The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has requested that its national airline weigh passengers travelling on overseas flights from Auckland overseas Airport until July 2, 2023.

According to Air New Zealand, the initiative, known as a passenger weight survey, is a technique to collect data on the weight load and distribution of flights.

“We weigh everything that goes on the aircraft – from the cargo to the meals onboard, to the luggage in the hold,” said Alastair James, the airline’s load control improvement specialist, in a statement. “We use average weights for customers, crew, and cabin bags, which we get from this survey.”

Still, weight is a private matter that not everyone likes to discuss. The airline says it has made the data anonymous, this is done to preserve individuals’ privacy.

When passengers check in on their flight, they will be requested to stand on a digital scale. The weight information is subsequently submitted to the survey but is not visible on the agent’s screen.

They will also weigh their bags separately on another identical scale.

“We understand that stepping on the scales might be intimidating. We wish to reassure our customers that no visual display is present anywhere. “No one, not even us, can see your weight,” James explained.

This isn’t the first time Air New Zealand has requested passengers to weigh themselves before boarding their aircraft. Domestic passengers participated in a survey in 2021, while international travelers were delayed owing to the pandemic.

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Those going on the direct flight from Auckland to New York City’s JFK Airport may be requested to participate in the poll.

The 17-hour flagship route was introduced last fall as a cornerstone of Air New Zealand’s post-pandemic strategy. It’s also one of the world’s longest flights.