Airline passengers now expected to share how much they weigh before boarding flights bluebloodz.com has learnt.
The measure was suggested based on the fact and statistics that Americans are getting “fatter” and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is concerned aircraft may be overloaded.
Hence, Airline carriers are now being tasked with an extra work of calculating the weight and balance of their aircraft to ensure it is within allowable limits for the safety of the plane.
Due to the Increasing rates of obesity in the United States, the standard numbers used by the airline industry to calculate the average weight of passenger is likely outdated and thus, unsafe to use.
The new pending requirements, reviewed by airline industry publication AirInsightGroup, showed that airlines would be mandated to take surveys to set “standard average passenger weights” for crew members, baggage and passengers through random sampling and call on passengers to participate.
According to AirInsightGroup, Irrespective of the sampling method to be used, an operator has the option of surveying each passenger and bag aboard the aircraft and should give a passenger the right to decline to participate in any passenger or weight survey,” the guidance states.
The survey is to be carried out on a voluntary basis. In other words, if a passenger refuses to participate, the airline operators are advised to select another traveler at random, according to the guidance.