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Old 23rd Aug 2008, 19:28
  #688 (permalink)  
Hiflyer1757
 
Join Date: May 2006
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weigh in

Just a side note....up thread it was noted that this flight was normally not holiday types but business and residents so that luggage should be less.

As background I find that an interesting conjecture as after 30 some years in the industry I have seen it exactly the other way....couple bathing suits and sandals do not weigh much for the tourist but island residents will bring everything including the kitchen sink in an attempt to get around paying duty and higher prices on the island for the same goods than on the mainland.....and in more than a few cases goods that cannot even be found on the island at any price. In fact I see island residents pool together and send one on a shopping trip to bring back for many.....the one traveling get's a free trip to be the 'buyer'.

One other note in regards to weight....fuel is always far more expensive at an island station that on the mainland so aircraft are routinely fueled heavily on the outbound to reduce both cost and turn time for the return to the mainland.

Yes...all luggage is weighed but for the reason of charging for bags over the allowed weight....not to fill out a weight manifest. However, in the US the FAA has mandated that bags over 50 lbs be counted differently and a higher average weight used...whether this European carrier has the same procedure I do not know.

Overall I would expect the piece count per pax to be higher than an average Euro domestic trip/Holiday trip and the weight per piece also higher.
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