挪威教授建议航空公司按乘客体重定票价

挪威松恩-菲尤拉讷大学学院的一位教授建议，航空公司应该按乘客体重制定不同的票价等级，越胖的人支付的票价也应越高，因为胖人乘机飞行时消耗的燃油更多。这位教授指出，按照体重和所占空间收费是全球都可通用的一个原则，不仅适用于交通领域，其他服务领域也可采用。他建议，航空公司可根据乘客体重设立固定价格机制，体重60公斤的乘客支付的票价可以是体重120公斤乘客的一半；另外，航空公司也可设定一个基础票价，然后根据乘客体重来决定是否额外收费或者给予折扣。对于这样的提议，有人提出反对意见，TravelSupermarket.com的鲍勃质疑说，乘客订票后体重有所下降的话，那么他在登机时能否享受折扣呢？

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 TravelSupermarket.com. 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.'