Airline begins charging passengers by weight

Could you imagine paying for your airline ticket by how much you weigh? Well, Samoa Air is the first airline to implement this for ticket pricing for their passengers.

The pricing policy will see passengers enter their weight along with the weight of their baggage at the time of booking. The combined weight will then be used to calculate their fare—and the values will be verified at the airport, with customers being weighed.

The reason for the new policy? Samoa Air's fleet is largely made up of small 12-seater aircrafts, which sees passengers and baggage accounting for a much larger proportion of total takeoff weight than bigger airplaines.

"This is the fairest way of traveling. There are no extra fees in terms of excess baggage or anything – it is just a kilo is a kilo is a kilo," Samoa Air's CEO Chris Langston told Australia's ABC Radio.

Rates start at $1 per kilo (about 2.2 pounds), which includes the weight of both the flyer and baggage. Prices will vary depending on the length of the journey, but Samoa Air claims that a normal-weight family will actually see a reduction in their fare.

Langton also suggested that the move helps promote health awareness in Samoa, which has one of the world’s highest levels of obesity.

And while Langton said there's "no doubt in my mind this is the concept of the future," it will likely take major carriers quite awhile to warm up to the concept, if they ever do.

But on the other hand, did you ever think a few years ago you'd be paying for checked bags?