Fat on a Plane

Recently, an article has been kicking around facebook about an airline which is going to begin charging people by weight.

My initial thought was one of revulsion. As a full figured woman I already have issues flying - fear that the seatbelt wont fit (it always does - just barely), not enough elbow/whole arm room (I always end up either with one arm on top of another person's arm or under theirs. Either way it's not an enjoyable experience), dear god please don't seat me by the window because heaven forbid I need to pee, I'm going to have to make everyone get up 'cause there is no way I can climb over people (and just shoot me if someone has fallen asleep and I have to wake them up); and these are on top of all the everyday flying concerns: is my luggage going to make the weight limit? (I always over pack) Am I going to be stuck next to a crying child, or any other really annoying person? Let's play the game of how may times the food cart will hit me in the elbow before I start to bruise; And of course the horrible fear that I might die in a firey crash.

But I read the article anyway, and you know what, I get it. Well, some of it.

Samoa Air is instituting a policy where your ticket is based on your personal weight and the weight of your baggage. Their planes are smaller and how much weight is in the plane is very important to the ability of the plane to function. So from that stance I get it.

I also appreciate that it appears Samoa Air also wants to try and make the seating more comfortable for people who aren't small, either in weight or in height.

"It works both ways. People who pay more deserve more. ... So, it is in our interests that we take care of the people that who've chalked in at 150, 180 kilograms (330, 396 pounds). They've paid their fare and the we try to give them what they should have, which is a comfortable seat. We try to make sure they have space around them, that taller people have got more leg room -- within the confines of the airplane these days we try to do it." -- Chris Langton, Samoa Air chief executive (quote from CNN article - link below)

Now, it's probably not very likely that the States or Canada (the two countries where the majority of my flying happens) is going to institute this anytime soon, so I get that it's not really something that is going to effect me. But I do feel a twinge of, how shall we put it, mild annoyance that because of my body type I will have to pay more for a flight, but from a mechanics prospective, I do get it.

What I don't agree with are the comments from people posting the article on facebook. They range from non-judgmental or mildly insulting to outright cruel. Also, interestingly enough some comments on the CNN site have turned into a debate on "poor people" and "their lack education" making them fat. But that is a complex topic for another day...

But generally it is people who say things like "maybe this will get people to work out and be healthy" which really irks me. To which I would respond: Why? I already live in a culture where everything I do costs more because I'm plus size. What's one more thing going to do to me?

I have to pay more for my clothing, for my health care if something happens because of my weight (which cross my fingers it hasn't yet), for furniture (cheap spindly stuff will break). I have (or have had) to endure taunts or dirty looks, pity, my own occasional self loathing...I've had to deal with things like that for most of my life, so why would this suddenly make me "be healthier"? And frankly, even though I'm bigger, I'm pretty damn healthy. My cholesterol is fine, my sugar levels are in the right place, every blood test I have comes back passing with flying colours. Of course there is more stress on my bones and heart and I get that. And I do eat healthy and I work out. So I don't understand why you think something like this is going to shame me into changing. And it's this idea of having to be shamed into a "change" that I don't particularly care for.

Also, as a point of fact, if you have a very tall man/woman with muscle who is the picture of health, he/she is going to be paying more than a small non built man/woman because of the weight difference. So interpreting the article as saying that fat people are being penalize is wrong and a bit short sighted.

Anyway, that is my opinion on the topic.


You can read the full article from CNN on Samoa Air here:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/02/travel/samoa-air-fare-by-weight/index.html