Hengilas

Traveling through MUC to HEL and onwards to NRT in a few weeks. I am a photographer on assignment (an assignment photographing airports, no less) slightly concerned about AY's carry-on policy. I am only going to have one camera with me in a smaller-than-usual carry-on bag (it is just a standard Briggs and Riley bag that is otherwise within all size limits for AY).

The only problem is that with a bare minimum of one camera, one lens, and a couple odds and ends (extra shirt, kindle, etc) I'm already over their weight limit with the bag hardly being half full. It's a medium format camera worth five figures so I'm quite hesitant to check this or leave it to the gate and ramp agents - how strict have they been with this stuff? I am traveling economy comfort as OneWorld Sapphire if it makes any difference.

theBro

I have not had any trouble in the past with extra weight on hand luggage. If the bag looks to fit the size requirements and looks easy enough to carry, I do not think they will bother with the weight. However, we just had a report on FT that they where enforcing the rule more strictly (as you have already seen). My last MUC flight was over a year ago, but I have been to/from HEL often enough with no trouble. I suppose the key is not to draw attention to your bag.

Jainzar

My hand luggage was not controlled in MUC this year or at any time before nor have I seen anyone else there being checked.

Courmisch

I've seen a photograph be denied boarding at the gate in BRU due to excess carry-ons a few years ago. But he had separate 7 pieces of onboard luggage with him (and had apparently refused to pay to check them in to the hold). I think fitting the size limits is much more important than the weight limit there, unless of course you make it obvious that the bag is too heavy.

FWIW, OWS gives you one extra free bag in the hold, but nothing on board. So you may want to prepare to have to check the bag in at the gate. I realize it sucks w.r.t. theft though.

SPBanker

1) I'd be very surprised if your small bag is weighted. This is not usually the AY policy. Obviously, we can't be 100% certain it doesn't happen.

2) My carry-on has been weighted once on AY, in PVG. It was several kilos over the limit, but I was only asked if I have a laptop there. I said 'yes', and was good to go. As one can have a separate case for laptop, perhaps this is your first line of defence, in the unlikely case your bag is weighted?

BTW, which airports will you be photographing?

Karjaluokka

Semi -OT; I've flown from MUC with AY in J about 10 times and almost every time I've had to "fight" with the clerks at check-in about my baggage allowance (upgraded ticket, where the allowance is not correctly stated).

Hengilas

Thanks all for good advice - it seem as if I just play it cool and don't try to cram 20lbs of crap in a 10lb bag, nor look like I'm being obnoxious I should be fine.

This also sounds good. I am okay with hand-holding the camera on the plane or something, it would just be a large inconvenience. Does anyone know if they'd want to check this potentially confiscated luggage all the way through to final destination or would it be picked up on the jetbridge in HEL? That would be the biggest problem as I have a decently long layover in HEL and would like to use the lounge to its full potential...God, this stuff is so annoying.

I'll be photographing AMS, FRA, ZRH, MUC, INN, DXB, NRT, SYD, AKL, ZQN, ANC, and GRU.

Jainzar

In case you travel only with carry-on and do online check-in chances are very low that they will check it.

Flip42

Does anybody have experiences how big that laptop case may be? Any limitations on dimensions or weight of the laptop case?

oliver2002

Aerogate agents in MUC will not bother with your handluggage as long as it is one piece and looks like it will fit in the overhead bin viz. the seat in front of you. Checked luggage is a different matter, there the 'computer says no' principle applies. In all fairness though that is what AY trained them to do. If Altea says something, its to be followed, exceptions need to be authorised.

Flip42

Had a carry-on and a laptop case. Bag drop agent in MUC insisted on weighing my carry-on. Weighed between 8 und 9 kg which she accepted. (AY has a limitation of 8 kg.) Agent was not at all interested in my laptop case.

In HEL nobody was interested in our hand luggage. Maybe because we dropped our bags on the evening before.

Hengilas

Just want to give an update here. At MUC, check-in agent and gate agent paid no attention to my hilariously overweight (but legally sized) rollaboard. However, the contract security staff gave me a ton of crap for it, which was quite bizarre.

Anyway, we got through - no problems in either MUC or HEL.