why do I have to make all of the sacrifices?
I am petrified of becoming overweight and will go through great lengths to prevent such from happening, including paying a ton for a gym membership AND personal trainer and paying more for healthy food. It's also a time dedication. It's not easy. Fat people feel bad when people treat them poorly because of their weight and I sympathize. I really do. However, who sympathizes for me when I wake up at 6am to go to the gym? Where's my sympathy when I pass on that brownie? Who invites me to the Oprah show when I feel weak from hunger pains? No one!!! It's the nasty secret life of thin people. While I am sitting at home alone starving; some people are sitting at home stuffing themselves. I am not mad at you...do your thing. But, own it.
Which to me begs the question: should thin people have to pay extra?
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You make some good points there Jake, specifically regarding the idea of "choice" and the different treatment gays receive versus the waistline battlers.
I, as you know, am up at the break (actually before the break) of dawn each day to bust my hump at the gym because I want to be healthy and look and feel fierce. I am not naturally thin in any way and fight the temptation to eat junk daily, choosing a bowl of cherry tomatoes to snack on in lieu of cherry chip ice cream. That being said, I'm not sure if I agree with overweight folks having to pay more for an extra seat. I'd like more room too - can't we all just chip in and get the airlines to build bigger planes or rip out some seats and give us normies in coach a bit more room to breathe? My legs are always sandwiched beneath the seat in front of me and I feel like a sardine.
Bigger seats and free cocktails in coach! For everyone! I'll make some calls.
P.S. SO happy you're back!
I am not thin, but I do fit in one (1) airline seat. I have been in the uncomfortable seat next to someone who took up 1/3 or 1/4 of MY little seat. In one such incident, initially the other passenger tried to have the armrest up. I politely and delibrately let that bad boy down to provide some incentive for her to get (and stay) on her side. She spilled under and above the arm rest. Alas I closed my eyes, forced myself against the window as far as I could and held my right arm across my chest (i.e. like one would do during the Pledge of Allegiance ) for the entire flight. AWFUL!!! Did I get a discount on my ticket? Nope. A courtesy cocktail? Nope. Medal of Honor? Nope. BOTTOMLINE: If you take up more than one seat ( anything more than one seat, e.g., 1 1/3, 1 1/4, 1 1/2), then you MUST buy at least two seats. I mean get comfy and get three!!!
Let me know when you all are ready to talk about children on planes. Fargo.
Awesome. I'm not thin. But I want to be.
On a serious note, I recently went traveling (flying more than 6 times in one week) and based in part on my poor decisions, I had to pay up to 80 Euros exta on 5 legs of the trip.
Poor decision? I added extra weight after my first stop. Bought a carpet and thought I was getting a good deal by schlepping it around instead of paying 80 dollars more for shipping.
Anyhoo, I learned to negotiate with the airport folks (which included paying a couple of bribes + reduced fee of 60 dollars), but in the end I paid a helluva lot of money to lug all that extra weight around.
The airline had rules and weight limits and I exceeded them and had to pay.
Great comments Kim and Naki!
Kim - you are a fool re: "Fargo."
I did have to pay extra to ship Kingston from LA to Seattle because HE had gained weight! Not the same as seats on a plane, but you see where I am going.
I have since put him on a diet and daily runs and he is now down 10 lbs. He gained nearly 20 lbs while with mother in LA. She had him on a steady diet of hamhocks, pork chops, and bacon grease drizzled over dry dog food. Did I mention she took him on zero walks? Which explained the weight gain.
In the end, I had to pay the airline for my obese dog.
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