Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Fat Tax: Oh, Hell Yes!
A leading Australian nutritionist has urged airlines to charge obese passengers more for their seats.
Dr John Tickell believes a "fat tax" would highlight his country's obesity crisis and make commercial sense, as heavier loads increase fuel costs.
But health groups have warned that to single out people with weight problems could cause them emotional stress.
[...]
He said that Australian airlines should impose charges on their overweight clients, as they do for excess baggage, because heavier loads increase fuel costs.
"I fly Sydney to Perth - five hours - and being totally disadvantaged by some huge person next to me literally flopping over into my seat. Why should I pay the same as them?" he asked.
Why, this would be the first time any class of people were singled out! What unprecedented, unmitigated gall!
Oh - wait - smokers have been singled out for decades, what about their "emotional distress"? Why, no one gives a sh*t about smokers' emotional distress, so why is society being so forgiving and treading so lightly when it comes to Mr. and Mrs. Chubby McHeatAttack?
Have you ever sat next to some obese person during a flight and had their body fat just falling into your personal space? I have and it's just obnoxious.
More from Australia's News.com:
"If you are going to charge for excess baggage, then charge fat people for excess weight," he told The Sunday Telegraph.
"Airlines are buying fuel, and if you are carrying a heavy weight on a plane you have to pay more for it.
"But, instead, the rest of the public is paying for it. It's got to be restricted."
Budget airline Jetstar has fitted extra-wide seats to cater for the expanding size of customers, who have the option of buying two seats, or upgrading, if the space is too small.
"Flight attendants in the US have to go down the aisle handing extension seatbelts out like headphones," Dr Tickell added.
"And it's starting to happen here, too."
Dr Tickell told of being charged $100 to check-in golf clubs on a flight, despite an obese passenger outweighing him and his golf clubs.
Airlines are being forced to revise their projected passenger loads to calculate extra fuel needs.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority bans obese people from sitting in emergency exit rows on flights, as they could block other passengers from evacuating in an emergency.
It's also not fair - the favorite cry from Liberals and EnviroLunatics - for normal weight individuals to subsidize the fatties. And the fatties are forcing airlines to burn more fuel, thereby contributing to "climate change". GASP! The Horrors! The poor environment! The Melting of Greenland and Antarctica! The Polar Bears! The Seaweed! The Children! All because of the selfishness of the ChubbyMcHeartAttacks! For shame, Chubby, for shame!
Oh yeah, I all for mandating that that the Chubs pay for two seats - hell yes, hell yes!
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