But Airline Still Charging By Weight To Fly

Samoa has one of the world's highest rates of obesity, so it may come as no surprise that Samoa Air, which was the first to charge passengers by what they weigh, is now offering special seating for its extra-large customers.

The airline is introducing what it calls "XL Class" seating for passengers who weigh more than 286 pounds (130kg). In a report from Australia's ABC and relayed by the U.K. newspaper The Telegraph, Samoa Air executive Chris Langton said the changes in seat spacing ... an increase of 12-14 inches ... would be completed this week.

Samoa Air, which is the national airline of the island nation, charges passengers a fixed price per kilogram, which adjusts depending on the length of the flight. The charge includes the weight of both the passenger and their luggage.

Langton said other airlines are likely to begin using such a pricing structure, and modifying their aircraft to accommodate larger passengers.

But a Jetstar spokesman said that it would not be imposing a "size surcharge" for its larger passengers despite a growing obesity problem in Australia. Jetstar is a subsidiary of Qantas. That airline does recommend that a passenger purchase two seats if he or she cannot sit comfortably in one with both armrests down. Virgin Australia said through a spokesman that it does sometimes weigh passengers for the purpose of making accurate weight and balance calculations for its airplanes.

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FMI: www.samoaair.ws