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Comment by ajross | Hacker News Reader

> it's a genetic tax then? If I want to fly I have to pay more?

I mean, maybe? The simple truth is that if you want to fly someone needs to pay more, because you weigh more and occupy more space in the vehicle. Is air travel something that should be subsidized in some way or not? I'm not sure that I see a clear answer here.

Alternatively: There are many financial inequalities that stem from genetics or circumstance. Is this the one we want to be fighting for?

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A big problem here is that there isn't a smooth curve, as is the case with most other things. There'a a clear dividing line where the seat is just too small for you, and to upgrade to the next tier is considerably more expensive. It doesn't really matter where that line is - the net effect is that it's unfair to those who are on it. Although the smaller seats become, the more people are likely to fall onto that line.

The main cost factor for airlines is the price of fuel - which is mostly affected by weight of cargo. How about they charge heavier people more - that's usually not genetics, so seem mor fair.

Oh, and I'm not suggesting this because I'm 6' 5" but fit and weigh less than most chunky medium height people I know... not at all.

How about they charge heavier people more - that's usually not genetics

How so? Taller people are also often heavier, simply due to the fact that they're bigger. And if the past they tended to be slimmer relative to their height, that's no longer true for male Americans: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/2/445.full

So taller people would still pay more than shorter, on average.

Yes, but not me. Hence the last sentence of my 'suggestion'.

Sure, cost is a function of weight, but revenue is a function of number of passengers, so giving you extra space means reducing revenue overall.

> How about they charge heavier people more - that's usually not genetics, so seem mor fair.

Someone's gender is genetic and men would pay more under your scheme as would taller people.

Then charge by weight. Just because someone is taller doesn't necessarily mean they weigh more or that I occupy more space. How about making seats narrower instead making me put my knees in the back of seat in front of me?

>Then charge by weight. Just because someone is taller doesn't necessarily mean they weigh more or that I occupy more space.

You may not weigh more than a very muscular or overweight person but by being longer you by definition take up more linear space.

Size is an issue not just weight. You're carrying the airframe around no matter what, and the fewer seats per flight the more shared weight per passenger.

Or you could see it the other way. Just because you are genetically luckier, should you pay less?

If you're bigger and thus need more food, you have to pay more at grocery stores and restaurants. I don't see how this is any different, nothing wrong with paying for how much you actually use.

But perhaps because you're bigger you get to eat more and then spend less on weight-loss products.

Life has tradeoffs, you can't start correcting to make everything "fair". It's an impossible task, and not really worth anything in the end.

If I'm paying the same for both seats, I might as well get a larger one, and then taller people can't even choose to pay more, they're just screwed.

Alternatively, the airline could reserve them for tall people, but that risks leaving with them empty, which increases the costs for everyone.

Only if your planes are fully booked on all trips. Otherwise you may losing revenues because of clients like me who have their own blacklist of airlines they don't want to fly with because of this sort of things. For instance I will not consider going to a destination which forces me to fly Ryanair.

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