Charged a fortune for over weight luggage

WPC

I have just returned from a 2 week all inclusive holiday in Fuerteventura which I booked through Thomson Holidays.

We had a fantastic time but.................... We flew out of Bristol International with First Choice? not Thomson.

Due to my, and I stress "my" because my partner hasn't let me forget the fact my luggage was over weight. ( Quite a bit )

When we checked in the assistant asked what hand luggage we had and for the first time ever she requested that I put my hand luggage on the scales.
The hand luggage bag was the same bag that I had used on previous flights.

I have exams coming up and had to take my books with me so I thought that if I placed them in my hand luggage the weight wouldnt matter. How wrong could I have been. I had to pay a over weight fee of £110 and I wasn't even given the option of emptying some of the items out and carrying them in a plastic bag. I therefore had no hand luggage.

I was even more annoyed when I boarded the plane the man in front of me had a huge and very full rucksack and two very full plastic bags in either hand?!? Did the assistant want to make a very expensive example of me?

At the resort we met up with friends who flew out of Gatwick and they did not have to weigh their hand luggage.

Is this a new thing that Bristol International have introduced or First Choice?

On my return from Fuerteventura to Bristol again with First Choice the assistant didn't charge me a penny for being over the weight limit - thank goodness cos I think I would have cried!

I am going to write to Thomson and First Choice but dont think I am going to get very far, but it is worth a try.

Does any one know the names of the Director for Thomon and First Choice as I think that I should right to both parties.

Oh and to top it all off, the receipt that I locked away in the safe through out my holiday which I entrusted to my other half to look after during our return has just realised that he has thrown it away. Oh happy days, let just hope I pass my exams after all this!!

C_Ronaldo

ive taken hand luggage away with me before with ryanair and i wasnt asked to put it on the scales, i was just asked to show it, i havent flown with first choice so i dont know if FC and ryanair have different policies,

id write a letter,

Becles

We were told at the gate that a holdall was overweight on a First Choice flight. We'd checked in the cases the night before and slept in a hotel, so we had night clothes, toiletries and 2 large bottles of water in the bag, plus the usual bits and bobs.

They only let us board the flight with it, as we said we'd take the water out to drink on the flight, so the bag would weigh a lot less before it went into the overhead lockers.

tammyfshr

we had the same happen to us at bristol.normally we go from exeter.we also found the staff at bristol very unhelpfull.i was 7 months pregnant at the time and could of done without the stress.

TRAVELMAN_2

It is annoying but only way to get round this is stick to the rules!

Altarf

WPC wrote:

I had to pay a over weight fee of £110

So you had a baggage allowance of 20kg and could take a 5kg bag on the plane. But you decide to take 40kg with you and are surprised that you get charged?

Yes other people get away with being a bit over the limit, but double. That is pushing too far.

WPC wrote:

I am going to write to Thomson and First Choice but dont think I am going to get very far, but it is worth a try.

It will give them a laugh whilst they send you the standard "you didn't bother reading the ticket then" letter.

Saint_Chris

I agree with the above, most people know that cases are usually 20kg sometimes 5 kg.

hand luggage is 5kg.

i always stick to these rules why can't other people.

WiseInvestor_2

Can you imagine the injury a heavy bag would cause if the overhead locker opened in flight?

Lord knows why BA have just removed their weight restrictions on cabin baggage

WiseInvestor_2

C_Ronaldo wrote:

i wasnt asked to put it on the scales, i was just asked to show it

It's quite easy to guesstimate the weight of a bag just by watching you carry it; if your face is red and your knuckles are white you can expect to have it taken from you. Most people don't realise the staff at the boarding gate are watching the queue!

MarkyMarkD

I have to agree with the other posts, apart from Ronaldo's.

The hand luggage limits are specified clearly in advance for all airlines.

You were miles over the limit and therefore they had to stow your "hand" luggage in the hold, and pay for the excess baggage.

There are significant safety issues with excess amounts of hand luggage; excessive amounts also limit the space available for others' use.

WestieFan

This may or may not be relevant, but I have just returned from holiday, with Thomsons.

There are new regulations regarding the size of hand baggage which I only noticed when I was reading through the information in the ticket book.

Our rep also informed us about it before we left.