Why do the airlines do this...

[medic_cruiser]

Why do the airlines limit you to 50 lbs weight limit per suitcase, but then they allow you to check 2 pieces of luggage?

 

On that same note, how many pieces of luggage are you allowed on a voyager class ship?

[pcbeck]

Because the baggage handlers would rather lift two 50 lb. bags vice one 100 lb. bag. I suspect that unions and labor agreements factor heavily into this situation.

[wrp96]

On that same note, how many pieces of luggage are you allowed on a voyager class ship?

 

200lbs per person total is the technical answer. The real answer is as much as you can pack and find a place to store in your stateroom.

[Dockman123]

Because the baggage handlers would rather lift two 50 lb. bags vice one 100 lb. bag. I suspect that unions and labor agreements factor heavily into this situation.

 

I don't work for an airline but I do work for a freight company and this is pretty much true. It is a safety issue. Usually these kind of rules are negotiated by the unions to protect the members from getting hurt.

 

Many people push the 50# limit, imagine the same people pushing over a 100# limit. You would have more injuries of the baggage handlers, that cost would then have to be passed on to all passengers in the cost of higher ticket prices.

[Treven]

But if your bags weighed 200#, you've packed WAY too much.

[Merion_Mom]

It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

 

ALL these years, there could have been "union issues" about lifting heavy bags.

 

Were there?

 

NO.

 

Why are they charging NOW?

 

TO MAKE MORE MONEY.

 

PERIOD.

[wrp96]

Hey Carol, only 16 more posts for you until the 5,000 club!

[Travelgrrl]

The governmental unit I work for has high costs for worker's comp. (Most from a nursing home or two where many of the workers have had back problems from lifting patients.)

 

It's incredibly expensive - and once someone's injured, you're paying out for years and years.

 

Hence the airlines trying to control costs in this way, I assume.

[lawsoncd3]

It's too bad that when I flew with no luggage or a carry on, that I couldn't save the bags checked for future flights so instead of a limit of 2, I could have 4 or 5... :)

 

D:)

[CruisenFunToo]

It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

 

ALL these years, there could have been "union issues" about lifting heavy bags.

 

Where there?

 

NO.

 

Why are they charging NOW?

 

TO MAKE MORE MONEY.

 

PERIOD.

 

Normally the union is more likely to be involved in the extra break issues and make sure that the guys don't "work to hard" I had a friend who was in a union airport shop and they had rules only some many bags and hour or the union rep would get on you. He said they could easly do double the work load no problem..

 

So what is he doing now you ask.. well he is at Mc Donalds LOL guess it all works out in the end..

[steve20832]

Some airlines do let you go a little over. My girlfriends suitcase was 58lbs. (She weighed it before she left the house.) No one said a word to her either direction. No extra fees paid.

[Disneycruisers]

It's not always all about the unions.

 

I worked at Pan Am many years ago, and the weight limit then was 70 lbs. per bag. Women, as well as men, (I worked the ticket counter) were required to lift the bags and put them on the conveyor belts. While it was good weight-lifting excercise at times, a few of us did 'throw our backs out' from time to time. The old 'bend with your knees, not with your back' wasn't always the case when one is under pressure to check-in the pax, check ID, and tag and load the bags. The heavier bags did take more time and effort than they do now, at 50 lbs. We weren't protected by a union either. We were actually a contract team hired by the airline.

 

I'm glad the weight limit per bag is less now for the airline employees, but as a traveler, I'm not. LOL!

[ARKUBIAK]

I completely sympathize with the baggage handlers. My complaint is say I weigh 135 lbs; my baggage is 51 lbs, I get levied a fine. The guy behind me weighs 200+ lbs; his baggage is under 50 lbs............he goes "scott-free" Go figure..............

[BigDogCruiser]

The airlines have always had the 50lb. limit. However, they usually ignored the rule. Now it is a revenue issue. With most airlines in bankruptcy, it was bound to happen that they would start charging for overweight luggage.

[kaitlinsmom]

I think it use to all be 70lbs - Then after 9/11 when the airlines had to start discounting their fare, they needed to get money in other ways and lowered the weight limit to 50 -- We traveled internationally over Thanksgiving - when you go international, the limit is 75 - we had a connecting flight, different airline, and it was 50 - We had to pay extra $$ for the extra weight -

[wraithe]

It's also partly due to weight and balance on the airplane. They distribute baggage between front and rear baggage compartments and also distribute fuel around the airplane to meet allowable balance envelopes so the airplane will actually fly. Passengers are "assumed" to weigh a certain amount and generally the distribution is pretty good inside the cabin. One of the reasons that the US Air Beechcraft crash occurred a couple years ago was due to too much load aft, if the center of gravity is too far aft or forward it affects how much the control the elevators will have on the aircraft. Again, this is just part of the reason. Part of the reason they've reduced baggage weight limits is because they've had to increase the "assumed" passenger weight limit over the last 20 to 30 years.

