Carry On Weight

[garybatz]

Being a Bear of Little Brain, I'm struggling to understand why there are weight restrictions on carry on items. I get that space is the major issue, so the size restrictions make sense as there is only so much space per passenger. But given that if a carry on item is too heavy it gets checked in, so the total weight of the plane is the same, what difference does weight make in the cabin?

 

[RooFlyer]

Strictly I think the reasons are:

* The overhead bins have a 'rated' weight capacity, so if they physically hold 3 x carry-ons, them each carry-on should be no more than [total]/3. This of course ignores bags put under the seat in front;

* Baggage in the hold is weighed, so its total weight is known. Cabin baggage is not weighed (nor passengers of course), so limiting carry-on weight for each item is a way to capping its total (in theory); assumptions are made for pax weight.

Weight and balance of an aircraft of course pretty critical to its performance.

 

[blackcat20]

Strictly I think the reasons are:

* The overhead bins have a 'rated' weight capacity, so if they physically hold 3 x carry-ons, them each carry-on should be no more than [total]/3. This of course ignores bags put under the seat in front;

* Baggage in the hold is weighed, so its total weight is known. Cabin baggage is not weighed (nor passengers of course), so limiting carry-on weight for each item is a way to capping its total (in theory); assumptions are made for pax weight.

Weight and balance of an aircraft of course pretty critical to its performance.

However some airlines do not have a weight limit for carryon, its a "if you can lift it you can take it" policy....

 

[Denali]

Pretty sure I was reading a story yesterday about someone being hit on the head with someone elses carry on falling from the overhead while being removed. That'll hurt.

VA2 last week, they were weighing carry on at the boarding gate and quite a few bags were checked in. My husbands backpack was 10kgs but they didnt weigh his and his was the only bag in the overhead (J). I had a plan B if they did weigh in, I always carry a small fold up cargo bag for emergencies/if I have to split his backpack load.

 

[albatross710]

I think the weight is about safety. How much can a person lift into the overhead locker?

I had a wonderful story of two of us checking in of a PR flight out of Manila to the provinces. There were weighing everything and we both failed by 2-3 kgs per bag.

Solution, I repacked heavy things into one person backpack, then the other person approached the counter and checked in. Carry-on weight approved. Transferred the weight from one bag to the now approved bag. Other person checked in with their now lighter bag. Problem solved.

 

[AisleSeat]

I think the weight is about safety. How much can a person lift into the overhead locker?

I had a wonderful story of two of us checking in of a PR flight out of Manila to the provinces. There were weighing everything and we both failed by 2-3 kgs per bag.

Solution, I repacked heavy things into one person backpack, then the other person approached the counter and checked in. Carry-on weight approved. Transferred the weight from one bag to the now approved bag. Other person checked in with their now lighter bag. Problem solved.

Ha, I had similar at Koh Samui airport years ago. HL got weighed, was too heavy, so took out my dive regulator pouch (standing at the check-in desk), put the bag back on the scale and it got approved. Walked away and put my reg pouch back in my bag.

 

[Melburnian1]

Not recently, but within the last few years there was a security staff member standing inside the entrance to MEL international airside and selectively weighing carry-on item(s).

I wasn't ever picked out but it was really an incorrect exercise of a function that should be up to individual airlines to police, if they chose to. I've never had a legacy airline question anyone's carry-on items but from observation some passengers do their best to stretch a friendship as more than a few mini suitcases one sees being taken on board are surely at least a little in excess of the pretty much standard permitted dimensions, quite aside from any weight issue.

 

[Quickstatus]

In the US, the loophole to overweight checked luggage is to overload the carryon.
Once at the gate, do a gatecheck for free!. No luggage fees! A gatechecked bag is never weighed

 

[TomVexille]

Not recently, but within the last few years there was a security staff member standing inside the entrance to MEL international airside and selectively weighing carry-on item(s).

I wasn't ever picked out but it was really an incorrect exercise of a function that should be up to individual airlines to police, if they chose to. I've never had a legacy airline question anyone's carry-on items but from observation some passengers do their best to stretch a friendship as more than a few mini suitcases one sees being taken on board are surely at least a little in excess of the pretty much standard permitted dimensions, quite aside from any weight issue.

I've had my bag weighed by said employee in the past who was adamant I was going to have to turn around and check it (it was 10kg) until he finally gave in and checked his cheat sheet which proved me correct.

 

[jb747]

Total weight in the overhead bins matters a lot in an accident.

Overall weight is an issue for load and balance, and fuel consumption.

Beyond that, is the issue of available volume to store everything that's carried on.

 

[phily]

Total weight in the overhead bins matters a lot in an accident.
Overall weight is an issue for load and balance, and fuel consumption.

Absolutely agree. Yet BA allows cabin luggage of 23kg, standard dimensions, plus a smaller 40x30x15 bag that goes under the seat.

 

[garybatz]

Thanks Everyone, appreciate all of the comments

 

[ftm]

Absolutely agree. Yet BA allows cabin luggage of 23kg, standard dimensions, plus a smaller 40x30x15 bag that goes under the seat.

It depends on what the various overhead lockers are certified for, weight wise. It can vary quite a lot, even on the same aircraft some lockers can be certified to hold more weight than others. BA may have aircraft that can take high weights. The 7-10kg restrictions were created decades ago. I know the QF 767 had a lot more restrictive certification limits than the new 737, for example.