Air New Zealand is putting passengers on weighing scales before they board international flights
Airlines have always been concerned about the weight of their passengers' checked luggage, but have you ever heard of those that are wary of their passenger's heaviness as well?
It's a practice that not many travelers were aware of until Air New Zealand began making headlines for weighing passengers for its international flights.
According to a CNBC report, New Zealand's flag carrier announced that it would ask passengers to weigh themselves before boarding certain international flights at the Auckland International Airport from May 29 until June 2.
The move is part of the airline's passenger weight survey which aims to increase its aircraft's fuel efficiency in the future.
With the survey being conducted among 10,000 passengers, pilots will be able to determine the weight and balance of the aircraft before each takeoff, according to Air New Zealand.
Naturally, the lower the weight of the aircraft, the lesser its engine would have to work, resulting in less fuel consumption.
“Now that international travel is back up and running, it’s time for international flyers to weigh in,” the airline said in a press release. "By weighing in, you’ll be helping us fly safely and efficiently every time."
Passengers participating in Air New Zealand's passenger weight survey wouldn't have to worry about other people knowing their weight, though.
“We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere,” Air New Zealand load control improvement specialist Alastair James said in the press release.
Prior to this, the airline weighed its passengers boarding domestic flights in 2021.
The move also comes years after Finnish airline Finnair conducted a similar survey among 180 of its passengers in 2017. According to USA Today, the airline collected the data to verify the accuracy of the data it has been using to calculate the total weight, fuel, and safety of its airplanes during flights.
Finnair said that the feedback from participating passengers was positive and reflected that they understood the importance of the survey.