The luggage weighting game
- Thread starter Schwob
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- bag weight carry-on
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Think I read some time ago that someone did or suggested to wear your BC onto the plane. Anyone actually do that yet?
Degenerate
Contributor
gr8jab
Contributor
Anyone ever seen a storage bag shaped like a tank, so you could use your BC to carry some stuff?
Years ago, when we went to San Salvador in the Bahamas - before the Club Med and new airport were created - they weighed each individual and his/her baggage before loading the tiny plane.
When we go to Little Cayman all of our luggage is weighed including carry-ons and the carry-ons are included in the total weight allowance. There is very little space for carry-on baggage on the twin otters, just what you can fit under the tiny seat in front of you. You may be charged for overweight and some of your bags may be delayed.
when I go to the Cayman Sister Islands I always bring a large purse as a carry-on and it is stuffed with our wallets and cards, medications, glasses and contact lenses, swimsuits and a change of underwear for both of us, and a few other essentials, and then I smash it under the seat.
When we went to LC two years ago, one of our bags was delayed by a day. Happily all our gear arrived but we didn't have any of our packed clothes, but the resort staff kindly laundered the items we were wearing for free so we were okay. Another couple also had a bag delayed with their gear but the dive shop loaned them gear for their first day of diving. On our trip back from LC to GC, I overheard a fellow passenger being charged $90 CID for overweight luggage, but he had a lot of camera gear.
When you go to Cayman Brac the airline is often more generous with the luggage allowance because there are more flights in larger planes heading to and from the Brac. There is more carry on space if you are flying in a turbo prop or a jet (and they usually don't weigh your carry-on) but the space is limited if you are on a twin otter to Brac - and you still may have delayed luggage.
We were on the Brac last month and we flew a turboprop on arrival and a jet on the trip home and we had no problems with luggage or carry-ons.
If it is a game then it is one created by the major airlines.
My carryon bags were choosen specifically to maximize load while meeting airline restrictions. I place one at my feet and one overhead placed to minimize the space taken. I feel no remorse for my choices. And if necessary I will transfer some of the extra weight to my pockets. At 5’3” and under 130 lbs I think I still have 50 to 100 more pounds to play with compared to the “average” American traveller.
My carryon bags were choosen specifically to maximize load while meeting airline restrictions. I place one at my feet and one overhead placed to minimize the space taken. I feel no remorse for my choices. And if necessary I will transfer some of the extra weight to my pockets. At 5’3” and under 130 lbs I think I still have 50 to 100 more pounds to play with compared to the “average” American traveller.
Degenerate
Contributor
I think this is very different depending on what country you are in.
I've been flying 1-2 times a year for the past 10 years and I have NEVER had anyone weigh my carry on.
At most I've been hauling a good bit above 10kg ("max" allowed wight is usually 3-5kg) never ever had a problem.
I live in southern Sweden and usually fly from Copenhagen airport in Denmark.
I've opted for booking an extra bag (max weight on bag is 20kg typically) on several trips because over here it's usually about 50 euro to do so depending on which airline you choose (some are waaaay more, but you'll pretty much always have the choice of picking an airline that wont skin you completely.
I've been flying 1-2 times a year for the past 10 years and I have NEVER had anyone weigh my carry on.
At most I've been hauling a good bit above 10kg ("max" allowed wight is usually 3-5kg) never ever had a problem.
I live in southern Sweden and usually fly from Copenhagen airport in Denmark.
I've opted for booking an extra bag (max weight on bag is 20kg typically) on several trips because over here it's usually about 50 euro to do so depending on which airline you choose (some are waaaay more, but you'll pretty much always have the choice of picking an airline that wont skin you completely.
I would argue there are airline restrictions and then there's the spirit of the restrictions. Weight is directly related to the airline's fuel costs, which are passed on to us. I agree that you, being petite, should be entitled to heavier bags, and so maybe your scheme fits within the spirit of the restrictions. I hope it continues to work for you. As for me, I don't feel that stuffing my pockets with heavy objects (if I had any) is within the spirit of the weight restrictions, as the cost would just be passed on to all of us if all of us tried to get away with that.
Generally overall weight (passenger and luggage) is calculated with a formula. The driving factors for airlines are the weight of the carry on for the over head bins vs volume hence their size/weight
For baggage there is obviously an upper limit - 30kg/60lbs which is considered the max for the safety of manually handling baggage.
Airlines also pay a fee for ground handling baggage. So to reduce costs and lower ticket prices this is where most restrictions come from. The less bags the less fees
My personal view on air travel, and I've done a lot over the years, is never check anything you're not prepared to lose. If in the rare occasions your bag gets lost/ broken into have nothing that you aren't prepared to replace
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