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What is the point of a CAA plate on overhead stowage bins telling you the "Maximum Permissible Weight" if you don't actually know what weight is going into your lockers because you allow your passengers to put what they likeup there!!!
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Got to say - I have been wondering this for a while. Even if everyone stuck to their weight max (where applicable), but then adds the duty free shopping, the MPW for the bins could be exceeded.
I noticed that more and more airlines now insist that "heavy items" and specifically duty free booze be stored under the seat as they may cause injury when falling out. Now I would see bottles at more risk of falling out on opening as they are not well packed and most often round (good for rolling off the briefcase).
A far bigger worry however is indeed what happens when the MPW for the bin is significantly exceeded - I guess it could fall off completely, e.g. on a firm landing, and that would be nasty.
If you don't have a max weight per bag established, you don't have a means of monitoring weights. Bins (
afaik) don't have built in scales... so that leaves you with an approximation - e.g. in that space, "normal" luggage would never exceed x kgs because you cannot squeeze it in.
Not a rule / defense I would want to rely on in a court.
Anyone with an engineering background who looks after cabin fixtures and can shed more light?