Does my bum look big in this?

Have you grown up like me hearing some parts of the media and society saying smokers and heavy drinkers  should pay more towards the NHS as they supposedly bring the system to it’s knees? The counter-argument being that the tax revenue generated from sales of tobacco and alcohol contributes well to the government purse. It looks like the airlines are putting one foot in the "fat tax" camp. We live in an age where obesity in adults as well as children is on the increase without much sign of improvement, especially as Western diets worsen in our 'fast food, do it yesterday' society. We live in a world where we need to be greener and protect our environment for the future generation.  The airlines need to show corporate and green responsibility. There is an onus on people to reduce their carbon footprint and one effort that people commonly take is to reduce their fuel consumption. This is probably the major outgoing for the airline industry. We have a social responsibility to be greener but does not extend to us being leaner? A recent comment I have read from a former Qantas group chief executive took me by some surprise.  In essence the comment was that people who weigh more should pay more to travel on aeroplanes (it sounds like something Michael O'Leary would say). Mr Webber commented “that the more a plane weighs the more fuel it must burn”.  I cannot disagree with that comment BUT should we extend this principle to society’s larger members of society and make them pay for their air ticket? If this were to occur would the smaller sections of society pay less for their ticket when they take their holiday abroad. I am parent and it annoys me that I have to pay full adult price for some forms of transport for my daughter who is under 3 and I would describe as light as a feather. My daughter is fan of the TV show Peppa Pig and I really wonder and debate if it would be fair for the Daddy pigs of this world to have to pay more for their airfare. I have spent many an hour at an airport watching people (in sheer boredom)  take their obviously overweight luggage to check in and feign surprise when the scales groan in panic and say “No”. This is then followed by the same people emptying parts of their suitcase in full public sight tipping contents into another persons’ suitcase or their hand luggage to avoid the surcharge.  Imagine a future where there are scales for people at airports. I can only imagine the industrious ways people will try to avoid the surcharge.  The check in assistant politely responds to excuses…. ” Mr Smith you claim you are 9 months pregnant? Are you sure you should be flying?" Society will have to evolve and decide if our quest to save the planet may be achieved by getting leaner or will the Airlines just get meaner and keep the extra money as profit. Travelling and going on holiday abroad  is an important part of our lives, but what is the ultimate cost and who should bear it? “” For more information you can visit the website!