Flew SQ SIN-LAX in Nov '05 with domestic US connections (on separate PNR, not that it makes any difference in this instance; travel agent insisted they must be separate PNR due to CO "excursion fare"—whatever). SQ's baggage allowance is 70 lbs while CO's is only 50 lbs.

After clearing customs at LAX, I turned my luggage over to the CO baggage handlers without any problems and no charges. They don't weigh the bags, just throw them back on the conveyor belt.

But when I checked in for the return journey, CO charged me $25 for every bag that was over 50 lbs. And since I had a domestic stopover on the return, I had to pay the overweight baggage charges twice, once for each departure date! The counter agent at return origin was going to charge me for SQ, too, until I pointed out to him that they allow 70 lbs. I had their allowance printed out, just in case, but he took my word for it.

I had written an e-mail to CO before embarking on this trip, asking for clarification on their baggage allowance when connecting from an international flight on a carrier with a higher allowance, but their reply was not clear. So I phoned them from the US before the return flights. I was told CO takes the most restrictive baggage allowance from the point of departure—whatever the he// that means.

Just when I think I have the rules of the conflicting-weight-allowance game figured out, they find a way of changing them in their favor. Why can't they just honor the baggage allowance of the least restrictive carrier in a single journey? Very frustrating.