Passengers in Favor of Fat Tax

New reports now suggest that some people were glad when they heard that Air France was going to start charging a so-called fat tax on overweight passengers. In fact, more than three quarters of people believe that airlines should charge this tax, according to a poll by the travel comparison website Skyscanner.

Unfortunately for these people, and to the delight of heavy passengers, Air France was just mistakenly accused of launching a new fee for obese fliers, which has reignited the debate over whether airlines should charge more when an extra seat is needed.

Airlines said that they do currently have a system whereby obese passengers are given a 25 percent discount off their second seat if they cannot fit into one. A new legislation next month will even entitle these obese customers to a full refund if the plane is not fully booked.

Less than a quarter of the 550 people surveyed disapproved of forcing those who cannot fit into a standard airline seat to purchase a second seat. Others suggested that charges should be calculated on the weight of the person and baggage combined.

Back in April of last year, Ryanair said that it was considering whether to charge excess weight fees for obese fliers after more than 30,000 passengers voted in online polls in favor of such charges. In 2008, Air France was ordered to pay £5,000 in damages to a passenger who had his waist measured at an airport check-in desk before being told he would have to purchase two seats.

According to the World Health Organization, the Pacific island of Nauru is currently classified as the world’s fattest country with 94.5 percent of the population overweight. Britain is in the 28^th spot with nearly 64 percent of its population considered overweight.