Samoa Air now charges passengers by body weight
Thread Starter
Samoa Air now charges passengers by body weight
Samoa Air, from the ABC website:
Samoa Air says a controversial new policy that calculates a passenger's fare based on their weight is proving successful.
The airline introduced the policy in January, saying it would make flying safer.
Chief Executive, Chris Langton, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat families have benefited the most.
"People who have been most pleasantly surprised are families, because we don't charge on the seat requirement even though a child is required to have a seat, we just weigh them," he said.
Audio: Richard Ewart speaks to Chris Langton(ABC News)
"So a family of maybe two adults and a couple of mid sized kids and younger children can travel at considerably less than what they were being charged before."
Samoa Air started flying within Samoa in 2012 and has expanded to now connect a number of Pacific island nations.
The "pay by weight" booking system requires passengers to type in their weight on the airline's online reservation system where their fare is calculated.
Rates range from $1 a kilogram on the airline's shortest domestic route to about $4.16 per kilogram for travel from Samoa to American Samoa.
The rate includes a customer's body weight and baggage.
Mr Langton says while it may take a while for customers to get used to the system, it also addresses safety concerns in the company's fleet of small aircraft.
"People have always travelled on the basis of their seat," he said.
"Aeroplanes don't run on seats, they run on weight.
"The smaller the aircraft you're in, the less variance you can accept in terms of the differences in weights between passengers."
Now there's an idea.....
Samoa Air says a controversial new policy that calculates a passenger's fare based on their weight is proving successful.
The airline introduced the policy in January, saying it would make flying safer.
Chief Executive, Chris Langton, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat families have benefited the most.
"People who have been most pleasantly surprised are families, because we don't charge on the seat requirement even though a child is required to have a seat, we just weigh them," he said.
Audio: Richard Ewart speaks to Chris Langton(ABC News)
"So a family of maybe two adults and a couple of mid sized kids and younger children can travel at considerably less than what they were being charged before."
Samoa Air started flying within Samoa in 2012 and has expanded to now connect a number of Pacific island nations.
The "pay by weight" booking system requires passengers to type in their weight on the airline's online reservation system where their fare is calculated.
Rates range from $1 a kilogram on the airline's shortest domestic route to about $4.16 per kilogram for travel from Samoa to American Samoa.
The rate includes a customer's body weight and baggage.
Mr Langton says while it may take a while for customers to get used to the system, it also addresses safety concerns in the company's fleet of small aircraft.
"People have always travelled on the basis of their seat," he said.
"Aeroplanes don't run on seats, they run on weight.
"The smaller the aircraft you're in, the less variance you can accept in terms of the differences in weights between passengers."
Now there's an idea.....
The Yanks closely followed by the Aussies wouldn't have a single plane in the sky after a while if being charged per Kg........we are such a fat society these days!
I'd like to see being charged using a dress code, oh hang on a tic again there would be none flying either............that
ain't gunna work!
Gravity, the evil of all !!
Wmk2
I'd like to see being charged using a dress code, oh hang on a tic again there would be none flying either............that
ain't gunna work!Gravity, the evil of all !!
Wmk2
Last edited by Wally Mk2; 2nd Apr 2013 at 01:13. Reason: poor speeling:-)
Guest
Posts: n/a
Good Publicity for little airline
Fat passengers hit in the pocket - National - NZ Herald News
This subject has also made front page news Apr 3 Dominion Post under headline, "Airline faces turbulence for fat fees" plus a big photo covering half the front page of a tubby bloke trying to do up a seat belt.
Chris will be happy, all this publicity for an Airline that has a fleet of BN2's and a Cessna 172.
This subject has also made front page news Apr 3 Dominion Post under headline, "Airline faces turbulence for fat fees" plus a big photo covering half the front page of a tubby bloke trying to do up a seat belt.
Chris will be happy, all this publicity for an Airline that has a fleet of BN2's and a Cessna 172.
