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Finnair asks passengers to weigh themselves before boarding their plane

  • The national carrier says passengers, who can choose to hop on a scale along with their hand luggage, will not be penalised for their weight
  • So far, about 800 people have joined the survey, and those who agree to take part receive a small gift – a reflective baggage tag

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Passenger planes of the Finnish national airline company Finnair stand on the tarmac at Helsinki international airport n November 2009. Photo: Lehtikuva via AP

Almost everything that gets onto a commercial plane – fuel, checked-in baggage, cargo and meals – is weighed. For passengers and their cabin bags, most airlines use average data.

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But Finland’s national carrier Finnair said on Friday that it started asking passengers this week voluntarily and anonymously hop onto a scale with their hand luggage at the country’s main airport in Helsinki, the airline said on Friday. The aim is to get their own figures.

“We will need data for both winter season and for summer season – in winter season people typically have heavier clothing, which impacts weights,” Finnair spokeswoman Päivyt Tallqvist said, adding that the survey would last until May.

Passengers boarding onto European and long-haul flights will not be “penalised for their weight” and “the numbers are kept discreet, away from prying eyes”, she added.

So far, about 800 people have joined the survey, and those who agree to take part receive a small gift – a reflective baggage tag, Tallqvist said.

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