And the chaos after...

[dagibbs]

But, my trip onwards after Conclave wasn't so good.

I got to the airport alright, but at check-in was told that my bag was 6 pounds over the 50lb weight limit. Of course, I'd be allowed two bags of up to 50 lbs, for a total of 100 lbs -- but not one bag a little over the weight limit. I had my driver's license out for ID, cause it was more convenient than my passport, so I put it and the boarding pass down to re-arrange things. Got the bag underweight by moving a bunch of stuff to my carry-on (thankfully I had lots of space in my new laptop-backpack), and then went to give them my bag and found that my boarding pass and driver's license had disappeared. Oh shit. The check-in person hadn't taken them. I tore my backpack apart again looking to see if I'd stuck them somewhere in it, but no. I looked through the outside pockets and in my suitcase, but didn't find them there either. I was able to get a new boarding-pass, and continue the flight using my passport for id, so got to San Francisco fine.

Then, I found that (of course) they wouldn't rent me a car without a driver's license. Shit. How could I get down to Palo Alto? And, this was going to totally screw-over my week. I got back to the airport from the rental car centre, looked for an information setup, nobody was there, tried a place where "airporter" buses were pointed at, they were wrong, and finally under "door-to-door vans" found airport shuttle type stuff. Got one, that dropped me off at the wrong Residence in on El Camino Real in Palo Alto, then drove off to deliver the rest of the passengers. Shit. Luckily someone at the wrong Residence Inn offered me a lift to the right one, which was very nice of him. Finally got to the hotel for about 1am -- that is, 4am my time. Gah. Booked a taxi for the next day, morning, to get me to work, and figured on a lot more taxis.

Luckily, though, when unpacking I found my driver's license (and missing boarding pass) in my suitcase, buried half-way down under a bunch of things.

I think, though, for future trips, I'll carry a spare, small, carry-case and if they bitch about the weight of my single suitcase, I'll give them two to handle. Really, I can't see how splitting one item into two is going to help them, but it will satisfy they're petty rules.

Comments

[boywhocantsayno.livejournal.com]

Really, I can't see how splitting one item into two is going to help them, but it will satisfy they're petty rules.

I agree, it doesn't seem to make much sense.

On the way back from Worldcon, however, I was on the same flight with the Penneys, and Yvonne's suitcase was a little over the limit. They ended up holding onto it in L.A. and sending it on a later flight, which they didn't find out until after we'd waited at the luggage carousel in Pearson for about an hour. So be careful - you might find that your luggage doesn't go with you if it's overweight, even by a kilo or two.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the warning.

[kd5mdk.livejournal.com]

The only reason that springs to mind is some king of occupational safety and health policy or rule that has 50lbs as the top end of what people can lift without belts or special training or something. Perhaps that's what the job description contains and their workers union holds them to it. Lots of possible reasons, not of which are especially concerned with making us happy.


For my flight back to the States from New Zealand I had to move several books into the pockets of my coat from the suitcases to make them meet limits.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Maybe for health & safety -- but if I paid them $25.00, they'd let me bring it on over the weight limit. Which suggests, maybe not.

[foms.livejournal.com]

According to the Air Canada web site, the artificial limit is 23 kg, the hard limit is 32 kg.

[beable]

I would guess it's a baggage handler weight limit?

I know that I discovered when I came back from Israel when I was 19, I discovered that 2 not-quite full bags was ALOT easier to carry than 1 stuffed bag that I could barely lift. Specifically, after carting the impossible bag from the kibbutz to Jerusalem to the airport, it ocurred to me at the airport that since I had an empty bag in my duffle bag that I could use, I proceeded to repack things into the 2nd bag. I was staying overnight at the airport, so this provided a bit of diversion.

Of course when I got to Montreal 2 days later (British Airs was nice enough to check my bags all the way back even though I was stoppiing in London overnights) I discovered that one of my bags had gone to New York instead. It came back after a week or two though.

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Problem with the handler limit theory, is that if I paid them $25.00, they'd let me send it, even though it was overweight.

[con-girl.livejournal.com]

I am so glad that you found your license!

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too.

[markbhall.livejournal.com]

Anybody at Conclave say something like, "Have an interesting trip to California"?

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Hm... not that I recall, but that could have been the problem.

[rainbowravenx.livejournal.com]

That realy sucks. As for the weight limmit, I've had similar problems. I think the reason it's a 50lb limmit has something to do with the max the people that put the luggage on the plane are allowed to lift..but I could be wrong. Hope things go better from here on out. :hugs:

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

As I mentioned in other comments -- they'd let me make it heavier for $25.00. So, while I expect there is a lifting limit, I don't think it is the 50 lbs they applied for me.

And, things have gone better so far, thanks.

[rainbowravenx.livejournal.com]

LOL, maybe that $25 is what they have to pay the profesional body builder that they get to lift the extra heavy bags ? *Shrugs* I'm glad things are going better though

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

I like that thought... body builders find employment in airports, shifting heavy luggage. :)

[rainbowravenx.livejournal.com]

lol, it is a funny immage :)