Are we being had?
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 289
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From: At the bar
Quote:
Originally Posted by ImPlaneCrazy
As someone has said before the belt's are in no way owned by the carriers themselves - it is the airport's responsibility.
Not so. It is the airline who are charging you for the baggage, and receiving your money. If their handling agents have inaccurate scales, overcharge you, or whatever it is still the one who you have your contract with (the airline) who have the responsibility. It is up to them to ensure that everyone involved, whether employee, subcontracted agent, manufacturer of the kit, or whoever, is doing the job correctly.
Originally Posted by ImPlaneCrazy
As someone has said before the belt's are in no way owned by the carriers themselves - it is the airport's responsibility.
Not so. It is the airline who are charging you for the baggage, and receiving your money. If their handling agents have inaccurate scales, overcharge you, or whatever it is still the one who you have your contract with (the airline) who have the responsibility. It is up to them to ensure that everyone involved, whether employee, subcontracted agent, manufacturer of the kit, or whoever, is doing the job correctly.
With regard to the 'but the weight is still going on the aircraft be it hand luggage or checked in' argument, a certain airline factors in 10kgs of hand luggage per passenger (adults and children) and if your hand luggage exceeds this; it should not be allowed on board the aircraft and you would have to pay for the excess.
ie. 1 bag @ 15kg + 1 hand luggage @ 10kg = OK
1 bag @ 17kg + 1 hand luggage @ 8kg = Not OK
If the airline was to ignore the weights and combine allowances, in effect they would have the 17kg bag + the 10kg factored in, as this weight is not recorded, it would be an extra 2kg and fuel allowances would need to compensate this (on a larger scale, obviously!). Hope this explains a little bit more!
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,847
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From: Confoederatio Helvetica
A better, and more fair, method would be to give the passenger 90kgs of free carriage, with no more than 20kgs in the hold (for handling reasons) and 10kgs in the cabin (for safety reasons).
Yes, I realise that may only leave 60kg for the passenger but if they are 'of size' they can check in less or take less carryon, or pay extra. That makes sense, doesn't it?
Yes, I realise that may only leave 60kg for the passenger but if they are 'of size' they can check in less or take less carryon, or pay extra. That makes sense, doesn't it?
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,201
Likes: 347
From: London UK
A better, and more fair, method would be to give the passenger 90kgs of free carriage, with no more than 20kgs in the hold (for handling reasons) and 10kgs in the cabin (for safety reasons).
Yes, I realise that may only leave 60kg for the passenger but if they are 'of size' they can check in less or take less carryon, or pay extra. That makes sense, doesn't it?
Yes, I realise that may only leave 60kg for the passenger but if they are 'of size' they can check in less or take less carryon, or pay extra. That makes sense, doesn't it?
For US carriers nowadays, it would surely eliminate their losses at a stroke !
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,415
Likes: 2
From: Europe
ImPlaneCrazy
At the risk of being repetitive, your contract is with the airline. They - or an agent on their behalf - are weighing your baggage and charging you for any excess.
They do this using their own scales or, far more likely, scales they have hired from an airport. That hire contract will probably stipulate that the scales must be maintained and accurate. Thus the airport is contractually obliged to the airline to carry this out, and there are remedies available for the airline to use if the airport fails. The remedies may even be stipulated in the contract.
None of that concerns the airline's customer, that's you, any more than you are concerned with, for example, a contract between an airline and maintenance company for Base checks on the aircraft you ride in.
The airport with its scales, and the maintenance company are both contractors to the airline, not to you.
So if the airline overcharges for your baggage due to faulty scales, you pursue the airline, not the airport. If your aircraft finishes up in a smoking hole due to faulty maintenance, the airline is liable to your widow/GF/partner/parent/children regardless of who did the maintenance.
The airline may sue the contractor (airport or MRO) but that's nothing to do with you.
At the risk of being repetitive, your contract is with the airline. They - or an agent on their behalf - are weighing your baggage and charging you for any excess.
They do this using their own scales or, far more likely, scales they have hired from an airport. That hire contract will probably stipulate that the scales must be maintained and accurate. Thus the airport is contractually obliged to the airline to carry this out, and there are remedies available for the airline to use if the airport fails. The remedies may even be stipulated in the contract.
None of that concerns the airline's customer, that's you, any more than you are concerned with, for example, a contract between an airline and maintenance company for Base checks on the aircraft you ride in.
The airport with its scales, and the maintenance company are both contractors to the airline, not to you.
So if the airline overcharges for your baggage due to faulty scales, you pursue the airline, not the airport. If your aircraft finishes up in a smoking hole due to faulty maintenance, the airline is liable to your widow/GF/partner/parent/children regardless of who did the maintenance.
The airline may sue the contractor (airport or MRO) but that's nothing to do with you.
