JustinW:With new weight restrictions I have resorted to other measures. Recently I was flying back from a hunt where we returned with (between 2 people) 200 pounds of venison. Small packages were packed in our checked luggage so that each piece came to 50 pounds. The rest went as carry-ons. Our carry-on pieces were probably around 80 pounds a piece. Just takes a bit of reshuffling to get by with the new rules. Its not that people are always moving somewhere, and indeed many people pack ridiculous stuff, but many times I am coming from somewhere where I have been hunting or fishing and I have meat with me. Especially on dive/fish trips where I have all of my dive gear plus fish.
I figure I carry-on about a hundred pounds, maybe more, with camera gear, computers, lighting equipment. But a word of caution, there are actually carry on weight restrictions and in Boston a few weeks ago, there was actually a baggage scale at the security check point. They were weighing bags that seemed likely to be overweight.
But I do agree with earlier statements about the airlines and profits. I know this will raise hackles, but I believe the airline industry as a whole has never been profitable. We are going to wind up with just a few carriers, and likely higher tickets in the near future.
Jeff