An airline will ask passengers to step on the scales along with their hand luggage before boarding their flights next month.
Air New Zealand is set to ask over 10,000 people flying during the month of June to take part in its passenger weight survey, which has been hailed as "essential" for improving aircraft safety.
The initiative has already been carried out for the airline's domestic flight network back in 2021 and it will soon be kicking off for international travellers after being delayed due to the pandemic.
The airline has said that this survey has been designed to find out the average weight and balance of the loaded aircraft.
But it's an entirely voluntary scheme, so passengers are free to decline taking part if they don't want to be weighed.
In a bid to encourage flyers who might be unsure to participate in the survey, Air New Zealand's load control improvement specialist Alastair James reassured that the number on the scales would not be visible to anyone.
He said: "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."
The initiative is a requirement from New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority as it helps to ensure the "safe and efficient operation of the aircraft".
Everything that goes on an airplane is weighed beforehand, including hold luggage, cargo and even the meals onboard.
And to find out the weight of the passengers and crew, average numbers are needed, gathered by surveys just like this one.
The weighing will take place at the entrance to the gate lounge on certain Air New Zealand flights coming out of Auckland International Airport until July 2, 2023.
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