Passenger and Baggage Weight Are Up-Airlines to Adapt

The Wall Street Journal June 9,2021, 9:00 AM “Heavier Passengers on Planes Mean New Safety Limits for Airlines” by Scott McCartney

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Summary provided by 2244

“Passengers are getting bigger” and weight averages have not been updated in five years. The new weight averages now according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics are 170.8 for women and 199.8 pounds for men. At American Airlines the average passenger weight is up eight pounds in both winter and summer being 187 and 182 pounds respectively. These higher averages “might add more than 3,000 pounds to weight-and-balance calculations for a fully loaded 737 with 172 passengers. That’s significant-close to what 500 gallons of jet fuel weighs.” Making matters worse, we are packing more stuff in carry-on and stowed baggage. Alaska Airlines “says it will increase” allowance by “2 pounds for carry-on bags and 4 pounds for checked luggage.”

As one might guess, these changes can affect safety with the potential of exceeding take-off weight maxima and diminishing travel range for an airliner particularly on “select long-haul routes during headwind conditions” that according to Alaska Airlines. In some cases, more baggage could be left behind or more passengers might “bumped.” Some carriers have planned ahead and see these changes as a nonevent while others are asking for more time beyond a deadline to submit a plan by June 12, 2021. “The FAA must approve each airline’s plan.” Not to worry as “Passengers won’t be stepping on scales” and “The customer will see absolutely no change” according to Mike Byham (American Airlines).

For the traveler, the reality is that the aircraft’s weight, center of gravity and balance of load is actually measured and approved before take-off thereby factoring in differences in passenger gender, age-kids weigh less, body type-male athletes weigh more and taking into consideration local factors-elevation above sea level and weather conditions for take-off.