Newsstand - Faulty Scales Found at Airline Check-in Counters

Doesn't surprise me a bit. I wouldn't hold my breath for the airlines to fix their scales, considering that they are charging us $50 for a bag that is overweight by a couple of pounds. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif

Faulty Scales Found at Airline Check-in Counters (http://www.cbs58.com/cbsdata.cgi?_dhweb=form&_lt23r=home&kv=headlinenews.headlinenew_id=3330)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">These scales weren't tipping in our favor. A recent test by the state Department of agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection found faulty baggage scales at five Wisconsin airports. The department tested 51 scales at nine state airports. Twenty-seven percent failed the test -- most of them off by a few pounds. Officials say the scales belonged to airlines at five airports, including three at Mitchell International in Milwaukee. The others were at Austin Straubel, La Crosse, Dane and Mosinee airports. Some travelers might have been wrongly charged for overweight luggage. The airlines have recently started charging between 25 dollars and 100 dollars for overweight bags. Department administrator Jim Rabbitt says three of Northwest Airlines' five scales at Mitchell were rejected. It's the first time state inspectors have checked the airline scales.</font>

If county regulators have the right to inspect scales at grocery stores and shipping depots, and if they have the right (and duty) to inspect gasoline pumps, then why not also charge them with inspecting each and every airline scale?

It would be nice to see these things be checked at least once every 3-6 months, if possible-- at random times, to keep the airlines honest. With the extra cash they get to charge for nothing, the airlines have no incentive to stop tipping the scales in their favor.

Can a person ask for a refund if they were charged at counters where the scales were found subsequently to be faulty? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

This does not surprise me either. I know the scales at my airport are off. I cannot gain 10 pounds in the time it takes me to walk from one airline counter to the next. Heck, it has taken me 22 years to gain 25 pounds.

The state of WI is going to treat the airport scales like other commercial scales now. They will have to be tested and certified just like everyone else. Hopefully this will stop the randomness of airport scales here.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by The Unknown Screener:
...I cannot gain 10 pounds in the time it takes me to walk from one airline counter to the next. Heck, it has taken me 22 years to gain 25 pounds.</font>

Lucky you. I just have to walk by a food advertisement and I will gain 5 lbs. LOL