# Should airlines calculate prices by the pound? Public weigh-ins before flights?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-airlines-calculate-prices-by-the-pound-public-weigh-ins-before-flights/275528>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 18, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-airlines-calculate-prices-by-the-pound-public-weigh-ins-before-flights/275528 "2004-11-18T20:20:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-airlines-calculate-prices-by-the-pound-public-weigh-ins-before-flights/275528/41 "2004-11-20T01:34:47Z")

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> [@SusanStoHelit](#):
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> You seem to think that the airlines would do this just to punish fat people.

That’s what the editorial seemed to think they should do. I was just going from that.

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**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-airlines-calculate-prices-by-the-pound-public-weigh-ins-before-flights/275528/42 "2004-11-20T04:11:09Z")

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> [@Danalan](#):
>
> Actually, a big part of the airlines problem is that they aren’t accounting for the weight of all the carry-on bags. I fly nearly every week, and on most flights there’s a scramble to fit all the bags in the overhead. People are tired of waiting for their bags, and of losing their bags, so more people are packing 35 extra pounds of crap into rolling carry-on bag.

I don’t understand. 35 lbs. is 35 lbs whether it’s in the overhead bin or in the cargo hold. How does where it’s placed effect the weight problem?

> [@Hampshire](#):
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> I agree to this. Turn one or two of the 3 seat rows into 2 seat rows. Heavier passengers can then pay 1.5 times the regular seat price.

Hell, I’m a scrawny little thing, and I’d happily pay 1.5 times the regular price to get one of those wide seats. As a person who’s uncomfortable being crammed like a sardine next to a complete stranger, I think it would be worth it just to get a sense of “personal space.”

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**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-airlines-calculate-prices-by-the-pound-public-weigh-ins-before-flights/275528/43 "2004-11-20T05:50:24Z")

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> [@Lissa](#):
>
> I don’t understand. 35 lbs. is 35 lbs whether it’s in the overhead bin or in the cargo hold. How does where it’s placed effect the weight problem?

As I understand it, baggage carried in the cargo hold is routinely weighed, so that weight is accounted for.

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