Fat tax introduced by Samoa Airlines

Have you ever wondered if  that fat person sitting in the aircraft has possibly  left you with less luggage allowance.

Well Samoa airlines  have taken steps  so that everyone gets charged fairly. Samoa Air has become the world’s first pacific airline to introduce the ‘fat tax’, which will see overweight passengers paying more for their seats.

The Pacific island nations have some of the “world’s highest rates of obesity”, with Samoa usually included in the top ten countries for obesity levels.

The  airline’s chief executive Chris Langton, has said that the fee is the “fairest way of travelling” with the added benefits  to  promote health and obesity awareness to locals.

How the fat tax works

Passengers will be required to type their weight and the weight of their baggage into the online booking section of the airline’s website.

Passengers will also be weighed on scales at the airport

The rates will then vary depending on the length of the trip and will see travellers paying $1 per kilogram on short haul flights to about $4.16 per kilogram on flights between Samoa and American Samoa.

The Samoa Air homepage reads "We at Samoa Air are keeping airfares fair, by charging our passengers only for what they weigh. You are the master of your Air’fair

According o Fiji times.com “The world’s first airline to charge passengers by their weight rather than per seat says the policy has helped to raise obesity awareness and improve public health”

Samoa Air flies from Samoa to American Samoa, North Tonga, Niue, North Cook Islands and French Polynesia. The airline does not fly large commercial aircraft, but rather small planes that are more susceptible to weight variances.

Do you find this Fair or just plain rude?

Let us know !!