Since the FAA deems everyone at 170lbs (175 lbs in the winter) and those numbers date back to the 1950's, I don't blame AA at all. As a pilot, I routinely have to ask the embarrassing question, "How much do you weigh?" I always add 5-10 pounds based on clothing and, well, just by looking.
Either this will become the rule or the FAA will revise its over 50 y.o. rule to allow that people don't weight 170 lbs on average. It's much higher these days.
Ask me someday about the "200 lb" diabetic woman we had to load onto a King Air air ambulance. It took 4 grown men to lift her....
Yes, I agree. People seem to take flying for granted, up until things go wrong. I'm a million miler on Delta and over the years sympathize with the Airlines and those that just cannot fit into the 170lb seat. The seats (and planes) seem to be all sized for this size of American. I am very average sized (5'10, 190lbs) height and weight and don't really fit into those seats. On my way to Vegas this week I sat next to a gentleman that was built like a brick $hithouse and this poor guy tried all he could to make him as narrow as possible. What I hate and will happily pick a fight with is the person that has 'glandular' issues and decides to raise the armrest without asking. They will get a unpleasant lowering of that armrest an chop to that love handle.
Overall over the years flying has gotten cheaper in comparison to inflation. A flight 40 years ago was drastically more expensive than compared to todays dollars. I still find it amazing that we can get a plane packed with hundreds of people and all their stuff to take flight, and land somewhere around the globe in relative comfort.
I just want to pay airline tickets by gross weight of person and baggage. Some people will fly cheaper than me, others may not, but we are all paying for the fuel it takes to haul our carcasses and assorted junk through the air.
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elancaster65 8 years ago
Since the FAA deems everyone at 170lbs (175 lbs in the winter) and those numbers date back to the 1950's, I don't blame AA at all. As a pilot, I routinely have to ask the embarrassing question, "How much do you weigh?" I always add 5-10 pounds based on clothing and, well, just by looking.
Either this will become the rule or the FAA will revise its over 50 y.o. rule to allow that people don't weight 170 lbs on average. It's much higher these days.
Ask me someday about the "200 lb" diabetic woman we had to load onto a King Air air ambulance. It took 4 grown men to lift her....
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elancaster65 8 years ago
Bottom line is safety. Over gross planes crash worse than under gross planes.
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Nickolas 8 years ago
Yes, I agree. People seem to take flying for granted, up until things go wrong. I'm a million miler on Delta and over the years sympathize with the Airlines and those that just cannot fit into the 170lb seat. The seats (and planes) seem to be all sized for this size of American. I am very average sized (5'10, 190lbs) height and weight and don't really fit into those seats. On my way to Vegas this week I sat next to a gentleman that was built like a brick $hithouse and this poor guy tried all he could to make him as narrow as possible. What I hate and will happily pick a fight with is the person that has 'glandular' issues and decides to raise the armrest without asking. They will get a unpleasant lowering of that armrest an chop to that love handle.
Overall over the years flying has gotten cheaper in comparison to inflation. A flight 40 years ago was drastically more expensive than compared to todays dollars. I still find it amazing that we can get a plane packed with hundreds of people and all their stuff to take flight, and land somewhere around the globe in relative comfort.
Reply
daemon 8 years ago
I just want to pay airline tickets by gross weight of person and baggage. Some people will fly cheaper than me, others may not, but we are all paying for the fuel it takes to haul our carcasses and assorted junk through the air.
Reply