Thai airlines weigh in on passenger pounds

[snoop1130]

 

Several airlines have introduced weight checks for passengers and their luggage before boarding to calculate standard and average passenger weight. This passenger weigh-in measure, initiated today, allows airlines to distribute weight more effectively on international flights, thus reducing fuel usage.

 

Foreign airlines have implemented the passenger weigh-in rule to investigate and calculate standard and average passenger weight. The collected data will help them ascertain weight distribution on their international flights, contributing to reduced aeroplane fuel consumption.

 

Previously, the Fly AirAsia Facebook page posted that during the week of October 16 to 20, at Don Mueang Airport, some flights from various airlines requested volunteer passengers to weigh themselves and their luggage to gather average weight data.

 

This passenger weigh-in data would then be used to update and enhance service efficiency, aligning with safety standards. The airlines carried out this operation in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to collect such data. Passenger weight data will be kept confidential, complying with the PDPA law.

 

Recently, Thai Lion Air also initiated a passenger weigh-in measure. They stated that during the week of October 17 to 20, they invited passengers to contribute to average weight statistics for themselves and their luggage.

 

By Nattapong Westwood

Caption: Photo: KhaoSod

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-20

 

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[KannikaP]

Is the luggage not evenly distributed in the hold, depending on it's weight. 

It is the varying weights of the passengers in the cabin which needs looking at. 

 

[Peabody]

So if you prepay for a specific seat, you may get moved?

 

[spidermike007]

Very intrusive. I think I would start saying NO to the airlines who engage in this policy. See ya! 

[Iron Tongue]

It has nothing to do with weight distribution.  It's another opportunity to charge more per seat.

[DjSilver]

Another reason why passengers are giving up on Thai air. Always bankruptcy when the board of directors are all Thai 🤣

[IamNoone88]

Its complete rubbish. Commercial flights started in 1914 over 100 years ago ... airline safety standards and engineering standards are second to none .... and there is no data available on average weight distribution for individuals ... anywhere .. including national health services? Airlines are looking to gouge passengers yet again ... Ryanair even call it a "fat tax".

[blazes]

In Asia, there is generally no problem with obesity (so, yes, this may just be an opportunity to gouge further).

 

In the US of A on the other hand....

[hotchilli]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Several airlines have introduced weight checks for passengers and their luggage before boarding to calculate standard and average passenger weight. This passenger weigh-in measure, initiated today, allows airlines to distribute weight more effectively on international flights, thus reducing fuel usage.

I find the above hard to believe

So are they allocating seat positions according to passenger weight or just an overall take-off weight?

[Bobydog]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Very intrusive. I think I would start saying NO to the airlines who engage in this policy. See ya! 

This practice was alive and well years ago in the Philippines, don't know about now, it's been a while.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, Peabody said:

So if you prepay for a specific seat, you may get moved?

 

The whole thing about passenger weight/distribution in the aircraft is total BS

Hold luggage is weighed and distributed to help the aircraft trim..

Passengers will still be able to sit where they like..

Unless they are weighed and told which seat to sit in.. which they are not doing.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Very intrusive. I think I would start saying NO to the airlines who engage in this policy. See ya! 

Would you then continue your journey on foot?

 

 

[Elkski]

I am all for paying for over a base weight and you Should need to pay for a wider or double seat if you will intrude on nearby seats.  Its obvious that a 50 kg person costs much less fuel than a 120kg person. 

[PeachCH]

Too many fat, overweight people around. Good measure from the airlines. 👍

[AhFarangJa]

In the nineties when flying from the Middle East the planes were often only a quarter full, if that. (Ah, the good old days), The cabin crew used to make us sit in the allocated seats for take off, but then we could move around and sleep across three seats. They said it was for weight distribution during take off. We were also asked to return to our original seats for landing.

[mattyc1957]

12 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Is the luggage not evenly distributed in the hold, depending on it's weight. 

It is the varying weights of the passengers in the cabin which needs looking at. 

 

That's exactly what the post is saying, that passengers are being weighed.

[waders123]

Phase 1:  Airlines request volunteer passengers to weigh themselves and their luggage to gather average weight data.  You know for weight distribution and fuel savings.  Wink, Wink.

 

If no real pushback from Passengers, Airlines will move on to the next phase.

 

Phase 2:  Airlines will demand passengers to weigh themselves and their luggage to gather average weight data.  You know for weight distribution and fuel savings.  Wink, Wink, and a Wei.

 

Again, if no real pushback from Passengers, Airlines will move on to the next phase.

 

Phase 3:  Airlines will have a set weight limit for each passenger and their carry-ons, (weight limits will more than likely vary from airline to airline).  An additional fee will be applied to passengers who exceed the limit.

 

This is just another bad idea to float out there when every country's economy is in the toilet and desperately needs all the cash injection they can get! 

This is definitely not a positive PR move for tourism.   

I can see it now:  Come enjoy what our beautiful country has to offer, but first, you need to step on these scales so we can extract more money out of your pockets and make you feel like s#&t and pi$$ you off.  Welcome to our country!

 

I would only hope there will be a LOT of passenger pushback to this sort of airline practice.  Because, just like the seats, weight limits could be subject to smaller sizes/limits; in the end, everyone could be paying to collect weight information for weight distribution and fuel savings.  Wink, Wink, and a happy Wei.  

