Thanks for the info. I don't think I'll manage with just one 18lb bag with me for that which can't be checked. Since my trip is still a couple weeks out, and since my flight schedule was already changed on me, I guess I should use my option to freely cancel the itinerary passing through Germany and find an alternate star-alliance flight through not-Germany, maybe I'll try Austrian or SAS. I don't think they have this kind of restriction.