OxonCantab

Hello Everyone,

I am a long time reader but first time poster on this site. I had a rather poor experience from LHR to PEK and am wondering whether I should expect a similar experience from PEK to LAX.

On my Air China flight from LHR to PEK, economy check-in was done by Air Canada's staff. There, while waiting in line, I noticed a person(not wearing any identifying uniform or ID) going down the line picking up people's carryon rollerboards and then either handing them a ribbon or telling them they'd have to check their bag or ship it. This employee(of Air Canada, as I would later find out) was on a power trip and harangued the woman in front of me for having the gall to bring carryon luggage that was too heavy.

I had a backpack and standard rollerboard and ignored the guy when he started trying to pick up my luggage. At the counter, I was told that I could either ship my rollerboard, or pay 385 GBP to have it checked in. Instead of checking it in or shipping it, I just carried it onboard without any further hassle from the checkin staff inside the gate at Heathrow.

I am currently in PEK and will be flying to LAX in August - should I expect a similar situation when I check in? To be clear, this wasn't a "piece concept" or "weight concept" issue, but Air Canada insisting that my standard rollerboard(which I've used across the US and Europe) needed to be checked in. Has anyone else experienced this?

jiejie

No you should not expect this situation in PEK with regular Air China staff. Sounds like you had an Air Canada staff member run amok. You'll be on piece concept between PEK-LAX for checked bags, and usually a regular standard rollaboard and small backpack (daypack) for your carryons on a TPAC wouldn't be cause for comment. Even though there is technically a carry-on weight limit on all CA flights, it's invoked fairly infrequently.

OxonCantab

to report back, my carryon was not weighed at PEK, PVG, or HKG on multiple domestic and international segments.