Last edited by Wally Mk2; 2nd Apr 2013 at 11:43. Reason: poor speeling:-)
DF.
They would be justified. I remember nine Tongans fronting for a BN2 Islander flight out of Nuku'Alofa. We weighed them and the lightest, a child, was 109 kg - plus baggage!
A nine seat Islander does not make sense in Tonga or Samoa!
A nine seat Islander does not make sense in Tonga or Samoa!
You seem to be a day late for April fools day....
How does 'Pay by weight' work?
Last edited by bentleg; 3rd Apr 2013 at 04:26.
It makes complete sense to weigh pax on little aeroplanes.
BEA did it on Rapides in the decade after the war - for accuracy of loadsheet rather than revenue - and tried to not to roster overweight pilot and radio officer together.
I believe helicopters do it on the North Sea?
Once had the Harlem Globetrotters (with baggage) on a Viscount 800 out of Spain and still marvel at how that aeroplane got airborne. They were all muscle of course.
Much more important point - are morbidly obese pax warned that in the event of an emergency their chances of survival are slim? (No pun intended)
Worse - not only would they be unable to use some emergency exits but they might well block the exits for conventionally shaped people.
BEA did it on Rapides in the decade after the war - for accuracy of loadsheet rather than revenue - and tried to not to roster overweight pilot and radio officer together.
I believe helicopters do it on the North Sea?
Once had the Harlem Globetrotters (with baggage) on a Viscount 800 out of Spain and still marvel at how that aeroplane got airborne. They were all muscle of course.
Much more important point - are morbidly obese pax warned that in the event of an emergency their chances of survival are slim? (No pun intended)
Worse - not only would they be unable to use some emergency exits but they might well block the exits for conventionally shaped people.
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: In transit
Age: 70
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some people who are overweight/oversize are so through no fault of their own, and I don't accept the often used argument that 'all fat people are greedy pigs'.
(I weigh 66 kilos so I have no axe to grind here).
I have a problem with the systematic exploitation of people who are heavier than average and other than for balance and trim purposes on small aircraft I don't think weighing people is appropriate or practical.
Where I do see a need though is for people who are so large that that they cannot fit into a normal seat without endangering or discomfiting others. They should be made to pay for an extra, or larger seat, purely for safety reasons.
I realise there is a degree of paradox between these two arguments, but one is commercial, one is safety related.
(I weigh 66 kilos so I have no axe to grind here).
I have a problem with the systematic exploitation of people who are heavier than average and other than for balance and trim purposes on small aircraft I don't think weighing people is appropriate or practical.
Where I do see a need though is for people who are so large that that they cannot fit into a normal seat without endangering or discomfiting others. They should be made to pay for an extra, or larger seat, purely for safety reasons.
I realise there is a degree of paradox between these two arguments, but one is commercial, one is safety related.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Australia
Age: 51
Posts: 931
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Interesting concept you have there capetonian.
Some airlines already charge 'larger' people for 2 seats.
Maybe its possible that, via the pay by weight schedule these people so charged would get a cheaper fare.
Assuming 77kg std pax and say $100 for each seat the standard, theoretically you should be permitted to tip the scales @ 154 kg for those 2 fares.
If you weight say 125kg, then you would have significant cost savings.
Maybe it is a win for our larger co-inhabitants.
Some airlines already charge 'larger' people for 2 seats.
Maybe its possible that, via the pay by weight schedule these people so charged would get a cheaper fare.
Assuming 77kg std pax and say $100 for each seat the standard, theoretically you should be permitted to tip the scales @ 154 kg for those 2 fares.
If you weight say 125kg, then you would have significant cost savings.
Maybe it is a win for our larger co-inhabitants.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: DSS-46 (Canberra Region)
Posts: 733
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yet another thread with little to do with professional PILOTING.
Please refrain from starting threads with fluff peices more suitable for current affairs programs.
Please refrain from starting threads with fluff peices more suitable for current affairs programs.
