The Weight of Injustice: Reimagining Airline Baggage Policies

this system isn't designed for fairness or even for practical purposes—it's designed for profit

Have you ever stood at an airport check-in counter, watching anxiously as your suitcase sits on the scale, praying it doesn't tip over that magical 50-pound mark? And when it does—showing 52 pounds—have you felt that sting of paying an extra $100? Meanwhile, the passenger behind you weighing 100 pounds more with a 45-pound bag sails through without paying an extra cent.

Something doesn't add up, does it?

The Mathematics Behind the Madness

Let's break down the numbers. The average cost of jet fuel in 2025 is approximately CAD$0.85 per litre. A Boeing 737 burns roughly 2.5 litres of fuel per passenger per 100km.

For a Toronto to Los Angeles flight (approximately 3,500 km or 2,175 miles):

• Extra fuel for 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of excess weight: 0.9 kg × 2.5L/100km × 35 (for 3,500km) × 0.85 CAD$/L = CAD$0.67
• Typical airline overweight fee: CAD$100

That's not just a markup. That's a 14,825% markup.

Even accounting for handling costs and administrative overhead (let's generously say CAD$5), this still represents a 1,900% markup.

Is this a legitimate business practice or what I call "gotcha economics"?

The Weight Inequality We Accept

Here's where it gets truly puzzling:

Scenario A:

• Passenger weight: 150 pounds (68 kg)
• Baggage weight: 52 pounds (23.6 kg)
• Total: 202 pounds (91.6 kg)
• Fuel cost calculation for Toronto-LA: 91.6 kg × 2.5L/100km × 35 (for 3,500km) × CAD$0.85/L = CAD$67.83
• What they pay in overage fees: CAD$100 (for 2 pounds over the baggage limit)

Scenario B:

• Passenger weight: 250 pounds (113.4 kg)
• Baggage weight: 45 pounds (20.4 kg)
• Total: 295 pounds (133.8 kg)
• Fuel cost calculation: 133.8 kg × 2.5L/100km × 35 × CAD$0.85/L = CAD$99.09
• Extra fuel cost compared to Scenario A: CAD$99.09 - CAD$67.83 = CAD$31.26
• What they pay in overage fees: CAD$0 (despite requiring more fuel)

Despite Scenario B adding 93 pounds (42.2 kg) more to the aircraft's total weight, they pay nothing extra, while the lighter combination gets penalized.

North American airlines collected over CAD$6.5 billion in baggage fees last year. That's not pocket change or cost recovery—that's a major revenue stream disconnected from actual operating costs.

A Fairer Alternative: The Personal Weight Allotment

What if we implemented a total weight allotment system that covered both passengers and their luggage?

Example: Toronto to Los Angeles (3,500 km / 2,175 miles)

Let's say a Boeing 737 allocates 300 pounds (136 kg) per passenger as a total weight allowance.

With a reasonable 25% profit margin:

• Base cost to transport 300 pounds (136 kg): 136 kg × 2.5L/100km × 35 × CAD$0.85/L = CAD$222.25
• 25% markup for profit: CAD$222.25 × 0.25 = CAD$55.56
• Total ticket cost component for weight: CAD$277.81

If someone exceeds this allotment:

• Cost per pound: CAD$222.25 ÷ 300 pounds = CAD$0.74/pound
• Cost per kg: CAD$222.25 ÷ 136 kg = CAD$1.63/kg
• With 25% profit: CAD$0.74 × 1.25 = CAD$0.93/pound (or CAD$2.04/kg)
• Even with a generous 100% markup, the fee would be only CAD$1.48/pound, generating approximately CAD$53 million annually across North American carriers for excess weight.

With the current excessive markup:

• Current effective markup for excess weight: 14,825%
• Per-pound fee that would result: CAD$137.87/pound

Which seems more reasonable and transparent?

Example: Toronto to Paris (6,000 km / 3,730 miles)

On this longer intercontinental route using a Boeing 777 (6,000 km / 3,730 miles):

With a 250-pound (113.4 kg) allotment and 25% profit margin:

• Base cost to transport 250 pounds (113.4 kg): 113.4 kg × 2.5L/100km × 60 (for 6,000km) × CAD$0.85/L = CAD$319.52
• 25% markup for profit: CAD$319.52 × 0.25 = CAD$79.88
• Total ticket cost component for weight: CAD$399.40
• Cost per pound: CAD$319.52 ÷ 250 pounds = CAD$1.28/pound
• Cost per kg: CAD$319.52 ÷ 113.4 kg = CAD$2.82/kg
• With 25% profit: CAD$1.28 × 1.25 = CAD$1.60/pound (or CAD$3.52/kg)
• With a 100% markup, the fee would be CAD$2.56/pound, yielding approximately CAD$92 million annually for international carriers on transatlantic routes alone.

With current excessive markup:

• Overweight fee per pound: CAD$190.22

Implementation Without Embarrassment

Privacy concerns are valid. Here's how we could implement this system respectfully:

1. Self-reporting with random verification (similar to customs declarations)
2. Private weighing stations with digital-only readouts
3. Combined weighing of passenger with all their baggage
4. Pre-flight weight declaration through airline apps

The Business Case for Change

Airlines might resist this change, fearing revenue loss. However, consider these benefits:

• Improved customer satisfaction: Replacing arbitrary fees with logical ones increases trust
• Operational efficiency: More accurate weight calculations mean better fuel planning
• Competitive advantage: The first airline to implement this could attract budget-conscious travellers
• Continued profitability: A reasonable markup (even 25-50%) still generates significant revenue

Let's look at the numbers for a 180-seat aircraft:

• Current system: Approximately 15% of passengers pay overweight fees: 27 × CAD$100 = CAD$2,700
• New system with 10% of passengers exceeding by 20 pounds each at CAD$1.60/pound: 18 × 20 × CAD$1.60 = CAD$576
• Even with a 100% markup (CAD$2.56/pound), revenue would be CAD$921 per flight, which could still generate CAD$1.34 billion annually across the industry while being far more equitable than the current system.

While this represents a reduction, it would be offset by:

1. Increased booking volume from price-sensitive customers
2. Opportunity to sell "premium weight allotments" to those who know they'll need more
3. Significantly improved customer satisfaction and brand loyalty

Time for a Change

The current baggage fee structure isn't just annoying—it's illogical and inequitable.

The next time you're hit with an overweight baggage fee, consider asking this question: "Why does my two-pound excess cost CAD$100 when the total weight difference between passengers goes completely unaccounted for?"

The system I'm proposing isn't radical—it's rational. It isn't revolutionary—it's reasonable.

And I believe it would transform one of the most frustrating aspects of modern travel into something that actually makes sense.

Because in the end, shouldn't the weight we carry through life—both literally and figuratively—be judged fairly?

What do you think about this proposed system? Would you support an airline that implemented weight-based pricing that included both passengers and baggage? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

[About the author: A frequent flyer passionate about consumer fairness and logical pricing systems, often found drafting strongly-worded but polite emails to airline customer service departments from airport lounges worldwide.]