Why Air New Zealand is weighing its passengers before boarding

New Zealand airline Air New Zealand is weighing people before boarding international flights as part of a study to determine the average weight of passengers.

The airline stated that the weight will be recorded anonymously in a database and will not be visible to airline staff or other passengers.

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Air New Zealand noted that knowing the average weight of passengers would improve fuel efficiency in the future. Participation in the survey is voluntary, the airline added.

The aviation company had already weighed its passengers during domestic flights in New Zealand in 2021.

“Now that international travel is resuming, it’s time for international travelers to get involved as well,” the airline said in a press release.

“A regulatory requirement”

Before the pandemic, the airline carried more than 17 million passengers each year, with 3,400 weekly flights.

Knowing the weight of everything carried on its planes is a “regulatory requirement,” airline spokesman Alastair James explained in a video.

“We know that stepping on the scale can be intimidating. We want to assure our customers that there will be no display of the figure anywhereJames said.

“By participating in the weigh-in, you will be helping us fly safely and efficiently at all times.”

Passengers will be chosen from flights departing from Auckland Airport in New Zealand. (GETTY IMAGES).

Air New Zealand is expected to ask more than 10,000 customers traveling on its international network to take part in the survey.

Passengers are weighed at the gates of some flights departing from Auckland International Airport from May 29 to July 2.

The airline said it weighs everything on its planes, from cargo and onboard meals to hold baggage, and that for customers, crew and cabin baggage, it uses average weights based on data from surveys.

Air New Zealand is the country’s national airline and has a fleet of 104 aircraft in operation.

Source: Elcomercio