From the Diaspora…SHOULD AIRLINES PASSENGERS PAY BY WEIGHT TO FLY INSTEAD OF BY SEATS?

Apr 07, 2013 News

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By Ralph Seeram

The biggest hassle I have coming to Guyana is weight, baggage weight that is, especially if the wife is coming. She thinks she can fit the entire Orlando into four suitcases each weighing fifty pounds. The four include my allotted two which from her perspective I don’t need. My clothes and other stuff are relegated to fit into my carry-on luggage.
She has so many relatives and she thinks that she can bring something for everybody. In the early days coming to Guyana this was not a problem, she had only sisters to cater for. Over the years it escalated to sisters and children, then sister’s children and their husband or wives, then it became sisters, husbands, sister’s children and other half then sister’s grandchildren. One thing I can tell you, when it comes to children, Guyanese women and men are great producers. You would think birth control does not exist.
Coming back to my suitcase story; at times when she is over her fifty pounds she complains that the bathroom scale has a problem. Another time she was five pounds over, I told her to repack she shuffle around some stuff prioritizing what to carry, when I weighted the suitcase it was now ten pounds overweight. Now I have to justify to her why Caribbean Airlines will not accept a suitcase over fifty pounds and the arguments starts. I find myself in the uncomfortable and involuntary position defending Caribbean Airlines. You now know what I mean about being stressed coming to Guyana.
Recently I mentioned to my readers on a recent trip to Jamaica how Caribbean Airlines ticketing clerk made me check in my carry on because it had 28 lbs instead of 23 lbs. I tried to point out to the clerk that I was entitled to two suitcases weighing up to a 100 lbs, which I am not making use of, so my extra five pounds on my carry on will not make a difference that the airline will be 95 pounds ahead. Unfortunately she could not see the logic of this.
During this discussion there was this obese woman who probably weighs over 300 lbs, more than twice my 130 lbs. I made reference to the woman’s size that is taking far more weight on the plane than me and my carry on luggage, and suggested the airline should charge by weight if it is so concerned about weight.
So I am browsing the news this week and there it was, a Samoa airline has start charging passengers by weight.  Yes you are reading right; this airline has been charging passengers by weight for some time and recently the U.S Department of Transportation has granted the airline permission to charge passengers by weight on its International flight from American Samoa to Samoa.
This is great. I am saying to myself. I hope other airlines including Caribbean Airlines, start implementing the system. After all, it seems only fair; why should a child of fifty pounds pay the same fare as an adult weighing over 200 lbs?
There would be no hassle with suitcase weight, you pay by weight (I am aware there may be a limit to what the baggage handler can lift).
According to the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, “ Planes are run by weight and not by seat and travelers should be educated on this important issue, the plane can carry only a certain amount of weight and that weight needs to be paid, there is no other way.”
He also added passengers who need more room will be given room to be comfortable. Good idea; have you ever been on a plane next to an overweight sweaty person? It is annoying; they get all into your “space”. It gets worse if they are a chatterbox.
The truth is that airlines are really all about weight— weight and fuel consumption. Some Guyanese owners of a charter airline are learning that the hard way. They are now serving time in Federal Prison. Their crime? They overloaded fuel and under reported the weight of the plane. The plane became too heavy for takeoff and caused a tremendous fiery crash at a New Jersey airport. Recently there have been complaints by Caribbean Airlines competitors that they are at a disadvantage because Caribbean Airlines gets cheaper fuel. You see how fuel is important? More weight, more fuel use, more cost; less weight less cost.
There is an interesting benefit to the pricing by weight by the airline. The health officials in American Samoa have contacted the Airline; they want to “ride on the awareness this is rising and use it as a medium to address obesity issues”.
If there ever is a way to force people to lose weight this is the answer. Do you have an idea how many pounds of” lard” will be shed if someone is planning a flight? It would be a win win situation for all, good health for passengers, more profits for the airlines.
On my last visit to my doctor a few week ago I noticed that I gained two pounds. I am determined to shed the two pound gained just in case Caribbean Airlines get ideas of a weight to pricing structure. I plan to make two trips to Guyana this year, one shortly.  I like this idea of paying by weight, bring it on
Caribbean Airlines.

Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: ralph365@hotmail.com

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