TaxiApple

Just read an email from SAA where they said carryon baggage was limited to one bag and could not exceed 17 lbs in economy (business was two items).
It further states, weight scales have been placed at security points to weigh hand luggage after check in. Of course they were doing this for "passenger comfort and safety".

Knowing my roll aboard bag weighs about 10-12 lbs empty, I see this as a real problem. I do remember on a multiple country trip, including Australia about 10 years ago the same restriction was enforced on leaving Australia. That was a hassle having to repack everything.

Is this a trend that is happening on foreign airlines?
Is it enforced?
Soon to come here?

Flying Flis

That seems a little low, most international airlines have a limit of 10kg (nearly 22 pounds).

MSPeconomist

QF used to have (don't know the current rules, only 5-10 years ago) very strict weight limits on all domestic flights. I remember being yelled at near the security checks (there was no scale, they were just guessing that mine weighed too much and I'm sure it did) but still allowed to carry on normal US amounts in their business class. I also recall even stricter weight limits for all luggage (less than 20 kg total for carry on items and checked bags) for some of their tiny aircraft serving smaller airports.

TrueBlueFlyer

Australia still has strict rules for carry-on's. I was hassled over it many times... A few times I had to take stuff out and carry it in hand thru check in.


What worries me is the new European rules on NO carry-ons on flights to the US. (save for medicine, laptop, etc.)


That severely reduces my ability to bring stuff home. (which I'm sure I'd want to do as gifts)

--Russ

B747-437B

On most African airlines, carry-on limits have to be enforced for safety reasons. It is not uncommon to see carry-ons as heavy as 30-35kg being dragged to the boarding areas. These can cause significant injury and indeed structural damage to overhead bins if loaded improperly.

tjl

It is common for airlines based outside the US. 7kg to 10kg is the usual limit.

Enforcement may or may not be strict, depending on the airline.

Such limits are easily run into, since wheeled bags use up much of the weight limit even when empty, and lightweight duffels or backpacks are easily stuffed over the weight limit even with just clothes (without books, laptop computers, or other dense things).

milepig

It also varies by your ability to become invisible. At some random airport long forgotten the Lufthansa German Shepherds (aka gate attendants) made a sweep of the lounge looking for extra carryons. I sort of slid one under my legs and became very interested in the book I was reading. Passed me right by.

tjl

In my case, checking into a Cathay Pacific flight (7kg carryon limit), they insisted on weighing my bag, found it to be around 8kg, but let me carry it on anyway.

I would not be surprised if the rule is there to avoid injury to flight attendants. Even if the flight attendants are not supposed to lift carryon bags into the overheads, passengers will probably ask for help anyway. Having a carryon weight limit probably helps avoid flight attendants being forced to either risk injury by lifting a heavy bag or give the impression of poor customer service by refusing to help the passenger.

Best policy for the passenger is:

a. Your carryon bag should be something that you personally (or persons traveling with you or assisting you) can put in the overhead or underseat space without assistance from flight attendants.

b. If you know that your carryon bag is overweight, pack the most essential items in a smaller bag that is under the limit so that you can remove the smaller bag and carry it on if forced to check the overweight bag.

Kiwi Flyer

As mentioned already, many non-US airlines have 7-10kg limits.

In my experience most of the time as long as carry on is small and doesn't look heavy there is no attempt to weigh it. If weighed by check in or gate staff and slightly over limit generally no problem.

Problems arise at airports where airport staff check carry ons (typically just before immigration or security) because they'll enforce strict limits (although sometimes waived for first/business class passengers).

Aviatrix

I thought that was a Canadian rule, and I thought it had been relaxed.

I'm not aware of any European carriers having such a rule. KLM certainly doesn't. BA has gone back to "strictly one item" in Economy but that's the standard-sized item.

Where did you get this information?

fastflyer

If you're travelling with another passenger, it's wise to leave all the carryons with him/ her while checking in at JNB. Your best bet is to use the kiosks, and completely bypass the checkin counters. The kiosks are a little particular btw.

I once had an agent, not even in the correct section (checkin at JNB is divided by sections depending on destination), shout after me (I was simply walking past) that my bag looked too heavy and to please come to her to weigh it. You do not want to check luggage in South Africa.

cordelli

The only place I've ever seen them weigh everything is in China.

In many other places, the scales are at the gates, but they only weigh the ones where people are obviously straining to lift them or they are huge. If you stay invisible as mentioned above, they usually don't care.

Loren Pechtel

Only once have I had any trouble in China--and the bag wasn't really that heavy, it was a well-padded camera bag. Fortunately my wife talked them out of insisting it be checked.

They've never made an issue out of my laptop bag even though it's actually heavier than the one they didn't like.

tfar

Happened to me this November. Lufthansa flight Venice to Zurich. My 36 linear inch computer bag had to go on the scale at check-in. Lufthansa has an 8kg limit. I was under it. Made sure to give the agent a look of indignation.

It is much harder to sidestep this than you might think because since the weight limit is really so low as to apply just to your briefcase basically, the main bag will HAVE to be checked. So you must use the agent or at least have some form of interaction with a human being.

8kg all included is not easy even for light packers. It is almost impossible with a standard 22" roller that weighs often 5kg when empty.

Till

uaflr

Actually, 1 kg = 2.2046 lbs.

so 10 kgs is slightly more than 22 lbs.