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Airline passengers may be weighed before boarding flights

Airline Passengers.jpg
Posted at 1:12 PM, May 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-18 15:15:04-04

NEW YORK — Next time you board a plane, you may need to step on a scale first.

A new report says passengers could be required to divulge their weight, or weigh themselves in front of airline personnel at the gate, before flying.

The airline blog View from the Wing says rising obesity rates in the U.S. means the data airlines use to ensure safety is outdated, according to FOX News.

Pending flight requirements would mandate airline employees to take surveys to set "standard average passenger weights" for crew members, baggage and passengers through random sampling and call on passengers to participate on a voluntary basis.

New standards from the Federal Aviation Administration will increase the average weight of an adult passenger and carry-on bag to 190 pounds in the summer and 195 in the winter, an increase of 12 percent from the previous standard.

According to the report, it's not known when passengers would start to be asked to step on a scale, but their weight would be kept confidential.