this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2025
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I've always assumed you pay extra because multiple people have to carry the bag around after you check it, and that's harder/more dangerous at higher weights.
In warehouses, you gotta go get your lift belt and often a partner if something is over a certain weight, and you aren't covered by workman's comp if you just try to do it quickly without those, so it's a serious hassle.
I always assumed it was more about the conveyors and such your bag goes through before even getting to those folks. Heavier bags mean more wear and tear and maintenance on those machines.
Honestly, it's probably a little bit of both along with just deterring some cohort of people from bringing too much stuff because they don't want to pay the fees.
It's weight on the plane that costs more. Takes more fuel.
Using that logic, the extra charge doesn't come close to the cost of an injured baggage handler and their lost wages. If that was the reason, they would reject it outright or split it into multiple bags.
Do we really expect they do that for baggage handlers? When it's 2 pounds over. Do they mark overweight bags with big hazard signs so the handlers know?
No no no not other jobs. This one job specifically: airplane baggage handler. And I'm not talking massively overweight bags which sounds like your friend, I'm talking the 1 and 2 pound overweight. Are they marked with massive hazard signs so everyone knows it's 1 pound over.
The limit is the limit. It was set there for a reason. Anything over it should be treated the same. Otherwise where's the line? It's 50lbs but ok we'll let you buy at 52, what about 53? 54? 55? 60? What's a little over?