KLM Flying Dutchman - How strict is weight limit enforcement at LHR these days?

I know, a bit of a silly question as it probably depends on who deals with you etc etc but has anybody got any recent experience? I never really use my allowance normally but this time I have to move some things to Nice so bought a KLM ticket to have my 40kg but might not be enough. I wanted to pre-pay excess luggage but after apparently working, OLCI crashed to never work again since this morning. I'm Platinum but on a V ticket.

Don't forget your 12kg of hand baggage ...

Don't forget your 12kg of hand baggage ...

Thanks, that is indeed very good advice - but sadly already taken care of :( And the laptop case too...

Dont forget that ALL carriers wont accept a single item that weighs more than 32kg...

Dont forget that ALL carriers wont accept a single item that weighs more than 32kg...

I hope it's not that bad!! :) I've got two bags which I would imagine to weigh about 23-25kg each or so.

IF you are plat. it should not really be a problem as long as you do not over do it,

IF you are plat. it should not really be a problem as long as you do not over do it,

thanks!! i'll report from the lounge!

Bad news all round I'm afraid... :( :td: . I didn't insist or plead, thought it would be useless, but yes, you've guessed it, even when it's not KL but handling agent, the answer comes without even any prompting: 'we'd love to let it go but... it's not possible!'

How does the Plat allowance work on routes with piece-rules?

How does the Plat allowance work on routes with piece-rules?

It doesn't. On the piece concept, our entitlement is just the normal one. BTW, to finish off the story, after charging fully for my 9kg, KL managed to... lose both my suitcases! :mad::td: I wish THAT would not be possible!

It doesn't. On the piece concept, our entitlement is just the normal one. BTW, to finish off the story, after charging fully for my 9kg, KL managed to... lose both my suitcases! :mad::td: I wish THAT would not be possible!

Don't the T's and C's mean you can get a refund. The people in the UK KLM office are very helpful.

Actually Paul, some carriers WILL accept pieces up to 100 lbs (appx 46 kg) for an additional fee.

Don't the T's and C's mean you can get a refund. The people in the UK KLM office are very helpful.

I don't know about the TLCs, but I certainly intend to ask for it anyway! Right now waiting to see when they arrive (i refrained from saying 'if' I don't want to bring bad luck upon myself! ;) ) and in what state and will then indeed write to them!

You had to pay for the 9 kilo's as a plat? I am a cameraman and I have a lot with me and I have hardly ever paid for excess baggage as long as it is not like twice as much. I think you should complain and ask to be compensated by customer care. They are normally very nice to the plat. holders.

You had to pay for the 9 kilo's as a plat? I am a cameraman and I have a lot with me and I have hardly ever paid for excess baggage as long as it is not like twice as much. I think you should complain and ask to be compensated by customer care. They are normally very nice to the plat. holders.

Presuming the OP had 49 KG luggage, and his PE allowance got him an extra 20 KG, I doubt that complaining will help.

Presuming the OP had 49 KG luggage, and his PE allowance got him an extra 20 KG, I doubt that complaining will help.

i had 49kg indeed, but with both bags 'forgotten' in AMS by KL and my having to wait stuck at the flat i'm renting for 7 hours before it arrived, i hope that complaining will help! ;) plus it is the third time in a row my bags are missing after a KL trip...

Although the losing of your luggage is bad. I would not be to negative abou the payment of the overweight.

there are rules, you tried and lost. Next you might get lucky.

The loosing of the lugage is a different thing, just make sure you get your compensation

The loosing of the lugage is a different thing, just make sure you get your compensation

I'm not sure I see the two issues as as separate as you do. €xxx pays for you and 40kg luggage to be transported on flights KL xxxx and KL xxxx on a given date. If you go over the limit, you need to pay more. Fair enough. But then, if KL don't do their part of the job and don't bring the said luggage from A to B on the date said, it does seem to mean that only one of the two parties is tied by the 'rules of the game' that you are mentioning. I can't remember if I have also already mentioned that it is in fact the third time in a row KL doesn't bring my bags to me on the planned flights and I have to waste a day waiting for delivery later on.

Let's take a parallel example. You contract some builders to build a new kitchen and they charge a fee of €xxxx for the whole job delivered to you within a week (you could get much cheaper if you wanted it done within a month) and including new sink, cooker, fridge, work surface, and up to 400 kitchen tiles. You actually realise you need 490 tiles and they charge you extra - in fact the equivalent of 100% extra of the cost of the whole kitchen for the 90 tiles. But in fact, because of a problem which is internal to them (say, they had other priorities than carrying your tiles) they deliver you a completely untiled kitchen which you cannot use for a week until they finally come and put the tiles, and what is more, you have to wait for them in the untiled kitchen for an evening and a day as they couldn't even tell you when they would come after all. Wouldn't you ask that they wave the extra fee for the extra 90 tiles to compensate you for the inconvenience especially if they already delivered your bathroom without tiles and your living room without floorboard beforehand?

(And yes, I know, you would more likely choose another contractor, but it could be the case that you bought all three room works from them several weeks before they let you down first time round and even before they start giving you only 25% miles back on expensive fares!! ;) )

(And yes, I know, you would more likely choose another contractor, but it could be the case that you bought all three room works from them several weeks before they let you down first time round and even before they start giving you only 25% miles back on expensive fares!! ;) )

25% miles or 25% tiles? (Actually, 90 from 400 is 22.5%!) :D

-- H

Hi Orbimic. Another reason to fly BA LHR-NCE. If you are BAEC Gold or Silver you are allowed two bags of 32kgs total 64). And if you fly longhaul, you get 3 bags of 32kgs (96kgs). Non-status BAEC only get 23kg per bag, but Gold and Silver get 32kgs free of charge.
Of course, they might lose your bags too...

Hi Orbimic. Another reason to fly BA LHR-NCE. If you are BAEC Gold or Silver you are allowed two bags of 32kgs total 64). And if you fly longhaul, you get 3 bags of 32kgs (96kgs). Non-status BAEC only get 23kg per bag, but Gold and Silver get 32kgs free of charge.
Of course, they might lose your bags too...

True - and with BA, a full extra bag is only £25 anyway, much less than KL's £117 for 9 kilos!!

Do they weigh carryon bags at LHR? Perhaps if one checks in on the kiosk one can slip by? Ill be on a longhaul C ticket, and will have two carryons (one rollaboard, and one large briefcase). I will have no checked bags...but the carryons will have lots of books/papers so will be heavy. Hoping they dont weigh them...ironically, other airlines never have a problem with heavy (but still reasonable) carryon bags.

I usually don't do longhauls from Heathrow but the last time I was there they strictly allowed only 1 handluggage (the security guys that is) - all other items had to be checked in.
Maybe the rule has changed?

I usually don't do longhauls from Heathrow but the last time I was there they strictly allowed only 1 handluggage (the security guys that is) - all other items had to be checked in.
Maybe the rule has changed?

Can anyone else comment on this? I hope this is not the case anymore.

I usually don't do longhauls from Heathrow but the last time I was there they strictly allowed only 1 handluggage (the security guys that is) - all other items had to be checked in.
Maybe the rule has changed?

The UK had a 1 handbaggage rule since August 2007 - which was later relaxed at specific airports where they deemed security check capacity sufficient to deal with >1 piece. LHR was one of these.

In any case, there is no reference to the 1 piece rule anymore on the government website (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Publictransport/AirtravelintheUK/DG_078179) so you should be fine.

I have never had my handbaggage weighed at any UK airport. If you're longhaul C then the two pieces should not be a concern.