Us Has A Free 50 Lb/piece Domestic Bag Allowance!

[thepoohbear]

It's not that simple.First, the heavy tag is only for bags 70lbs and over. Second, If pax comes in on an intl flt to our flt then the intl weight applies. We have had many pax come in from PIT and say they were never charged. At the time LW was in charge of PIT and he said they have no scales.Youve got to be kidding..It was a hub! One pathetic thing the company didn't do was to give us signage. When the change went into effect we copied the verbage on a HP sign(who knew?) and adjusted it to our weights and fees. Asked my local stn mgr and got a resounding duuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh, we don't need signs. Also asked for signs designating which code share flts are actually UA.Had to make signs on my home computer and had a laminator so I laminated them.Co had the cohones to tell me they were not company authorized and had to take them down. We did'nt we will give the pax maybe a 1-2 lb leway but after that the have to reduce. If we get the response , well I was'nt charged on the way up,we advise if they want we will collect for both ways.Usually dead silence and a CC come out for the $30. One more thing. We have usually 2 tkt ctr agts with intl conx flts booked 100+, this means docs and the sort. We collect 99% of the time but sometimes time won't let us.
END OF RANT
:rant:
:rant:

 

[EyeInTheSky]

I often wonder what some of these people have in their bags. 70 pounds (50 pounds for that matter) is a lot of crap. I can understand people going to meeting/school having books/brochures, tools for many of our guys who travel frequently, media/video equipment, but going to see grandma? Going to the beach or on a cruise? What do you need?
I did 3 weeks in the Australia/New Zealand with 1 small rollerboard, 1 medium suitcase and 1 backpack. None of which weighed close to 50 pounds.
Part of the problem with some of these is the family of 4 crams everything into 1 huge suitcase instead of taking a couple smaller ones. Great, you got it all in one bag, but broke your back (and mine) getting it to the plane. Imagine the guy in the bin of the plane having to maneuver this around.
And while we are at it, why hasnt the union (or anyone who looks at the number of OJIS) made any stink about the agents having to lift the bags when they could easily take care of it like the do in Europe and have a belt right from the counter to the main bag belt. Its not just a matter of lifting the bag. You have to lift and swing the bag around to get it from the bag well onto the bag belt behind you. That is where a lot of the problems occur from the lifting AND twisting done. I wonder how many agent OJIS could be prevented if a little 5 foot section of belt were added to each position?

[post="286050"][/post]​

tadjr,
I have a 26" TravelPro (it has wheels) it weighs 19.8 pounds without anything in it! My wife uses this suitcase for the kids when we go on vacay. For a two-weeker the thing weighs over 50 pounds (actually 52 pounds loaded). Needless to say we end up bringing ANOTHER SUITCASE to make it under 50 pounds. So my question to you is, would you rather have one suitcase at 52 pounds or two suitcases with a combined weight of 78 pounds? I only know about all this because we weighed both suitcases. I would think one suitcase is better than two. Less repetitive motion on the old back. If you ask me the weight limit only means MORE BAGS being checked than less.

 

[tadjr]

ThePoohBear- it isnt just your station that runs like that. I thought I had typed that response. Sounds exactly the same as has happened here in the past. Management always says "We'll order it" and weeks or months pass by before someone reminds them and "we'll order it". Add into that the airport here has strict requirements for what signs can go up and NOTHING gets done quick.
I went to the Airtran counter yesterday and they have a HUGE sign with bag weights and charges. None of this "hunt in the ticket jacket and maybe its there". I dont have a clue as to why US management is against having SIGNS to tell people what the rules are. They have always been against signs with this info. If you are going to expect people to follow them, they have to know them and not many people are going to go searching the website (or holding for rez for hours) to find out these things. SIGNS/SIGNS/SIGNS are what is needed, then there is also NO arguing about not knowing.
EITS- 1 52 pound bag isnt a problem. Its when they start getting 60-+ pounds that its hard. It also wouldnt be too bad if the luggage companies put handles on them to grab them, but many of them only have 1 handle on the top so there is no where to hold and lift them. Maybe we need to get the luggage design people to come work the counter for a week?
If its a choice between 1 80 pound and 2 40 pounds, I'll take 2 please.

