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Let's be a little more non specific and less judgmental. Should larger passengers have to pay more?

We think nothing of paying more when shipping large and heavy objects through the United States Postal Service, the United Parcel Service, or any other freight delivery service. Heavier letters cost more. We understand the thinking and rationale behind all of that and we accept it.

So what is it about this topic that would cause people to get worked up? They see it as a personal attack and completely discriminatory. They take it personally and those are flawed beliefs. Please allow me to explain.

I am a large man. I stand six foot four and weigh 260 lbs. I think nothing of having to pay extra for clothing that fits me-larger clothing takes more fabric. For years, I have paid the same price for shoes even though my shoe size is nearly double the average. Every time I buy a pair of shoes, I giggle because I think it is larceny for someone else to pay the same price for shoes half the size of mine. I don't mind a little predatory pricing that is justified due to size. Along similar lines, I read once where Japanese condoms are smaller than American condoms. Now I don't know if that's true. I don't know if condom manufacturers reap larger profit margins by saving on latex. Or charge less. In fact, I haven't heard the Japanese get all angry and worked up as a result of this, so I simply don't know if it's true or not.

Clearly there would only be one way for me to find out about this. I'd have to board a flight to Japan, before any size surcharge sets in, and go try one of those Japanese condoms on. Look and see if it only goes up about two thirds.

Years ago, my wife bought a two pound ferret and flew home with it. She did not mention how much that cost until I picked the ferret's cage up at receiving. The airline charged a full price ticket of nearly 600 dollars to bring this ferret home in the storage part of the plane. I am not kidding you when I tell you that I called that airline, comparing the cost of shipping a two pound ferret to the cost of a 300 pound woman that I watched de-plane that day, and that I nearly had an aneurysm. I transferred my pain to that customer service representative. Unfortunately, that representative did not transfer any of my money back to me. Go figure.

Rather than targeting "obese" people, I am fine with the idea of paying a little more for larger passengers. Like it or not, at the moment we board a plane, we are just self guided freight. It isn't personal. Now I've got to run. I've got two weeks to find a flight and book one to Kobe, Japan.

Learn more about this author, Garrett Anderson.
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