Airlines not only want you to reduce the weight of your suitcase

Airlines and aircraft manufacturers obsessed with reducing fuel consumption are constantly looking for new ways to reduce aircraft weight. They may have new allies in Ozempic and other similar weight loss medications.

United Airlines Holdings Inc. would save US$80 million a year if the average weight of passengers decreased by 5 kilos, according to the analyst from Jefferies Financial Sheila Kahyaoglu in a report released Friday. The study was part of a larger analysis by Jefferies of the public’s enthusiasm for the drug and the potential beneficiaries of its use.

There could be a global market of more than $100 billion for these drugs, with sales increasing rapidly through the end of the decade, the study concluded. Ozempic is manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S.

Weight is one of the main concerns for airlines, since the heavier a plane weighs, the more fuel it consumes. Fuel and labor are the two largest expenses for airlines, with fuel accounting for about 25%.

Over the years, airlines have used various methods to reduce pounds on flights, such as eliminating magazines and switching to lighter tableware, utensils, and beverage carts.

If the average passenger lost 5 kilos, 812 kilos would be reduced from each United flight, which would mean a saving of 27.6 million gallons per year, according to the analyst’s estimates.

With an average fuel price in 2023 of US$2.89 per gallon, United would save US$80 million a year. That equates to 20 cents of earnings per share, or 2% of the company’s full-year earnings estimate. Jefferies of US$ 9.50 per share, he assured.

“This benefit should be recognized similarly across all airlines“, wrote Kahyaoglu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults and one in five children are obese, or have a body mass index of 30 or higher for adults.

Jet fuel prices in New York Harbor have risen 39%, or 89 cents per gallon, over the past three months, reaching $3.19 on Friday.