Since the US Dollar is so weak, I have been bringing tons of stuff back to Europe from the US. I carefully weigh each bag before leaving to make sure I am within 1 pound of the limits. However, I have found a loophole when departing from Atlanta.

Due to 9/11 crap, in Atlanta, you have to check your bags in at ticketing then haul them over to the xray machines so they can screen the baggage. Guess what? They don't check the weight after you get the baggage tags at ticketing.

So, after checking the luggage, I roll it back to hourly parking, add all the heavy stuff, and then go back to the screening machines. I have put as much as 90 pound suitcases through the system without having to pay extra.
Also, I have transferred heavy stuff from carry on to checked when I did not have my car.

I know this seems like a hassle but saving $100 per bag in extra weight fees makes it worthwhile.

Does anyone else know of any other loopholes to beat the weight limitations?

You might be surprised to know this...but there are a lot of "humans" that have to lift that bag in and out of cargo bins/airplanes. Back injuries are very common in the airline industry. Those people have families to support. A friend of mine actually broke her neck bones lifting a very heavy bag. She was out of work for 2.5 years.
90 pounds is an extremely heavy bag.

How about just checking another bag and paying for the excess baggage???!!!!

If everybody does it then the plane might get kind of over-loaded and you'll need to get out and push for the last few miles...

As much as I believe they are written for the sole benefit of the airline, the T&C's of your ticket outline the rules pertaining to weight....similar to what the previous poster wrote, when does this become dangerous??? Personally I'd like to see them weight the carryons as well. With the increased obesity in the USA and all the junk being carried onto the plane I do think that we're pushing the limit as to what "planning" the airlines do in regards to weight. I don't know the weight used per passenger, but i remember seeing it once or twice and thinking that it was not enough.

Want to pack extra weight into the carry-on pay the fee, or pay the fee to check an additional bag. This is the kind of stuff that results in stupid rule changes/procedures being instituted on ALL.

Gee, they are getting paid $40 per hour in Atlanta. And, when I watch them through the windows, each bag is carried/tossed by two persons. So, I don't have a lot of sympathy

You think the baggage handlers in ATL make 83K a year?

Your profile says you are a Delta GM which makes you eligible to check 3 70lb suitcases. If you need more than that you should pay for it.

With their benefits package, yes, they make the equivalent of $83K per year. Why do you think Delta is going bankrupt?

BTW, Delta is my airline of last resort. I only have the Gold card because of my Centurion membership. I used to fly Delta 99% of the time but I have found BA to be about 1000 times better on Transatlantic flights. When I do fly Delta once every blue moon, the gold card is worthless.

Yes, I am cruel and inhumane. The airlines never are...

Just imagine if everybody did what you're doing.

Pilots do their fuel/weight & balance calcuations based on what is entered into the system at check-in. If ONE person smuggles through some extra kilos it's probably within allowable margins. If lots of people do it you could end up with an aircraft that's too heavy to take off, or you could run out of fuel before you reach your destination.

I hope this thread is going to make the airport authorities aware of what's going on, and that they'll put a stop to it.

Gosh I hope so. Having to haul bags all around the airport in Atlanta is a hassle.

I thought those yellow, triangular things they put under the wheels were tiny scales.

Well, I'm considering spraying my bag with adhesive, rolling it around in the dog hair on the rug and trying to pass it off as a companion animal. I'll let you know how it goes.

They'll charge you a hefty fee for flying with a pet. Now if that fee is less than the fines for extra weight, you may be on to something.

I thought about filling all the spare space in the suitcase with Hydrogen but that really could be dangerous.

As the OP said, maybe they should weigh the people and everything. Since they don't, I think that weight must not be much of a factor on big jets. I know on the small planes, everything is weighed, so the big jets must have plenty of power.

I think all those weight calculations are done to see how little fuel can be put on the airplane since hauling fuel is very expensive.

Holy crap, I can't believe someone would actually intentionally load their bag to 90 lbs. Besides possibly causing someone else injury, eventually you are going to have haul that bag yourself. Wouldn't it just be easier to check 2 bags???

I for one do not think the OP does this scam at all.

To many inconsistencies. Probably thought of the idea and somehow thinks everyone is going to shout hurrahs.

Even when it was cheap to go Europe and the weight limits were not as strick as they are now the ton of stuff I bought was not carried around but somehow managed to find its way to my front door.

Seems like getting a centurion card turns the holder into a pack mule

Do you realize the cause of several flight crashes several years back? The cause was overweight planes!!!! I realize you are trying to save a couple of bucks. I don't know if the airline employees monitor the weight of the plane. But by intentionally adding more weight (up to 90 lbs) it adds more risks than rewards.