As always, read the baggage conditions!!
It's infuriatin to have to constantly listen to 'but I didn't know it was XX kilos" when it's plainly printed on the ticket, confirmation and/or itinerary, not to mention at the check-in counters.
Also, just because "So and so let me take it all the time" doesn't mean the same rule applies to the airline you're travelling on TODAY.
Airline A may allow 7/8kgs, but airline B may only allow 4. Remember not everything is a jumbo jet with overhead lockers, so your lugging on a 12kg laptop bag can get pretty tedious for the check-in/cabin crew!! (Imagine if everyone snuck on say, a 10kg bag on something like a Bras or a Saab...
as for
If they try to include the weight of your hand luggage, then have someone hold the heavy items while you check in and then reload your hand luggage.
If you mean including it in the recorded weight of your total baggage, grow up! There's a reason the loadsheet gets filled out, it's not to give the pilots and ground crew something pretty to draw on!!
