What happens to unused baggage allowance?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: HKG
Posts: 1
What happens to unused baggage allowance?
Hi,
I am interning at a consulting/research firm and I have been asked to research on passenger baggage allowance in commercial aviation.
In real world not all pax will have checked-in baggage (and some may have more than allowance). I would like to know how this baggage allowance is forecast, used and dispensed with.
Specifically:
1) What airlines do with unused baggage allowance assigned to passengers? For example, if only 100 out 150 pax used their 20 kg baggage allowance and the rest did not use it (did not check in any baggage). What do airlines do with the unutilized weight? Do they load more freight matching the unutilized weight?
2) How do airlines predict/forecast passenger baggage allowance utilization?
3) Are there any data available on the average baggage allowance usage numbers - on avg how many pax use their
baggage allowance (fully /partially)?
Your expert opinion and help would be greatly appreciated.
I am interning at a consulting/research firm and I have been asked to research on passenger baggage allowance in commercial aviation.
In real world not all pax will have checked-in baggage (and some may have more than allowance). I would like to know how this baggage allowance is forecast, used and dispensed with.
Specifically:
1) What airlines do with unused baggage allowance assigned to passengers? For example, if only 100 out 150 pax used their 20 kg baggage allowance and the rest did not use it (did not check in any baggage). What do airlines do with the unutilized weight? Do they load more freight matching the unutilized weight?
2) How do airlines predict/forecast passenger baggage allowance utilization?
3) Are there any data available on the average baggage allowance usage numbers - on avg how many pax use their
baggage allowance (fully /partially)?
Your expert opinion and help would be greatly appreciated.
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: In transit
Age: 66
Posts: 3,058
1) What airlines do with unused baggage allowance assigned to passengers? For example, if only 100 out 150 pax used their 20 kg baggage allowance and the rest did not use it (did not check in any baggage). What do airlines do with the unutilized weight? Do they load more freight matching the unutilized weight?
2) How do airlines predict/forecast passenger baggage allowance utilization?
As passengers check in, the weight of their baggage finds its way through the DCS onto the loadsheet which is important for correct balance and trim, it is safety critical. That is one of several reasons why, if a passenger turns up with a 30 kilo suitcase, the check in agent can't register it as 20 kilos. If they did that for every passenger on a 150 seat aircraft, there would be 1.5 tonnes of additional weight on board that would not be reflected on the load sheet and that the cockpit crew would not know about.
3) Are there any data available on the average baggage allowance usage numbers - on avg how many pax use their
baggage allowance (fully /partially)?
baggage allowance (fully /partially)?
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 71
I'm just speculating but there would be an assumption about the average weight that each passenger would want carried as luggage and also the average weight of each passenger.
You could only make a profit from the unused carrying capacity if you weighed the people too (I suspect passengers would object), then stopped them from buying heavy stuff between weigh-in in and boarding.
You could only make a profit from the unused carrying capacity if you weighed the people too (I suspect passengers would object), then stopped them from buying heavy stuff between weigh-in in and boarding.
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 29
What concerns me is the amount of 'cabin luggage' that goes apparently unweighed. I recall one particular BA flight from EWR to LHR where the cabin was absolutely rammed with trolley cases and the like. Many passengers had considerably more than one piece of hand luggage - that airline didn't appear to enforce its own hand luggage policy.
I would've thought this was a potential safety issue.
I would've thought this was a potential safety issue.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: on the road...
Posts: 175
A senior airline exec has mentioned to me he is only waiting for the day they have a hard landing, a number of bins open and there are widespread pax injuries. Cue direct compensation, tonnes of bad PR and possible regulatory issues.
Paxing All Over The World
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hertfordshire, UK.
Age: 63
Posts: 8,951
Indeed Angry Rebel. Until people are hurt -nothing will change. Since each pax will state (= shout in court) they they were hurt by someone ELSE's bag and that THEIR bag was within weight and size limits ...
Since any overweight, or extra, bag that is on the aircraft is there because airline staff permitted it - they will have a hard time saying it's not their fault. The airlines will, of course, try to say it's not their fault and it was a one off blah blah.
Since any overweight, or extra, bag that is on the aircraft is there because airline staff permitted it - they will have a hard time saying it's not their fault. The airlines will, of course, try to say it's not their fault and it was a one off blah blah.
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Fife
Posts: 7
A senior airline exec has mentioned to me he is only waiting for the day they have a hard landing, a number of bins open and there are widespread pax injuries. Cue direct compensation, tonnes of bad PR and possible regulatory issues.
You mean it isn't obvious?
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: London UK
Posts: 6,260
The baggage allowance is indeed just a maximum allowance, and charging for amounts beyond this is a combination of a commercial consideration, and a mechanism to ensure that the average baggage weights per passenger used in calculations are pretty much adhered to. Anyone who has travelled in Asia, where maximum allowances are treated very casually, will have seen some with huge amounts; western carriers often have different and enlarged allowances on Asian flights, for competitive reasons (the Gulf carriers developed their market considerably by allowing substantial baggage weights).
