This Leading Airline Is Measuring Passenger Weights—Here’s the Reason Behind It

Air New Zealand has announced it will request over 10,000 international passengers to step on a scale as part of a 'weight survey' running until July 2.

Travelers on specific international routes will be asked to weigh in at the gate lounge for flights leaving Auckland International Airport between May 29 and July 2, 2023. The airline states that this survey is crucial for the safe and efficient management of the aircraft, as mandated by New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority.

“We understand that stepping on the scale can feel intimidating,” said Alastair James, Air New Zealand’s load control improvement specialist, in a statement addressing concerns about the new procedure.

“We want to assure our customers that there will be no visible display. No one can see your weight—not even us! It’s entirely anonymous,” James added.

According to the regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines may determine average passenger weight through regular surveys or use the standard weight established by the authority, which is 190 pounds for individuals aged 13 and older, including carry-on luggage, as reported by the Associated Press. The authority last updated the average weight in 2004, raising it from 170 pounds.

However, the AP noted that New Zealanders are becoming heavier, with the latest national health survey revealing an adult obesity rate of 34 percent, up from 31 percent the previous year. Additionally, childhood obesity rates have risen to 13 percent, compared to 10 percent a year earlier.

This isn’t the first instance of Air New Zealand requesting passengers to weigh in. The airline previously conducted a similar survey for domestic flights in 2021.

“Prior to every take-off, the pilot must be informed about the weight and balance of the loaded aircraft,” stated Air New Zealand in an announcement.

As per the airline, participating in the weight measurement is voluntary, and by weighing in, passengers will contribute to flying safely and efficiently.

“At times, it’s essential to adjust the average data that airlines rely on for calculating fuel requirements,” said John Grant, a partner at the aviation consulting firm Midas Aviation, in an interview with Dinogo.

He noted that when Air New Zealand launched its nonstop flights from New York City, they encountered initial difficulties regarding aircraft range and payload, occasionally leaving behind either luggage or passengers.

“I believe this survey and the weighing of passengers are part of their ongoing research into the matter and are simply examples of sound operational practice,” Grant remarked.

Could U.S. airlines begin weighing passengers as well?

In 2019, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released an advisory on aircraft weight and balance control to update a similar advisory from 2005. The FAA explained that airlines have long utilized average weights for passengers and luggage in their weight and balance calculations.

“However, discrepancies can arise between the actual weight of passengers and baggage and the average weights used,” noted the FAA.

For larger aircraft, which make up the majority of commercial planes, the FAA recommends that if an operator finds the standard average weights may not accurately represent passenger and baggage weights for specific routes or areas, “the operator should conduct a survey”—similar to the one currently being implemented at Air New Zealand.

In fact, some airlines are already doing this. Hawaiian Airlines initiated a passenger weight survey for flights between Honolulu and Pago Pago in American Samoa on June 5, according to airline spokesperson Alex Da Silva's comments to Dinogo.

“While this is a new survey, it’s not an unfamiliar practice as we have historically conducted similar surveys in American Samoa and other regions, in line with FAA requirements,” Da Silva explained.

The current FAA guidelines, based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state that the average weight for an adult passenger plus carry-on luggage is 190 pounds in summer and 195 pounds in winter; this is an increase from the previous averages of 170 pounds in summer and 175 pounds in winter (the figures include an additional 10 pounds for winter attire and 5 pounds for summer clothing).

For airlines that believe these averages do not truly reflect their operational reality, the FAA suggests conducting a survey to obtain a more accurate assessment of passenger and baggage weights. The FAA emphasizes that surveys should take place at airports accounting for at least 15 percent of an airline's daily departures, that passengers should be randomly selected, and that their privacy must be safeguarded—“the scale readout should remain concealed from public view,” the FAA stated, adding, “Operators should ensure that any collected passenger weight data is kept confidential.”

Should we anticipate more U.S. airlines implementing passenger weighing? Not necessarily, according to Gary Leff, a travel expert with the View from the Wing blog, who wrote about the issue in 2021.

“I do not foresee widespread passenger weighing,” Leff stated in an email to Dinogo. “Essentially, airlines rely on averages for passenger weight and occasionally reassess their validity. They can typically depend on CDC data. However, certain cities and routes may differ from those averages.”

Leff noted that weight considerations “are more significant for smaller planes—[as] fewer passengers are more likely to stray from statistical averages.”

The importance of airline passenger weight

When an aircraft is burdened with excessive weight, it can jeopardize its fuel capacity, cruising speed, maneuverability, and takeoff and landing performance, the FAA reports. This is why the topic of passenger weight occasionally arises, focusing on whether the established industry standard for average or maximum passenger weight remains a reliable figure for airlines or if it needs reevaluation.

“Adhering to the weight and balance limits of any aircraft is essential for flight safety. Exceeding the maximum weight limit compromises the aircraft's structural integrity and negatively impacts its performance,” stated the FAA.

In November 2022, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) published the findings of a study aimed at “surveying and determining the average weight of passengers.” This survey followed a similar analysis conducted by EASA in 2008, which revealed an increase in the average weight of male and female passengers along with their checked baggage. The 2008 study recommended that another survey be conducted within ten years (or thirteen, in this case) to assess whether the average weight of the European population had risen again.

Interestingly, the findings from the 2022 EASA report (based on a 2021 survey at six European airports) indicated that there was no significant change in the average weights of passengers compared to the 2008 study.