luggage weight in Europe

[Zot]

We are taking a transatlantic next year. After the cruise, we are taking SAS Airlines from Copenhagen to Budapest (not arranged from the cruise lines) and then back to the US from there. SAS tells me that intraeurope travel has a luggage limit of 44 pounds per person including the carry on. Additional weight is 5 Euros per Kilo - or about $2.75 per pound.

 

Has anyone run into this? How did you deal with it?

 

Thanks!

 

Zot

[taffy12]

We flew Delta and United to and from our cruise on Constellation last year, and I believe their limit was that each checked bag be under, I believe, 20 pounds, and you couldn't have more than two checked bags and one carry-on per person. We were a bit worried too, but didn't end up having a problem at all...that's a lot of weight!

[Goldryder]

Normal luggage weight limit is 44lbs checked into hold and one item of handluggage per passenger. Average case size for hold is 20x40x55 max before any excess baggage charge is levied. However, I would check with the airline you are using as they will clarify it for you, rather than take the word of the travel agent/ticket agent. They are usually correct but it is safer to aske those who you are flying with as sometimes the allowances can be different according to aircraft used.

[glgolfer]

We just got back from Norway. Flew from Tampa to DC on United then Dulles to Copenhagen to Oslo on SAS. When I called SAS about carryons they said 1 per person + a purse or laptop with no more than 18 lbs per carryon. We each had one carryon, my wife had a large purse & I had a laptop. We had 1 suitcase each with about 40 - 45 lbs in each.

Nobody checked size or weight of any carryon at either United or SAS and it was obvious that some were larger than "allowed" and heavier. And all the flights were full.

[Bruin Steve]

Now I am starting to freak out a bit...

 

We're flying on American Airlines, LAX to Madrid before our cruise and London (Heathrow) to LAX after the cruise...

 

But, in between, we fly Madrid to London (Gatwick) on British Airways...

If I read their site correctly...

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagchk/public/en_gb

...it sounds like we are limited to 51 pounds of luggage each...and can each take one carry-on weighing no more than 13 pounds...

 

The problem is, I have absolutely no clue as to what my luggage will weigh (or, even more so, what my wife's luggage might weigh)...

 

We've never worried about it in the past...just packed, checked in the bags and got on the plane...

 

After all, we're taking a three week trip that includes a 14 night cruise and requires clothes for formal nights as well as semi-formal nights...

 

We had planned on trying to fit everything into a 26" rolling case and a rolling garment bag each...But, who knows how much those pieces weigh fully loaded?

 

Do I pack NOW and put them on the bathroom scale to see where we stand? Say we come out between 51 and 64 pounds each, do we transfer 13 pounds of stuff into a carry-on each and deal with having 6 pieces of luggage rather than 4, checking 4 and carrying two?

 

Or maybe we just bring clothes for the Madrid portion that we're willing to throw away after wearing in order to lighten the load?

 

This is causing me just a little more stress than I want...Sure, I can pack now...my wife always waits until the last possible minute...

[Goldryder]

I always stick my cases on the bathroom scales once packed, saves alot of embarrassment and extra charges at the check-in.

[kitty9]

I just returned from flights that started in Lisbon, flew to London and then on to Chicago. I was worried about the inter-European flights because of their weight restrictions. As long as your final destination is in the US, the international weight restrictions apply, and you don't have to abide by the European rules. My bags weighed 54 and 56 lbs, and I didn't pay for the added weight because my flights were terminating in the US.

 

Here's the limits for each class of service from the BA site

 

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagchk/public/en_us

[Zot]

Hi Bruin Steve,

 

It was a shock to me too. Evidently any travel to/from US uses the piece system and is a lot more generous. So flying San Diego/Copenhagen last year luggage wasn't a problem. I checked with SAS and they confirmed the limit and the cost if I exceed. I've looked at Fedex, UPS, DHL to ship my luggage back; I've looked at taking a train instead of air between the cities (I am using my United miles so the airfare is free) an I am going to pay no matter what if I exceed my allottment (it's all her dang shoes and makeup :-) . It looks like we will be doing a lot of laundry to travel light! I am going to pack everything up and weigh it just to check in the next week or two, even though our trip is a year out.

 

Thanks for all your comments!

[SaylorGirl]

We will be traveling throughout Europe extensively before our cruise but we are taking trains everywhere. After being worried about our luggage we have just decided to take one backpack each that will weigh no more than 22 pounds each. At least we won't be dragging everything with us. Princess does have a laundry room which we will use and I will have to cut down the shoes!!

[Bruin Steve]

...we have just decided to take one backpack each that will weigh no more than 22 pounds each...

A wonderful way to pack...so long as all you're wearing is shorts and t-shirts...

When your cruise has 3 Formal nights and 4 semi-formal nights, it's a little hard to jam the tux, sports coat and formal shirts and my wife's formal dresses into a pocket of a backpack!!

 

And I'm probably not going to be the one with trouble making the weight...I guess my strategy is to convince my wife to limit shoes...and to do away with that massive collection of hair sprays, face creams, skin creams, colognes and other toiletry items and the various appliances from steamers to curling irons to god knows what...

 

I'll have to remind her she can pack none of it, do without for four days in Madrid and then just buy everything she needs when we get to London...

 

Last I checked, London is in the civilized world...they do have stores that sell all those products there...right?

[Nitemare]

Do I pack NOW and put them on the bathroom scale to see where we stand?

Why not?

[Bruin Steve]

Actually, I just made one concession to the weight limit...

Even though I own a really nice tux that fits perfectly, rather than pack it, the shoes, the shirts, the tie, cummerbund, studs, etc. and schlepp them all over Europe and have to dry clean everything upon my return, I just sent in the form to RENT the onboard tux...That saves a lot of room in the luggage...

[SaylorGirl]

Actully, Steve I'm taking 4 dresses and a pair of heels along with me. I can roll up all 4 dresses and squish them in a quart size ziplock bag, I'm not big on shorts and t-shirts! But, we do only have 2 formal nights so only one of the dresses is long.

[caviargal]

We are taking a transatlantic next year. After the cruise, we are taking SAS Airlines from Copenhagen to Budapest (not arranged from the cruise lines) and then back to the US from there. SAS tells me that intraeurope travel has a luggage limit of 44 pounds per person including the carry on. Additional weight is 5 Euros per Kilo - or about $2.75 per pound.

 

Has anyone run into this? How did you deal with it?

 

Thanks!

 

Zot

 

I have run into this on several inter-Europe flights and paid as much as $170 extra for the excess weight. Air France, Alitalia, Citijet, and all the smaller airlines really enforce the weight policies. I think it is a great source of extra revenue for them.