Outcry Against Airline 'Size Discrimination' as Fat and Tall Travellers Unite Says Skyscanner

Tall travellers speak out against extra charges being levied by airlines for passengers that don't fit the norm.

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Mar 03, 2010, 09:51 ET

EDINBURGH, Scotland, March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The UK's tallest travellers have rallied in support of the world's heaviest passengers against so called 'body discrimination' by airlines.

Following the recent poll on travel site Skyscanner where 76% of people voted in favour of a 'Fat Tax' for passengers who cannot safely fit into a single seat, Skyscanner has been inundated with emails from tall passengers, expressing solidarity with their overweight counterparts.

Simon James, a 6ft5 (196cm) tall man from Edinburgh said:

"Everyone's talking about 'fat tax' but 'tall tax' has been around for years. I always request an exit row seat, but there's no guarantee you'll get one. On many cheap flights carriers, I have to pay for the privilege of choosing a seat or boarding first."

"I have sympathy for overweight people, but the vast majority of them can lose weight if they choose. Tall people can't get any shorter. People come in all shapes and sizes."

Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder and Development Director commented:

"There's a fine line here between discrimination against any body type that is outside of a narrowing norm, and simple economic viability. The danger is that airlines will continue to squeeze us into ever shrinking seats, and charge all but the shortest, thinnest passengers a premium for extra room."

Many airlines charge premiums for seats with extra legroom. For example, Qantas charges an additional $160 on some flights for exit seats. Airlines might benefit from dropping fees on popular long-haul routes--like flights to Thailand--as these fees could raise the cost prohibitively for some taller travellers.

Kevin Smith, famed American film director and actor, is the latest victim of the airline 'fat tax' row after being ejected from a Southwest Airlines flight when his bulk was deemed a 'safety risk'.

About Skyscanner:

Skyscanner is a leading travel search site based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Skyscanner provides instant online comparison on flight prices, including flights to London for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines, as well as car hire, hotel and holiday price comparison.

With Skyscanner, users can browse without having to enter specific dates or even destinations, and Skyscanner is available in 20 different languages including French, German and Spanish.

www.skyscanner.com

SOURCE Skyscanner