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10:50am Friday 26th February 2010 in

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Many In Favour Of 'Fat Tax' For The Obese.

The travel comparison website, skyscanner, conducted a poll showing that more than three quarters of people agree that airlines should charge a "fat tax" ontop of peoples cheap holiday deals.

Last week, Air France was falsely accused of launching a new fee for obese passengers, which said that any fliers deemed too large to fit in a single seat will be asked to pay for a second.

The airline however does have a system in place, whereby obese passengers are offered a 25% discount off their second seat, and next month, a new legislation will entitle obese passengers to a full refund if their flight is not full.

Since the false accusation of Air France came about, sparks have re-ignited as to whether airlines should charge more when an extra seat is needed for obese passengers.

More than three quarters of the 550 people surveyed suggested that charges should be calculated on the combined weight of the passenger and their luggage, whereas others disapproved of forcing obese fliers to purchase a second seat.

Last year, Ryanair conducted an online poll in which 30,000 passengers voted in favour of charging excess weight fees for such fliers.

Skyscanner director and co-founder, Barry Smith, said "The so called 'Fat Tax' is a very sensitive issue for airlines-they will have to tread carefully so as not to alienate heavier passengers. On one hand, it's not unreasonable for airlines to charge passengers extra if they occupy more than one seat. On the other, many would argue that it should be the responsibility of airlines to adjust their standard seat size, enabling them to comfortably accommodate all passengers."

The possibilities of charging 'fat tax' are endless, next it could be bus services jumping on the band wagon, the next train services and I'm sure taxi drivers won't want to miss out on the opportunity of making a killing.

If the majority of airlines get their way and begin charging for those extra seats, you may want to consider that if you consider yourself obese and you're planning on booking cheap holiday deals. Take into consideration the seat measurements of your flight well in advance, or your cheap holiday may end up costing double if you're classed as 'too large'.