Step on the scales
 

https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/travel-alerts

Brilliant idea to build current statistical information for passenger mass (pax plus bags) in relation to each route that NZ flies.

Oh you mean it's not all bad like the idiots over at Stuff think it is?!

I hadn't see that. https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/...Pos=0#cxrecs_s
Quite the comments!
No doubt some Karens and Kevins will take offence.

A rudimentary understanding of physics, particularly applied to weight would help the Stuff crowd.
If weight, lift, velocity, airfoil are too complex, they need to first push their skinny cousin a wheel barrow along the flat then up a ramp, followed by their fat Uncle Albert. It might help their understanding.

How anybody could even create those questions for a poll beggars belief. It's not a question of weighting people OR bags.

They shut down the comments pretty quickly but leaving that poll up reflects directly on the poor levels of reporting that's becoming pretty normal for them now.

I understand that getting weighed is voluntary.

I understand that no numbers will be visible.

And yet I wonder if those who are at the higher end will participate. There is so much shaming about being heavy that it could be tough to step on the scales. So will the study actually get a true range?

Great that numbers are not visible except to the database (presumedly with no names attached), but they should make it compulsory to gather accurate and complete information.
If you travel on small charter flight, fixed or rotary wing, you have to be weighed for W&B.

As for shaming, that is purely subjective.

I got SMS yesterday before NZ284 today. On plane now waiting for loading to complete - no sign of anyone being weighed despite notification that would be happening for flight.

Yeah that’s a good point, they probably won’t get a representative sample because some people will have body image issues that make them shy about hopping on the scales in front of people - even if the number isn’t displayed. TBH it seems a weird way to get an idea of the average passenger’s weight - they could get anonymised aggregated data from Stats NZ or MoH classified by age / gender / etc. Surely that would be better quality data than 10,000 pax measured every 5 years.

Can't think of any Stats survey that includes weight.

MoH won't have it either. Very rough weights may be held GPs. But not sure MoH could aggregate that data as no need. Number of people who are obese etc maybe collect that as could help health policy & strategy.

None of those would cover and those who actually fly which is the population they want.

Also my understanding is they are also collecting carryon weights which Stats and MoH wouldn't have either.

And Stats and MoH would only cover citizens and residents which isn't reflective of the passenger load. As a statistically significant number of pax would be from outside of NZ.

Plus other things airlines have control over like bedding, food carts, utensils, etc.

Also weighing pax aligns with international standards and best practice.

I agree there is likely insufficient suitable data held for this task.

On general stats there presumably must be some data aggregation as we do hear occasionally that x% of the adult population is afflicted with [insert condition].

https://www.health.govt.nz/nz-health...ity-statistics

Yeah that is obesity and overweight which is different to weight. As takes into account height etc. Same weigth at different at heights can be underweight, normal or obese. The diagnosis may get filtered up but the details that lead to the diagnosis.

the NZ Health Survey does measure weight - done at peoples homes

It would be good representative data of the NZ population - but maybe not of flyers?

Weigh the plane empty
weigh the plane full
Count the bodies onboad
do the division
Voila!

You missed fuel & freight, both variables.

I imagine they should both be known.

Interestingly had a standard carryon trolley case weighed at NPE this afternoon, brings back distant memories of Jetstar.