Ryanair considers ‘fat tax’ for large passengers
Ryanair is considering how to charge a ‘fat tax’ after more than 30,000 passengers voted in favour of charging excess weight fees for very large passengers.
Over 100,000 passengers voted in an online poll to decide which cost reduction idea should win a €1,000 cash prize.
The final poll results were as follows:
. 29% – Excess fees for very overweight passengers
. 25% – €1 for toilet paper – with O’Leary’s face on it
. 24% – €3 to smoke in a converted toilet cubicle
. 14% – Annual subscription to access Ryanair.com
. 8% – €2 “corkage†fee for passengers who bring their own food onboard.
Ryanair will now consider how to implement such a charge and asked passengers to vote, via www.ryanair.com, on which format the charge should take:
. Charge per kg over 130kg/20 stone (male) and 100kg/15 stone (females)
. Charge per inch for every waist inch over 45 inch (male) and 40 inch (female)
. Charge for every point in excess of 40 points on the Body Mass Index (+30 points is obese)
. Charge for a second seat if passengers’ waist touches both armrests simultaneously.
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “Over 100,000 passengers logged on to ryanair.com to take part in our competition and almost one in three (over 30,000)think that very large passengers should be asked to pay a fat tax.
“With passengers voting overwhelmingly for a ‘fat tax’ we are now asking them to suggest which format the charge should take.
“The above four points seem to us to be the simplest, fairest and administratively easiest to apply.
“In all cases we have set limits at very high levels so that a ‘fat tax’ will only apply to those really large passengers who invade’ the space of the passengers sitting beside them.
“These charges, if introduced, might also act as an incentive to some of our very large passengers to lose a little weight and hopefully feel a little lighter and healthier.
“The revenues from any such fat tax will be used to lower the airfares for all Ryanair passengers yet further. Passengers can vote for their preference on www.ryanair.com until April 27.â€
* Do you agree with Ryanair’s passengers? Do you think Ryanair is seriously considering a ‘fat tax’, or do you think this is all another publicity stunt?
Send us your views by clicking on ADD A COMMENT below.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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