This is not an April Fool's prank!
Finnair is inviting passengers to volunteer for a weighing initiative at departure gates, where they and their hand luggage will be weighed. Participation is optional and confidential, aiming to refine the airline's aircraft balance estimations. To ensure safe takeoff, each aircraft adheres to a strict maximum weight that includes not just the plane's own weight but also the load of fuel, checked luggage, cargo, onboard services, water, and passengers.
Traditionally, airlines rely on average passenger and carry-on weights provided by the Civil Aviation Authority or use their own measurements validated by the authority or standard weights from the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA). Finnair has utilised its own data since 2018, which needs renewal every five years as per regulatory requirements. The last data collection was in 2017 and 2018, making it time for an update.
Finnair says that the collected weight data, crucial for ensuring flight safety, is not associated with any personal customer information. Details such as name or booking number are not collected, ensuring privacy, with only the staff at the weighing station having access to the total weight data.
The updated average weights will be reported to Traficom – The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency – from July to September 2024. Once approved, these weights will be used for load and balance calculations from 2025 to 2030. The weighing stations will be set up at select departure gates at Helsinki Airport, targeting certain European and long-haul flights.
Participants' total weight, along with their age, gender, and travel class, will be noted without collecting identifiable information. The airline has emphasised the importance of volunteer diversity, including both Business and leisure travellers, to gather the most precise data for balance calculations, recalling the successful participation rate in previous sessions.
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