Is lower luggage allowance legal?
 

I know the airlines are trying to recoup costs asociated with high fuel costs, but is it legal for them to change the weight limit on checked baggage from 72 lbs per bag to 50 (int'l flights goin to/from or through the US?) I thought part of the Geneva convention assured us that allowance?

They have stripped almost every "perk" and fares are ridiculously high.. inverted proportion to the service offered.... They are already recouping the cost with the fares and "new taxes".

Any input?

There are other issues involved here, but allow me to make it very simple.

Airlines are private enterprises. If an airline decides not to allow any luggage, it's their right. It's your right to either accept it and buy a ticket with that airline, or find another one that will allow you to bring luggage.

Never heard of any convention that said otherwise.

Thanks for your reply, and yes you are right in that I make the final decision by purchasing (or not) a ticket. However, there is a law/convention stated someplace giving us that luggage allowance, vs. the paultry 20kg the rest of the world gets. (you don't get it unless you are going to, from or through the US).

Anyone else with some information concerning the origins of the law?
I know it was printed on the back of all tickets, but I haven't had a paper ticket in years.

The carrying of luggage is not a matter of law. I am not aware of any law anywhere which says that an airline must take even 1 pound of luggage.

The per-bag limit of 50 lbs does not prevent you from taking 72 pounds (or more); it only means that you must divide it between two bags. Do you really want to lift a 72-lb bag anyway?

The airlines make no money on any taxes levied. The government does.

I think you're right.

Here's an exceprt from the Geneva Convention.

Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949.

Part I. General Provisions
Article 48.

They (prisoners of war) shall be allowed to take with them their personal effects, and the correspondence and parcels which have arrived for them. The weight of such baggage may be limited, if the conditions of transfer so require, to what each prisoner can reasonably carry, which shall in no case be more than twenty-five kilograms per head.

And returning home (repatriation) the limit is more generous (at least 25kg)

Article 119. Repatriation

Prisoners of war shall be allowed to take with them their personal effects, and any correspondence and parcels which have arrived for them. The weight of such baggage may be limited, if the conditions of repatriation so require, to what each prisoner can reasonably carry. Each prisoner shall in all cases be authorized to carry at least twenty-five kilograms.

Ummm...you may be thinking of the Warsaw Convention, which governs liability for international air travel. And, no, it doesn't say anything about the right to transport heavy bags.

LOL! Thanks for that, J62.

This active thread about Continental Experience might fall under the Geneva convention from the way it sounds.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34830708

I think BChen is refering to an international agreement pertaining to REIMBURSEMENT for lost luggage. The reimbursement for checked luggage was weight based.
There has never been an international accord regarding amount luggage allowed. That is set by the individual airlines and their country's respective Air Administrations.

I too think BChen is referring to the Warsaw convention (and its later geographically named updates) which set compensation levels for LOST luggage amongst other general air transport guidelines. Then these only apply to airlines which have signed up for these agreements.

There are no laws which force airlines to carry anything they do not wish too. It is pefectly legal for airlines to charge pretty much what they want to recover the cost of transporting luggage and the associated self loading freight. Of course if they charge a disproportionatley larger amount than other airlines there will be no one travelling with them. The market will dictate.

Also as noted, taxes are nothing to do with airlines. They are levied by local and central government. If you don't like them, vote differently when you get a chance.

Also, I have top ask, who the heck wants to carry a 72lb bag with them while on holiday. Chiropractor, anyone?

Governments have discovered they can ignore the Geneva Convention too. So why not airlines?

Just to clarify a little misunderstanding which appears to be developing here. The Geneva convention governs the treatment of civillians and combatants in times of conflict. Not air travel.

http://www.genevaconventions.org/

The warsaw convention covers air travels and transportation (With ammendments for the Hague convention and Montreal convention).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Convention

If you read through this you will see it does not really make reference to baggage allowance. This is determined by participants in the industry themselves (Airlines/tour operators). Depending upon the airline the weight can vary dramatically from highs of around 32 kgs per piece on carriers via North America, to 15 Kgs a piece for carriers such as Ryan Air in Ireland/Europe and Air Rarotonga in the South Pacific.

So to cut a long story short unless you are being repatriated or rendered al la CIA air I do not think quoting the Geneva convention will mount to a whole hill of beans when it comes to baggage allowance. Even then it would be of limited use.

<< to 15 Kgs a piece for carriers such as Ryan Air in Ireland/Europe >>

Ryanair is 20kg checked luggage & 10kg cabin luggage - and I think you'll find the 32kg is heading into history

Well spotted Alan.

I see on their website that they have indeed increased from 15 to 20kgs. Just in case any travellers thought they may be getting a bonus. Ryanair has decided to wipe the smiles off the faces of the travellers by charging them per bag checked. 2.50 pounds if booked online per bag and 5 pounds if presented at check in.

I agree with you as regards the 32kg limit per bag being reduced. There are less and less carriers with this limit. A few remaining North American carriers and a few others that fly via North America. Quite a few have dropped it though. I see Air NZ for instance has gone from 32 per bag to 23 per bag lately for trips via the US. Still have the two piece rule though.

It will be gone like smoking soon.

For Alan Row

Just noticed on the Ryanair site. The baggage limit is going back to 15kgs from 1 November and the cost per bag is going up from 1 September.

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs....ggageallowance

Makes 20-23kgs (standard) or 32kgs (via North America on SOME airlines)look positively decadent.