Korean Air to measure passengers’ weights for better safety, efficiency

Seuol : 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 August 28 to September 6 and international passengers at Incheon International Airport from Sept. 8 to 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 U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends 88.4 kg for adult males and 70.3 kg for adult females.

Aircraft typically carry about 1 percent more fuel than necessary. Accurate passenger weight measurements can reduce additional fuel consumption, potentially saving around $1 billion annually.

-B