Friday, July 27, 2012

5 kgs?!

Five kilograms! Outrageous. That is the new(?) and now enforced weight limit for carry-on bags for domestic Turkmensitan Airlines flights. It's absurd. Five kilos is nothing in a backpack that is rarely under 10 kg. Admittedly, many airlines have a weight limits for carry-on bags but those limits are almost never enforced. Lufthansa's limit is 8 kg. That's still very low compared to what I am usually carrying, but with a lone backpack slung over my shoulder, I have never been asked to put it on the scales. Today, they were weighing every backpack and roller bag and small suitcase that people had intended to carry into the cabin. The only things that were not getting weight were duty-free (and similar) style bags. I had to rather unceremoniously put my laptop and a few key papers into a plastic bag I was fortunate to keep in my backpack and hand-carry those items. Everything else was hurriedly reorganized into my backpack's main compartment and I threw a lock across the zippers. Certainly not foolproof, but at least it would no longer be the lowest hanging fruit for prospective bag accosters. A colleague in another department traveling on the same flight had to do essentially the same thing. We were both temporarily livid about the whole situation. Also, attempting to negotiate in English while answers come back in Russian is not altogether effective. In the airline's defense, I have previously seen all manner of abusively large carry-on bags make their way into the cabins of these 717-200s. However, the airlines are better off adopting a bag size limit and being much more relaxed about the weight limit. If my bag always fits under the sea in front of me, then it is not unduly taking up bin space from others.

Five kilos? Bah!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

travel jacket or Scott vest and cargo pants.

If you stuff them in your clothing, do they make you take out and put them on the scale?