[LoveTwoCruise]

It's all about the Benjamins, baby.

 

ALL these years, there could have been "union issues" about lifting heavy bags.

 

Where there?

 

NO.

 

Why are they charging NOW?

 

TO MAKE MORE MONEY.

 

PERIOD.

 

Its due to more injuries...I believe they are charging to offset the payments with workers comp...Not all airlines have unions for the ramp emps....

 

I think 50lbs a bag is heavy enough period...Its funny looking at other people trying to lift their bags and cant...then they expect someone else to....

[orientodyssey]

I believe now most transpacific fligt (from west coast to Asia) allows you to check in for 2 piece per person, each can weight up till 70 lbs. So practically you can bring 140 lbs of check in luggage...... however for most trans-atlantic flight (to Europe), they only allow one piece of 50 lbs per person to check in.......

 

I don't think it is too much related to the loading factor on the air carft. Many airlines fly same type of air craft for both their transpacific & transatlantic flights.

 

It has to be related to the union factor. Domestic filght wise, in US probably is 50 lbs per person, and in Asia is maximum 44 lbs - one piece per person. It is tough when you go on a 20 day cruise in the Orient and wish to extend for a week to other cities in Asia.......44 lbs per person really is not a lot - some suitcase itself weight about 10 lbs...... I saw people try to squeeze everything into carry on luggages which weights like a brick so they can avoid luggage surchargs. But boy - it is really scary when you see them try that hard to lift and put it into the overheard luggage compartment on the plane - especially you are the one sitting under that extremely heavey piece of carry on.......

 

Well for domestic travel or 7 day cruises, I think 50 lbs of check in is good enough. Never had problem with that.

[fleckle]

My complaint is say I weigh 135 lbs; my baggage is 51 lbs, I get levied a fine. The guy behind me weighs 200+ lbs; his baggage is under 50 lbs............he goes "scott-free" Go figure..............

But that petite clerk at the ticket counter needs to lift your 51 pound bag. She does not need to lift that 200+ lb. guy.

 

If you do not want to pay an extra charge for an overweight bag, all you need to do is remove the extra weight from your checked bag and put it into your carry-on bag. That way, you carry the extra weight onto the plane yourself, just as the 200+ lb. guy does.

[superjerryw]

The airlines want to charge you for overweight luggage because they want the money. It's the same as them now charging for food or in some cases for an aisle seat. It's all about revenue. As someone mentioned, there was always a weight limit on bags that was never enforced. If they were concerned about the employees they would have been enforcing the weight limit all along. They're just doing it now to get extra money.

[ACCagent]

Fleckle,

 

What a perfect explanation!! Could not have been said better.

[MGoBlue2]

The airlines want to charge you for overweight luggage because they want the money. It's the same as them now charging for food or in some cases for an aisle seat. It's all about revenue. As someone mentioned, there was always a weight limit on bags that was never enforced. If they were concerned about the employees they would have been enforcing the weight limit all along. They're just doing it now to get extra money.

I think it's more than coincidence that the new weight limits came along right after federal government employees (TSA) began having to handle bags.

[Disneycruisers]

The airlines want to charge you for overweight luggage because they want the money. It's the same as them now charging for food or in some cases for an aisle seat. It's all about revenue. As someone mentioned, there was always a weight limit on bags that was never enforced. If they were concerned about the employees they would have been enforcing the weight limit all along. They're just doing it now to get extra money.

 

The airlines (anymore, most of them) don't have 'extra money.' Look how many have been or are about to be in bankruptcy. Domestic airfares now haven't increased much (some are actually still the same) in the past 20 years. Just an observation.

 

Wow, I didn't know that any airlines now charge for an aisle seat. I knew about the food.

[Kissara22]

I think all factors mentioned play a role in the weight issue. Although I think that with Workers Comp rates through the roof it's a matter of time before they limit it to 40lbs or even less. All they need is that one person to sue the already in debt airline.

[WhiteSoxFan]

Just like politicians, everyone looks for the ONE reason. I think it is all the issues that have been mentioned. The old rules were one bag at 70lbs. and one bag at 50lbs. (if I remember correctly) Why have they changed it to two at 50lbs.

 

1) Weight = Fuel, with rising fuel cost and level fares they are trying to save on fuel cost.

 

2) Worker comp - Workers comp insurance, like all insurance, has skyrocketed, less injuries saves money.

 

3) Revenue source, they need all the money they can get.

 

I don't understand why everyone complains so much, airfares have hardly risen in the last 20 years. (Of course I have a lot of options being in a large city) Compare that to everything else and flying is a great deal. It beats the heck out of driving in time saved alone.