Korean Air to weigh passengers on domestic, international flights

Korean Air will weigh passengers and their carry-on luggage when boarding domestic and international flights in compliance with aviation laws. The airline plans to apply a weight standard on passengers, including their carry-on baggage, with domestic passengers at Gimpo International Airport from Aug. 28 to Sept. 6, and international passengers at Incheon International Airport from Sept. 8 to Sept. 19. The collected data will be anonymous and used for safety operations, according to the airline. Passengers who do not wish to participate in the measurements can inform the staff at the time of boarding. In a local survey conducted in the summer of 2017, the standards were set at 81 kg for adult males and 69 kg for adult females. The US FAA recommends 88.4 kg for adult males and 70.3 kg for adult females. Aircraft typically carry about 1% more fuel than necessary. Accurate passenger weight measurements can reduce additional fuel consumption, potentially saving around $1b annually. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "Aircraft Weight and Balance Management Standards," airlines must measure passenger standard weights at least every five years or as needed and calculate average values. These figures are applied when determining aircraft weight and weight distribution. Korean Air passengers will have their weights measured along with their carry-on baggage in front of the gate before boarding. Some airlines like Hawaiian Airlines and Finnair, among others, also measure the weight of passengers to factor into their flights. Domestic airlines in Korea, such as T'way Air and Jeju Air, have also conducted weight measurements in the past in 2018.<br/>