US Airlines on Domestic Routes May Start Weighing Passengers

US Airlines may need to start weighing passengers in order to conform with FAA rules. For safety reasons, carriers need to calculate an aircraft’s weight and balance, and it has to be within allowable limits for the plane. The smaller the aircraft, the less variance you can accept in terms of the differences in weights between passengers

The issue is that airline figures on weight can also be outdated as America as a country gets bigger and bigger and the overall weight levels are no longer in sync. The federal Centers for Disease Control & Prevention said the average adult woman weighed 166.2 pounds in 2010, up from about 140 pounds in 1960, that is about 20% more. Americans are continually getting heavier than residents in other countries. The average American is 33 pounds heavier than the average Frenchman, 40 pounds heavier than the average Japanese citizen and 70 pounds heavier than the average citizen of Bangladesh.

So now the U.S.A federal government wants airlines to find out how much heavier their passengers have gotten, at least for smaller aircraft. The FAA realizes that passenger weight can vary by route and airlines may want to document this difference. Some of these standard weight calculations may no longer be appropriate for smaller planes.

Another report from a few years ago claimed airlines could be considering the idea of weighing passengers before they board flights to better estimate how much fuel is needed for each specific journey.

Samoa Air – Pay What you Weigh

This is different from Samoa Air, which operates two small aircraft to fly between four destinations in the South Pacific, who started asking passengers to declare their weight when booking online.

Passengers are charged for their travel, depending on the length of the route and the weight of the passenger, combined with the volume of luggage they choose to carry.

Their weight is double-checked at the airport to ensure that they have not deliberately underdeclared their size.

What’s Next for US Airline Weigh Ins?

The US Airline domestic weigh-in may be happening sooner than we think and it may also become part of standard and regular procedure. since “the FAA recommends operators accomplish such a review every 36 calendar-months.”

The good news, at least for now, is that passengers who are to be selected at random will be able to opt-out of the voluntary weigh in if they want to. In addition, when airlines add scales at boarding gates, the FAA instructs that the scale’s “readout should remain hidden from public view” to protect passenger privacy.

Another option could be that airports could fit ‘pressure pads’ in the bag-drop area in front of each screen. Once the luggage has been checked in, the system can then record that passengers weight and pass on confidentially to the airline.”

In any case, it will not be on display for all to see like the scale the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas. This restaurant has a large scale outside which you may want to use if you finish their famous Quadruple Bypass Burger which clocks in at a whopping 9,982 calories!

Read Next >>> Best USA Family Beach Vacations

Author
Recent Posts

Travelon Jo

Travelon Jo is a mom and travel blogger who believes that taking your kids travelling is one of the best things you can do for them. As a former travel agent, she knows all about the ins and outs of planning a trip, and loves nothing more than sharing her knowledge with others.