Mark_Ockerbloom's Blog

Ock the day that they start charging by the pound is the day I start taking the train (God Forbid) What use to cost something like $59.00 with Delta Shuttle (round trip)back and forth to LGA now cost $174.00. We are not talking back in the stone age, just a few short years ago.

Ock, have you lost your mind, man? Just wait though...If they try implementing this, it won't be long before someone who's morbidly obese contacts the ACLU to sue whichever airline they try to fly on for discrimination.

Yes, fuel increases are bad. But, so is ticking off the passengers. Although, if you piss everyone off, you won't have many people on a plane, and therefore will need less fuel. Hmm.

Personally, I weighed a lot less before I had kids, Now I'm afraid to get on the scale.
I would like to take a vacation w/my husband, while my Mom watches the kids, the first time in 8 years, and I can tell you, if I have to get weighed in, I'll opt for another form of transportation.
I already have low self-esteem--I don't need the airlines to rub it in-I'll get back to my fighting form-but I'll never fly again if they ticket by weight!!~!
P.M. Oxford, 01540

I'll need a freakin' second mortgage....

Mark, This is crazy! The next thing you know, the cab drivers will try to pull out a scale to weigh their passengers as well. This gas thing has gone way out of control.

Sorry folks!Welcome to the new "Airline Travel" of America. The days of going to Florida roundtrip for $209.00 will soon be long gone.Get used to it. It's not the fault of the airlines they need to develop these bizarre tactics to cut corners, go ask congress what the story is. Do you realize how much it would cost the airlines to change the configuration of their fleets? Besides, some Americans could use another incentive to lose a few pounds! If you can't handle it, try taking the Bus! I'm not sure if it will be as pleasurable,but give it a shot. It angers me when travelers who are not educated in the industry try to point fingers at the airlines(CEO's, exec's), for increasing costs. The airlines don't increase costs as a personal vendetta toward their customers,they do it in order to stay afloat. Without customers,there would be no airline, without the funds to pay for fuel, there would be no flights.

OCK,

#1 It is discrimination & invasion of privacy. I wont be happy with this.

#2 If you think it will only affect very heavy passengers, you are so wrong. The will find a way to take the thin or average weight flyer as well. What about people with small kids. Do you really think they will let a child fly for like $50.00 bucks or under? Please.

Skychick as far as pleasurable flights, I travel a bit and I will go on record stating that the last few flights that I have been on have not been all that pleasurable due to irrate passengers and lax proffesionalism at the gates. Your last statements true but I would suggest that airlines think of not offending passengers. Last time I checked is was bad business to alienate your customers. I think there is only so much that passengers will put up with.

Sometimes businesses use the cost of gas as an excuse. Let me explain. I own a vacation spot in NH. It is seasonal,not open in the winter. We use very little gas to heat it for this reason and hardly cook in doors as we usually grill outside. Our gas bills are (were) almost non existant. You would think that this would be a good thing right? Aparently not. You see we were notified two years ago that because we don't use a specified amount of gas each year we will be charged an additional $80.00 every year we don't reach a certain usage. Of course that was 2 years ago I am sure the fee has increased. So much for energy conservation. Either way we will all be paying, it is not fuel costs but profit margins.

Mark,
Maybe i'm missing something, but you said Airlines want to charge "BY THE POUND"
so let's see if a man/woman weighs
200lbs, and wants to go to california, then it would cost $200 dollars.

Funny how charging by the pound is seen as discrimination. It cuts both ways. I am petite and always manage to get the fattest person sat next to me. I lose up to 1/3 of my seat that I paid for because the fat person next to me spills over into my seat. So I am being discriminated against by always having the fat person sat next to me? I like the idea of redusing the seating on the planes to lessen the weight. I also think that carry on baggage needs to be more scrutinized. I am always amazed at the size and weight of these bags folks drag onto the plane. I would say 60% would not fit in the form that have right by the gate. I have never seen anyone ever check the size of a carry on in this form. I travel alot, mostly internationally, and always bring snacks with me whenever I fly. The food on the airlines is miserable anyway.

So, to the point....being as small as I am (under 120 #) I think paying by the weight is a fine idea.

OH MY GOD, I can not even believe what I am hearing, do you people realize that ALL PEOPLE have feelings? Heavy people, thin people...what is wrong with this picture??? Again I say that this world is getting so bad. I was heavy once, my highest being 293 lbs, I am 5'2" yeah that is FAT!!!!! I am now 123 lbs. I am still the same person and know that not ALL heavy people are heavy beccause they cant put down a BIG MAC!! There are so many reasons for overweight people that I can't list them all.

I am more upset with the comments made on this page because they are hurtful and mean, I think you all need to learn how to be NICE to one another.

Nelliebelle and Shaniesdad, maybe you could make your point without putting others down, HOW OLD ARE YOU 2?