Airline starts weighing passengers at the gate; understand

We all know what it's like to have our luggage weighed at airport check-in. Most of us are also familiar with the “squat of shame” – the position adopted when rummaging through a bag to remove something heavy, when you have been told that your bag is only a few grams overweight.

But now, some brave airline passengers are consenting to being weighed before boarding the plane.

In a trial run by European carrier Finnair at its Helsinki Airport hub, volunteer passengers are being weighed at the boarding gate in order to allow the airline to refine weight estimates for pre-takeoff plans.

And in a nightmare scenario for anyone who has ever tried to carry an overweight cabin bag onto a plane, passengers are being weighed down along with their carry-on bags.

Fortunately for anyone carrying a bulky suitcase, weigh-ins are not linked to individual bookings or passenger data. Everything is anonymous, Päivyt Tallqvist, Finnair's senior vice president of communications, told CNN, with only the employee at the gate seeing the weight.

The test began on Monday (5) and, by Thursday morning (8), 800 volunteers had already participated, said Tallqvist, adding that the airline was “positively surprised by the number of volunteers”.

“We communicated this research to Finnair customers through our social media channels and apps, and the first volunteers proactively asked to take part, even before the equipment was set up,” she said.

They plan to weigh 1,200 passengers in the winter and more in the summer.

Tallqvist said the airline is collecting data on the average weight of passengers and their carry-on luggage “for the purposes of aircraft balancing and performance calculations necessary for the safe operation of flights.”

Heavier in winter

Airlines calculate the weight of planes – the weight of everyone on board, as well as the cargo and baggage in the hold, and things like in-flight service and tanks – before each takeoff, along with their center of gravity. An aircraft's weight and trim can affect where passengers can sit and, in some cases, even how many passengers are allowed on board and how much luggage can be carried in the hold. Every aircraft you fly has a set maximum weight for safe takeoff.

“While airlines know the weight of all other aspects, the weight of customers and their carry-on luggage is calculated using average weights confirmed by the Civil Aviation Authority,” said Tallqvist.

Airlines generally use average passenger weights provided by the European Aviation Safety Authority, but may also use their own, approved by the authorities. Finnair has been using its own measurements since 2018, but these must be updated every five years – hence the update.

Korean Air conducted its own weighing program in 2023, while Air New Zealand also carried out a weight survey last year.

Finnair is collecting data for both winter and summer, as passengers tend to wear heavier clothing and coats during Finland's cold winters. Winter weighings will be completed in February, and summer weighings will be completed between April and May.

The airline says it will calculate an average weight from the measurements taken and send the data to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency for verification. The weights will be used for loading calculations from 2025 to 2030.

And although many passengers prefer to keep their weight a secret, Satu Munnukka, head of ground processes at Finnair, assured nervous passengers in a statement that “the data collected is in no way linked to the customer's personal data”.

Munnukka added: “We record the total weight and basic information of the customer and their hand luggage, but we do not ask for the name or booking number, for example.

“Only the customer service agent working at the measurement point can see the total weight, so you can participate in the study with peace of mind.”