How to make enemies...! [by weighing carry-on]

[Popeye]

Theres the safety aspect involved with where the weight is allocated on the plane. By charging for the extra 3kg, they can then add that weight to the total weight of the plane and make sure that there is enough fuel, it is correctly distributed etc and the plane doesn't overshoot the runway.

Even allowing you to take more weight onboard to the aircraft, it still has to fit into the size requirements as well. you can have 6.5kgs of cabin baggage but if it is too big it doesn't matter, it will still get checked in and you will have to pay the $60 flat fee

The W&B aspects. and benefits of this have been discussed, but there is now the potential. for a 10+ kg bag to fall out of all overhead locker. onto someone's head. Also how. many pax have the ability.to lift an awkwardly. shaped. object above their. head to place it. in a locker that is at arms length

 

[Austman]

Also how. many pax have the ability.to lift an awkwardly. shaped. object above their. head to place it. in a locker that is at arms length

Pretty much all of the ones who can do it with 7kg? I have no problems at all with10kg, which I think should be the maximum.

The bags are unlikely to drop out by themselves during flight. Sure, pax should be mindful that a pax might be sitting directly below when lifting their bag. But they should be just as mindful with 7kg bags.

 

[eastwest101]

Again - goes back to what the airlines identify is the problem, is it a volume problem or is it a weight problem (everyone taking 6 compact house bricks or everyone taking a large box onboard full of feathers?). The first could be described as a weight problem but the second is more of a volumetric limit problem. Enforcement takes time and resources so makes sense to get some sort of self enforcement or easily enforceable guidelines that are simple and undeniable.

Interesting discussion about the weight and balance and assumptions made about pax and bag weight, but I think there is enough operational knowledge and such a large safety margin built into aircraft performance charts and loading data that its not someones laptop that is going to make an aircraft over-run a take-off.

The engineering of the actual overhead bins is worth discussing further, and whether the overhead bins "cube out" on capacity before they get close to their engineered weight limits? Or not.

Some economic stories in here as well with ancillary revenue and the perceived value of time driving the decision making process of how much is checked in and how much is attempted to be brought on board as carry-on. If the ancillary revenue has the unintended consequence of getting more luggage on board as carry-on, with the subsequent delays/gate check shennanigans and overhead locker rage that we see in the US, then logically its just a matter of the different accountants measuring and assessing the cost of delays vs the often illusionary benefits of ancillary revenue. I.e. there's no point having the best ancillary revenue flow if none of your flights stay on schedule, your fleet burns more fuel and you end up with aircraft and crew late or out of position or curfewed out is there?

Although expensive to install - maybe the foot lockers (see link) will mean that airlines will be able to "sell" the existing overhead locker space as another revenue stream? And if so - will they be selling it by weight or by volume? Will it be cheaper or more expensive than checked baggage?

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/airbus-fly-your-ideas-competition-foot-locker/index.html

I can see scanning technology not far away at all that could assess pax size weight and volume (and their carry on) being rolled out in the airbridges or at the gate so that the software will know exactly the weight and dimensions of every pax and their bags as they go onto the aircraft. The fuel and time savings of that could make this technology extremely attractive to airlines. I wouldn't be surprised if a technological solution is attempted in the future.

 

[Austman]

The engineering of the actual overhead bins is worth discussing further, and whether the overhead bins "cube out" on capacity before they get close to their engineered weight limits? Or not.

Unfortunately the link below doesn't seem to work any more:

http://airsafetygroup.org/sites/default/files/CAA2.pdf

But I do have a copy of the document and below is an extract from it:

 

[eastwest101]

Unfortunately the link below doesn't seem to work any more:

http://airsafetygroup.org/sites/default/files/CAA2.pdf

But I do have a copy of the document and below is an extract from it:

View attachment 136214

That completely makes sense to me, the overhead bins will run out of capacity in cubic centimetres before the engineering of the bins fails, otherwise we would be reading about many airlines around the world regularly killing/injuring passengers due to overhead luggage bins failing. Especially those airlines with generous or no hand luggage limits.

So its possibly more of a space problem than sheer weight. Seeing as we can't expand the fuselage cross section of current aircraft, and the accountants wont let them reduce the density of seating on aircraft in service its either use the space more efficiently or impose volumetric and dimension limits to carry on luggage.

 

[drron]

As to injuries I have been bruised at least twice on a plane as some idiot with a backpack going further down the back swings around to talk to his mate behind him.
So another regulation-back packs must be carried not worn on the back when inside the plane.

 

[ivanhoe]

QF 833 tonight CBR-MEL

Weighing all carry-on. A LOT of annoyed customers. Comments like “is this Qantas or Jetstar”?

As a result, we were 20 minutes late leaving the gate as well.

