Originally Posted by
ErwinS
Heard that after arrival at MIA the cargo on board was 10 tons more then the documents said.....
I'm just interested in following aviation. Anything I say is my own version of reality.
I used to be involved in air freight. Domestic U.S. and International. Passenger aircraft and Cargo only. Military and civilian.
I had a dock worker erroneously place tracking numbers on a 30 pound tote and a 3500 pound pallet. The tote was intended to go to Shanghai via LAS-LAX on passenger aircraft. The pallet was intended to stay on the dock for 8 months of storage. The driver then barely missed the cutoff for the airline so another shift took the 3500 pound pallet to the airline and they gladly accepted it with typewriter printed ICAO bills for 30 pounds converted to kg.
8 months later, looking for said pallet, I personally called the airline and they confirmed not only the weight of 30 pounds (kg) but the description of 1 green tote. They were adamant they successfully transported it and it was signed for. I had it on my desk.
The error was clearly my office's, but the airline did not update the computer or bills. If the organization I was with can make an honest, albeit approx $100,000 cargo claim, error in under reported weight, how often and by how much are the weights off?
In other words, the Swiss cheese starts before the aviation industry is even involved. The cargo weights you have should not be trusted.
I would acknowledge it is impractical, but I think every time freight is loaded on an aircraft it should be weighed. At least on segments approaching limitations.