Finnair to check passengers weight before flight

Finnair ticket holders will be weighted at he Helsinki Airport. During November the airline will be doing a first phase of collecting data of the passengers weight and their carry-ons. The data collected will be used to calculate an airplane’s weight and balance. Before that, Finnair used the standards from European Aviation Safety Agency released back in 2009: the man carrying the bag weights 88 kg, a woman — 70 kg and anyone under 12 year old — 35 kg. 

«Loads are different in the summer, for example, when people don't have their winter jackets and shoes and other paraphernalia. There is also a considerable seasonal difference in hand luggage weight for business and leisure travelers», said Finnair's spokesperson and adds: «The scales will measure the combined weight of the passengers and their hand luggage. No one but the customer service provider will see the results, which will be entered into the database anonymously». 

Finnair will also collect data about the passenger’s age, gender, travel purpose, passenger class and checked-in luggage. After the first phase of information collecting is done, they will decide on the next weighting session to accumulate more statistics — this number will be between 1,000 and 1,500. In other words be prepared to have a weighting option when traveling through Helsinki this winter and next spring.