The British-based budget airline easyJet was forced to ask four passengers to get off a plane heading from Liverpool to Geneva last Friday because it was 300 kilograms over its weight limit.

• Flight from Geneva in forced London landing (01 Jan 13)
• Private jet nearly hits bus after missing runway (07 Aug 12)
• Swiss and Germans seal Zurich airport noise deal (03 Jul 12)

The reason was an “exceptionally high proportion of male passengers” on the Airbus A319 plane, according to easyJet.

There were a reported 135 men on board — and just 19 women.

Britain’s Mail Online and Sun reported that passengers organized a “whip-round”  for donations because the airline only offered £100 for those who volunteered to leave the plane.

Enough money was raised to offer £200 to four men who agreed to get off according to the report, although easyJet maintains that its policy does not allow whip-rounds.

Many of the passengers were headed to Geneva for skiing trips but the overweight problem delayed the 7.05am flight by an hour and a half.

The passengers who got off were transported to Birmingham and put on another easyJet flight to Geneva that arrived on Friday afternoon.

"EasyJet can confirm that flight EZY7279 from Liverpool (to) Geneva was above regulatory weight limits due to an exceptionally high proportion of male passengers and more hold luggage than usual,” the airline said in a statement.

"In these circumstances volunteers are required to offload and easyJet offers passengers £100 in compensation and alternative flights,” easyJet said.

“Four volunteers came forward and the flight departed shortly afterwards.”

The airline added: "As far as we can establish no other arrangements between passengers were made.”

European air safety standards calculate passenger weights based on 88 kilograms for a man, 70 kilograms for a woman and 35 kilograms for children.