Why is there such a small weight limit on the plane you board? Surely nothing passengers can bring compares to the tons the plane weighs itself.

Question

Why is there such a small weight limit on the plane you board? Surely nothing passengers can bring compares to the tons the plane weighs itself.

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Answer 1

It isn’t so much the weight of what each individual passenger brings, but the combined total of what all the passengers bring. Every pound more each person can bring amounts to a hundred or more pounds on the plane. The plane itself is designed to be as light as possible; yes, it is many tons for a large plane, but still as little as it can be. Planes are a lot lighter than you might expect from their size, for that very reason.