挪威教授建議航空公司按乘客體重定票價大綱

挪威鬆恩-菲尤拉訥大學學院的一位教授建議，航空公司應該按乘客體重製定不同的票價等級，越胖的人支付的票價也應越高，因爲胖人乘機飛行時消耗的燃油更多。這位教授指出，按照體重和所佔空間收費是全球都可通用的一個原則，不僅適用於交通領域，其他服務領域也可採用。他建議，航空公司可根據乘客體重設立固定價格機制，體重60公斤的乘客支付的票價可以是體重120公斤乘客的一半；另外，航空公司也可設定一個基礎票價，然後根據乘客體重來決定是否額外收費或者給予折扣。對於這樣的提議，有人提出反對意見，的鮑勃質疑說，乘客訂票後體重有所下降的話，那麼他在登機時能否享受折扣呢？

A pay-what-you-weigh airline pricing scheme should be introduced because heavier people cost more in fuel to fly, a professor has claimed.

Heavier passengers would pay more for their plane tickets and lighter ones less under plans put forward by Dr Bharat P Bhatta.

Writing in this month's JournAl of Revenue and Pricing Management publication, Dr Bhatta said weight and space should be taken into account when airlines price their tickets.

Dr Bhatta, of the Sogn og Fjordane University College in Norway, said: 'Charging according to weight and space is a universally accepted principle, not only in transportation, but also in other services.

'As weight and space are far more important in aviation than other modes of transport, airlines should take this into account when pricing their tickets.'

Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management editor Dr Ian Yeoman said: 'For airlines, every extra kilogram means more expensive jet fuel must be burned, which leads to CO2 emissions and financial cost.

'As the airline industry is fraught with financial difficulties, marginally profitable and has seen exponential growth in the last decade, maybe they should be looking to introduce scales at the check-in.'

Dr Bhatta says the fare could be generated with a fixed rate for kilograms per passenger so that a person weighing 60kg pays half the airfare of a 120kg person.

Alternatively, airlines could have a 'base' fare with an additional charge for heavier passengers to cover the extra costs, as well as a discount for lighter flyers.

The proposals have detractors, such as Bob Atkinson of . He questioned whether passengers would be entitled to a discount if they lose weight between when they booked their tickets and when they arrive at the airport.

He told the Daily Express: 'Customers are already paying extra charges for their baggage, but actually making one for a person - I think that's a bit distasteful.'