I was wavering until now, but Qantas just pushed me over to VA for first choice. Plat on both, and with VA I get:

- free Economy X seating (huge plus, and 30 seats on 737, so plenty of choice)
- real priority boarding (QF just boards both lines at the same time), so never a problem with bin space
- reasonable carry-on and no weighing
- four free upgrades per year
- more status credits per sector
- lower requalification level for status

and more often than not, significantly cheaper as well.

Only plus for QF is the Business Lounge - not enough anymore.

Shame, as QF always used to be so much better than VA.

 

[Daver6]

Maybe they can enforce priority boarding at the same time as weighing the bags?

 

[Archphoto]

Flew ADL-MEL (QF674) yesterday morning and MEL-ADL (QF691) yesterday afternoon. No weighing at either gate (both flights were full), and there were a few big rollers being lifted into the overheads.

 

[JohnK]

I was wavering until now, but Qantas just pushed me over to VA for first choice. Plat on both, and with VA I get:

- reasonable carry-on and no weighing

- more status credits per sector

and more often than not, significantly cheaper as well.

Virgin has also been known to weigh carry-on over the years.

Yes Virgin airfares are cheaper but with recent devaluation Getaway airfares earn half of what they used to earn. That's ok for last minute flights as Elevate = Red e-Deal but purchasing airfares in advance you'd earn more on Red e-deals.

 

[Vic]

y or impose volumetric and dimension limits to carry on luggage.

Volumetric and dimension limits is the same thing. Dimensions determine volume.
They already have dimension limits.

 

[eastwest101]

Volumetric and dimension limits is the same thing. Dimensions determine volume.
They already have dimension limits.

I stand corrected, but how often do airlines enforce their dimension limits.

 

[mannej]

Looks as if another enemy has been made...

Sydney Airport - Chaos with Carry On

 

[mrsterryn]

Looks as if another enemy has been made...

Sydney Airport - Chaos with Carry On

Reading the article and stunned some one actually kicked their case to the staff.

 

[Vic]

I stand corrected, but how often do airlines enforce their dimension limits.

I'm not arguing about the need for enforcement.
But dimension/volume limits are probably enforced much more than weight limits. Size can be visually judged, unlike weight.

 

[kookaburra75]

Most of flights to Melbourne and Sydney. It all depends on which port you are in as to what your chances of being caught are.
At the end of the day, if they aren't weighing your bags the cabin crew can still decide if your bag will make the flight or not.

QF795 CBR-MEL had the scales out this morning. Like others have said, it seems to be more a size issue. They still have the frames for the size of your cabin bag, so it's a wonder why they don't have them at check in as well.

 

[eastwest101]

Looks as if another enemy has been made...

Sydney Airport - Chaos with Carry On

That's an interesting article, if true, I wonder if the cabin crew mentioned as getting injured was injured in flight or while moving/stowing carry-On?

 

[murrayo]

It seems Australian airlines are out of step, 7kg is way less than elsewhere. I am about to set of on RTW Business class USA-Europe for business/leisure, usually I check baggage and being QF Pl usually fly business so dont think twice about weight, however; this trip involves a lot of moving around inc tight transfers, 4 story walkup airbnbs and some train travel in Rome, Portugal and Spain, so the sensible thing, not just for the flights is to pack small and light. Traveling with partner. Can we do it with legal *sized* carry on only? yes no problem! What about weight? weighed in at ~8Kg each, heres the thing; first leg is QF (7kg), then USA AA (no weight, possibly 18kg), then Iberian (no weight stated). ... my personal item - a small backpack for me and large handbag for partner may be a bit heavy at QF checkin.... But won't matter after landing in LAX and transferring to AA.

 

[danielt25]

SYD/CNS QF930 this evening (23/9) was asked to weigh my carry on.... cart on wheels.

At the time I was thinking "uh oh" ... Came in at 5.5kg!

Saw one pax lose his carry on ...

 

[drron]

It seems Australian airlines are out of step, 7kg is way less than elsewhere. I am about to set of on RTW Business class USA-Europe for business/leisure, usually I check baggage and being QF Pl usually fly business so dont think twice about weight, however; this trip involves a lot of moving around inc tight transfers, 4 story walkup airbnbs and some train travel in Rome, Portugal and Spain, so the sensible thing, not just for the flights is to pack small and light. Traveling with partner. Can we do it with legal *sized* carry on only? yes no problem! What about weight? weighed in at ~8Kg each, heres the thing; first leg is QF (7kg), then USA AA (no weight, possibly 18kg), then Iberian (no weight stated). ... my personal item - a small backpack for me and large handbag for partner may be a bit heavy at QF checkin.... But won't matter after landing in LAX and transferring to AA.

Wear a coat with a lot of pockets.After checkin and bags weighed stuff can go back in bag.Or you can get trousers with several pockets eg safari type.Personally I have a jacket with huge pockets I call my Rex coat as they only allow 5KGKg carryon.