Ever had carry-on luggage weighed?

Tippytoes

Has anyone actually had their hand luggage weighed at the airport? More and more airlines seem to be reducing the weight of luggage that may be carried free of charge. AA always used to allow 18 kgs, but I've noted that Virgin Atlantic's allowance is only 7kgs. I know they have those metal "frames" at airports and your carry-on is supposed to fit inside. However, I've seen passengers taking HUGE cases (which must be well overweight) into the cabins, and I've never witnessed them being challenged. I like to carry as much as I can in my hand luggage for the simple reason that the Americans insist you must not lock your check-in bags. I don't like the idea of of airport workers sifting through my luggage, but neither would I want to risk getting stung for over-weight hand luggage. I've never had my carry-ons weighed, but I just wondered if I've been lucky?

pennylane99

Virgins cabin baggage allowance for economy is 6kg.

I have taken slightly more by checking in online, so by-passing the normal check-in desk. But you run the risk of your bag being refused at the gate, and taken off you to go with checked luggage if its way over the 6kg, or in an oversized bag.

As far as locking your bags, you can use a TSA approved lock, for which the security people can gain access to your bag if they need to check the contents

wendyphant

Yes I had mine weighed at check in and it was over. We emptied the bag (rucksack ) to find that as it was a kipling pull along one it weighed 4.9kg on its own. I had to carry me nebuliser with me as at the time my asthma was bad. We took it out and my bag weighed 5.9kg so virgin let me take through 2 bags for hand luggage as one was the neb.
My cousin also had hers weighed on another flight and was told to get rid of 2kgs (she had 2 children so changes of clothes and nappies ect. for a 10 hour flight)She took out her big book and purse put them in her coat and again they let her throygh

wendyphant

Tippytoes wrote: »

the Americans insist you must not lock your check-in bags. I don't like the idea of of airport workers sifting through my luggage, but neither would I want to risk getting stung for over-weight hand luggage. I've never had my carry-ons weighed, but I just wondered if I've been lucky?

They won't sting you for over weight hand luggage - they just won't let you on with it.

We never use locks (if you do they'll cut them off and poss damage your luggage they did to us) we now use cable ties. We put a few spares and a small pair of nail scissors in the un locked front pouch of the suitcase to gain access when we get to hotel. We then put the ties through the zips. If security want in they just cut with scissors and if not it is enough of a deterent to stop nosey theives. If someone wants to raid your luggage they will just slice through it. I was told about the cable ties by a security officer at alarge airport. HTH x x x

Tippytoes

The carry-on I have is regulation size, so not "suspect" in that sense. My hold luggage is hard-case Samsonite and the TSA approved locks can't be used. Either way, I read somewhere that the TSA locks are useless in as much as they can be "picked" really easily. I don't have a problem with TSA etc rifling through my dirty clothes! I just wonder if your hand luggage LOOKS OK size-wise, they are less likely to suspect that it is overweight?

Tojo_Ralph

Tippytoes wrote: »

The Americans insist you must not lock your check-in bags.

That is incorrect.

The TSA simply warn you that should they wish to inspect your luggage, they will burst any locks they need to.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/locks.shtm

Pollycat

Tippytoes
as wendyphant says, if your hand luggage is overweight (should they decide to weigh it at check-in, they may not) you'll not be charged but you WILL have to either put any excess into your suitcase or put your hand luggage into the hold.

Some charter airlines weigh hand luggage, others just ask to look at it.
However, ours are rucksacks and never heavy so maybe that's why they don't weigh them.

Travelling BA to Shanghai our hand luggage was weighed.

Mr_Lahey

Have to say my hand luggage has never ever been weighed. In fact ive bought about 10 bottles of whiskey before and that weighed a ton. (From duty free and they give you it prior to boarding)
So they can't be that bothered.

luci

We've had hand luggage weighed by FlyBe twice flying SOU-ABZ but never ABZ-SOU. We were stung for being overweight the first time, many years ago, so made absolutely sure we were under the second time by using luggage scales.

Never had hand luggage weighed with any American carrier.

mackemdave

Monarch at Luton nearly always weigh my hand luggage.....

Rosie75

I had my hand luggage weighed when I travelled to LAX with Virgin a while back. It was overweight as I had a laptop. The trouble with this rule is that they assume that anyone who needs to bring a laptop with them is travelling business class when, in fact, a lot of employers won't pay for anything more than economy. The combined weight of your laptop and bag, plus a few necessities like a wallet, etc. is almost inevitably going to be over 6kg. I was lucky on that occasion as the check-in agent asked if the weight was due to a laptop and just let it go (but there was no one else queueing, and she did have a shifty look around to make sure no one else was listening). I wouldn't fly with Virgin in the future if I was bringing a laptop with me.
The bizarre thing was that, on the way home (obviously, again with Virgin) they seemed to abide by American regulations which apparently allow you to bring very large and heavy items of hand luggage, and more than one item to boot.