Originally Posted by
Cory6188
I realize that there are obviously tolerances with regards to W&B, but this seems like playing with fire a bit, no? If there's a reason that there are limits in the cargo hold, ostensibly for ensuring safe operation of flight, it seems like a bit of a logical fallacy that suddenly it's safe to operate and within acceptable limits because the same bags, with the same weight, are in the cabin.
I realize that this is all ostensibly taken into account as part of overall dispatch, but man, this one just seems strange.
The FAA does occasionally adjust the average weights (esp to accommodate our fattening population). It used to be 180lbs for avg pax weight just a few years ago. Additionally, if you are an airline that doesn't allow carryons, the FAA has slightly different averages.
As a former agent, usually the first thing that's done in a "weight restriction" is to count the children. Children only count as 82lb. Back in my day (and perhaps still the same), airlines didn't discriminate between kids and adults in the PNR. So all pax were assumed to be adults. Hence, why we'd count if it were going to be close to limits. That could give you a nice deduction if you have a kid heavy flight.