 

[Dog Wonder]

Starting next week, as required by the FAA, every bag over 50 pounds is required to have a heavy tag placed on it and will be considered 60 pounds for weight and balance.

Hope they can make up for bags cut due to weight in excess baggage charges,

 

[diogenes]

Got $10 says they won't enforce it, 'cause if they do, they may as well park the RJ's.

They are gundecking the w&b bad enough already.

 

[Dog Wonder]

I will take that bet. Gummint work is nothing besides covering your ass (unless you are a mall guard turned TSA screener, but that is a different topic).

That is what this is. They will enforce it.

 

[tadjr]

No wonder PIT is a money losing city. We have a way of making up some of the deficit caused by the airport expense and it isnt being done. Its called buying a scale to weigh bags and charging for those overweight.

Had 2 more people on the PIT flight this am #### a fit when told about the $30 charge since "PIT DIDNT CHARGE US COMING DOWN". Is there a problem with at least buying 1 scale for the front of the queue to have them weighed since no one touches the bags except for TSA? Another money losing plan from the big guys.

I know, we dont have money for a scale. I'm sure CCY is on the way to CVS to buy some more enema kits to mail out instead. :down:

And since we ALL know they read these boards, NO ONE in CCY has any excuse to not get a scale in PIT ASAP to start getting the excess charges done and so we can be consistant.

 

[jimntx]

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that at both STL and DFW, AA has large signs at the beginning of the maze listing the limits for bag weights and the prices for exceeding those limits. There's a charge for over 50 pounds and another charge for over 70 (IIRC).

It might speed things up for everyone if there was a scale located somewhere before the start of the maze that would allow the passenger to weigh their own bag and start shifting contents BEFORE they got to the agent. (Edit: I wrote this before tadjr posted the same suggestion.)

I don't know about the families going to DisneyWorld, but as a long-time cruiser, I know that it used to take my wife and me a minimum of 3 big bags to go on a cruise because there were all the different dress codes for different nights. (I used part of one large bag and a rollaboard. Of course, if there were 3 formal nights, my wife couldn't be expected to wear the same evening gown to all 3, now could she? )

 

[diogenes]

I will take that bet. Gummint work is nothing besides covering your ass (unless you are a mall guard turned TSA screener, but that is a different topic).

That is what this is. They will enforce it.

[post="286159"][/post]​

You are on. The feds don't really inspect this stuff.

It used to be, all paperwork associated with a flight was retained for 30 days (not that the feds EVER looked at it, unless there was an incident). Now, for the non-computerized w&b, it's a day.

And the reason, according to an RJ operator's auditor, was to not leave a paper trail.

Now, no airline can change such a policy unilaterally; the FAA must approve of any such changes.

And, if a bunch of bags exceeding 70 lbs are, and have historically, come down the belt without a heavy tag on it (no scales, or c/s doesn't handle the bags, or whatever), how is the new policy going to be any more effective?

Plus, with all of the newbies in the outstations.....you get the point.

Bottom line: While flights may not be dejure overloaded, they will continue to be defacto overloaded.

 

[Seatacus]

I dont have a clue as to why US management is against having SIGNS to tell people what the rules are.

[post="286088"][/post]​

Hey Tadjr.........signage is one thing , how about putting sizer boxes at counter and gates to measure carryon luggage. That way there is no argument about what can go on airplane. Also on this note, passengers are aloud one caryyon per TSA and we are suppose to monitor this. My question is that TSA sees everyone at security so why can't they make sure every passenger does not exceed carryon limit?

 

[jimntx]

My question is that TSA sees everyone at security so why can't they make sure every passenger does not exceed carryon limit?

[post="286398"][/post]​

Can I have an AMEN from the choir?
I see passengers all the time with a large, overstuffed rollaboard and a backpack that could carry a 6-man tent as their "supposed" small personal item.

 

[tadjr]

I think the TSA stopping oversized or too many pieces would be a great way to handle this. Just use the box on the xray machine like they have in the past and count what they are carrying on. If they need to go back and check it they can. It would also prevent confrontations because "it fit on the way down".
The sizer boxes many airlines have in front of their counters are actually too small and you can easily get a bag that is a little bigger onboard. If they are going to do this, you need to have a realistic size sizer box and not one that is a little smaller to make more things not fit. Many of the smaller rollerboards dont even fit in the "sizer" boxes out there.
If its a matter of safety, then the goverment should be enforcing it and doing it the same "same size sizer boxes or xray cutouts" and not hit and miss like it is done now depending on who and where you fly.

