06-10-2015, 08:47 PM
Buzz wrote:
[quote=Mike Johnson]
Argh. Last year Delta et al went to 22x14x9 inches. They picked that size in part because at 45,000 cm3 it’s in line with what the Europeans require. I’m sure they were hoping it’d catch on. I don’t think they expected this new proposal, amounting to 38,500 cm3, so soon.
I doubt there will ever be a standard size, though. Right now you can have a bag that’s okay with Air France but too big for Air Berlin, and another bag that’s completely arse-versey. And don’t get me started on US airlines that just add up length + width + height. That’s never made any sense.
I’ve had my carry-on luggage weighed plenty of times. At some airlines it’s SOP, all carry-ons get weighed and tagged. Some airlines it’s at the discretion of the employee. If your carry-on looks heavy they’ll weigh it.
They weigh the baggage to help calculate the total weight carried for the flight... some "full" flights will actually have some empty seats due to weight restrictions for that flight... Fuel, cargo, baggage, people, etc. all have to be accounted for, and some flights push the total weight limit. Some "non-stop" flights out of high altitude airports may have to make a fuel stop depending on weather conditions at take off... it really is a balancing act.
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They have to factor in temp as well. Had a LONG delay in Vegas as the plane was too heavily loaded for the air temp. We needed to wait 2 hours until after sundown. Long runway was shut down for some reason, and the shorter runway had a tailwind for take-off.