Air New Zealand has stated that over the next five weeks, they will be asking to weigh passengers before boarding.
Weight distribution on a plane is something that most of us are familiar with, as seeing people having to re-pack their luggage at the airport isn't an uncommon sight.
There is no greater fear than really pushing the limits with the weight of your luggage and watching those numbers shoot up when you reach the check-in desk.
But what about the weight of the passengers? On undersold flights, people might be asked to spread themselves across the plane but being weighed before boarding is not something that is usually practiced.
Air New Zealand has decided to change this, as for the next five weeks they will be weighing all passengers boarding their flights in a bid to determine the average weight of flyers.
As reported by the Daily Mail, two sets of scales will be set up at Auckland International Airport, and the data will give the airline insight into the weight of everything onboard the flight.
The airline has stressed that taking part is completely voluntary, and will involve the participants standing on one scale with their hand luggage on the other.
Air New Zealand load control specialist Alastair James told Seven Sharp: "We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere."
"We need to know the weights of everything that go onboard our aircraft," he continued. "For passengers or customers, crew, and their cabin bags, we use an average weight, and that average weight comes from this survey."
Naturally, the survey was met with backlash as Seven Sharp interviewed people at Auckland International Airport and one passenger described it as "discriminating".
James noted that despite this all seeming a bit "unusual", the work is vital for the airline to determine the average weight of their flights.
He went on to explain that over 10,000 people will need to be weighed in order to get a "reasonable sample of the traveling public."
The survey will also ensure that the weight of all cargo and meals on board the flights are noted so the airline can really understand how heavy their planes are when they're in the sky.
It's worth noting that this isn't an unusual occurrence for Air New Zealand, as they conduct this survey every five years.