 

[osunut]

:down:

Charge, charge, charge! I weigh all bags, for the revenue but primarily for the safety of the guys working outside.

IMO, an incentive program from the company would help in raising excess baggage fee collections.

[post="285653"][/post]​

HP has an incentive program for meeting excess revenue goals (bag, UM's, change fees, etc...)

The money is given to the station on a monthly basis ranging from $200-$400. The station must us it on the employees and have to get the approval from their Directors to ensure it is used for the emploees as a whole and not as an individual.

It is kinda cool, but it doesn't work when the employees waive away or turn a blind eye. Trust me they do because we didn't get our payout for a couple of months!!!

 

[osunut]

ThePoohBear- it isnt just your station that runs like that. I thought I had typed that response. Sounds exactly the same as has happened here in the past. Management always says "We'll order it" and weeks or months pass by before someone reminds them and "we'll order it". Add into that the airport here has strict requirements for what signs can go up and NOTHING gets done quick.
I went to the Airtran counter yesterday and they have a HUGE sign with bag weights and charges. None of this "hunt in the ticket jacket and maybe its there". I dont have a clue as to why US management is against having SIGNS to tell people what the rules are. They have always been against signs with this info. If you are going to expect people to follow them, they have to know them and not many people are going to go searching the website (or holding for rez for hours) to find out these things. SIGNS/SIGNS/SIGNS are what is needed, then there is also NO arguing about not knowing.
EITS- 1 52 pound bag isnt a problem. Its when they start getting 60-+ pounds that its hard. It also wouldnt be too bad if the luggage companies put handles on them to grab them, but many of them only have 1 handle on the top so there is no where to hold and lift them. Maybe we need to get the luggage design people to come work the counter for a week?
If its a choice between 1 80 pound and 2 40 pounds, I'll take 2 please.

[post="286088"][/post]​

we have signs up the yazoo in the ticket lines....no excuses from the pax if they didn't see them.......lol

oh and BTW the FAA has implimented a change in the heavy bag program. It is now required as of Aug 9th to identify all heavy bags on the trim because they will be calulated at 60 lbs.

This has A LOT to do with the MTOW (max take off weight) for example the airbus is a tail heavy aircraft and loading too much weight in the aft pits can cause the a/c, in theory, to do a reverse flip on roll. Try seeing what happens when you load all bags in the aft and none in the front and see what happens to your trim! ha!

Bag weights have more to do with SAFETY than most think. Everything from the agents handling the bags at the counter and ramp to knowing how much wieght is where on the flight. Do I have to mention 5481 on 1/8/03?? That flight is the reason why the heavy bags are now required to be accounted for.

There is also the cost factor involved. More OJI's due to lifting, higher insurance rates the employer pays and that gets passed to the consumer in the fares. More weight on a plane means more fuel burn, let's not go into how much fuel is going for right now.

Last time I looked it was a aircraft moving people, it is not a cargo plane in disguise!! Take your 50-100 lb bag and go to FEDEX, UPS, DHL or even the post office and see what they charge you!! $50 is a deal!!!

 

[diogenes]

osunut, you are exactly correct.

On the big metal, balance is generally the issued, although I have seen some grossed Boeings due just to bags.

On the RJ's it is a whole 'nother story.

An overgross situation is the rule, not the exception, and it takes some coordination to keep the situation from turrning into an actuality.

FWIW, the 70 lb lifting limit (that's what you agree to lift, unaided, when you sign onto this job) is assuming you are in the 'power lifting posture' we all are recurrently trained on. This posture requires a straight back, and the use of the legs and glutes to lift.

That is impossible inside a cargo bin.

We had an agent recovering from OI some years ago. Naturally, there was a dispute between CCY and his doctor on returning to work. The doc came on the ramp to see what the job requirements really were.

When he saw how bags were stacked in the bin (on your knees, with your head and shoulders tilted over), he said we had no business stacking more than 30 lbs., and we were doing permanent damage to our spines.