Airlines to start weighing fat passengers

Airline passengers may be required to step on the scale at the airport or share how much they weigh before boarding a flight, a new report suggests.

Data airlines use to measure passenger weight to ensure safety onboard planes may be outdated as the obesity rate in the U.S. increases. Now, air carriers may have to update average passenger weight, according to the airline blog View from the Wing, citing a circular advisory sent out by the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Under the new pending requirements, reviewed by airline industry publication AirInsightGroup, airlines would be mandated to take surveys to set "standard average passenger weights" for crew members, baggage and passengers through random sampling and call on passengers to participate.

"Regardless of the sampling method used, an operator has the option of surveying each passenger and bag abroad the aircraft and should give a passenger the right to decline to participate in any passenger or weight survey," the guidance says, according to AirInsightGroup.

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