I asked a related question last night, but I thought it would be useful to ask a more targeted question here. I am considering getting a Briggs and Riley bag that would, when fully packed, be relatively good dimensions wise but too heavy (about 2-3 pounds over typical 22-pound limits in most of the world).
My question is whether I can use self check-in to avoid going to the check-in counter and having my bag weighed at all. I know that it’s possible they will weigh people at the gate, but the bag does not look anywhere near as heavy as it actually is. Is this a good strategy? Would I likely succeed most of the time?
If this doesn’t work, I can go for another bag which is slightly worse dimensionally but perfect weight-wise.
West said:
People who do this shit hold up the most unpleasant part of travel for the rest of us. The real travel hack: bring less shit.
What am I doing to annoy you? I’m not trying to get something big which would cause issues for other passengers. That’s kind of a dick move. I’m trying to bring something heavier than the limit for which some (mostly European) airlines are going to try to make a fuss over to squeeze money out of me.
@Chen
You’re absolutely right. Delaying a plane full of people it’s safe to assume are at least as important to you so you can bring your curling iron to see the Eiffel Tower without paying for it is a dick move.
@West
Dude, the issue is a slightly heavy suitcase. I’m not exactly bringing a block of iron.
And I am ASKING whether I would be pulled aside in line and forced to check the bag, delaying the plane. If that’s the case, then I won’t get the bag. Why else would I be asking?
Using self-check-in can help you bypass the counter, but gate agents often check bag weight if they suspect it’s over the limit. You might get away with it depending on how strict the airline is, but it’s a gamble. I’d recommend the slightly lighter bag as a safer option, especially if you’re traveling with airlines known for enforcing weight limits strictly.
Chen said: @Brianna
What would you say would make them suspect a bag is over the limit? The bag is pretty heavy for its size and doesn’t really look heavy.
The answer you’re responding to is bullshit. The bag gets weighed when the tag is printed. There is no “suspicion” about your bag’s weight that leads to a check. The weight of carry-ons almost never gets checked; that happens almost exclusively on low-cost carriers and only when you struggle carrying it.
@Avery
The only time we ever had our carry-ons weighed was with Air Austria. My fiancé went to check in 1 luggage but that agent at the desk saw our carry-ons and insisted that we weigh all of them. They confirmed that the carry-ons were all under weight, but encouraged us to check them as it was a full flight.
@Washington
Similar situation for me. I went to check-in one bag with Air France, but they saw my carry-on, and the guy at the desk forced me to weigh the bag. Ended up having to stuff a ton of my carry-on items into my checked bag.
And rightfully so. I hate people like you, trying to game the system to save a few bucks. Meanwhile, ramp agents like myself grab what we think is a light bag and end up injuring ourselves because it was not tagged as a heavy bag.
That being said, what airline claims a 25lbs bag is a “heavy” bag? It was 50lbs for AAL.
A lot of pilots specifically use Briggs and Riley bags, so they will recognize it and it will get weighed because they know their own bag is heavy (because of metal frame and all).
August said:
A lot of pilots specifically use Briggs and Riley bags, so they will recognize it and it will get weighed because they know their own bag is heavy (because of metal frame and all).
Oh shoot, this is a good point. That’s a vote against B&R.
That’s a vote against B&R.