According to a new report, passengers may have to report their weight before boarding a plane.
Citing FAA guidance, the travel website View from the Wing reports that as Americans get heavier, airlines will probably have to review the amount of cargo carried by each plane for safety reasons.
According to this report, when it comes to planes that carry more than 70 passengers, approximate data based on the CDC’s standard weight estimate will be enough. But, in the case of small aircraft, you may need more accurate information about the weight of passengers and luggage.
Weighing or providing relevant information on request would be completely voluntary, the website claims. If the selected person refuses to provide their data or get on the scales, another random traveler will be asked about it. It is not yet clear whether passengers will be weighed or they will simply be asked to indicate their weight if such rules come into force.
The aviation analytics organization Air Insight Group says that the FAA would require airlines to determine the «standard average weight of passengers» through surveys conducted every 36 months. Information about the weight of people will not be disclosed at the same time.
The average male passenger with hand luggage and in winter clothes is currently estimated to weigh 190 pounds. It is likely that these figures will be revised to reflect the fact that the average man now weighs about 15 pounds more. The estimated average weight of a female passenger in the same conditions may be increased from 150 pounds to 185 pounds.
