A major airline is asking its passengers to be weighed before boarding its planes.
New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority says staff at Auckland International Airport must get Air New Zealand international passengers to step onto the scales before flights. The aim of the passenger weight survey, which will run until July 2 this year, is to gather data on weight load and distribution for planes.
Travellers will be asked to stand on a digital scale when they check in for their flight, and their weight will be submitted without being visible to the checking agent. Passengers will also be asked to place their luggage on another identical scale for separate weighing.
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Alastair James, the airline’s load control improvement specialist, said that before each take-off the pilot needs to know the weight and balance of the loaded aircraft. The weighing of passengers will be voluntary and anonymous.
He added: "We weigh everything that goes on the aircraft – from the cargo to the meals onboard, to the luggage in the hold. For customers, crew and cabin bags, we use average weights, which we get from doing this survey.
"We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere. No-one can see your weight – not even us! It's completely anonymous. It's simple, it's voluntary, and by weighing in, you'll be helping us to fly you safely and efficiently, every time."
Air New Zealand previously asked travellers to be weighed before flights in 2021, but only domestic passengers were involved at the time. The international survey was delayed due to the Covid pandemic.
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