Samoa Air's new "weight plan" for charging passengers airfare based on their weight and not the actual seat has put the small airline on the media-map.
From news networks to late-night comedy shows, someone has something to say, positive of negative about the airline and its plan.
All the punditry has caused the head of Samoa Air has defended its policy of charging passengers by their weight, arguing such a system is not only fair but the future for other airlines.
"The next step is for the industry to make those sort of changes and recognize that 'Hey, we are not all 72 kilograms (about 160 pounds) anymore and we don't all fit into a standard seat,''' Chris Langton, Samoa Air chief executive told CNN.
The policy has been in place since November, but has only been informed in the "past few weeks" on their international routes.
According to the airline's website, "your weight plus your baggage items is what you pay for. Simple."
However, though it is "simple" when it comes to the math, it isn't when it comes to the sensitive of a person's weight, especially, those on the "heavy" side of the scale.
"It's always going to be a sensitive issue, we try to keep it lighthearted and try to keep people on the positive side, particularly for those that are carrying a fair bit of bulk," said Langton to CNN.
The CEO also made it clear that it works both ways.
"People who pay more deserve more. ... So, it is in our interests that we take care of the people that who've chalked in at 150, 180 kilograms (330, 396 pounds). They've paid their fare and the we try to give them what they should have, which is a comfortable seat. We try to make sure they have space around them, that taller people have got more leg room -- within the confines of the airplane these days we try to do it."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