Edited October 20, 2023 by waders123

[Ben Zioner]

Dual pricing down the road? Maybe not, most  Thai men, and even women, weigh more than my [modest] 85Kg.

[gaucan]

46 minutes ago, PeachCH said:

Too many fat, overweight people around. Good measure from the airlines. 👍

ye so annoyed by all this fat n proud godzillas stuffying their oily mouth with another fried chicken and sugary hamburger . maybe they should start throwing em off plane , to see which piggie do bigger splash😁😆🤣

Edited October 20, 2023 by gaucan

[daveAustin]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Very intrusive. I think I would start saying NO to the airlines who engage in this policy. See ya! 

Disagree. Eventually overly large people should be expected to pay more. It’s not my fault they overeat and use more fuel. I check in with a bag one kilo over and get charged handsomely for the pleasure, while a fatty twice my size with a bag slightly underweight does not get penalised. Time to call them out and also pay for an extra seat if they encroach on their neighbour. 

[bdenner]

I'm thinking a number of you have got the airline intentions wrong.

The way I read it they are trying to gather PAX and baggage weight in order to see if they can reduce the fuel load and in effect increase performance efficiency.

[ravip]

15 minutes ago, waders123 said:

Phase 1:  Airlines request volunteer passengers to weigh themselves and their luggage to gather average weight data.  You know for weight distribution and fuel savings.  Wink, Wink.

 

If no real pushback from Passengers, Airlines will move on to the next phase.

 

Phase 2:  Airlines will demand passengers to weigh themselves and their luggage to gather average weight data.  You know for weight distribution and fuel savings.  Wink, Wink, and a Wei.

 

Again, if no real pushback from Passengers, Airlines will move on to the next phase.

 

Phase 3:  Airlines will have a set weight limit for each passenger and their carry-ons, (weight limits will more than likely vary from airline to airline).  An additional fee will be applied to passengers who exceed the limit.

 

This is just another bad idea to float out there when every country's economy is in the toilet and desperately needs all the cash injection they can get! 

This is definitely not a positive PR move for tourism.   

I can see it now:  Come enjoy what our beautiful country has to offer, but first, you need to step on these scales so we can extract more money out of your pockets and make you feel like s#&t and pi$$ you off.  Welcome to our country!

 

I would only hope there will be a LOT of passenger pushback to this sort of airline practice.  Because, just like the seats, weight limits could be subject to smaller sizes/limits; in the end, everyone could be paying to collect weight information for weight distribution and fuel savings.  Wink, Wink, and a happy Wei.  

Who really started this passenger weighing business?

Wink, wink, wink, wink, wink and a Wai.

[NORDO]

As a retired flight deck member, I’ve often wondered why the airline doesn’t restrict the size of a pax or crew member to a size that can  readily negotiate an evac through the smallest emergency exit.    This would also correlate to weight in some, but not all cases.

Imagine an accelerated evac procedure with screaming and yelling people in a very dimly light cabin trying to make it out the wing exit window.  Some windows are of the plug type and must be pulled inward, turned and shoved outward.  Some you just drop on the floor and crawl over.  The newer aircraft actually use a gull wing design that un locks several door pins and allows the window open outward and up.

 

Now imagine you are the fourth or fifth person trying to get out the window when an oversized person can not fit through it and it plugging up the exit.

 

Average passenger weights have bee used by carriers for a long time.  Their are many variables due human physical sizes from different geographical areas.  As well, winter clothing and tropical clothing.  Carry-ons are another issue.  Iv’e often thought the carriers should charge by the Kg per KM concept as in frieght.

Edited October 21, 2023 by NORDO
edit

[LukKrueng]

1 hour ago, Elkski said:

I am all for paying for over a base weight and you Should need to pay for a wider or double seat if you will intrude on nearby seats.  Its obvious that a 50 kg person costs much less fuel than a 120kg person. 

Add long as it comes with the same % discount for those under the average I'm all for it

[Skipalongcassidy]

Passengers are a very small part of the total weight limits of the aircraft but are being targeted because they have no say or representation in the matter... it is all about the revenue

[neeray]

This is a precursor to charging passenger tickets by weight. Any other explanation is BS.

[Frankie baby]

Doesn't matter what you weigh in the end, supply & demand will rule, as it always as? 

[LukKrueng]

14 minutes ago, NORDO said:

As a retired flight deck member, I’ve often wondered why the airline doesn’t restrict the size of a pax or crew member to a size that can  readily negotiate an evac through the smallest emergency exit

So what you're saying is that passengers should be designed to fit the airplane? I think it should be the other way around...

[sandrew33]

1 hour ago, Elkski said:

I am all for paying for over a base weight and you Should need to pay for a wider or double seat if you will intrude on nearby seats.  Its obvious that a 50 kg person costs much less fuel than a 120kg person. 

Provided the seat sizes are similarly adjusted to reflect that. I mean midget seats, small, medium, large. Why they are allowed to sell seats that can’t fit a normal sized fit westerner is odd. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Skipalongcassidy]

32 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Dual pricing down the road? Maybe not, most  Thai men, and even women, weigh more than my [modest] 85Kg.

The median weight for airplane passengers including one carry on has been determined to be 84 kg... as an individual I am over the limit at 105 kg, but do my wife and I traveling together get a couple rate as our total weight is less than the 168 kg for two people???