Airline passengers may have to get weighed before boarding

Airline passengers may have to reveal their own cabin size before boarding, a new report claims.

Citing an FAA advisory, travel site View from the Wing reports that because Americans are getting heavier, airlines may have to revisit estimates on how much cargo each plane is carrying for the sake of safety.

According to that report, when it comes to planes that carry more than 70 passengers, estimates based on standard weights published by the CDC will suffice. But new considerations are being given for smaller airliners where passenger and baggage weights need to be more accurate.

Being weighed or offering that information if asked would be entirely voluntary. If a person who is selected opts out, another traveller would be asked at random. It’s unclear if passengers would be weighed or asked to list their weight.

Aviation analysis organization Air Insight Group states that the FAA would require airlines to determine “standard average passenger weights” through surveys taken as often as every 36 months. Weight information of individuals would not be made public.

The average male passenger with a carry-on is currently estimated to weigh 190 lbs. in winter clothes while carrying a travel bag. That’s reportedly being revisited to reflect that average man now carries around an extra 15 lbs. Air Insight Group says the average female passenger under the same conditions is estimated to weigh 150 lbs. That would change to reflect that females passengers on average carry a total of 185 lbs. onto a plane.

According to View From the Wing, the FAA acknowledges that the weight of the average passenger can vary from route to route.