ALMOST two out of five (39 per cent) UK travellers believe airlines should take passengers' weight into account when setting luggage allowances, a survey has found.

Some 18 per cent even admit to feeling "angry" that heavier people are entitled to an equal amount of baggage as themselves, according to the poll of 2,000 UK adults who have travelled by plane.

Women appear to be more concerned about not exceeding luggage limits than men, with 28 per cent of female respondents saying it is the most stressful element of a holiday, compared with just 16 per cent of men.

Kasia Jankowska, of online travel firm eDreams, which commissioned the poll, said: "It is clear that many travellers find packing to meet a specific weight restriction a huge cause of stress, which has in turn caused a substantial amount of resentment between passengers.

"No matter whether you take a regimented approach weeks before departure or throw your clothes in a suitcase minutes before you leave - packing for a trip is a big deal."

More than half (62 per cent) of adults in England are obese or overweight, figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show.