Hi

I recently flew Ryanair Nimes - Luton - Nimes. Knowing it may be the last trip before Xmas, I travelled light and my suitcase weighed 10.6 kg at Nimes.

For the return flight from Luton the suitcase was loaded with shopping : I guessed it would weigh about 20kg (which I normally get away with). The display showed 26kg, and I was invited to pay the excess. So, I moved to an empty adjacent line and those scales showed 24kg. I removed stuff from the suitcase whilst checking the weight. I got it down to 16 kg which they accepted.

Rather lucky the barbour jacket has big pockets, although one side was already a bit tight with a 2l jerrycan of malt vinegar !

When I got home I checked the suitcase to find this extra 5.5kg. To make the weight, I had only left light and bulky shopping in the suitcase. The remaining clothes etc were identical to those on the outward trip. The additional shopping came to about 2kg.

So, adjacent scales at Luton had errors and both of them differed from the scales at Nimes. In fact the scales at Nimes registered either 3.5kg or 5.5 kg less than those at Luton.

Call me an old cynic, but if the scales in the dedicated Ryanair area at Luton deliberately overstated the weight, Ryanair would make more money from excess charges.

Now I read Ryanair are targetting check-in personnel to achieve an average excess charge.

Obviously there is no question that a reputable airline like Ryanair would do such a thing !

A puzzle.

Peter

I don't know if Ryanair calibrates those scales, but it would be interesting to know who does. You handled it very cleverly, though.

I always guessed that check-in scales might have some degree of innacuracy, so normally under pack to allow for it.

But when I flew with Ryaniar in October, I had my absolute limit (it was a 2 week trip). Both me and my partner had 10kg hand luggage and a combined suitcase weighing 29.8kg. I know we were on the nose because we'd weighed them on the bathroom scales. I was in a sweat at the checkout thinking we'd be over, but the scales got the weights exactly the same as my home scales.

Perhaps there isn't such a conspiracy by Ryanair after all.

If you genuinely believe that the scales on the Ryanair check in area are "dodgy", then you could always ask the local Trading standards office to check them.

[email protected]

Please post your message to Ryanair. Let us know what they have to say.

Hi

I live in France.

With 15 mins to catch the flight, I don't have time to get in involved with legalities. And maybe the Nimes scales were wrong ?

Of course, I have no proof for anyone to act on at either end. It would be different if I had an excess weight invoice from Ryanair, and an independently confirmed weight confirmation "at the same time" with evidence of no tampering.

I post this message as a warning only.

Peter

I find this a bit upsetting because my daughter was charged ALOT of money for extra baggage with Ryanair and she's a student who could not afford it.

Hi

Just got back from Nimes - Luton again.

This time the suitcase was 10kg in Nimes - I bought 2.5 kg of assorted sausage, bacon & mature cheddar for the suitcase - and the suitcase weighed 14.4 kg at Luton for the return journey. Just as well because the barbour jacket was already heavily pre-loaded.

I casually asked the check in girl "Are many people overweight on this flight ?". Oh God yes she said, this one and Milan are by far the worst for excess baggage.

So, It seems top me that the Nimes scales under read (it was a different check in desk at Luton this time).

Be prepared for Ryanair excess charges on your way back to Nimes !

Peter