Both passengers and luggage will be weighed anonymously
After Air New Zealand, passengers flying on Korean Air –South Korea’s largest airline– will be asked to step on a scale before boarding their flight, the Independent reported. Korean Air confirmed on its website that it would be ”measuring the average weight of passengers along with their carry-on items for flight safety”.
The process is used to help determine the weight distribution of aircraft, and calculations need to take place every five years.
The weighing will take place in front of the gates and before boarding, The Korea Times reported.
This initiative has already been rolled out for domestic passengers at Gimpo International Airport from August 28 to September 6, followed by international passengers at Incheon International Airport from September 8 to September 19.
For any passengers who are uncomfortable about the process, the airlines said that both passengers and luggage will be weighed anonymously. If a passenger is still skeptical and chooses not to participate in these weight measurements, they can opt-out by letting a staff member know.
Once all the data is collected it will be shared with Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and will help the airlines determine how much fuel is needed and how to distribute weight onboard planes.
”The data collated anonymously will be utilized for survey purposes and doesn’t mean overweight passengers will need to pay more,” the airline said.
In July this year, Air New Zealand started weighing passengers departing on international flights from the Auckland International Airport. The flag carrier said the program, which the airline called a passenger weight survey, is a way to gather data on the weight load and distribution of planes.
Described as an ‘essential’ initiative, the survey is being used to determine the average customer weight, which pilots need to know before departure.
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