Two passengers have reportedly filed official complaints against Hawaiian Airlines after they alleged they had been weighed before they were allowed to board a flight.

The US carrier claims the policy, which only applies to flights between Pago Pago, American Samoa and Honolulu, was designed to help distribute weight throughout the cabin for safety issues, according to the Daily Mail.

One of the passengers – both businessmen – told a radio station that the policy “borders on discrimination”.

He said the policy of weighing passengers had been introduced a few months ago, and that Hawaiian Airlines had a monopoly on the route.

“The aircraft hasn’t changed in many, many years so why has the weight distribution become important?”

The carrier is understood to have introduced the policy after a survey revealed considerable weight gains by its passengers had lead to higher than projected fuel burn by their aircraft.

The airline is now thought to have amended its policy so that passengers will not be weighed but will still have seats allocated so that weight is evenly distributed.

The US Department of Transportation is reportedly now investigating the complaints.