International carryon baggage

[jeffster]

For anyone flying international (haven't tested domestic), I've found the airlines are now weighing carryon baggage and charging for overweight, or making you pay to check it.  I just had it happen twice this summer, with two different airlines (Lufthansa and Delta).

 

So, be careful if your plan is to pack all your books and other heavy things in a carryon bag and fly somewhere for school!  That used to work for me all the time...

[PoliSwede]

Interesting. It's not happened to me yet. What airports?

[1Q84]

I've never had that happen either. I usually bring about 3 carry-ons as well (well, a big "man bag", a laptop bag and then some other plastic bag) and no one has stopped me. I guess if you bring in a big carry-on suitcase they might try and weigh it.

[jeffster]

Nothing unusual about the carryons I brought.  In fact I dare say smaller than average.  And  yeah, it never happened to me before, ever, and I've flown international a dozen times or more in the last five years. 

 

The first time they weighed it at the gate, after I had already checked in, on a flight from Detroit to Frankfurt (Delta).  The second time they weighed it at checkin, right along with my checked bag, at Dulles (Lufthansa).

[random17]

I've had this happen a lot over the past decade--both with small backpacks and with rolling suitcases that are the maximum allowed size. It's usually much more common at European airports, but I've also had US airports weigh my carry-on at check-in. I never had an airline weight anything at the gate, but I have had them enforce the two item max rule.

 

At any rate, airlines only seem to enforce carry-on weights about a third of the time,but I wouldn't rely on being able to put all your heavy things in carry-on to get around the rules. (Alternatively, have your second carry-on item be large enough to stuff things into so that you can get both things below the weight allowance, and then rearrange after you're through security.)

[sdt13]

 

I guess I should take all of my books out of my carry-on then...lol

 

Do you know what the acceptable weight is?

[xypathos]

http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/10460865/airline-carry-on-bag-policies/

 

Here's a graph with weight and dimension limits by airliner.

[zapster]

All airlines have always had weight and/or size restrictions on carry on baggage - but the weight restriction is rarely enforced or checked in my experience, unless the flight is super-full and bordering on the max with respect to total weight on board, in which case airlines start getting picky over the weight of the carry on luggage. 

[jeffster]

All airlines have always had weight and/or size restrictions on carry on baggage - but the weight restriction is rarely enforced or checked in my experience, unless the flight is super-full and bordering on the max with respect to total weight on board, in which case airlines start getting picky over the weight of the carry on luggage. 

 

That was my point, really.  They've always had weight restrictions, but only this summer have I been seeing them enforced.  And I've flown international a ton.  In all my years flying before this summer, the only time I ever recall anyone caring at all about my carryon (aside from security) was when I had to fly on a tiny puddle-jumper with no over-head bins.

 

Anyway, maybe I just got unlucky twice somehow, but I thought it was worth a note of caution!

[marxistfeministdialectic]

This happened to me, for the first time, on a flight out of the UK in October 2012.  The check-in attendant weighed my hand luggage (a wheelie bag), said it was overweight but asked if I had a laptop, asked that I remove it, weighed it again and because it was under the 7kg limit she said it was fine.  I thought it was a bit strange (the bag was still overweight?) but was grateful!       

[PoliSwede]

This happened to me, for the first time, on a flight out of the UK in October 2012.  The check-in attendant weighed my hand luggage (a wheelie bag), said it was overweight but asked if I had a laptop, asked that I remove it, weighed it again and because it was under the 7kg limit she said it was fine.  I thought it was a bit strange (the bag was still overweight?) but was grateful!       

Isn't the standard 8kg?

[zapster]

This happened to me, for the first time, on a flight out of the UK in October 2012.  The check-in attendant weighed my hand luggage (a wheelie bag), said it was overweight but asked if I had a laptop, asked that I remove it, weighed it again and because it was under the 7kg limit she said it was fine.  I thought it was a bit strange (the bag was still overweight?) but was grateful!       

 

This is because most airlines usually have a carryon weight allowance that is considered to be in addition to a laptop/laptop bag.

[marxistfeministdialectic]

This is because most airlines usually have a carryon weight allowance that is considered to be in addition to a laptop/laptop bag.

That's not what it says on the airline's (Emirates) website.  I think this is the principle they adhere to but they seem reluctant to admit it. 

[marxistfeministdialectic]

Isn't the standard 8kg?

 According to the link xypathos provided it varies.

[1Q84]

I was going from Toronto -- LA and I stuffed a typewriter, all my records and a 3lb textbook into my carry-on and no one was the wiser... one of the x-ray technicians asked me if I had a computer in the suitcase and was really confused when I told them what it really was!