Backlash after airline starts weighing passengers
<p>Finnair has announced that they will start weighing passengers and their luggage, as part of their latest data collection. </p>
<p>The flagship airline for Finland has copped some backlash following this move, which they claim is designed to improve balance calculations which will enhance flight safety, according to the<em> NY Post</em>. </p>
<p>“Finnair will collect data by weighing volunteering customers and their carry-on baggage at the departure gate,” according to a statement from the company. </p>
<p>“The weighing is voluntary and anonymous, and the data will only be used to optimise Finnair’s current aircraft balance calculations.”</p>
<p>The airline said that weighing passengers would help ensure that they wouldn't exceed the set maximum weight that a plane can bear before take off. </p>
<p>“We use the weighing data for the average calculations required for the safe operation of flights, and the collected data is not linked in any way to the customer’s personal data,” head of Finnair’s ground processes, Satu Munnukka said. </p>
<p>Munnukka also said that the airline won't ask for the passengers name or booking number. </p>
<p>Many were left shocked by the move taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice their fury. </p>
<p>“#Finair are to start weighing their passengers? Have I read that correctly? I am utterly shocked! And disgusted,” wrote one person. </p>
<p>“I will not be travelling via @Finair as I won’t be #fatshamed by a bloody airline. Am I alone? (ie I never weight myself: my choice)" another person tweeted. </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What do you make of this one then?</p>
<p>An airline has announced it will begin weighing passengers with their carry-on luggage in order to better estimate the plane's weight before take-off.</p>
<p>The controversial move comes from Finnish carrier Finnair, who told media they began… <a href="https://t.co/EqEyTQXROG">pic.twitter.com/EqEyTQXROG</a></p>
<p>— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) <a href="https://twitter.com/darrengrimes_/status/1755276929853231333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p>This comes after Air New Zealand announced that they too will weigh passengers travelling internationally in May last year. </p>
<p>“We weigh everything that goes on the aircraft – from the cargo to the meals on-board, to the luggage in the hold,” Alastair James, Air New Zealand load control improvement specialist, said at the time. </p>
<p>“For customers, crew and cabin bags, we use average weights, which we get from doing this survey.”</p>
<p>Finnair joins Korean Air, Hawaiian Air, Uzbekistan Airways and Air New Zealand in the group of airlines that are weighing their customers. </p>
<p><em>Image: Getty/ X</em></p>
<p> </p>
