Survey supports a "fat tax" for overweight fliers

A recent survey carried out by HolidayExtras.com, the website specialising in hassle free add ons, reported that over 48% of respondents were in favour of additional flying charges for obese flying passengers.

Over 51% of those questioned believed that over weight passengers should pay extra because of their contribution to additional fuel consumption in the same way that other passengers pay for excess baggage.

This highly controversial move has been referred to in the past as a "fat tax" and was subject to a Ryanair survey on fliers in the past of which a third supported such a move.

It was also discussed by some US airlines that overweight passengers should in fact buy an additional flight ticket or the airline offer some of the revenue to the passenger next to the obese person.

Such measure would allow other weight reduction measures carried out by airlines such as reducing the amount of duty free luggage.