Finnair is now weighing passengers at the gate in Helsinki Airport prior to boarding their flight . Airport. Photo courtesy of Finnair/Release
European carrier Finnair is now weighing passengers at the gate before they board the plane as a way to estimate how much the jet will weigh at takeoff. But it’s not mandatory. Advertisement
Volunteers are stepping forward as part of an experiment by the carrier at the Helsinki Airport to be weighed so the Finnair flight crew can arrive at a better estimate of how much the plane will weigh once passengers and baggage are onboard, and make adjustments, if needed, before takeoff.
And they aren’t just being weighed by themselves, but while holding their carry-on bag. The weights, however, are not linked to individual passengers or tickets and are completely anonymous.
“The collected data is not linked in any way to the customer’s personal data,” said Satu Munnukka, Finnair’s head of ground processes. “We record the total weight and background information of the customer and their carry-on baggage, but we do not ask for the name or booking number, for example.
“Only the customer service agent working at the measuring point can see the total weight, so you can participate in the study with peace of mind.” Advertisement
Finnair said that the airline is collecting weight data “for the purpose of aircraft balance and performance calculations that are needed for the safe operation of flights.”
The trial started on Monday, and by Thursday morning 800 volunteers had already taken part, Tallqvist said, adding that the airline was “positively surprised by the number of volunteers.”
A Finnair spokesperson said the carrier has spread the word about the weight-at-the-gate experiment on social media and mobile app and said the first volunteers were asking to take part before the equipment was even set up.
Finnair said it plans to weigh 1,200 passengers this winter and add more during the busier summer travel season.
Airlines typically calculate a plane’s weight and its center of gravity before every takeoff, taking into account passengers, cargo and baggage in the hold, and things like catering and water tanks onboard.
The weight balance often determines where passengers can sit, especially if the plane is not full, and in some cases even how many passengers are allowed onboard.
Each airplane has a maximum weight for safe takeoff.
Korean Air and Air New Zealand undertook similar programs last year. Finnair is using the weight project to update its standards, which it hasn’t done since 2018. Its new set of data will be used until 2030. Advertisement
