Nearly half of Britons believe overweight passengers should be charged extra when boarding a flight, a survey has suggested.
Fifty-one percent of men questioned believe obese passengers should pay more because of their contribution to extra fuel consumption - in the same way that fliers pay for excess baggage.
The controversial measure, sometimes referred to as a "fat tax", has been mooted by Ryanair in the past, following a survey conducted by the airline which suggested around a third of passengers supported it.
Some carriers already encourage obese customers to purchase an extra seat if they are unable to fit into one comfortably.
A former economist for the airline Qantas also recently spoke out on the issue, and said: "If the passengers on the aircraft weigh more, the aircraft consumes more fuel and the airline's costs go up."
The latest survey, from HolidayExtras.com, found that 48 percent of all of those questioned were in favour of charges for obese fliers.
James Lewis, Head of Online Partnerships at HolidayExtras.com, said: "The world is getting fatter - and this is becoming a big issue. Being an overweight passenger affects your travelling companions, physically and financially. If we have to pay extra for excess baggage, it's only fair that we pay extra for excessive body weight.
"Sitting next to a large person on a plane can sometimes reduce the space that you have to relax, so maybe airlines should offer some of the revenue from the additional ticket cost to the person sitting next to the fat person too."
Should overweight flight passengers pay more for their tickets?
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