Excess Baggage Charges

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nikonuser

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Dave
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I always get stung for excess baggage charges mainly in the region of £30 being 3KG overweight due to the wife wanting to take the kitchen sink over and beyond my 2 shirts/2 pair trousers/2 pair shoes......you get the picture!!
On my last trip to Malaga in April I checked one of my suitcases on 2 of their check in scales and there was a difference of 0.5Kg, which represents £5 at todays prices of £10 per Kg overweight......imagine how many people pass through the airport and how much profit is being made on just that one particular check in desk.
I have asked my Carriers for a copy of the calibration reports for the check in desk used for my particular Airport under the Freedom of Information Act, needless to say, they have not replied or acknowledged receipt of my request within the suggested 20 day period so they have now had a gentle reminder before I refer the request to the Information Commissioner.
Anyone else been stung in this way??
Before going on holiday my cases are double checked for the 20Kg weight limit using 2 seperate sets of scales and were shown to be just below this limit.
Dave
 
I thught the limit was now 23kg?

I got stung on my last holiday, I think I was 8/9kg over with my camera kit, nothing mentioned on the way out but got stung on the way home

now as bad as it could have been i guess
 
On my last trip to Australia my case was 21kg on the way out, but on the way back (with extra items which when weighed back home came to 1kg) it tipped the scales at 25.4kg for which they wanted an extra £40 :suspect:

As a result I now have a Manfrotto 190 and head for sale on ebay.com.au :lol:
 
Not going to Oz but on the way back from France our bag was over even though we checked it before leaving and it had less in it on the way out than the way back !!! As it was budget we had no choice but to quickly redistribute some contents between cases to get it under or it was a no go.

I had wondered then about the calibration and certification of the scales. Surely accuracy is important for the aircrew to know the precise weight of the cargo? let alone the potential to make extra money from the customer.

It would be interesting to know if the scales are calibrated and how often they are checked, I have a feeling it might be an overlooked area? Yet as they are going to charge for excess accuracy should be proved by a certification sticker next to the scales.
 
They should be calibrated if they are going to make a charge on them. But do remember that the scales you are using in the first place need to be calibrated. you might as well forget about the cheap spring one you see for sale.
 
Any calibration should be done independantly, say, by Trading Standards.......it should not be overlooked!! as this is costing us all some of our hard earned cash.
I think the luggage allowance depends on which Carrier you fly with and whether it is long or short haul
I too have had less weight returning from holiday but been charged more.
 
OR Tambo (Johannesburg) luggage scales used to be a lottery, and there could be a variance of 2-5 kg between them. It was a bit of a toss up whether the check in clerk actually looked at the weight too.

Never really been a problem for me. I don't like heavy luggage, or checking any of my bags, and 10 kg is more than enough for a couple of weeks.
 
A couple of issues, I'm not too sure you could ask for the calibration reports under freedom of information. Unless the aiport is a public authority(despite the name BAA are not), then they don't have to give the data out i think. Link.

I'd get onto trading standards instead, and get them to look into it. The carriers are unlikely to have calibration reports, especially as they might have been using handling agents and may well not have the sole use of the desk in question.
 
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