Those of us who have departed Los Angeles for London or New York may well have seen the Hollywood Divas at the First Class counter checking in about 10 cases, maybe including three hatboxes, and the revenue manager looking very pleased .....
The averaging technique used to assess baggage weight is well used throughout aviation, assessing the average number of no-shows so you can overbook and still be OK is another. Different carriers have different approaches, and the best practice ones will do periodic spot audits with a weighing machine to ensure they are appropriate. Averaging of carry-on weight is done the same way.
Baggage weight is just a small proportion of passenger weight + baggage weight, and passengers weigh very variable amounts themselves of course; this is subject to another averaging technique. Some use different average weights for men, women and children, as that split is readily available from the reservations. Other carriers use different average weights between summer and winter, when passengers come on with different quantities of outdoor clothing.
Those of us who have departed Los Angeles for London or New York may well have seen the Hollywood Divas at the First Class counter checking in about 10 cases, maybe including three hatboxes, and the revenue manager looking very pleased .....
The averaging technique used to assess baggage weight is well used throughout aviation, assessing the average number of no-shows so you can overbook and still be OK is another. Different carriers have different approaches, and the best practice ones will do periodic spot audits with a weighing machine to ensure they are appropriate. Averaging of carry-on weight is done the same way.
Baggage weight is just a small proportion of passenger weight + baggage weight, and passengers weigh very variable amounts themselves of course; this is subject to another averaging technique. Some use different average weights for men, women and children, as that split is readily available from the reservations. Other carriers use different average weights between summer and winter, when passengers come on with different quantities of outdoor clothing.
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Botswana & Greece
Age: 64
Posts: 940
Most airlines flight plan on average standard weights for bags and pax. It would be too late once actual weights are in to run a flight plan and fuel up accordingly. If the TOW is lighter than planned the company gains on a lower fuel burn. If a pax turns up with overweight baggage they are charged extra. The average baggage weight is probably still the standard so the company gains again from the extra charges. It's the name of the game 
This is why all airlines should weigh pax and there should be excess charges. Why should I pay for the fuel to transport the big fat blob next to me (not Mrs Exascot
) when I am well below the average weight?
This is why all airlines should weigh pax and there should be excess charges. Why should I pay for the fuel to transport the big fat blob next to me (not Mrs Exascot
) when I am well below the average weight?
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Home
Posts: 1,950
Why should I pay for the fuel to transport the big fat blob next to me (not Mrs Exascot ) when I am well below the average weight?
Paxing All Over The World
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hertfordshire, UK.
Age: 63
Posts: 8,951
Pax weights are regularly checked and averages upgraded. Some years ago during one of my regular trips to South Africa, I was asked if I could be weighed for a domestic sector. I agreed.
SAA collected the data for themselves but, of course, could then sell it on to other airlines. They would know my age from the booking details and could categorise my weight accordingly.
SAA collected the data for themselves but, of course, could then sell it on to other airlines. They would know my age from the booking details and could categorise my weight accordingly.
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Everett, WA
Age: 64
Posts: 2,466
There was a crash of a turboprop several years back that was attributed to the aircraft being way overweight (and out of CG limits) because they used 50 year old average values for passenger and baggage weight. The average values were updated as a result of that crash, and those numbers are now periodically reviewed and updated.
BTW, many years ago I arrived at my destination for a ski trip and was one of about 20 people whose baggage hadn't been loaded because they otherwise would have been overweight (737-200). Tough to go skiing without gear
BTW, many years ago I arrived at my destination for a ski trip and was one of about 20 people whose baggage hadn't been loaded because they otherwise would have been overweight (737-200). Tough to go skiing without gear
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: London UK
Posts: 6,260
Originally Posted by tdracer
There was a crash of a turboprop several years back that was attributed to the aircraft being way overweight (and out of CG limits) because they used 50 year old average values for passenger and baggage weight.
Believe it or not, back in the pioneer 1920s days of aviation passengers were weighed and the fare covered passenger AND baggage up to a given weight, thereupon a surcharge. Jack Bamford, the Air France station manager in London from the 1920s to the 1960s, describes the process in his autobiography. The dial of the scales only faced the agent, not the passengers, to preserve ladies' modesty.
BTW, many years ago I arrived at my destination for a ski trip and was one of about 20 people whose baggage hadn't been loaded because they otherwise would have been overweight (737-200). Tough to go skiing without gear
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Fife
Posts: 7
Originally posted by WHBM
Believe it or not, back in the pioneer 1920s days of aviation passengers were weighed and the fare covered passenger AND baggage up to a given weight, thereupon a surcharge. Jack Bamford, the Air France station manager in London from the 1920s to the 1960s, describes the process in his autobiography. The dial of the scales only faced the agent, not the passengers, to preserve ladies' modesty.
Believe it or not, back in the pioneer 1920s days of aviation passengers were weighed and the fare covered passenger AND baggage up to a given weight, thereupon a surcharge. Jack Bamford, the Air France station manager in London from the 1920s to the 1960s, describes the process in his autobiography. The dial of the scales only faced the agent, not the passengers, to preserve ladies' modesty.
