U.S. company weighs obese people before boarding the plane

Passengers at a U.S. airport were surprised by an obese woman climbing on a baggage scale to check her weight, at the request of the airline, who then decided to allow her to board the plane or prevent her from doing so.

According to British media, the strange incident provoked the disapproval of the passengers at the airport, prompting a passenger named Lillian Wessel to film the incident and publish it on her page on the platform "TikTok" (TikTok).

"It's a very small plane so they needed our weight to take off for safety reasons," Lillian commented.

Passengers' reactions to the incident by the unnamed airline were mixed, and while one commentator deemed it illegal, others said it was a "common practice" and one passenger commented: "I was travelling from the Philippines and I was weighed. I never felt embarrassed."

One passenger justified the order by saying that companies are interested in distributing weight on flights made by small planes.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA), weighing passengers and their luggage before boarding can help ensure that the plane is not overloaded.

"Instead of weighing passengers, an airline employee can ask the passenger about their weight," the administration said in a statement.

In response to those who argue that this is more important for smaller aircraft because it more accurately defines "balance calculations" rather than using estimates or trusting customers in their word, the statement said the FAA advises that the operator reasonably estimate the actual weight of the passenger and add 10 pounds (about 5 kilograms).

"If an airline chooses the weight of each passenger, it will be done before boarding the plane, and advised airlines to protect the privacy of passengers by keeping scale readings hidden from public view," the FAA concluded.

In 2016, Hawaiian Airlines won a lawsuit filed by passengers with the U.S. Department of Transportation challenging the airline's weight of obese people before boarding.

The airline had discontinued the pre-booking service and replaced it with an evenly distributed seating area for passengers by weight throughout the aircraft. It said at the time that the step was to preserve the safety of the plane and prevent any risks that may occur.