In an effort to promote fuel efficiency, Air New Zealand announced Monday that the carrier will request passengers to weigh themselves before boarding an international flight.
The company said that over the course of the next few weeks, it will ask over 10,000 clients traveling on overseas flights to “take part in its passenger weight survey before they board,” CNBC reported. This pilot program seeks to limit the use of fossil fuel usage.
Air New Zealand to ask passengers to weigh themselves before boarding international flights #BreakingNews #Breaking #CNBC https://t.co/bzY6ORLUxS
— Brett Murphy (@bmurphypointman) May 31, 2023
This data will go straight to Air New Zealand pilots on individual flights, who will need to know the “weight and balance” of the aircraft prior to every takeoff. (RELATED: Two Pilots Dead After Small Plane Bound For Hawaii Crashes 40 Miles Off The Coast Of California)
“Now that international travel is back up and running, it’s time for international flyers to weigh in,” the airline said in a statement cited by the CNBC report.
The carrier conveyed that the customers can expect the weight survey to be carried out at the entrance into the gate lounge corridor for a number of flights set to fly out of Auckland International Airport from the end of May through July 2 of this year.
“We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere,” Alastair James, a press officer who focuses on load control for Air New Zealand stated.
Air New Zealand’s weight survey will take place on some flights from May 31-July 2, 2023.
The airline promised there will be no visible displays anywhere and the weigh-in data will remain anonymous even to airline staff.https://t.co/YWIEL1Q8YF pic.twitter.com/gd8e0UByGd
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 31, 2023
“By weighing in, you’ll be helping us fly safely and efficiently every time,” James said. (RELATED: Massive Whale-Looking Aircraft, The Airbus Beluga, Struck By Lightning Moments After Takeoff)
This is not the first time the company has has passengers hop on the scale before their flight, with it also doing so back in 2021 during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.