Weight-based airfare  

Maybe 25% discount for underweight would still be highly appreciated and overweight pay extra 25% is still acceptable.

Average-weight passengers and overweight passengers who already paid for extra weight need not fall in line to weigh. Only those underweight who paid for discounted half fare and those who are suspected to be overweight upon check-in (redirected from the regular lane) need to go through the scale. Only those who go overweight would then need to pay the corresponding extra half fare.

On second though, no need for special lane, passengers holding half price tickets or regular priced tickets suspected of being over the weight of their ticket will just be asked to step on the baggage scale and be charged or spared from additional overweight fees.

Even not counting on the space occupied which cause inconvenience to neighboring passengers, it would still be fair to pay according to weight since weight is directly proportional to the fuel costs incurred.

Economy class is designed with space economy in mind, oversized people may opt to take the business class with wider seats and leg room. But if weight economy would be taken into account, business class would become a requirement.

The fare can be the same but since added weight means more fuel, it would be reasonable for weight-based tickets to charge extra fuel-surcharge rather than on the basic fare.

With the recent popularity of budget airlines, inflight service, food, refreshments and personal effects become optional, offered inflight with extra (higher price) cost. Some airlines even have hot meals removed from their menu and ovens removed to lighten their aircraft and thus save on fuel.

I think we should not forget that international airfare prices have been set through bilateral governmental agreements rather through market mechanisms. As such, International Air Transportation Association (IATA) is founded as a price setting body for international airfares.

Their air tariffs are being structured for airlines to conform to a uniformity for both the national airline of the country and other foreign airlines that might ply the same routes of the national carrier.

This uniformity here also means that different airlines can then pool and share their routes for a wider destination coverage and higher frequency without straining their own limited resources.

Just basing on the intricacies here, will tell you what will happen when one airline or certain group of airlines wants to restructure their airfares to weight based. Everything has to be renegotiate and price restructure, just this very lone exercise is enough to drive the fares sky high and would not have be any help to marketing the airlines.

I feel that airlines should find other ways to increase their earnings like leasing out retail outlets on the flight. The super jet nowadays can house a deck of dedicated for shopping and leisure. Selling more inflight duty free goods, necessities or even freshly cooked special dishes on top of their inflight meal menus.

I cannot say if taking away basic necessities as practiced by low cost carriers can solve margin issues but I would not advocate if the flight duration is 3 hours and above. Especially, when the flight is close to meal times, it is just not being people or service oriented here. The galley is not just a mere kitchen but that it is strategic structure to provide storage of inflight necessities like refreshments and food. It is also how food and services can be rendered in a prompt and timely manner. Besides, how heavy is an oven compared to it providing vital services in a timely and accessible manner.

So, I don't think this form of airfare will be implemented at this stage or any closer time.

Take care.

Budget airlines are mostly geered for domestic and short distance regional flights, long distance flights without much comfort is unbearable. Sometimes the cabin aircondition is very cold and dry and passengers cannot but request for hot drinks and blanket to warm up with a relatively higher price.

Whether it is this way or the other, what we really want to see is that airlines find the best way to offer economical fares with profit. If all airlines would only agree to work together to improve logistics, there would not be so many empty seats (and waste of overhead) during off peak seasons and no available seats and high price during high peak seasons.