By July 2, 2023, New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority is requiring that its national airline, Auckland International Airport, weigh passengers departing on international flights from Auckland International Airport.
The program, which Air New Zealand calls a passenger weight survey, is a way to gather data about the weight load and distribution of planes, the airline said.
We weigh everything that goes on the aircraft, from the cargo to the meals onboard, to the luggage in the hold, Mr James said in a statement. We use average weights for customers, crew and cabin bags, which we get from doing this survey. However, it's a personal matter that doesn't everyone want to discuss. The airline said it has made the data anonymous in order to protect individuals' privacy.
When they check in for their flight, visitors will be asked to stand on a digital scale. The data about their weight is then sent to the survey but will not be visible on the agent's screen.
They will then place their luggage on another identical scale for separate weighing.
We know it can be tough to walk on the scales, but we know it can be challenging. We want to reassure our customers that there is no visible display anywhere. No one can see your weight, not even us, James said.
This isn't the first time that airline NZ has asked passengers to step on the scales before boarding their flights. In 2021, international travelers were asked to take part in a survey, but the survey for domestic passengers was delayed due to the pandemic.
The surveys suggest that those traveling on the direct flight from Auckland to JFK Airport are among the people who may be asked to take part in the survey.
The 17-hour route was launched last fall as a lynchpin of Air NZ's post-pandemic strategy. It's also one of the longest flights in the world.