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

[MEL_Traveller]

I think there are a few things that have happened that have lead to the crackdown. Here one from CASA

Cabin Safety Bulletin No. 8 - Carry-on baggage

cannot be stowed appropriately, including use of baggage test units/weight scales; and procedure for removal; tagging and transporting as checked luggage

The issue is 'cannot be stowed appropriately'. I would argue weight is not the problem. Size could be.

Unless there is a fault QF knows about regarding the new overhead lockers. But that would be a much bigger legal issue for them.

 

[eastwest101]

The issue is 'cannot be stowed appropriately'. I would argue weight is not the problem. Size could be.

Unless there is a fault QF knows about regarding the new overhead lockers. But that would be a much bigger legal issue for them.

Yep - the CASA document linked is pretty comprehensive (and worth a read) and talks about weight and volume of carry-on with respect to emergency evacuations and suitable storage bins being able to be closed, along with a host of other issues that arise from cabin baggage such as dangerous or awkward items.

So it would appear a campaign by CASA to tell airlines to enforce their own carry-on limits but because the limits have been so poorly defined and enforced in the past we are maybe seeing slightly different interpretations of this.

Still does not explain the alleged focus on frequent flyers / priority lines and priority entry that some are reporting, CASA regulations are blind to status but obviously airline carry-on allowances can be dictated by particular type of aircraft and cabin class.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But it doesn’t specify a maximum weight. The weight would only be limited by the maximum load allowed by the bin itself, or other compartment.

JQ and QF are under the same CASA regulations, let one allows you to ‘buy’ 10kg and still be ‘safe’.

 

[woodborer]

But it doesn’t specify a maximum weight. The weight would only be limited by the maximum load allowed by the bin itself, or other compartment.

JQ and QF are under the same CASA regulations, let one allows you to ‘buy’ 10kg and still be ‘safe’.

Each operator determines its own specification - and the more I look into this, the more I think the fleet characteristics have an affect on all this. There does seem to be something about 737 bins that are problematic.

 

[Pushka]

Now that you mention the premium weighing, they were far more concerned with the priority lane than the general boarding one. Making people cut in front of the general people to get the bag to the scale then having to cut across again to return to the queue.

 

[Daver6]

With all this focus on weighting bags in the priority queue, perhaps they could also enforce priority boarding?

 

[Pushka]

With all this focus on weighting bags in the priority queue, perhaps they could also enforce priority boarding?

You mean an actual enhancement?

 

[Daver6]

You mean an actual enhancement?

Everyone is a comedian these days

 

[Blinky]

Has anyone had their carry on luggage weighed on an international flight?

Not in Australia, but in LHR on a flight to CDG. I was okay, but people I was with had to take out a heap of stuff and wear them (it was winter, so not that horrible).

 

[Townsend]

Canberra-Melbourne flights the other day was very strictly enforced at boarding esp the premium line. In Melbourne the premium line to security was being weighed with no allowance at all i.e 7.2kgs was knocked back. Then there were no scales in sight when boarding the A380.This crackdown has not hit the US where people were still boarding with the kitchen sink.

The concerning things about this is that the reason my travelling partner’s bag was heavy was that it had a number of batteries in it. He forgot about it and was not asked by the people concerned about two kilos.

 

[pauly7]

Canberra-Melbourne flights the other day was very strictly enforced at boarding esp the premium line. In Melbourne the premium line to security was being weighed with no allowance at all i.e 7.2kgs was knocked back..

I think weighing bags at/just before security is the best way to go. Maximum PR impact - shows customers no escape rather than a selective gate by gate approach. Also doesn’t slow boarding.

VA have been doing this in Sydney (posted in the VA baggage crack down thread as well) and previously Brisbane but haven’t seen them doing it in melb at security - yet - but the T3 terminal is a bit of a dogs breakfast.

