As more airlines try to boost revenue without increasing the price of an airline ticket, additional fees for flyers continue to surface.

We already pay to check our bags, now comes word that some airlines are adding fees to those flyers who don’t check in their bags online. Ryanair, famous for some of the most outrageous fees, is promoting the concept of fee-based in-flight lavatory use and asking flyers to carry their own luggage to the cargo hold. In recent months, we’ve witnessed airlines add fees from everything to unaccompanied minors to unaccompanied pets, and the fees keep coming, only now they’re getting personal.

Airlines are debating asking larger, overeweight passengers to pay extra for another seat when flying.

As more airlines cut flight schedules, that means more people will be stuffed into seats, causing some airlines to institute a pay-by-seat policy that is bound to create some controversy.

According to CNN.com, “a growing number of airlines are forcing bigger passengers to pay more as they cope with the costly and uncomfortable quandary that arises when obese passengers cannot squeeze into a single coach seat.”

Why is it an issue? It’s a matter of safety, say some airlines. Seat width isn’t mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, but safety rules are. The FAA requires passengers be able to sit with their seat belt fastened and with both arm rests down in order to ensure proper safety techniques.

What do you think? Should airlines impose weight restrictions on passengers and require larger passengers to pay for an extra seat? Let us know.

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About the author

Author Pleasance Coddington
Pleasance CoddingtonPleasance is a British travel writer and online content specialist in travel. She has written for numerous publications and sites including Wired, Lucky, Rough Guides and Yahoo! Travel. After working for six years on content and social media at VisitBritain, she is now the Global Content and Social Media Manager for Cheapflights.

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