Luggage allowance...how strict?

[GottaLuvCruising]

Oh, boy!! We are sailing for 12 days on the Carnival Spirit from Hawaii. Usually we each take one large suitcase plus one carry-on. We were concerned about exceeding American Airline's weight restriction of 50 pounds for checked bags. But when I checked their web site, then measured our luggage, I realized I have a "bigger" problem.

 

The height, width and length of checked bags can't exceed 62 inches. Ours do. Yikes! We have Samsonite hard-side 30 inch pullmans with overall dimensions 8 inches more than the allowance.

 

Has anyone been charged for oversized bags? Has anyone flown recently with very large bags? Has the airline ever measured anyone's bags? Help?

[CruiseFever]

We had to redistribute the weight in our bags some.

 

You can solve a lot of this by checking at curbside and having a nice $20 visible in your hand that you'll give to the skycap.

 

Then, it depends. If there's a supervisor around it might be a problem and I have indeed heard of people having to pay the extra $

 

My advice would be to stick to the current rules on the AA website and be 3 to 5 pounds under weight.

 

Happy Cruising

 

Chris

 

www.LifeIsCruising.com

 

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[kristikae]

The airlines are pretty strict on this now. I've seen many people charged for oversized or over weight luggage.

 

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[halos]

I don't know about oversized...but I do know that Delta wanted to charge my daughter $25 because her bag weighed 53 pounds; 3 pounds over the limit. She pulled out a couple pairs of shoes and squeezed them into her carry-on so she could avoid the charge. The airlines have become very strict.....

 

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[GottaLuvCruising]

Well, a trip to the Samsonite outlet and $400 solved the problem. We purchased two 26 inch uprights and two carry-ons (all hardside, top-of-the-line). We'll check all of these bags, easily under the limit in size and weight. We travel a lot, got a great deal on the new luggage and we won't have to worry.

 

Thanks!

[Salty_Breezes]

I think they are pretty strict too. My parents luggage weighed 54 pounds recently and they had to pay $25 per bag that was over. I am not sure how strict they are on the size of the bags, but I wouldn't want to pay extra. Glad to hear you solved the problem.

 

 

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[CruiseFever]

Gottaluv-I think you made the best choice, now you don't have to worry about it

 

Happy Cruising

 

Chris

 

www.LifeIsCruising.com

 

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[cruisinfanatic]

GottaLuvCruising

If you've got 30 inch cases, I can't see how you can be over the 62 inch limit at all let along by 8 inches

 

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[eerbeek]

We met a couple in the Dominican Republic who actually GAVE us a nice, but more like an overnight size, rolling case because they were over the limit on luggage and were charged $50 for it. They just crammed what was in the suitcase into their other bags and carry ons rather than pay. And I got a great new case!!

 

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[treehugr]

We flew AA last year, and yes, they are inforcing their 50 lbs limit. We also purchased another 26" bag to make sure that we would have no problems. But even with that, we were right at 48-49 lbs. We are also flying AA this year. If it weren't for the lower fare, we would have flown with someone else due to their luggage guidelines. Everyone else seems to be at around 70 - 80 lbs. Also, I believe they charge for each piece of luggage per leg of trip...something to keep in mind.

 

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[GottaLuvCruising]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Cruisinfanatic:

GottaLuvCruising

If you've got 30 inch cases, I can't see how you can be over the 62 inch limit at all let along by 8 inches<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

OMG! My husband watched me measure that luggage twice...but prompted by your response, I went back out to the garage and did it again. It is precisely 62 inches: 30" tall, 20" wide and 12" deep. Maybe subconsciously I wanted new luggage? I told my husband of my re-measure - he couldn't believe it and went out to re-measure himself. But we are keeping the new luggage anyway, so we don't have to worry about size or weight.

[MistyRo76]

I work for Delta Airlines and unless luggage is extremely and obviously oversized, we usually don't measure it. It would probably have to be obvious to the average eye, in order for anyone to measure it. Weight is a different matter though. Most airline counters have scales that are inside of the baggage wells. I know that 3 or 4 pounds doesn't seem like that big of deal. But I find when I wave a fee for a bag that is a 3 pounds over, then the person next in line sees that and wants me to wave their 4 or 5 pounds over. and it just goes on and on. Most people are pretty agreeable to moving a few pieces to another bag.

 

But the best thing a traveler can do, is to be well informed about the airlines and TSA's policies and procedures.

 

Misty

 

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[nxtcruisemar04]

Found this on American Airlines - Hope it helps. Looks like we get 70lbs.

 

 

For flights to/from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

The maximum amount of baggage each ticketed passenger is allowed free of charge is:

2 pieces checked and one carry-on

Please note that one carry-on personal item (see "Carry-on Allowance") does not count toward the free bag allowance.

 

The size limitation of your luggage is calculated by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, that is, length + width + height.

Two checked bags at 62 in/157 cm each

One carry-on bag at 45 in/114 cm

The maximum weight per checked bag is 70 lbs/32 kgs.

The maximum weight per carry-on bag is 40 lbs/18 kgs.

[magnumcoog]

We flew to San Juan this past March. Delta allows 50 lbs per bag. As my wife finished packing a suitcase I would get on the bathroom scale and see what it weighed. One weighed 47 and the other 46.

 

Coming home, when she repacked she did not get everything back the "weigh" it was. The Delta rep said one bag was 3 pounds over the 50 pound limit. So we opened up the two bags and moved a couple of items from the overweight bag. Delta was going to charge me $50 for the 3 pounds, $25 for each leg.

 

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[Mar]

Our ticket "holder" from the airline listed weight limit at 70lbs but after paying $25 per overweight bag last cruise, I called. Ooops, THEY made a mistake and never recalled old holders so new weight limit WAS 50 lbs-anyone over would pay minimum of $25 per bag. Shady to say the least but true. Downsize when possible.