Air New Zealand asking to weigh passengers before boarding

[kschachn]

I always thought they should weigh everyone. It seemed reasonable to me but what do I know.

 

[KGMtech]

I think paying more if you exceed the 'average' is valid, but then refunding for those under weight should also be done.

Not expecting a refund myself, just sayin.

 

[Astro14]

The FAA recently increased the average passenger weight that it expects airlines to use.

If you add only 10lbs of weight, on a 14 hour flight, like ANZ does coming to the US, then your fuel burn goes up by about 3lbs.

About half a gallon. Multiply that by three hundred passengers.

It is, potentially, thousands of lbs of fuel difference.

It is, potentially, the difference between being safe for take off, or being well over takeoff gross weight limits (adding the overage on each passenger plus the additional fuel required to fly the flight).

Airplanes that take off over their gross weight have a poor safety record. They often crash as a result.

 

[IndyIan]

Samoa Air has become the first airline to charge passengers according to how much they weigh. The company carries travelers on hops between Pacific islands that have some of the highest obesity rates in the world.

"Despite complaints from some overweight travelers that such policies amount to discrimination, the majority of international travelers in recent surveys support some type of weight-based fee for airline passengers. A significant number, though — 41 percent, in one recent poll — say that charging overweight passengers more amounts to "discrimination." Bhatta points out that airlines can save $3,000 per year in fuel costs for every kilogram they shave off a plane's weight, so the companies would reap benefits from a pay-as-you-weigh plan. The environment could benefit, too, as CO2 emissions would decline accordingly. But, judging by the comments sections of articles on Samoa Air's new policy, heavy frequent travelers will expect to get more if they pay more. Bigger seats, maybe? It's hardly fair, they say, to ask people to pay more and still be crammed into the same tiny, uncomfortable seats"

Should airlines charge passengers by weight?

Samoa Air becomes the first to weigh travelers and their luggage

theweek.com

"Airline defends 'pay what you weigh' ticket policy, saying families have been particularly pleased by cheaper child tickets"

Samoa Air says charging passengers by weight is 'concept of the future'

Airline defends 'pay what you weigh' ticket policy, saying families have been particularly pleased by cheaper child tickets

www.theguardian.com

We only visited the Cook Islands and sure there are some obese people, but there's also just lots of large healthy folks. The BMI needs a bit of adjustment in that area of the world if its going to be used as an indicator of health....
We did a couple island hop flights and the seats were pretty generous for space, so maybe they just buy that seating plan as they know a good percentage of the customers aren't going to fit with a cramped plan?

 

[y_p_w]

It makes sense, if there's 400 seats there can be 400 people on it. 160 lbs or 250 lbs average makes a significant difference.

Elevators have weight limits aswell, but either they weigh the cabin and don't go, or they're so small you can fit less large people.

Busses (like I drive) have weight limits too, but it's impossible to fit 100 thin people in one bus (capacity is between 90-100 people for a regular size bus), let alone bigger ones.

Elevators can sense weight though. Been there, done that.

There was the short lived 80s show Lottery! about a lottery representative and an IRS agent (to go over tax implications) going around the US hand delivering winning checks along with $5000 in $1000 bills to each winner. One episode was in Hawaii where they met up with a stereotypical obese “Auntie” and needed to fly with her in a small plane where they were asking if maybe they might be facing weight limits.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I support what ANZ is doing , it’s voluntary.

Having a hard time accepting the average weight is 190 pounds with carry on in NZ.

Must not have many McDonalds down there.

 

[kschachn]

Airplanes that take off over their gross weight have a poor safety record. They often crash as a result.

Weight and balance will get you every time.