Do we have no recourse with airline scales?

[DandyDon]

I'm traveling heavier and heavier after two decades of diving, adding things that could come in handy, so it's always a challenge to check two bags under 50 pounds each. Then I get to the airport and my bags always weigh more on their scales than with my handheld digital units. It's common that I have to decide what to discard.

I got to the Lubbock airport before the American desk opened last week, weighed my bags on their scales, and one was 48-1/2 #, the other was 47-1/2#. Close.

Ha! We used the other scales on check-in: 44# & 43#. Oops. Don't they calibrate those? If their own scales vary by 4-1/2#, why do I have to trust them when they say 51#? What if the second scale had said 53# and 52#?!

 

[Marie13]

What about oversize bags? I had a large wheeled duffle that was 34” tall for my recent MX trip. That put it outside the standard checked bag size. It was under 50lbs by a good bit. Southwest at both O’Hare and Cancun didn’t say anything about it being oversize. I guess I got lucky not being hit with oversize fees.

What are you taking that fills two bags to 50lbs each? Sounds like you’re including the kitchen sink.

 

[crofrog]

I've managed to wedge my toes under the scales a few times and get those 52lb bags through

 

[DandyDon]

What are you taking that fills two bags to 50lbs each? Sounds like you’re including the kitchen sink.

The 19 cf pony & reg adds a lot. Always take a bottle of Pepto Bismo just in case. Etc.

 

[O-ring]

If you are cutting it too close you can't do this, but I have started undershooting my digital scale by at least 5 lbs. As you point out, the discrepancy between airports/countries is pretty large.

 

[Marie13]

The 19 cf pony & reg adds a lot. Always take a bottle of Pepto Bismo just in case. Etc.

There’s no way around the pony, but can’t you get Pepto pills and put them in your carry on? Sounds like you’re becoming a hoarder in your old age. I was in MX for a week and my clothes fit in two small packing cubes. Everything was minimal aside from dive gear. They do have pharmacies and such in MX.

 

[RyanT]

The other frustrating part is the variation in enforcement. I agree, you just have to undershoot a bit. I have commonly had a bag weigh in at 51lbs and the ticket agent didn't bat an eye. On the other hand, my buddy and I once had two bags. One was 51lbs and the other was 48lbs. They told me I'd have to move something from the heavier bag to the lighter bag to avoid the excess fee. I did it, but then asked them if they realized that both bags were going on the same plane. SMH...

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

My solution is to pack heavy items in my non-checked bags like my smaller carry on roller or personal item (backpack).

 

[O-ring]

Another thing I do is use packing cubes/stuff sacks for everything. That way I can easily move a pound or five between bags without dumping all my dirty underwear on the floor at the ticketing counter. Been there done that and it's no fun.

 

[waterone]

My solution is to pack heavy items in my non-checked bags like my smaller carry on roller or personal item (backpack).

Thas what I do, and it usually includes all my scuba gear with a steel backplate.