Sharing Baggage Allowance

[Prawn2king4]

Two pax travelling together. Baggage limit 20 kg each.

If one pax has a bag weighing 25 kg and the other 15 kg; say for example, due to size of case or one heavy item that cannot be split; is it permissable for the check in staff to allow the combined weight of 40 kg?

Or do the baggage handlers have a weight limit?

[Swissflyer]

There is often an airline policy on maximum weight of a single checked bag. The solution is to repack the bags such that neither exceeds the max allowable weight permitted by the airline.

[adambsmith]

I think it varies airline by airline. With Easyjet we had a bag at 24kg and one at 16kg totalling our total allowance which was fine with them.

Check with your airline and the T&Cs for your particular fare.

[cavortingcheetah]

I think that 32kgs is the absolute maximum per bag on the piece system as a baggage handler limitation.
I often see couples redistributing the contents of their suitcases at check in. It is hot work, stressful and embarrassing. The cruel decision seems to rest more with the check in staff or handling agent than the airline. Strictly speaking the baggage allowance, whatever it may be, is per passenger so I suspect that the check in staff are perfectly entitled to make you repack your bags if you travel as a pair. You can hardly argue with them anyway. One raised eyebrow and the security dum dums are called because your behaviour is threatening. Two raised eyebrows and you're in jail under the prevention of terrorism act. At least you know where you stand in a socialist police state.

[Dubaian]

Correct - 32kgs is the max wt of any one piece so the baggage handlers don't put their backs out. I believe this is now applicable everywhere.

[nicolai]

Correct - 32kgs is the max wt of any one piece so the baggage handlers don't put their backs out. I believe this is now applicable everywhere.

Not everywhere; in North America and there to/from some Asian destinations, for example, some airlines will accept bags up to 45kg for a hefty extra change (example from AA here (https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/baggageAllowance.jsp)). All of Europe seems to be 32kg max per piece.

[Avman]

Most reasonable airlines (i.e. the legacy airlines) will combine the two. Only bloody minded rip-your-customers-off-at-any-opportunity airlines (such as Ryanair for example) will not.

[Ancient Observer]

Ezy do not always allow you to "share" the allowance. We were recently held up at check in at lgw by a couple who were told that they could not share their allowance. As ever, much re-shuffling of what went where.

[everynowandthen]

Can tell you from painfully expensive experience, Ryanair allowance is per bag. No sharing the load.

[pulse1]

Flybe do not allow sharing, even for carry on luggage. I recently flew to Jersey to help bring back an aircraft. My colleague had a flight bag, I had nothing. The flight bag was over weight so he took out some heavier books and gave them to me. Checked in OK and then, in full view of the check in desk, returned them to the bag for the journey.
:ugh:

[Goldilocks95]

"Ezy
Ezy do not always allow you to "share" the allowance. We were recently held up at check in at lgw by a couple who were told that they could not share their allowance. As ever, much re-shuffling of what went where."

actually easyjet do allow you to share your luggage allowance-if they are on the same booking. that couple must have been on separete bookings. proof of this is on the itinery-if 2 people on booking and booked 1 bag it states max weight is 32 kg-does not say 20kg.

[Saintsman]

If one pax has a bag weighing 25 kg and the other 15 kg; say for example, due to size of case or one heavy item that cannot be split; is it permissable for the check in staff to allow the combined weight of 40 kg?


That should read "If HER bag weighed 25kg and HIS 15kg..."

That's half the trouble with packing, women want to take far too much. Every time my wife brings back loads of unused clothes from holiday, despite me telling her not to take so much. She packs the kids clothes too and I'm the poor bloke who has to lump it all around...

[Avman]

Aah Saintsman, I know where you're coming from. The problem is that women need something for every occasion. We blokes need a pair of shorts and a t-shirt!

[Capetonian]

I have just travelled for 18 days with a suitcase weighing 12kgs, which included about 3 kgs of paperwork.

Mrs CPT came over to join me for 6 days with a suitcase weighing 20.5 kgs. When we left mine was 8 kgs as I dumped old clothes and a pair of shoes, hers was 30 kgs due to totally unnecessary purchases.

EZY did allow us to pool, even though we were on separate bookings. I don't know what the rule is, perhaps we just had a nice check-in agent, he was a middle aged gent, I find they are often the most pleasant, unlike the snotty young females they sometimes employ.

[VS-LHRCSA]

When I did check in for VS, I can remember being told in training that people travelling together could pool their allowance but weights had to be evened out. So in the VERY common case of wife with heavy bags and husband with lighter bag, we had to ask the wife to take some of her stuff out of her bag and pop it into his. In practice, in the terminal there was no time or space to do this and I let bags go as they were as long as the combined weight was 46kgs, with no bag being over 32kgs.

At the time, I do remember talk of the maximum bag limit at LHR being brought down to 23kgs for health and safety reasons but I don't think it ever eventuated.

[Prawn2king4]

Thanks all.........

......and Saintsman, you're spot on! ;)

[bigal1941]

Used to travel with around 20 bags 3 people and an IATA card. 3 persons allowances were added together then excess baggage charged. NOT any more with the worlds favourite airline. Allowed 23kgs per bag so therefore 2 persons can carry 46kg in 2 bags. NO No No, each bag has to be 23kgs or less. 2 nights ago in Denver I got clobbered $30 because 1 bag was 27kgs the other 19kgs. Hope this helps Alan

[piton]

20 bags for 3 people???

[EODFelix]

Too true saintsman. A recent journey for self, wife and 6 yr old daughter resulted in 3 x 20 KGs hold luggage for them, 2 x 10KGs carry on for them - and 1 x 10KGs carry on for me - this for a 22 day holiday somewhere hot!!! And even then I did not get to wear all my clothes!!!

[bigal1941]

Ever seen a camera crew turn up at check in ? everyone runs Alan:eek: