08 February 2024 , 10:42
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An airline has started weighing passengers as well as luggage before they board.
Finnair has announced that initial weigh-ins will be voluntary and were being carried out to work out exactly how loaded planes are - information which can help to work out the fuel efficiency of aircraft.
Budget airlines work at very low margins on many flights, meaning the difference between a profit making and loss making flight can be determined by how heavy a plane is and how much extra jet fuel has to be used.
Kaisa Tikkanen, spokesperson for Finnair, said: "Measurements began at Helsinki Airport this week on Monday. So far, more than 500 volunteer customers have participated in the weigh-ins."
She explained that calculating the total weight of a plane, including all elements such as fuel, checked baggage and cargo, onboard catering, water tanks, and of course, the passengers, is crucial for making flights safer.
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Finnair is asking for volunteers to be weighed (No credit)Satu Munnukka, head of ground processes at Finnair, assured passengers that their weight would be seen only by the individual managing the scales, adding: "Only the customer service agent working at the measuring point can see the total weight, so you can participate in the study with peace of mind."
Although there is no suggestion that the weigh-ins would be anything but voluntary in the future, not everyone is happy with the idea.
On X/formerly Twitter, one person announced that they would "not flying Finnair any time soon". Another said they "won't be fat shamed by a bloody airline".
A third chimed in: "Finnair are to start weighing their passengers? Have I read that correctly? I am utterly shocked! And disgusted".
Last year an easyJet flight crew had to ask 19 individuals to leave as the plane was too heavy to fly from Arrecife in Lanzarote to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
At the time EasyJet spokesperson explained: "EasyJet can confirm that 19 passengers on flight EZY3364 from Lanzarote to Liverpool volunteered to travel on a later flight as a result of the aircraft being over the weight limits for the weather conditions. This is a routine operational decision in these circumstances and weight restrictions are in place for all airlines for safety reasons."
In May last year New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority ruled that staff at Auckland International Airport must get Air New Zealand passengers to step onto the scales ahead of international flights until July 2, 2023.
The aim of the month and a half long project was to gather data on the weight load and distribution for planes, the airline said. The Mirror has contacted the NZ CAA to inquire about the findings of the project.
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