Lighter lunches, less alcohol and even streamlined cutlery are on the menu on Asian airlines as they shed excess weight in scores of little ways in a bid to cut down escalating fuel costs.
With every gram carried on board equating to fuel, airlines are taking a closer look at what’s on board and making some inventive changes to cut their fuel costs - some which passengers may notice, many they won’t, and others they most definitely should.
While lighter cutlery with in-flight meals, cutting down on the amount of wine, beer and water carried on board and even ditching heavyweight magazines in favour of more lightweight reading – literally, may hardly raise eyebrows with the flying public, reducing heavy fuel reserves is already sending jitters from the cockpit to coach in planes that ply the skies above Asia.
“Generally the majority of consumers have lowered their expectations when flying,” says Dr. Marc-David Seidel, an Associate Professor of Commerce at the University of B.C.’s Sauder School of Business, and an expert in aviation policy and practice.
Still, adds Seidel, there are often side effects to desperate dieting - “a few pilot unions have filed complaints about reduced fuel loads being a safety issue.”
In the cabins of the major Asian airlines, consumers are only now beginning to feel the squeeze as anything that can be jettisoned pre-flight is being shed from the plane.
Japan’s largest airliner Japan Airlines Corp (JAL) has shaved 2.5 kg per flight by introducing spoons and forks that are two grams lighter for its non-business class passengers. Its in-flight audio programs have also been made a few pages thinner by squashing Japanese and English text side-by-side.
However, the most weight being lifted is in the cargo section where JAL has introduced glass fibre containers to cut some 26 kilograms per load.
All Nippon Airways Co (ANA), meanwhile, have decided to stock its alcohol section with quarter bottles of wine instead of full bottles, but has assured passengers that this will not lead them to run out mid-route, insisting: “We had loaded too much before.”
The company has also changed seats on domestic flight planes - introducing a lighter carbon fibre seat frame that reportedly will save the airline 40,000 litres per aircraft each year. For passengers it has brought welcomed widened legroom, according to a spokesman, although the downside is reduced “cushion” in their seats.
“The impact of technology on the most recent set of cuts is quite high,” says Seidel. “ As airlines are able to charge for various “add-ons” such as meals, drinks, seat type, baggage, etc. more effectively using technology, you will see more and more segmenting of costs into separate items for sale.”
Other airlines are taking more short-term measures. Singapore Airlines has already introduced lightweight carts and service-ware for meals on board its new A380, the world’s largest passenger jet - a move which will eventually be extended to other aircraft.
“We’re also eliminating heavy magazines and opting for lightweight reading instead,” said a spokesperson, although he declined to reveal the publications that would be scrapped.
Professor Seidel says it is difficult enough for airlines to run profitably when oil prices are lower – in the current environment it is a make-or-break challenge.
“This is highlighted by the large number of airline failures the past year has seen,” he said.
Invariably, it is the consumer who gets hit in the travel wallet.
“Until there is a good alternative to airline travel it is difficult to have a full fledged (public) backlash if the whole industry moves in the same direction,” explains Seidel.
“The public varies on this issue. Some would prefer to fly the most discounted fares for the least service and others would prefer to pay a premium. 
“The trick for the airlines is to find a proper mix that hits the ‘Sweet spot’ on the supply/demand curve.  You may notice that as some of these cuts have been coming there have been some additional marketing invested in upgrading business class and first class service. This is triggered by the segmenting of the market.”
Mahmood Poonja, ‘Chief Explorer’ with Burnaby’s Bestway Tours & Safaris, a travel agency that books boutique holidays to Asia, has a more cynical outlook.
He suggests that even as fuel prices are beginning to come down, there are still “hidden” taxes in current fuel costs that the airlines will continue to pass along to the consumer.
“So far there has been a lot of talk - but no real action,” says Poonja, describing the publics’ reaction to the in-flight cost crunch, and that of Canadian travel agents.
“By allowing other charges to be incorporated in the tax column, the government has basically made us all weak as the airlines are clearly carrying that picture across that it is not the fares but the taxes - and how many times have we been effective winning tax battles against the big brother?”
Still, Poonja agrees with the commerce professor when it comes to those willing to pay premium for a comfortable long-haul flight.
“There will always be a segment of the population that would be ready to pay the higher fare to get better service and that is why business class sections in the aircraft are only an eighth in capacity than coach class,” he added.
But UBC’s Dr. Seidel sounds a cautionary note for airlines, suggesting that while some travellers are prepared to pay premium, others will vacation closer to home.
“Some of the elastic demand will shift to non-air alternatives,” he said. “There has been a branding of those types of vacations as “staycations” by some in the media.”
Meanwhile, Asian airlines continue to reduce loads to cut costs, in some cases in ways that may make “staycations” the preferred choice of travellers already anxious over heightened airport security and routine terrorism alerts.
Thai Airways International (THAI) is seeking to reduce its weight load by skimping on fuel reserves, a policy that might cause some jitters among passengers although the airline insists the policy is in keeping with European safety standards.
The national carrier is aiming to halve its contingency fuel reserves as part of its weight-loss measures.
One THAI executive said such a move on the Bangkok-London route, for instance, would mean shedding about two tonnes in weight - amounting to a fuel reduction that would save $800.
And then, their are the continuing cuts to comfort and convenience.
In the Philippines, airlines have taken less innovative measures to cut weight. Flagship carrier Philippine Airlines has already limited free checked in baggage to 23 kg on its North American service, while domestic carrier Air Philippines has cut its daily service from Manila to three southern cities.
Others are looking to more expensive, long-term methods such as replacing their fuel guzzling aircraft with more fuel-efficient aircraft.
The same move is being employed by Hong Kong’s flagship airline Cathay Pacific, which sees fuel-efficient aircraft and route management as the key to saving fuel.
But the prize for the most “innovative” weight watching has to go to India’s Kingfisher, which has admitted saving pennies on their fuel bill by reducing the amount of washroom water carried on board. They are encouraging passengers not to “spend a penny” (visit the washroom).
“Our planes are flying with half or less than half-filled water tank as it lightens the load and reduces fuel consumption. And we are not the only airline doing this,” a Kingfisher airline senior official told the Daily Telegraph.
With experts claiming that every flush at 30,000 feet saves enough fuel to power a car for 10 km, this move is not as silly as you would first think. As the well-worn adage goes: “Every little bit helps.”
- With files from IANS