Not quite sure I understand what's happened here - if the daughter had her only baggage allowance, why didn't they check one bag under each name?

It is also courteous (and helps avoid accidents) to apply a "Heavy" tag to any item that is heavy in relation to its size - eg a small 6"X6" box (okay, 150mm x 150mm) containing plumbing joints could weigh 15kgs or more - more than enough to put a guy's back out if it wasn't anticipated as heavy!!!

Global,

Had their been another bag to divy some of the other stuff into, it would have been fine. Unfortunately, it's rather tough to buy an additional suitcase in Cleveland at 5am... So, two checked bags (instead of up to four) and a nice dip into their bank account...

Air-Geko

You say that there were two bags totalling 100 lbs, so Mother had to pay for 30 lbs excess. But if they'd been able to use both allowances they'd have been 40 lbs inside the allowance.

I therefore inferred that the limit was 70 lbs each, total 140 lbs.

So why didn't they put 50 lbs in one case, checked in mother's name, and 50 lbs in the other case, checked in daughter's name? Each of them 20 lbs under the limit, neither breaching the 50 lbs per bag limit (if applicable).

That's what I don't understand. Not having a go, just in complete confusion over what happened.

Global and Air Gecko, I think the reason is the daughters age. If she was under 3, and the flight was domestic, then she would probably have been ticketed as an infant and Infants are carried at 10% fare and do not have a baggage allowance.

with the airlines we handle:

max bag weight is 32kg
This is despite if it's one person or two travelling, yes we make the take out items til it is sufficently under the weight and they are sent to the out of size desk.

excess is charged if the weight exceeds the amount stated on booking sheet or tkt. if there's a couple then 40kgs (generally)

and excess varies remember paying £1.90 per kg with one airline does not mean you will pay the same with every airline. another we handle charges £5 a kg.
:ok:

Yes, that would make sense. However, that wouldn't be a question of the airline "averaging" the baggage across the two pax, but avoiding the charge through gaining an extra baggage allowance. :D