Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - New Baggage Rules on CX

From CX Agents:

"CX Limits Bag Weight to 32KG wef 01APR"

In support of the industrial trend in protecting safety at work for baggage handlers, so that risk of injury in lifting heavy items could be reducd, wef 01 APR 2004 the maximum weight of each piece of check-in baggage will be limited to 32kg on all CX flights. Pax with any single piece of check-in baggage weighing more than 32 kg will be advised to repack and/or split the contents into separate bags.
Please remind your customers on the above changes. Thank you for your co-operation."

Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I thought all luggages have always been limited to maximum of 32kg per piece.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/pretrip/baggage/0,,31973-32065,00.html

I've seen people at check-in being told to "re-pack" to reduce weight, not just for NA or Australian routes.

If checking one bag, that is over the 32kg/70lbs limit (JFK-HKG) Nonstop the passenger can pay overweight baggage charges right?

Excess baggage versus overweight baggage is different right in terms of charges and policy.

I might have one bag to check on an upcoming flight on CX831 but it will most likely be in excess of 32kg/70lbs. Is there a maximum you can go up to after paying overweight baggage charges where they will not accept that piece of baggage. Thx.

If checking one bag, that is over the 32kg/70lbs limit (JFK-HKG) Nonstop the passenger can pay overweight baggage charges right?

Excess baggage versus overweight baggage is different right in terms of charges and policy.

I might have one bag to check on an upcoming flight on CX831 but it will most likely be in excess of 32kg/70lbs. Is there a maximum you can go up to after paying overweight baggage charges where they will not accept that piece of baggage. Thx.


As I undertand the rules, you will not be allowed to check in any piece of luggage that weighs more than 32 kg, even if you are prepared to pay for the extra. It may be safer to divide your luggage into two bags.

I am 100% sure that this policy change means that you will not be allowed to check in a bag weighing over 32kg and has nothing to do with paying extra for the privilege. That falls under a different policy. Other airlines that have implemented this change enforce it rigorously, there isn't a 5kg "gray zone".

number_6: Do you know of the othe rpolicy this falls under? I guess it has nothing to do with this this post if it is a complete other policy.

I should have mentioned that I am checking this from a phone call I made to CX reservations 800# in the US. It was hard to understand the lady, but it seems to me that she was saying up to 70lbs (32kg) nothing, then if over 90lbs a $130 overweight charge flat fee (so really up to 90lbs fo fee). I think I misinterpreted what she was trying to say. I could understand a up to 70lbs no fee, then up to 90lbs max final say with a fee of $130...all for one bag at a minimum in this circumstance. Maybe I should just call back and ask again?

I want to be sure because it is the nonstop JFK-HKG(some FT tips of JFK departure strictness)... I am tempted to leave my carry-ons in the car, check-in, then go back to the car, get carry-ons and go thru security...not that I am pushing the carry-on size limit, maybe the weight a bit, but it might help? No?

The limit of 32kg is per piece, and you are allowed 2 pieces for free (more under some circumstances, such as CX Diamond). The old system allowed up to 150 lbs but for a fee; now there is no extra weight allowed. But it is not the total weight -- that is the case for non-US origin travel -- so it isn't the total weight limited to 32kg. Your carry-on bag's weight is not included, so it doesn't matter whether you have it with you at check-in or not. CX is very liberal in allowing over-weight carryon bags in J or F(a brief crackdown a year ago has ended; I've take 40lb carryon with no problems, in fact CX even noted the correct excessive weight on the tag). It sounds like you have misconstrued the limit to be 32kg total, and it is not: 32kg per piece with at least 2 pieces, or 64kg checked (maybe you have to buy a 2nd suitcase in NY, I've done that before and can get one for USD 30 that is almost disposable). They will force you to repack if any suitcase is over 32kg (with maybe 2kg leeway). As for the 800 number advice, it sounds like they told you the old policy which in theory is on longer in effect world-wide. However BA's groundhandling of CX at JFK is rather poor and I doubt they would be using rules as recent as April 2004.