Korean Air will begin on Monday to implement the authorities' decision to weigh passengers before boarding the plane as well as the weight of their carry-on baggage, at two South Korean airports.

US media reported that "according to an announcement by the airline on its website, the program will affect passengers departing from Gimpo International Airport (GMP) from August 28 to September 19, and from Incheon International Airport (ICA) from September <> to <>."

The company stressed that "the weight of the passenger will not affect their boarding, and will not be linked to their identity, so you don't have to worry about data collection," according to the announcement.

Airlines are involved in updating the "Aircraft Weighing and Balance Management Standards", which are calculated every 5 years to help determine the weight distribution on aircraft.

Airlines use the "assumed mass" to estimate the total weight of passengers so they can make decisions about fuel needs and weight distribution on board.

If the passenger prefers not to collect their weight data, Korean Air confirms that they can cancel the ticket by telling a staff member.

Korean Air is one of several airlines around the world that is required to periodically obtain aircraft weight data.

A spokesperson for the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport told The Independent: "The Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has advised all Korean airlines to weigh passengers with their carry-on baggage to update aircraft weight management and balance standards."

"This is critical to the safety of flight operations. Korean Air adheres to this mandate and remains committed to safety, which is its number one priority."

Earlier this year, Air New Zealand implemented a similar program with some customers flying on its international routes, such as very long flights between Auckland and John F. Kennedy airports in New York.

"We know that standing on the scale can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers that there is no visual display anywhere. No one can see your weight, not even us."

Last May, passengers at a US airport were surprised when an obese woman climbed on the baggage scale to check her weight, at the request of the airline, sparking a wave of anger among passengers.

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

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

The airline had discontinued the pre-booking service and instead distributed passenger seating by weight evenly throughout the aircraft. It said at the time that the move was to preserve the safety of the plane and to prevent any risks that might occur.