Baggage overweight?

RE: Baggage overweight?

How I hate passengers who carry such ridiculous sized bags into the cabin with them — No offence to any of you people who may fly with their suitcases in their overhead locker, but it’s ignorance. Charters have restrictions, why can’t the scheduled airlines. When I come back from New York a few weeks back, I was annoyed to find that at least 5 or 6 of the surrounding lockers were occupied by just one trolley-suitcase leaving us with nowhere to put our stuff.

RE: Baggage overweight?

Thanks for all your advice/views.
I’ll post the experiences etc when we return to UK at New Year.
In the meantime, here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas!

RE: Baggage overweight?

Working for res dep of one of the airlines you mentioned BatBay I can tell you that when you talk to a callcenter agent they will only inform you about the official rule, overweight charges are based on a percentage of the fullfare oneway eco ticket. As a pax, on a different airline, I was lucky enough ones to get awy with 32 iso 20kg but that flight was almost empty. I have the idea that it plays a role how full the flight is and how you present yourself at checkin.
“braun cells” is tricky, be prepared and it might help when you request permission upfront, call them and inform you want to take it.

RE: Baggage overweight?

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-11-02 AT 08:12 PM (GMT)]most airlines say you can only have Xkg of baggage but they know most passengers wont stick to it and they allow extra for each passenger. If you are flying on B.A. my folks told me (they just got back from GND) they were allowed 2 cases each weighing no more than 32kg, so that was 64kg * 2 ppl=128kg but I am not sure if that was a 747/777 and I am not sure what class they were flying either. it also depends when you are flying, during holidays, weight limits are enforced lightly off season, not as much, but on weekend longhaul they are heavily enforced and europe sun eve mon eve and frie eve departing uk they are moderate/strong enforced depending on airline and what ever incompitent idiot you have checking you in !!!

RE: Baggage overweight?

I really wish I could come out with some nugget of wisdom but I really don’t know what to say! I think it’s just going to be the way of things now in the same way that we inherited the new security procedures after 911.

RE: Baggage overweight?

Yes,wysiwyg,one of the reasons I raised the point was that I enquired what the charge would be if we were overweight – this was to a Far East destination. The figure was £49 (or about 75 dollars/euros) per kilo!
An outcome to this, which I will expand upon if anyone is interested, was the relative cheapness of “unaccompanied” baggage provided one is willing,and has the time,to extract from customs at the destination.

RE: Baggage overweight?

It’s interesting that you raise this point. With the increase in security costs a lot of airlines (including mine) have twigged that they can more than make up the difference by hotting up on excess baggage. There hasn’t been any changes to the rules, just more intent on imposing them and the figures we are drawing in are immense.

RE: Baggage overweight?

I was 29.5kg on KLM, JHB to Ams and got away with it. I guess just try to start up a conversation with the checkin clerk/ess and you should be okay.

RE: Baggage overweight?

Also what class you fly. If you have a biz or 1st ticket, they tend to ignore the weight restrictions unless you take the p##s

RE: Baggage overweight?

The cells are sealed and contain..er…..Butane. (But Boots sell them airside).
I like to be sure about these things as when I was in the Army some guys from my Regiment tipped an unemptied vehicle battery over aboard a RAF Hastings Transport and the Boys in Light Blue got VERY cross!

RE: Baggage overweight?

I’ve had a 20kg limit with Airtours and got away with 24kg so I guess it just depends on what sort of person you get at check-in..!!

RE: Baggage overweight?

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-11-02 AT 04:18 PM (GMT)]as long as the units are sealed they will be fine in hand baggage only. of they are liquid batteries they will not be permitted on any flights at all. if any items have sharp points on them stick it in the hold baggage but make sure the battery powered unit is stored in hand luggage.

RE: Baggage overweight?

Thanks for that Mongu and 777crazy.
Perhaps 777crazy can also guide me further? I have had conflicting advice (from Travel Agent and Airline) regarding the carriage of “Braun Fuel Cells” for ladies hair stylers/brushes. The airlines I would usually be flying with are BA,KLM,LH.
I’d like to be doing the right thing on this.
Thanks.

RE: Baggage overweight?

I work on check in, and if you go about 5kg’s(per passenger)overweight we usually turn a blind eye to it. Thats if your flying coach/economy, over this we will usually give you some kind of warning but if its anything over 30kgs we will charge you 3EUR for every kg you are over the limit. the best thing you can do is use a small carry-on bag and cram it full, we dont usually check small bags eg. ruck sck but we do usually check larger carry on bags e.g. panniers.

RE: Baggage overweight?

Flights this time of the year will be quite busy, so I’d be prepared for an argument!

I’m positive they’d allow you say 10% leeway, so 22Kgs would be OK and any more would probably be pot luck as to the friendliness of the person you deal with.

Perhaps flashing a frequent flyer card over the counter would tip the balance in your favour, if you have one.

Maybe one of the airline people would care to elaborate?