Airline Weighs Woman Like Baggage Before Her Flight, Internet Divided

In a shocking incident, a woman was allegedly asked to stand on a baggage scale to be weighed before boarding a flight in the United States, as per a report in the New York Post. A woman was seen facing forward and standing on what seemed to be a baggage weighing scale as an airport employee checked her weight, as per a video shared by a user Lilian on TikTok.  

She added that there was uncertainty over the woman's weight when she claimed to weigh 130lbs (approximately 58 kg), however, the airline employees did not trust her. As a result, she was requested to stand on the scale used to measure baggage.

"The whole airport trying to mind their own business as a woman is asked to step on the BAGGAGE SCALE because she claimed she was 130lbs," the woman wrote in a text caption on the video. "It's a tiny plane so they needed our weight to take off for safety reasons," she further mentioned. 

The video describing the humiliating action was posted in March and since then has received 1.6 million views on TikTok and many users are questioning the airline on the prejudice against passengers who are plus size, as per the Post report.

The incident has divided the internet with many social media users speaking for the woman while others supporting the decision of the airline. 

"Flying home from the Philippines and they weighed me ... I have never been so embarrassed in my life," said one user.

"Airports are out of control," commented a person. 

Another user added, "This is so humiliating omg."

One viewer even said that it should be "illegal" for airlines to "even consider individual passengers' weight".

A few users gave the reason why the airline did that. "They care about weight limits on small planes because they need to have the centre weight in a certain part of the plane," commented one.

Another added, "Weight and balance is really important on small aircraft!!"

However, some people also criticised Lillian for posting the picture of the traveller being seemingly uncomfortable. 

"Y'all need to stop taking pics of strangers and posting it online, it's weird and disrespectful," one person wrote. Another user added, "Taking a picture of her and posting it on the internet feels mean."

In 2021, Sky News reported that US airlines may require passengers to step on the scale or "share how much they weigh before boarding a flight". The objective was to give updated information on average passenger weights because the available figures did not accurately represent the country's obesity rates.