An airline has announced that it will start weighing passengers along with their carry-on luggage to more accurately estimate the weight of the plane before takeoff.
This controversial move comes from the Finnish airline Finnair, which informed the media that it began “measuring” departing passengers from Helsinki on Monday. “So far, over 500 volunteer customers have participated in the weigh-ins,” spokesperson Kaisa Tikkanen said. Finnair, which offers low-cost flights to and from Finland to the UK, noted in a statement that airlines calculate the weight of the plane, its interior, and the passengers on board to balance the flight and ensure safe transit. Airlines can use average weights provided by aviation authorities, allegedly around 88 kg, or collect their own data, it claimed. Finnair assured future passengers that the collected data is not linked “in any way” to customers’ personal data in their statement.
“Only the customer service agent working at the measuring point can see the total weight, so you can participate in the study with complete peace of mind,” said Satu Munnukka, ground process manager at Finnair. But some social media users were “horrified by the announcement, which they believe will lead to embarrassment for overweight passengers, describing the plan as ‘cruel’. People said the news meant they would not “be taking Finnair in the near future,” while others praised the plan as “a way to address the obesity crisis.” 
One user harshly criticized the airline, stating that they would not travel via Finnair because they would not “be shamed by a damn airline,” adding that they are never weighed by choice. Another furious user said, “Finnair will start weighing its passengers? Did I read that right? I am completely shocked! And disgusted.”