Despite recent grumblings over changes to hand luggage restrictions on a number of airlines, it appears that UK travellers are also far more open to charging extra according to weight than might have been expected.
When asked how they would respond if an airline started charging extra based on weight, 45% of British holidaymakers said that it would make no difference to them, and a further 6% even claimed the measures would actively encourage them to use an airline more often. Just 21% of those polled declared that the measures would force them to boycott an airline.
Ant Clarke Cowell, communications director for the travel website HolidayExtras.com, says: “There’s currently no initiative to weigh customers at check in the UK. Even so, the idea has sparked some lively debate with holiday travellers. When compared to the national findings, Manchester people proved far more likely to react against the introduction of weight checks.
“Changes in airline procedures often do receive an adverse reaction initially, so it’s pretty surprising to see that many holidaymakers appear to be tolerant to the idea of weighing passengers at check-in. Personal space is a certainly a very sensitive issue so it will be interesting to see how views about this topic evolve.”
