An airline has won a battle over a controversial policy of weighing passengers before take-off in a bid to save fuel and stop crash landings.
Hawaiian Airlines caused controversy after introducing a six-month survey where passengers were asked to step on a set of scales before they were allocated a seat.
It defended the move by saying it would allow crew to spread weight evenly across the aircraft.
The company's policy only affected the route from Honolulu to Pago Pago, leading some to claim the practice was discriminatory due to Samoa's higher than average rate of obesity.
According to the Economist, six complaints were lodged about the policy with the US Department of Transportation.
Businessman Avamua David Haleck was one of the travellers who filed a complaint.
He told Radio New Zealand: “Hawaiian is saying that ‘yes it is a safety issue’ but, you know, weight distribution… so have we been flying unsafe for all these years?”
The Independent reported the department has now ruled in favour of the airline but, despite the victory, the practice would not continue.
A spokesman for the airline told the paper the policy was part of a six-month survey which started in February and passengers would no longer be weighed.
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