Finnair says their voluntary weighing policy is improving flight safety.
A European airline began asking passengers to weigh themselves before flights on Monday.
Finnish airline Finnair is asking travelers at Helsinki Airport to voluntarily step on the scales at the departure gates.
The company hopes the measurement can help estimate a plane’s weight before takeoff.
Although the airline has already voluntarily weighed 800 passengers, some travelers have expressed concerns about “body shaming” and weight-based fines.
So why do airlines have to value customers and you have the right to say no?
Why do airlines weigh passengers?
Finnair highlighted that their weighing option is set to improve flight safety and will not be used to penalize passengers – the process is anonymous and names and booking numbers are not recorded.
Every aircraft has a set maximum weight above which it is unsafe to fly. Airline companies they can use official data from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to estimate how much a plane weighs or make standard weight measurements.
Finnair chose the latter option because it provides a more accurate picture of current passengers and passengers hand luggage weights, but safety authorities require the investigation to be renewed every five years.
“We hope to have a good sample of volunteers, both business and leisure travellers, this time too, so that we can get the most accurate information possible for important budget calculations,” says Satu Munnukka, ground process manager at Finnair.
“We will need data for both the winter and summer seasons: in the winter season people generally wear heavier clothes, which affects weight,” adds Finnair spokesperson Päivyt Tallqvist.
THE airline company it will continue the scheme until May, after which it will send its data to the Finnish transport and communications agency, Traficom, to inform aircraft balance and load calculations from next year until 2030.
The last time Finnair carried out weighing operations was in 2017 and it is not the only airline to do so.
Late last year, Korea Air announced it would weigh passengers at Gimpo International Airport, while Air New Zealand did the same last June for passengers departing Auckland Airport on international flights. flights.
Do you have the right to refuse airline weighing operations?
The introduction of weighing airline passengers has been controversial: Korea Air had to backtrack on its mandatory policy after public criticism.
If you’re traveling with Finnair in the coming months, there’s no obligation to step on the scale, points out Kate Staniforth, marketing manager at Travel Republic.
“Passengers flying with Finnair should be aware that these ‘weigh-ins’ are voluntary and should not feel obliged to participate,” he says.
“However, once passengers decide to complete the weighing, they are assured that the information will remain anonymous and only the customer service agent working at the measurement point can see the total weight.”
The only personal information recorded is the total weight of the customer and hand luggage, the customer’s age, gender and travel class. No information that allows the identification of participants is collected.
“Airline companies they have the option of using average weights provided by aviation authorities or collecting their own data, like Finnair,” adds Staniforth.
“Given the controversy that has arisen over the topic, with people accusing the airline of ‘body shaming’ and negative reactions on social media, other airlines may be reluctant to follow suit and choose to use the averages provided by the authorities .”
Image:Getty Images
Who cares about passenger weighing? We should focus on legroom and better food!
Wow, I cant believe people are actually against airlines weighing passengers! Its for safety, people!
Are you serious? Weighing passengers is a blatant invasion of privacy. If safety is the issue, lets focus on improving aircraft technology and training. We dont need airlines treating us like cattle just to ensure a smooth takeoff.
I dont mind the weighing, as long as they serve unlimited snacks! 🍿🍔🤷♂️
Unlimited snacks may sound appealing, but lets not ignore the potential health consequences. Prioritizing proper nutrition over unlimited indulgence is essential. Its about finding a balance, my friend. 🥦🍎👍
Comment:
I say let the airlines weigh us all, but only if they serve us unlimited ice cream! 🍦✈️
Reader:
Unlimited ice cream on flights? Seriously? Lets prioritize safety and comfort over indulgence. Passengers weights impact fuel usage and aircraft balance. Airlines have a responsibility to maintain both. So, while ice cream sounds tempting, lets focus on what really matters.