It may come as no surprise when you arrive at the airport to check in only to be asked to present your luggage for weighing, but what about if it was you they wanted to weigh?
This is exactly the policy that one airport has implemented according to the New York Post. Earlier in October, Pago Pago International Airport in American Samoa put in place the policy that prohibits customers flying on Hawaiian Airlines from pre-selecting their seats.
Seemingly a backwards step, the reasoning behind such a policy is so staff at check-in counters can help to meet airplane weight and balance requirements by, wait for it, ‘eyeballing’ passengers’ weights. The policy also goes so far as to state if they are concerned, in certain circumstances, the agents may also ask a passenger to be weighed before he or she is seated.
Unsurprisingly, the controversial policy has already sparked outrage with two men filing formal complaints to the US Transport Department. They are questioning how the policy could simply be a matter of safety if that in turn means that we have been flying unsafely for all these years?
With obesity on the rise and plane conditions getting more and more cramped there has been speculation for many years that airlines may target overweight passengers when it comes to purchasing seats and how they impact those around them. Pago Pago have taken the leap and been the first to tackle the issue. It will be interesting to see how their new policy paves the way for other airlines and airports around the world.
Read more about this controversial new policy at the New York Post and weigh in with your opinion on this issue in the comments below. How do you think the aviation industry should handle this delicate subject?
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