Watch your weight! Air New Zealand has announced that it will begin weighing passengers before some international flights.
The airline announced that it will be asking more than 10,000 passengers to take part in a weight survey beginning in June.
“The survey is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the aircraft and is a Civil Aviation Authority requirement,” Air New Zealand wrote in a statement.
The survey will calculate passengers’ average weight to help the planes fly more efficiently while also remaining balanced.
It is part of a survey to fulfil a regulatory requirement by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, aimed at ensuring smooth and safe air travel.
The weight of a loaded aircraft is a crucial component in maintaining the balance of the aircraft and ensuring optimal performance. It is typically measured by adding the weight of the empty aircraft with that of the passengers, baggage and fuel. The Air New Zealand survey aims at updating its record of the first two factors.
“We weigh everything that goes on the aircraft – from the cargo to the meals onboard, to the luggage in the hold. For customers, crew and cabin bags, we use average weights, which we get from doing this survey,” Alastair James, who serves as the Load Control Improvement Specialist at the airline, said in the statement.