One Airline Wants to Weigh You Before You Board International Flights "For safety reasons, we need to know the weight of all items onboard the aircraft," the airline said.
By Madeline Garfinkle Edited by Jessica Thomas
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If you think putting your checked bag on a scale is overwhelming, imagine stepping on it yourself.
Air New Zealand announced on Tuesday that it is conducting a survey to find the average weight of travelers on international flights. The carrier said it conducts the survey every five years.
"For safety reasons, we need to know the weight of all items onboard the aircraft," the airline said.
One's weight can be an incredibly intimate thing to share (especially in a public place), so if you're imagining your weight being displayed on a sprawling overhead screen before getting onto your flight, don't fret. The carrier added that the scales don't display the weight, but rather the number is immediately "fed into a computer" and "recorded anonymously."
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It's worth noting that the process is voluntary, and passengers can simply skip the scale if they choose. Passengers will be weighed before they reach their gates, and the airline said the survey will "not delay flights." Air New Zealand aims to obtain weights of at least 10,000 passengers, according to NPR.
"We weigh everything that goes on the aircraft — from the cargo to the meals onboard, to the luggage in the hold," Alastair James, a load control specialist for Air New Zealand, told the outlet. "No one can see your weight — not even us!"
The survey began on Sunday and will run through early July.
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