Airlines cracking down on overweight luggage

[safetymom]

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-05-02-luggage-monitoring_x.htm

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

Thanks for the heads up. I would never have thought to check on this. We have always traveled with one big suitcase to hold all our stuff. Looks like we are going luggage shopping now...

 

[kycat]

Another $5 and asking the curb side guy to "please weigh it again"...always works for me. (But I don't suggest this inside the airport)

 

[safetymom]

That will work until there is a reason that you have to go inside and then they will charge you.

 

[CarolA]

Another $5 and asking the curb side guy to "please weigh it again"...always works for me. (But I don't suggest this inside the airport)

There have been rumors that the airlines are making the skycaps start cracking down. I have no confirmation on this, but have read reports of folks having the skycap take thier luggage into weigh.

However, as Safetymom says.... if you have to go inside for any reason. (you miss the flight, the flight is delayed or cancelled due to weather, there are no skycaps around, the line for the skycaps is a mile long, etc...) you are in trouble.

 

[dinks]

At Christmas we flew from Gastonia to MCO on Delta. My bag was 60lbs. She told us that we didnt' have time to take anything out. She charged us 35.00! We also flew from Raleigh to Las Vegas on America West. Same bag. Less stuff..was 55lb but the woman at that counter said start loading your carry ons with stuff from your big bag. We did and didnt' have to pay. I've decided that I can't take that bag anymore though. Have to take tons of little bags. ;(

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

You know, I was thinking about this whole issue after I got home tonight. Something here doesn't make sense from the airlines perspective. We usually take one big bag that ends up weighing about 70 pounds or so. Now we will have to take three smaller bags (which we will load up as much as we can) so they dont weigh more than 50 lbs each.

Lets see... 1 bag @ 70lbs vs 3 bags @ 50lbs each=150lbs. The airlines are saving fuel how???

Am I missing something here? Wouldn't it make more sense to have a total baggage weight limit per person compared to per bag?

 

[safetymom]

It's not just a fuel thing but a weight distribution issue along with it is easier to lift a 50 lb bag than a 70 lb. bag.

 

[fran99999]

My thoughts everytime I fly Mickey_maniac I had one bag for a flight on Jetblue BOS to MCO for DS6 and myself. I had another bag in the trunk with more stuff that I decided I didnt need that much. When Jetblue said I was over by 5 lbs and I was going to be charged I went got the other bag/stuff and just readjusted to 2 bags each weighed less than 50. I was told all was fine "thank you" Now I know I added at least 25-30 lbs as a lot of the stuff was snacks and such for DS and stuffed animals, toys. How would more weight cost less?

Oh i know who made that rule the same person who said the NEW TUNNEL would NEVER LEAK.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

I think it has more to do with employees health and their backs that might be hurt carrying such heavy stuff. We have a huge bag where we usually put the lightest things. Otherwise it becomes so heavy we have to pay, and we have a bag that is half its size which usually ends heavier that the big one. At many airports they don´t believe that the much larger bag is lighter than the smaller, but we have learned our lesson well .

 

[NotUrsula]

It's about the skyrocketing number of worker's comp claims that baggage handlers are filing.

The European baggage handler's unions have been hard-liners on this issue for decades, and I've learned to deal. The key is to always toss a tagged cloth duffel on top of your bag. (It also helps to pack using interior bags such as space bags or packing cubes.) If the weight is over, reach in and grab 2 packets, and voila, you're under again. Of course, the ironclad corollary to this is that you never assume that you will check the maximum number of bags to begin with, but even if you do, an extra bag is usually cheaper than an overweight bag.

 

[wfloyd]

It could also be that the overweight bags are breaking more often and causing the airlines to pay for some of the damage. With the baggage handlers throwing the bags everywhere, the handles could come off or the zippers could rip fairly easily.

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

OK, so we are all going to have to go out and buy new luggage. We might as well pay tribute to The DIS while we are doing it. I found this set of luggage over on ebags. You gotta love the color...

 

[golfgal]

Thanks for posting this. I was going to try to pack in 2 large suitcases, now I think I will do 3 smaller ones.

 

[Savin4Disney]

Oh great. I just got a huge suitcase. I guess I will make sure it only weighs 45 pounds when we leave. And take the mickey carpet bag to for other things plus stuff we buy.

I can't take the big one back and I got it dirt cheap too! Oh boy I will have to be careful packing.

 

[Vivianne]

OK, so we are all going to have to go out and buy new luggage. We might as well pay tribute to The DIS while we are doing it. I found this set of luggage over on ebags. You gotta love the color...

That's a fantastic color.

If I didn't buy new luggage last year, I would consider it.

 

[weregoingtodw]

You know, I was thinking about this whole issue after I got home tonight. Something here doesn't make sense from the airlines perspective. We usually take one big bag that ends up weighing about 70 pounds or so. Now we will have to take three smaller bags (which we will load up as much as we can) so they dont weigh more than 50 lbs each.

Lets see... 1 bag @ 70lbs vs 3 bags @ 50lbs each=150lbs. The airlines are saving fuel how???

Am I missing something here? Wouldn't it make more sense to have a total baggage weight limit per person compared to per bag?

The thing is, they have to have some type of limitation. If they allowed people to overpack, and someone else took THREE 70 lb bags, that would be 210 pounds. Then, if everyone packed like that, well... I'd not like to be on that flight, especially if they were cutting it close on fuel due to having to circle the airport or similar circumstances.

 

[deba]

Thanks for the info. One of my bags always gets a red 'heavy' tag (in the high 50s range), but I've been flying AirTran for the last couple of years, and I guess I'd better stick with them (up to 70 lbs. at no extra charge!). Great fares and perks program, too! Sometimes fares as low as $49. one way from Baltimore to Orlando!

 

[CarolA]

Oh great. I just got a huge suitcase. I guess I will make sure it only weighs 45 pounds when we leave. And take the mickey carpet bag to for other things plus stuff we buy.

I can't take the big one back and I got it dirt cheap too! Oh boy I will have to be careful packing.

And that's the reason you got it Dirt cheap.... Check the size. The airlines also have limits on size. I have one big back that went to Goodwill, it was over most airline size limits!

 

[cruiseonmagic]

oops. never mind