Passenger gets angry at Check-In

[Ahmet H]

I completely understand that these check-in people have to deal with the same thing over and over, and after a long day at work it can get quite tedious. But sometimes they can give passengers an excuse to get worked up.

As a private pilot, I understand issues with weight and other rules and reg's that go with flying.

Last week, there were 3 of us flying back out of MEL with JQ on the last flight of the day. We had 3 bags and a set of golf clubs to check in. 2 of the bags were close to the 20KG mark, 1 a few grams over and the other a few under, can't remember exact numbers, but it might have been a couple of grams over the 40KG for both.

The lady at the check-in counter didn't, lets say, have the greatest look on her face when we first got up to the counter to check-in. But as we always do, we try to be friendly and nice because we know what they sometimes have to put up with.

So when I put my bag down and advised there was a golf bag that needed to go as well, she asked to have them both on to weight, which was fine. In total they were 23KG. They lady advised that we would have to pay excess baggage for the 3 KG. When I advised that I didn't have any carry-on bags and all I was carrying was a newspaper to read on the flight, she proceeded to advise me that if I wanted to take the 3KG out the bags and carry it on then that was fine.

Now that is enough to drive any passenger mad!

I wasn't in the mood for having an argument and I've had my fair share of let off's with excess baggage, so I just paid the measly $30 and got on with it.

So sometimes check-in staff can attract the abuse themselves.

[Adrian B]

Ahmet,

Three kgs is 3 kgs, its not like you are missing out by a couple of hundred grams. At least she gave you the suggestion to take 3 kgs on board as carry on, to avoid the fee.

No issue here.

[Marty H]

Originally Posted by Ahmet H

I completely understand that these check-in people have to deal with the same thing over and over, and after a long day at work it can get quite tedious. But sometimes they can give passengers an excuse to get worked up.

As a private pilot, I understand issues with weight and other rules and reg's that go with flying.

Last week, there were 3 of us flying back out of MEL with JQ on the last flight of the day. We had 3 bags and a set of golf clubs to check in. 2 of the bags were close to the 20KG mark, 1 a few grams over and the other a few under, can't remember exact numbers, but it might have been a couple of grams over the 40KG for both.

The lady at the check-in counter didn't, lets say, have the greatest look on her face when we first got up to the counter to check-in. But as we always do, we try to be friendly and nice because we know what they sometimes have to put up with.

So when I put my bag down and advised there was a golf bag that needed to go as well, she asked to have them both on to weight, which was fine. In total they were 23KG. They lady advised that we would have to pay excess baggage for the 3 KG. When I advised that I didn't have any carry-on bags and all I was carrying was a newspaper to read on the flight, she proceeded to advise me that if I wanted to take the 3KG out the bags and carry it on then that was fine.

Now that is enough to drive any passenger mad!

I wasn't in the mood for having an argument and I've had my fair share of let off's with excess baggage, so I just paid the measly $30 and got on with it.

So sometimes check-in staff can attract the abuse themselves.

Its there policy to charge excess over 20Kgs, for Tiger you would have been 8kgs over and with Virgin you wouldnt have paid anything.

[Ahmet H]

Ahmet,

Three kgs is 3 kgs, its not like you are missing out by a couple of hundred grams. At least she gave you the suggestion to take 3 kgs on board as carry on, to avoid the fee.

No issue here.

Its there policy to charge excess over 20Kgs, for Tiger you would have been 8kgs over and with Virgin you wouldnt have paid anything.

Yes I understand, and that's why I just paid the $30. But if all I was carrying on to the plane was a newspaper, a little bit of lenience goes a long way.

If I took the 3KG out of the bag, it was still going to be on the plane anyway, and JQ were going to be $30 less off.

It's just common sence!

[Marty H]

Originally Posted by Ahmet H

Yes I understand, and that's why I just paid the $30. But if all I was carrying on to the plane was a newspaper, a little bit of lenience goes a long way.

If I took the 3KG out of the bag, it was still going to be on the plane anyway, and JQ were going to be $30 less off.

It's just common sence!

So you made the call to pay the $30 you were given a choice by the check in agent.

[Ahmet H]

Originally Posted by Marty H

So you made the call to pay the $30 you were given a choice by the check in agent.

It was easier to pay the $30 than try to find things in the bag that equalled 3KG to take out.

[Andrew McLaughlin]

I had a similar experience in Orlando last year - we'd collected mountains of bloody brochures and paperwork on the trip and my checked luggage had slipped about 6lbs over AA's 50lb allowance.

The check-in attendant suggested I take out a few pounds to get it under the allowance, so I fumbled around and squeezed as much of it as I could into my camera backpack - lucky she didn't weigh that becuse it would've been WAYY over the 15lb limit for carry-ons!

[Raymond Rowe]

try travelling on an international flight/Domestic sector with carry on luggage.7 KG any more over they will not let you carry it on even camera gear.I had to take out my heaviest camera and large lens place it around my neck to get thru the entrance where the security guard sits with a set of scales.

[Tony P]

Rules are rules.

[Radi K]

If any more than 7kg falls on your head from even a small distance (say someone opens an overhead compartment and the bag falls) - it can cause serious head injuries, especially to children etc.

As for the JQ incident. Bag weights are entered into the system for Load and Trim purposes and thus can be "varied" for the sake of a few kgs here and there. These numbers are sometimes audited and thus could impact a staff members job if it's proven they have been fudging the figures, despite even if it is for the good will of a passenger.