Reply #39: paying for two coach seats cheaper than flying first [View All]

My partner talked to a man who always buys two coach seats -- with today's discount fares, it is still thousands and thousands less than buying a first class seat. Considering how cheap trans-Altantic flights are today, I don't see where it would be a burden at all for larger than average folks to buy two economy seats. They're still paying less than they would have paid in the late 80s/early 90s to fly!

I don't think it's fair to ask the person in front of you not to recline. Many of us tire easily and we need to recline if we can on those long flights over the Atlantic. Fat and tall people are not the only people who have health issues that should be considered.

I do have a proposal that, instead of charging big people more, the airlines could offer incentives to little people. It would cost big people the same but they wouldn't feel singled out if it was handled in that way. For instance, if me plus carry-on plus checked luggage can prove I'm less than 150 pounds, maybe I should receive bonus frequent flyer miles toward a free ticket. Or maybe I should receive a cash rebate. The first airline to do this should be able to attract lots of us little folk who travel light.

Fat, tall, or high maintenance folk with lots of bags could keep on doing what they're doing.

Does that seem fair?