Airline From This Country Plans To Weigh Passengers With Check-In Luggage Before Take-Off

Finnair is introducing a voluntary and anonymous passenger weighing program at departure gates. The data collected will be used to optimise aircraft balance calculations.

Each aircraft has a maximum weight limit for safe take-off, including fuel, baggage, cargo, catering, water tanks, and passengers. Airlines typically use average weights confirmed by aviation authorities to calculate passenger and carry-on baggage weights. Alternatively, they can use their own measurements, confirmed by authorities, or standard weights set by aviation safety regulators like EASA.

Since 2018, Finnair has used average weights determined based on its own measurements, but the authorities require these figures to be updated every five years. With the previous measurements having been taken in 2017 and 2018, it’s now time to collect updated data. “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,” Satu Munnukka, Head of Ground Processes at Finnair, said in a statement on Feb 5.

“We record the total weight and background information of the customer and their carry-on baggage, but we do not ask for the name or booking number, for example. Only the customer service agent working at the measuring point can see the total weight, so you can participate in the study with peace of mind.” The airline said that average weights calculated based on the measurements will be delivered to Traficom – The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency – between July and September 2024, and after confirming the weights, they’ll use them for aircraft balance and loading calculations between 2025–2030.

Notably, the weighment area will rotate around a select number of our flights’ departure gates in Helsinki Airport. More importantly, the scheme will cover selected European flights within Helsinki Airport’s Schengen area and a number of long-haul flights departing from the non-Schengen side. “We weigh volunteer customers together with their carry-on baggage. In the measurement, we do not ask for personal data, but the total weight of the customer and carry-on baggage, the customer’s age, gender and travel class are recorded in the database. No information is collected that would allow participants to be identified,” Munnukka said.

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