 

[liamg]

Was on QF490 MEL-SYD yesterday. Inbound flight delayed so we were about 20-30 minutes late to board. Long queues because some roller bags were being weighed. Mine came in at 7.75kg - Qantas staff said it was and put me on the plane.

Firstly it seemed ridiculous to delay the flight even further. It was 8pm on a Friday - everyone just wanted to leave. Secondly, letting me through at 7.75kg proves it’s arbitrary anyway. Just leaves everyone frustrated.

Ensure compliance, fine. But doing it at the gate just frustrates everyone.

 

[Austman]

I think weighing bags at/just before security is the best way to go

Remember however that at Australian domestic airports, pax going through security need not be actually flying.

They could have arrived on another airline/terminal that allowed their carry-on (10kg is allowed even on JQd) and are simply going to the lounge to freshen up or are meeting other arriving pax. Both those circumstances have been true for me, many times.

I think, as long as the bag is small enough to enter the x-ray machine, security would have to allow it. I suppose airline staff (not security staff) before security could ask "are you flying with us today?". If you replied "no", I don't know what they could then do...

At international security it's even more complex with carry-on rules varying widely from carrier to carrier.

Maximum carry on size seems to be the more common factor.

 

[pauly7]

Remember however that at Australian domestic airports, pax going through security need not be actually flying.

They could have arrived on another airline that allowed their carry-on (10kg is allowed even on JQd) and are simply going to the lounge to freshen up or are meeting other arriving pax. Both those circumstances have been true for me, many times.
.

Oh don’t worry I remember but think about AU and concentration of passengers travelling through ports and likely offenders!

MEL - QF has own security as it has own terminal, VA 99% does as well unless someone’s lost looking for T4...(sigh first time travellers) so a simple ‘do you have a boarding pass - yes, please weigh. You’d hit a big % of flyers that way.

SYD - QF has own security again. The budget terminal (VA, TT, JQ) would be hard to police I agree. VA could continue screening at their premium entry though as they have been,

BNE - both QF and VA have their own Premium Entry that they could screen at (and VA have beeen)

I suspect you’d be hitting a fairly large whack of travellers with the above alone

 

[Pleb Status]

VA have been doing this in Sydney (posted in the VA baggage crack down thread as well) and previously Brisbane but haven’t seen them doing it in melb at security - yet - but the T3 terminal is a bit of a dogs breakfast.

No, they have not been doing this....

 

[Austman]

I don't see how an airline can stop people at domestic security for an overweight carry-on if they state they are not flying with them... So I can see why they tend to do it at the gate.

As for the domestic airports where security is shared by multiple airlines, at one of the (few it seems) domestic airports in Australia that want to check for umbrellas, my carry-on was caught. The security staff wanted to see the small fold-up umbrella in my carry-on - fair enough. But they then thought my carry-on weighed more than 7kg. I told them: As you can see, I have a small bag within this carry-on and can simply split the contents between the 2 bags which will allowed. I was then allowed to proceed.

So I think if the airlines really want to use security as the check point for carry-on limits, they'd have to have consistent rules that security could actually enforce. And I think a size and quantity limit would be the easiest for security.

 

[mrsterryn]

Much easier to 'police' if size only based
Mind you those travelling cubes could refinish help in packing more items in the carry on

 

[Townsend]

The size of my friend’s bag was fine.

One interesting thing was that the person weighing bags and deciding which bags could go as carry-on was actually a steward on the flight

 

[JohnK]

Interesting observation at BNE QF premium check-in this morning.

Guy in front was checking in and had small wheeled luggage and laptop bag. Check-in agent asked him to weight bag. He said it fits on board. She said I know but we still have weigh bag and bag weighed 10kgs so had to be checked-in.

 

[pauly7]

Interesting observation at BNE QF premium check-in this morning.

Guy in front was checking in and had small wheeled luggage and laptop bag. Check-in agent asked him to weight bag. He said it fits on board. She said I know but we still have weigh bag and bag weighed 10kgs so had to be checked-in.

Good on them!