aestuo

Hi guys,

Thought I was done with the questions, but I've got one more! My husband & I are hoping to go all carry-on. So we've each got a personal item and a carry-on size travel backpack. The backpacks each weigh in at 8kg or *just* over, according to my little scale. Will they say "no go" if it's between 8-9kg? I am going through JFK. Should I work on trying to move some of the weight to the personal item?

Thanks!

cary999

My hunch is you'll be fine. 8kg sure is not much, about 17 lbs. (Half of what my carry-on camera bag weighs !!!). At JFK? Gads, I'll bet you'll see carry-ons twice the size of yours!!

regards - tom

jczinn

You didn't say which airline, but I'm assuming you meant South African Airways I recently asked this question about SAA (here and on another board) and the consensus is that they are quite strict about their 8 kg weight. One guy mentioned he was forced to remove some magazines just to get to the weight (and then of course put them right back afterwards.) However, I doubt they'd weigh it going over from JFK, the problems arise in South Africa (if you are connecting or on the return.)

Other airlines of course have their own weight restrictions. We may elect to go Delta because the SAA carry-on weight is just too restrictive (we are traveling with lots of camera equipment.)

cary999

Re airports in SA. The security, at least at JNB, is much stricter than our (USA) TSA. While TSA allows small tools, e.g. 4 inch screw drivers, SA security does not. Got to check luggage it. They got me twice, once for the tiny screw driver and once for a tiny nail clipper.

regards - tom

aestuo

Thanks guys! We will need to transfer to a domestic flight at JNB to Hoedspruit, so I guess I will take a look at what we're bringing and see if anything else can be removed or moved to the personal item. Hopefully they will not weigh the personal item or at least let us have up to 8kg in each (not combined weight between personal item & carry-on)...

cary999

Oh, the JNB to HDS flight.
Couple years did that SAA flight for Kings Camp, Timbavati. As everyone boarded the plane (via little stair ramp) they wanted your carry-on to store in cargo compartment of plane. They said there was no room in the little plane for carry-on. This was my camera bag they wanted. But probably would have been ok since it was right there at the plane. But anyway, I protested, said I wanted a receipt/check for it. They couldn't do that. I said it was $10,000 of fragile electronic test equipment that I need for an emergency problem I was going to analyze. They said, well, ok, we'll find a place to put it inside. I put it under the a seat with no one in back needing the leg room.

regards - tom

twaffle

"I said it was $10,000 of fragile electronic test equipment that I need for an emergency problem I was going to analyze."

Tom, I need to remember that sentence. Quick thinking, well done.

cary999

Yeah, twaffle, and I think I threw in something like - and if anything happened to it I'd lose my job !!! I was not about to let that camera kit out of my sight. On the same type plane flight back, HDS to JNB, I told them at the plane I'd put the bag underneath the seat in front of me even if it cramped my leg room. They said fine, but since flight was not full I found another seat to put it.

regards - tom

ccipups

I'd heard and read the same stories about SAA being very strict about carry on weight and for my Nov/2010 Earthwatch trip, packed accordingly. When I flew out of JFK, I watched the agents weigh bags but they didn't seem to care much about weights. On the return through JNB, I was astonished at the size and number of bags and items that passengers were carrying aboard!
I do believe the people who say that they had to gate check their bags. But next time, if my bag's only a couple of pounds over, I'm going to take my chances.

MSashesSA

If your carry on bag looks small they are unlikely to weigh it. I live in SA and fly regularly and as long as it is a small bag, it should be fine.

sandi

At JNB, on SAA they are likely to allow your carryon thru on check-in, but then they do a gate check and I've seen bags that are too big or heavy removed to checked baggage.

This is especially a pain when you've done last minute shopping in the terminal and are carrying this extra stuff!