Everyone knows about the baggage fees many airlines now charge in an effort to help stem their massive financial losses, but Jeremy Zawodny suggests airlines take it a step further by pricing tickets based on the combined weight of the passenger and his or her baggage. This strikes me as misguided on several levels.

While nobody enjoys getting a seat next to a fellow passenger who struggles to fit between the armrests, a weight-based model would penalize those of us who happen to be tall. My weight is average for my height, but I’m sure I carry a few more pounds than the average person who’s a foot shorter. Why should I have to pay more simply because my genes made me tall? I feel penalized enough every time I have to wedge my long legs into the ever-decreasing amount of leg room allocated for coach-class passenger seats.

Further complicating Jeremy’s suggestion is the thought of adding passenger weigh-ins to the already time-consuming check in process. Just imagine the long line of impatient, disaffected travelers all staring as you glumly step onto the scale, hoping that the light breakfast you took this morning will ensure there’s no increase to the price of your ticket. And wouldn’t you feel awful every time a disapproving ticketing agent notes someone’s weight—and the corresponding price hike—just a little too loudly? I can’t imagine this would boost the already-dismal customer satisfaction ratings airlines earn these days.

I don’t necessarily disagree that baggage weight should be part of the pricing equation, but last time I checked airlines already charge for excess weight. Every checked bag is allowed to weigh up to 50 lbs, and heavier bags result in extra fees. I think that’s incentive enough to pack lightly, especially now that some airlines charge just to check a bag in the first place.

There’s no doubt that the airline industry is in trouble, but more complicated systems of fees and add-ons aren’t going to save their budgets or reputations.