Air New Zealand’s Secret Agenda? Passengers to Face Mysterious Weigh-In Before Boarding

Air New Zealand is implementing a controversial measure that requires passengers to be weighed before boarding international flights departing from Auckland International Airport until July 2, according to the country’s Civil Aviation Authority.

The airline refers to this initiative as a “passenger weight survey,” claiming it will provide crucial data on the weight load and distribution for aircraft, CNN reported.

Alastair James, the airline’s load control improvement specialist, assured that the collected data would remain anonymous to protect passengers’ privacy.

Travelers will be asked to step onto a digital scale during check-in, with the information directly submitted to the survey.

As per the report, the initiative has sparked concerns among passengers, given the personal nature of weight disclosure.

However, Air New Zealand emphasizes that the weighing process will be discreet, with no visible display of individual weights.

This practice was previously implemented for domestic flights in 2021, but its expansion to international travelers was delayed due to the pandemic.

Notably, passengers on the Auckland-New York City route may also be subject to this survey, which plays a significant role in the airline’s post-pandemic strategy as one of the world’s longest flights.