Air New Zealand to weigh international passengers before flying

Air New Zealand will ask passengers to weigh themselves before boarding international flights in a trial that aims to improve fuel efficiency.

The carrier said Monday that over the coming weeks it will ask more than 10,000 customers traveling on its international network to take part in its passenger weight survey before they board.

Air New Zealand said pilots need to know the weight and balance of the loaded aircraft before each take off.

The move comes after a rebound in international travel over the past year or so following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

“Now that international travel is back up and running, it’s time for international flyers to weigh in,” the airline said in a statement.

The company previously weighed travelers on its domestic flights in 2021.

“We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere,” Air New Zealand’s Alastair James said in a press release.

“By weighing in, you’ll be helping us fly safely and efficiently every time,” James said.

Air New Zealand said its survey would take place at the entrance to the gate lounge of certain flights departing from Auckland International Airport between May 29 and July 2.

It is not the first airline to ask travelers to weigh themselves before flying.

Finnish airline Finnair previously started weighing its passengers back in 2017, with the aim of updating decade-old data on average passenger weights.

That’s because many carriers still use data from the European Aviation Safety Agency that dates back to 2009.