Why 7kg carry-on limit if correct size and checked is free?

[Austman]

Over 7kg and you need to be flying BA ...

and to note that BA allow a cabin bag to weigh up to 23kg. A huge difference to 7kg.

http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-essentials/hand-baggage-allowances

I wouldn't like to be under anything that fell from a locker. Certainly not a 1.5kg glass bottle. So I understand there has to be some limit but 7kg?

 

[Austman]

Its not about revenue when they offer to carry it in thje hold for free, per most QF operations. It costs them more to carry it in the hold as it needs to be handled by several people to get it to your destination.

Most of the airlines I travel with have not bothered to weigh the bag. Not even JQi a couple of weeks ago and never QFi (at the first class check-ins). But this was my first time ever on EK (I was on a QF ticket).

I did notice that this often pops up when you retrieve your booking, which gave me the impression EK is after baggage revenue:

 

[clifford]

As noted by others, its all about safety inside the cabin and nothing to do with the cost to uplift the additional weight.

I'm sure you're not naive enough to believe that, and saying it just makes you look a bit naive.

As an EK Gold member I think I'm qualified to comment. It's not EK, but the contract check-in staff in MEL (which is the worst station in Aust).

I've never had that problem with EK anywhere. You say it's not cash related, but EK knows that if it annoys its best FF's it will actually lose money.

So please just be honest!

 

[edy4eva]

Got the same issue flying MEL-DXB in F with only carry-on. I was within the limit though (laptop and jacket out). The agent was pretty stiff asking for the hand bag to be weighed. I took my laptop sleeve and the jacket out then placed it onto the scale. She gave me the weirdest looks I have ever encountered from an airline staff member.
Based on the OP's experience, I think this issue is restricted to that single agent. I travelled a short while later MEL-AKL, again using F check in with a different agent, not a beep about my hand bag weight.

 

[BAM1748]

How can it be all about safety when some airlines allow 7kg, some 10kg, some 18kg and some don't weight limit at all on exactly the same type of aircraft? I mean these are BIG variations. And on so many other safety related matters the same airlines agree (or closely agree).

I suspect it's much more to do with revenue. I doubt JQ's safety has improved by their carry-on reduction from 10kg to 7kg.

For me it's not just about HLO, it's also that I like to travel with one bag only. So it's also more convenient to have that bag as HLO.

For sure, it's about getting a few more bags checked in. I have no idea but I would think many LCC have half empty baggage space underneath as a direct result of their own policies.

Matt

 

[serfty]

and to note that BA allow a cabin bag to weigh up to 23kg. A huge difference to 7kg.

http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-essentials/hand-baggage-allowances ...

Yep BA changed from the unlimited weight rule a couple of years ago.

 

[clifford]

For sure, it's about getting a few more bags checked in. I have no idea but I would think many LCC have half empty baggage space underneath as a direct result of their own policies.

Matt

Well I've said this before and I'll say it again.

If airlines were really concerned about weight they'd weigh the pax. I strongly believe this should happen, but it won't because of airlines' dishonest double-speak.

 

[mannej]

The argument of carryon weight reminds of the argument of speed limits.
Yes the limits are arbitrary but a line has to be drawn somewhere.
It's an interesting one isn't it?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't see why this isn't an issue about weight and the cost to carry the weight?

Clearly it isn't so much a safety issue. If BA and Easyjet allow basically unlimited weight, there's obviously no pressing evidence to change the policy (otherwise the law suits and regulators would have changed the policy quick smart).

But if you have 400 passengers with 7kg each, vs 400 pax with 10kg each, and you multiply that by the number of 777 and A380 flights EK operates every day, the weight difference is massive. And so would be the fuel burn.

There were reports QF wanted to take life rafts out of over-water flights to save money (what ever happened to that?). By the same token, reducing carry-on would have the same cost saving.

 

[mannej]

There were reports QF wanted to take life rafts out of over-water flights to save money (what ever happened to that?). By the same token, reducing carry-on would have the same cost saving.

No, they wanted to take the rafts out of flights that didn't have the legal requirement for the rafts.

 

[basso]

Clearly it isn't so much a safety issue. If BA and Easyjet allow basically unlimited weight, there's obviously no pressing evidence to change the policy (otherwise the law suits and regulators would have changed the policy quick smart).

But if it is only one or two airlines doing this, then maybe it is those airlines that are wrong. I believe this was the crux of your argument against MH flying iver the Ukraine.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

No, they wanted to take the rafts out of flights that didn't have the legal requirement for the rafts.

legal requirement or not, the aircraft in question were still going to be flying over water, and the life raft may be required at some stage. Why remove it unless there is a cost benefit?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But if it is only one or two airlines doing this, then maybe it is those airlines that are wrong. I believe this was the crux of your argument against MH flying iver the Ukraine.

Indeed a passenger might have a claim for injury against the airline.

However, given the policy is still in place, it would seem the risk is low or otherwise managed.

I checked the carry-on weight limits for AA and DL, they are 23kgs and 40lbs respectively. And I would expect US carriers to have weight limits closely aligned to their potential legal liability.

 

[DC3]

.... I checked the carry-on weight limits for AA and DL, they are 23kgs and 40lbs respectively ....

Would you have a link for that AA carry-on weight, please?

I have a few USA domestic flights coming up and can only find the dimensions, but not the weight. 23 kg sounds a bit high. It was 18kg (40 lbs) when I was in the US a couple of years ago.

 

[Limewood]

Ive seen some at airport check in area reducing the carry on weight by taking clothes out and layering onto themselves

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would you have a link for that AA carry-on weight, please?

oops

quite right - 40lbs. (the 23kg is a link for AA pax booking BA flights)

 

[Austman]

A couple of updated observations:

Emirates 1st class check-in at SIN had no trouble with my same carry-on bag. (and neither did any of the check-ins on the 8 x flights I did with other airlines around SE-Asia)

I noticed (ouch!) and was hit a few times (in the head) by passengers wearing backpacks while they were boarding the plane. I had an aisle seat and some pax seemed to forget how much fatter they were with backpack on. After being wacked on the side of my head a few times, I told one passenger "be careful!". The passenger couldn't have cared less. My rollaboard caused no such problems.

 

[clifford]

Ive seen some at airport check in area reducing the carry on weight by taking clothes out and layering onto themselves

I'd do it myself if necessary. It's a joke as the overall weight is the same, but if it keeps some moron airline employee happy, that's fine.

 

[Alanslegal]

I have a carry-on spinner that has been carried on for close to 100 flights, then one day Air Asia decides to weigh my bag and it's about 1.0 kg over. I had prepaid 15 kgs checked luggage (and didn't have anything checked in that day) so I wasn't really trying to avoid paying the luggage fees, but they asked me to check in it. I couldn't be bothered arguing (where the rules are the rules and would have lost the argument anyway) and too lazy to unpack (and wrap a few layers of clothes onto me) to lighten the load. Then once onboard, and like many flights, I see other passengers really pushing and some well exceeding the limits, especially size ones.

 

[bryanjones]

Emirates seems to check this regularly. I escorted my parents out of GVA last week and they were weighing everyone's hand baggage. Then I flew CDG yesterday and they checked mine. I honestly have not had to weigh hand baggage before EK so not sure if this is a new policy or something they have always done