Anyone know HOW Strict SwissAir is with their weight limit for Carry-on baggage? Their limit is 17 lbs and I am at 18.5 lbs. I know some of them are real sticklers.
Thanks

Would you buy anything while you're there? If you're already over the weight limit, you could be over even more on the return.

Are you talking about a big transatlantic flight or an intra-Europe flight on a small plane? The latter tends to be pickier.
This kind of borderline case depends on the prevailing condition at the time of travel. The agent, how loaded is the plane, etc. If you want to stay on the safe side, you can "wear" enough items out of your carry-on luggage at the point of weight measurement and put them back after you board the plane or while you are waiting to board. In my experience, they send grim reapers in the boarding area when the plane is full and you are flying on a small plane with limited overhead bin space. Many poster come here looking for a yes or no answer. Traveling is a series of probability events.

Agreed. Traveling is a series of probability events. The right question to ask is one you ask yourself. "What will I do if they say I'm over the limit, and how willing am I to take that chance"

If you find you are unable to meet their limit, your options include
Making a stink and seeing if they change their mind (probably not)
Paying for a checked bag (they will be happy to take your money)
Put something on your back, pockets, or
Figure out how to shift 1lb to your personal item (handbag, laptop bag, or shoulder (max. 40 x 30 x 10 cm)

The last one seems like the path of least resistance.

If you're not planning on carrying on board a personal item, then stuff a canvas bag or reusable shopping bag into your suitcase that you can use in a pinch.

The actual limit is 8kg, or 17.637 pounds

easy -- You are are only 1.5 lbs over . . . take something(s) out, place it in the pockets of your jacket (which will go through the screener separately). Then after security - put it back in your carry on.

Is the check for size & weight at security screening or at the gate?

Regardless, the same solutions apply.

security is for the airport. The Airport doesn't set those limits nor do they do screening for the airlines for all the possible permutations. Some airlines have diff. stds depending on your class, also. The security people have more important things to do. Airlines will do that at the gate, some will just go around eyeballing people's stuff and telling you that you have to gate-check, others may do it at the gate. Yet other jerks who manage to get on when over the rules will not be able to stow their carryon and then they'll hold up the plane and the agent will ahve to do something or take it away if the door hasn't already closed.

I am assuming this is an international flight leaving from a US airport, if not, disregard this reply!

Size check is at the gate and determined by your airline. Security doesn't care about the size of your bag.

i agree just take out 1.5 lbs of something and wear it on your body or put it in your personal item or switch out if you have a heavy pair of shoes wear instead of pack (and so on).

>>Is the check for size & weight at security screening or at the gate?<<

>>security is for the airport. The Airport doesn't set those limits nor do they do screening for the airlines for all the possible permutations.<<

No, it has nothing to do with security -- but most often when one checks in and goes to bag drop (landside) that is where they check if the carry on is legal - that is usually where the sizer boxes/scales are. So I what I meant is . . . put the 'overweight' things in your pockets and leave them there from the time you arrive at the airport until after you pass through security and get airside, where you can then sit down and reorganize things.

Sometimes/rarely the scales are at the gate . . . You would know that as soon you got to the gate so you'd just use the same procedure there.

Christina (you won't see this because you never come back) - I did not say the security staff would check the weight. Merely to leave the bag 'underweight' until after security.

So bait and switch... we got to the airport and we were not on SwissAir but United. And seriously I could have lugged on a steamer trunk and nobody would have bat an eyelash. But our flight home SEEMS to be on SwissAir but you never know....to think .... I could have packed sandals... its been 78 degrees here!!

You won't be on SwissAir as it stopped operating several years ago. Your airline is called SWISS and from what you are describing, seems like it was a codeshare with UA.

>>So bait and switch... we got to the airport and we were not on SwissAir but United<<

Doesn't work that way -- It almost certainly was always going to be UA metal. You just booked via Swiss (not SwissAir as has been mentioned up thread).

Bait & switch?

No, I don't think so. Somewhere in your itinerary it should be clear that United operated the flight. Ditto for the flight home. If you tell us the flight # we can check for you.

It's not "bait and switch" ... it's called code share. You should be able to see it on your ticket somewhere if you look carefully.
And it's SWISS ("Swissair" went out of business back in 2002).