Why this airline wants travellers to weigh in before taking off

Hundreds of passengers are said to have volunteered to weigh themselves as part of the study that kicked off this week.

People queue to check-in for a Finnair flight in Berlin. The airline is calling for voluntary passenger weigh-ins. Source: Getty, DPA / Picture Alliance

Finnish carrier Finnair has begun weighing passengers with their carry-on luggage as part of a study aimed at better determining the aircraft's weight before take-off.

The weigh-ins will take place in February, April and May and are voluntary, it said.

"Measurements began at Helsinki Airport this week on Monday ... So far, more than 500 volunteer customers have participated in the weigh-ins," Finnair spokeswoman Kaisa Tikkanen told the AFP news agency on Wednesday.

Finnair noted in a statement that flight balance calculations require airlines to know the "weight of the aircraft itself and the weight of fuel, checked baggage and cargo, onboard catering, water tanks, and of course customers".

It's not the first time Finnair has carried out such a study, having previously done so in 2017. Source: Getty / NurPhoto

Airlines may use average weights provided by aviation authorities or collect their own data, it said.

"The collected data is not linked in any way to the customer's personal data," said Satu Munnukka, head of ground processes at Finnair.

"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," she said.

It's not the first time Finnair has carried out such a study, having previously done so in 2017.

Air New Zealand also called for volunteer pre-flight weigh-ins last year to help the airline determine average passenger weights.