How strict are AirNZ on the carry-on luggage weight?

[dilanium]

We're flying out in less than 2 weeks and are finalising our packing.

We are checking in for our Air NZ flights with United Air in Las Vegas, and I have never had my carry-on baggage weighed before?

Will we be okay if we go a little over on our carry-on baggage being a little heavier? It will still be within the dimension restrictions.

Thanks

[James 1077]

Not sure how strict they are as it always depends on who is checking you in - sometimes they won't want to look at it, sometimes they'll want to weigh it and sometimes they won't care.

However it shouldn't matter if you are a little bit over weight as you can always put small, heavy things in your pockets / wear clothing etc and then get them to weigh the bag again!

I once turned up at Heathrow for a flight with 28kgs in my checked bag and 7kgs in my hand luggage. I was therefore allowed to transfer 3 kgs from my checked bag to my hand luggage but they wanted me to pay for 5 kgs of excess baggage after that. I don't pay excess baggage as a matter of principle so I decided to just wear some of the clothes instead - I wandered away having checked in my 20kg bag wearing 2 coats, a couple of jumpers, a shirt and two pairs of trousers. I also had a large Christmas pudding in one pocket and a couple of books tucked into my trousers supported by the belt. Having waddled away I bought a newspaper so I could get a bag to put some things in and then, once through security bought another hand luggage bag for 50 pounds and put the excess clothing in there. Saved me 250 pounds of excess baggage AND I still use the bag!

[CatherineP]

Hi

As has been already mentioned it depends on the staff involved and what kind of day they are having. My parents recently travelled ANZ via Hong Kong and had to check one of their hand luggage bags in as it was slightly over weight. Unfortunately they were already air side and at security/departure gate when this happenned so had no chance of any repacking to suit cases. They obviously then did not have items for the plane trip. They manage to take a few things out, but there's a limit to how much you can carry. Their other bag was already at its limit as well but they managed to keep that one.

They fly alot and this is the only time it has ever happenned so I guess it may not be that common, but you do take a risk if you are overweight (bags that is) and being told hand luggage needs to be checked in appears to be able to be enforced at any point during the journey not just at your initial departure point.

Catherine

[Milliemoo]

Not sure how strict they are as it always depends on who is checking you in - sometimes they won't want to look at it, sometimes they'll want to weigh it and sometimes they won't care.

However it shouldn't matter if you are a little bit over weight as you can always put small, heavy things in your pockets / wear clothing etc and then get them to weigh the bag again!

I once turned up at Heathrow for a flight with 28kgs in my checked bag and 7kgs in my hand luggage. I was therefore allowed to transfer 3 kgs from my checked bag to my hand luggage but they wanted me to pay for 5 kgs of excess baggage after that. I don't pay excess baggage as a matter of principle so I decided to just wear some of the clothes instead - I wandered away having checked in my 20kg bag wearing 2 coats, a couple of jumpers, a shirt and two pairs of trousers. I also had a large Christmas pudding in one pocket and a couple of books tucked into my trousers supported by the belt. Having waddled away I bought a newspaper so I could get a bag to put some things in and then, once through security bought another hand luggage bag for 50 pounds and put the excess clothing in there. Saved me 250 pounds of excess baggage AND I still use the bag!

OMG That is sooooo funny!

Milliemoo

[dilanium]

Unfortunately they were already air side and at security/departure gate when this happenned so had no chance of any repacking to suit cases.

What airport did this occur at? Has anyone else heard of this happening?

[kanatakiwi]

We're flying out in less than 2 weeks and are finalising our packing.

We are checking in for our Air NZ flights with United Air in Las Vegas, and I have never had my carry-on baggage weighed before?

Will we be okay if we go a little over on our carry-on baggage being a little heavier? It will still be within the dimension restrictions.

Thanks

Both my OH and I have experienced having to repack bags at the check in to redistribute weight so that no bags were over the limit. Also once had to check my carry on bag as it was over the limit (it was the 2 bottles of wine!! so that wont be a problem these days as I would not be allowed to take that much liquid on board anyway!) At Auckland airport they have machines where you can pre-weigh your bags to check for yourself and sort it out before you get to the check in. So I would say, as others have, it depends on the person checking you in, but don't count on them turning a blind eye to your overweight bag. I now am very careful. weigh the bags on my scale at home, not very accurate I know, but gives me an idea if I am way over.
By the way I have had this happen to me in Auckland, Vancouver, London and LA (the very strict weigh in. )

One other thing to note, is that if you are flying on from Auckland to another destination in NZ, you need to have your connections as part of your international ticket otherwise you will be subject to the domestic baggage allowance on that last leg which is much less than the international baggage allowance. Check previous posts by wildcoyotewoman on this experience!

Gloria

[dilanium]

My flights are all joined from Las Vegas to Palmerston North. So after the initial weigh in at Vegas I shouldn't have a problem right?

[kanatakiwi]

My flights are all joined from Las Vegas to Palmerston North. So after the initial weigh in at Vegas I shouldn't have a problem right?

Theoretically Yes! However others have reported troubles with having their hand luggage weighed again. See Catherine P's comment: "and being told hand luggage needs to be checked in appears to be able to be enforced at any point during the journey not just at your initial departure point".

Personally I think that it is unlikely though.

[Potato]

My flights are all joined from Las Vegas to Palmerston North. So after the initial weigh in at Vegas I shouldn't have a problem right?

Will there be anyone dropping you off at the airport to say their farewells? If so, a solution is to get them to hold some stuff for you whilst you check in. Then when you're all checked in and out of the queue, just put that stuff back into the hand luggage. It won't get weighed again, and I have to be honest, it's unlikely to get weighed on a domestic transfer to Palmy.

[dilanium]

Hopefully they won't try to weigh my carryon baggage at our layover in San Francisco either.

Fingers crossed they leave us be.