South Korean airline Korean Air announced that it will weigh some passengers on its flights starting next week. At the same time, they emphasized that the measurements would be completely anonymous.
According to the statement issued by the airline, weight measurements for some passengers will be carried out at two airports in Seoul: from August 28 to September 6 at Gimpo Airport and from September 8 to 19 at Incheon Airport. The airline confirmed that the measurements will be anonymous and the data will be submitted to the Ministry of Land, Transport and Infrastructure. The announcement stressed that if passengers do not want to be weighed, they can refuse by informing airport staff.
CNN, which reported on the issue, points out that weighing passengers is not usually a whim of airlines, but rather a measure resulting from government regulations. This seems to be the case here as well. In a statement sent to Insider, Korean Air officials confirmed that the weight follows a local government order that likely includes other Korean airlines as well. “The data will be used in the survey, and overweight passengers will not have to pay more” – confirmed in a statement quoted by Insider.
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They also weighed passengers in New Zealand
Why does the government collect passenger weight data? CNN reports that in May, Air New Zealand announced that it would weigh passengers on intercontinental flights before boarding. At the time, the complete anonymity of the measurements was guaranteed. “We know your weight can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers that the scale will not be displayed on any display. No one will see your weight, not even us,” the statement read.
As CNN points out, Air New Zealand had already conducted a similar study in 2021, but at the time it only concerned passengers traveling within the country. In the past, airlines in other countries also weighed their customers, including Finland.
The Simple Flying industry portal states that the weight of passengers is to ensure their safety. The weight of the people on board, as well as their distribution, are important factors in maintaining flight stability and determining the amount of fuel a machine needs.
See also: How much should a flight attendant weigh? Airlines have given “pattern”
Main image source: Clash
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