Step on the Scale — Airline to Weigh Passengers Before Boarding

Brittany Jones-Cooper
·Reporter
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Watch what you eat. Uzbekistan Airways will now weigh baggage and passengers before they board the plane. (Photo: Thinkstock)

It’s not uncommon for an airline to weigh baggage before a flight, but one airline is taking things a step further by weighing passengers.

In a move that will make you say, “Oh, no they didn’t,” Uzbekistan Airways has announced that it will begin pre-flight weighing of passengers on upcoming trips.

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After passing through check-in, passengers will be put on what the airline calls a “special weighing machine” near the departure gate zone. According to a statement from the airline, this procedure will take place “in order to determine the average weight of passengers with hand luggage.“

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Uzbekistan Airways says weighing passengers will ensure safety. (Photo: Uzbekistan Airways)

While this seems like a bold move, the airline says that weighing passengers is purely a safety precaution. According to the statement, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), requires airlines carry out regular preflight procedures to calculate passenger and carry-on weight.

For those feeling a little self-conscious, the airline has ensured that the recorded weights will be completely confidential. However, the airline does not address what happens if a flight is overweight.

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Uzbekistan Airlines isn’t the first to put passengers on the scale before boarding. In 2013, Samoa Air began to charge people different fares based on their weight. During this process, passengers are weighed with their baggage at the airport, and pay a fixed price per kilogram for their seat.

The airline also introduced the “Samoa XL” row that is designated for passengers who weigh more than 286 pounds (130 kilograms). In addition to the extra cost, these seats are also two inches wider.

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