Gate Agent Asks "How much do you weigh, Sir?"
 

On Friday I made a day trip between ANC (Anchorage) and ENA (Kenai, AK). The flight was on an Era Aviation Dehavilland Twin Otter.(See picture here. http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=169782)

The plane is small (16 seats) but I was still rather surprised when the gate agent asked, "How much do you weigh, Sir?" as I checked in. I sat to the side and listened as each of my fellow pax (skinny and fat alike) divulged their weight. One man seemed to be much heavier than he indicated and the agent replied, "Are you sure?" He insisted and the agent gave him his BP.

Anyone else ever experienced something similar?

In '96 in Australia I flew in a 15 seater from Bundaberg (North of Brisbane) to Lady Elliot Island on the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. I can't remember exactly, but they either weighed us or asked our weight before boarding. Lady Elliot Island is the only island on the reef with it's own airstrip. Here's some pictures from this year: http://people.hws.edu/mitchell/cards01/LEI1.html


[This message has been edited by FlyByMike (edited 12-04-2001).]

A few times on smaller aircraft: helicopters for sightseeing trips, a Cessna 411 Cape Air flight from Boston to Martha's Vineyard, something comparable from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. The idea is to balance the weight, since keeping an unbalanced plane level - even if it's automated, so the pilot doesn't have to worry about it - has a small but noticable impact on fuel consumption.

I've never been asked on 19-seat Fairchilds. A Twin Otter sounds a bit on the large side for them to care, but I've never flown on one.

Having flown many small planes within Alaska,I have been asked my weight every time. I guess they want to be fairly accurate for fuel,weight, and balance.

Eastwest,

I travel constantly around Alaska. I've even been on that flight to Kenai. I've been on Cessna 185 (or something like that) up to the jets of course. I get asked my weight all the time and gladly give it. Sometimes I even add 5-10lbs just in case!

I don't think I got asked on my Kenai flights though. What's scarier is when I'm on a smaller plane (5 pax or so) and they don't ask! Sometimes I see them estimate 170lb for everyone and I start looking at everyone. It's scary when there are no children and it's all big hunters!! Sometimes they even estimate the luggage.

I guess sometimes the plane is pretty empty and they know they won't exceed the max, but I still wish they were more careful sometimes.

My last float plane from Prince of Wales Island, one guy checked in and said he would just take his luggage to the dock. He didn't even bring it in from the car! They didn't even ASK him how much it weighed and it was a big bag!

I guess I'm paranoid, but with the weather like it is in Southeast AK sometimes it's better safe than sorry.

Stefanie

p.s. I'm in Skagway today after taking the 6.5 hour ferry yesterday because the little planes didn't fly due to weather!!

wasn't asked on a flight in iceland to grimsley [to step on the arctic circle ]. no one had luggage , so gross wt was not a problem. 1st flight on a twin otter.

I was on an Air UK Shorts 330 flight between Amsterdam and Leeds some years ago and was asked to move to the front for take off and landing. I am relatively heavy and the stewardess explained that it was a queston of trim and weight and balance. As I have a Private Pilots license, I knew what they were talking about and complied...not without a grin though.

Also, a long time ago I was flying non-rev on a Continental flight from Guam to Honolulu (DC10). I was seated in First sipping my orange juice and feeling quite happy with myself. (I had been turned down for a flight two nights in a row). The gate agent comes on board and says: "Mr. Brandt? Could you deplane please, we have a weight problem." Well...you should have seen the faces of the people around me. Of course I went, but I remarked: "Boy, I knew I was heavy, but I didn't know it was THAT bad!".

I was flying a Saab 340 from LGA to ROC. I arrived at the gate about 15 minutes before the flight and waited in line a couple minutes to check-in.

The gate agents had already decided to give away my seat assignment and had filled the plane up with 30 passengers. The planes actually have 34 seats, but for weight and balance they usually only allow 30 pax.

I put up a fuss, because as far as I know I was there early enough to satisfy the rules, and when they're going to deny boarding, people with seat assignments (like me) have higher priorty than people without (like the person who got my seat assignment). I also mentioned that my Platinum status should have something to do with it.

I spoke to the CS team leader on the phone after not getting much satisfaction from the GAs. She didn't say much either. Anyway, one of the GAs really made an effort to get me on after everyone boarded. With 30 pax on, she started having baggage rearranged from the cabin to the rear cargo hold and vice versa. 15 minutes later I hear one GA asking the pilot if he'll take another pax (me) and he asks how big I am and what kind of baggage I have. The GA didn't ask me, but did a good job of estimating.

The pilot agrees and they let me on, after I gave an SOS to the GA on the ramp. I take my seat (with a bunch of people who want to kill me for holding the flight up about 30 min in the end). The hold ends up being full, so the GA came onto the plane and strapped my rollaboard into it's own seat in the last row.

d

Same experiences as Efrem on Cape Air Cessnas from BOS to Martha's Vineyard.

I'm fairly small; the last two times I flew next to the pilot as I was the lightest of the pax.

By the way, I've had great experiences with Cape Air. They accept pets in the cabin for a $10 fee (one pet per flight).

Lizard Island has one as well.

And there is the old yarn, about a thin guy and the woman that must have finished his meals. When the gate agent asked her weight, she replied "350 pounds for Mr and Mrs Jones".

Several years ago I flew LIAT from ANU (Antigua) to MNI (Montserrat) on one of their small planes where we were asked our weight.

On a recent trip between SMF and SFO on a United Express Brasilia, I was asked to move to the back of the plane to help distribute the balance.

And naturally weight was a factor when I took my introductory flying lesson - turned out that the instructor and I were pushing the limits for a Cessna 152 so we upgraded to a Cessna 172. Nicer plane, better seat pitch, more leg room...upgrades are a wonderful thing http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Yes, on a flight in 1996 from Panama City, Panama to the east coast of Panama (San Blas Archipelago region). Very small aircraft; don't know the make and model, but weight was important. Somewhat embarrassing for one who is overweight.

Kathy

Weight is going to be noticed as an issue more and more as Regional Jets (ERJs and CRJs) are being used on longer routes by the airlines replacing their larger mainline aircraft. There are many times where this combination of longer routes with a/c type are causing passengers to be denied boarding even though the aircraft has open seats.

On the small planes, the weight has to evenly be disbursed. I have been on a plan where one side was heavier then the other and people had to switch.