Excess baggage fees are a reality travelers have long known about. Today, an overweight suitcase or an out-of-size backpack can represent an unexpected expense. But what few realize is that, in some airlines, the weight that counts is not just that of the luggage: it is also that of the passenger himself.
According to Spanish digital newspaper HuffPost, several airlines have started to weigh passengers before boarding. The measure may seem strange, but the justification is simple: flight safety.
In small aircraft, such as those from the American company Cape Air, each kilogram influences the balance and center of gravity of the aircraft, which can determine stability during take-off and flight.
Every kilo counts in the heavens
Cape Air operates Cessna 402 aircraft, with a maximum capacity of nine passengers. On these types of planes, the total weight, including passengers, hand luggage and checked baggage, is crucial. Incorrect load distribution can compromise the plane’s balance, making takeoff difficult and increasing the risk of an accident.
Therefore, before boarding, passengers must declare their real weight and, in some cases, step on the scale. Former company pilots explained, according to the same source, that “honesty here can save lives”, as seats are organized based on this data. A heavier passenger can, for example, be placed at the front to compensate for the extra weight at the rear.
Safety above all
In a large aircraft, small variations in weight are easily absorbed. But in small planes, even a miscalculation of a few kilograms can change the center of gravity. Aviation experts, cited by the same source, warn that excess weight or poor cargo distribution are among the main causes of incidents on small private flights.
That’s why Cape Air also requires the weight of babies, carry-on bags and personal items, recording everything accurately. The goal is to ensure that the plane takes off within the balance parameters defined by the manufacturers.
Big companies also weigh in, but for another reason
Large air carriers, such as Finnair, Air New Zealand, Korean Air and Bangkok Airways, also carry out passenger weighing, but anonymously and for statistical purposes only. The objective is to update the weight averages that serve as the basis for fuel and flight stability calculations.
These measurements do not identify passengers or influence their boarding experience. They are, essentially, a technical procedure that helps to ensure greater efficiency and safety in operations, the same source also states.
What about low cost companies?
Low cost companies, such as Ryanair or Eurowings, do not yet apply this type of control. But there are those who fear that, with these companies’ history of creating new fees, one day the “passenger burden” could justify yet another charge.
Until then, the advice remains simple, as follows: respect baggage limits and, when traveling on small planes, collaborate with measurements. After all, at heights, every gram counts, and safety begins on the ground.
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