Airlines don’t usually weigh passengers, so why do they weigh luggage?
November 30, 2025
You know the drill: place your suitcase on the airport scale, hope it’s under the limit, and quietly panic if it isn’t. Yet the person carrying that bag – i.e you – is seldom weighed.
It seems strange at first. If aircraft safety depends on weight, wouldn’t it make sense to weigh the passengers too? As it turns out, the reasons are a blend of practicality, privacy and decades of aviation standards.
The real reason airlines weigh bags
Your luggage is one of the biggest variables on any flight. Some people pack light; others pack everything, including the kitchen sink.
But airlines need to know exactly how much weight is going into the hold because it affects almost every part of flight planning – from fuel loads, to take-off performance and even how the aircraft is balanced from nose to tail.
The aircraft’s centre of gravity must be within set limits, as if the aircraft is loaded incorrectly and was too nose or tail heavy, this can lead to stability and controllability issues. Even hot weather can affect weight and balance.
Read more: How weight and balance is affected by heat
Checked baggage allowances, usually around 15-32kg depending on the airline and ticket type, help keep things predictable. By weighing bags, airlines can confidently calculate how much weight is being loaded without having to scrutinise each passenger. It’s simple, efficient and avoids slowing down the entire baggage handling process.
Why don’t airlines put passengers on the scales?
Passengers themselves aren’t weighed because aviation already uses standardised “average passenger weights.”
The broad standardisation is that male passengers have a mean weight of 82.2kg, which is 14.7kg more than the average female passenger at 67.5kg. Additionally, according to a 2022 study by EASA, the mean value of all passengers is 76.3kg. The carry-on weight is on average 7.7kg. So, the standard passenger weight for adults plus the carry-on luggage is 84kg.
Airlines may also break it down further, from all adults into male and female standard passenger weights, with a standard male at 88kg and female at 70kg and a child being 35kg. Infants are included in the weight of the adult carrying them.
Holiday charter flights can also use a different set of standard weights, with an all-adult weight of 76kg, or males weighing 83kg and females at 69kg.
Using these standard weights is accurate enough for commercial flights and far quicker than weighing hundreds of passengers one by one. Imagine the queues, the delays and the awkwardness – not exactly the stress-free airport experience airlines aim to offer.
Privacy is another key reason. Many travellers would feel uncomfortable or embarrassed being weighed in public, and airlines know forcing the issue would not be well received.
Are there times when passengers do get weighed at airports?
Although major airlines don’t routinely weigh passengers, exceptions do exist. Smaller aircraft, for example, small regional aircraft, turboprops or island hoppers, may require precise passenger weights because even minor differences can affect performance. In these cases, passengers might be asked their weight or weighed discreetly.
Some airports have also run voluntary, anonymous weighing surveys to refresh average weight data. These aren’t about policing individuals – they’re about improving safety and fuel accuracy behind the scenes.
Non-standard passenger weights may also be used when many passengers fall outside typical weight averages – for example, sports teams that are heavier than average and travel with extra gear.
Yes, baggage fees are part of the story
There’s also a financial angle. Excess baggage fees represent a valuable revenue stream for airlines. By weighing bags, airlines can enforce baggage limits fairly and generate income when travellers exceed them. They can’t charge people for what they weigh, but they can for what their luggage weighs.
Efficiency and predictability
Airlines weigh luggage because it’s easy to control, crucial for safety and predictable enough to plan around. They don’t weigh passengers because average weights already give them reliable data, and the practical and privacy challenges simply outweigh the benefits.
So next time you’re lifting your suitcase onto the airport scale and hoping for the best, remember: airlines aren’t being difficult (even though it may feel like it). They’re making sure the aircraft stays safe and luggage is balanced properly.
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