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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think excess baggage charges are insane when you look at the size of some passengers?!?!?

187 replies

JustShaggingForNow · 16/07/2010 12:29

Am sure I'll be flamed for this but......

I was charged for 1kg of excess baggage the other day. 1 fucking Kilo!! Isn't it about time airlines started weighing passengers and their luggage together and then charging excess weight rather than jusy excess baggage?!?!?

OP posts:
nancydrewrocks · 16/07/2010 17:33

I'll admit to being pretty peed'd off when I have had to pay excess baggage charges (for 5kg) when me and my 2 DC combined weigh about 90kgs and I have then had to sit next to someone who must weigh double that.

IME ALL airlines are cracking down on excess baggage and there is very little leeway given at all. In fact the last few times I have flown BA long haul I have had my hand luggage weighed (which puts paid to the trick of sticking all my holiday reading in the carry on!)

imamissandamummy · 16/07/2010 17:46

this is a toughie. but i too have found myself thinking that it doesnt figure light/heavy etc. I do realise that it would be extremely discriminating to charge overweight people more, but someone said previously - "its so they dont get 100 people turning up with 100 kilos each" but what would happen if 100 people turned up who were ALL massively overweight? they wouldnt get charged extra, but if 100 people turned up who were all skinny light passengers, with a kilo extra luggage, they'd make a killing out of excess charges.
It doesnt make sense. Short of weighing all passengers and all luggage to make sure its an OK weight, theres nothing they can really do.

posieparker · 16/07/2010 17:49

Never noticed my height as I'm so used to looking up when I speak to people, you have to be very tall for me to notice!! Except whilst at a party with mainly Danish guests...I felt about five!!

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 16/07/2010 18:46

What's unfair posie? That I have feelings that can be hurt by this kind of remark? That I dared to tell people how bad this kind of remark makes me feel? Should I not have brought my real life hurt onto this fun thread?

At its worst, my depression and utter lack of self esteem have made me consider suicide. Thankfully I don't feel that way at the moment, but my recovery (at least I hope it is a recovery) is very fragile just yet, and the thought that there are people who are pointing at me and basically likening me to excess baggage hurts a lot, and has knocked me.

But apologies for having intruded my feelings.

loopyloops · 16/07/2010 19:18

Oh SDTG , I think what she meant was that it was unfair to link all of your bad feelings to the OP. I'm so sorry you've been feeling so bad and that this thread has upset you, I'm sure that wasn't the OP's intention at all. Just as I'm also sure that if you were to do anything to yourself that the OP shouldn't feel blame.

This is a light-hearted but discriminatory thread, and I understand why it has upset you, but please don't take it so personally. I'm sure that you are really lovely and have a lot to live for, please don't think otherwise.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 16/07/2010 19:20

Fair enough, loopyloops. I do apologise - I wanted to convey how deeply such things can hurt, but clearly went over the top.

posieparker · 16/07/2010 19:27

Sorry SDTG, I'm sure you're feeling crappy and this didn't help but I felt you were laying this at the OP's door and would make her feel bad. Meant to come back to you and post something nice but I forgot. I didn't think the OP was actually saying anything about people with weight issues.

If you are feeling that low with your self esteem and weight i hope the endorphins exercise is releasing helps a lot. I have eating issues too, have been very very underweight and then over weight and never get it right without starving. My eating patterns don't show often as being very unhealthy and just snacking only affects those close to me where I'm gnarly and hungry. Sorry if I added to another pile of crap for you, it wasn't my intention and yet again I typed without thinking...'tis a pattern of mine.

loopyloops · 16/07/2010 20:08

Please don't apologise to me! I just saw what Posie was saying.
I think the OP was saying that charging for excess baggage was silly, as the weight clearly doesn't make any difference to the airline, as there is already such a variance in weight per flight, not that overweight people should be charged more.
Take care.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 16/07/2010 20:39

You were right and I was wrong, posie. I should have done what a friend recommends, and written the post in Word, saved it, and come back later to review it with a calmer mind before hitting post.

The endorphins are being a little elusive, but my mood is lifting a bit, and maybe that's them making themselves felt. 'Nuff hijacking, though - sorry for the pity party.

pinksmarties · 16/07/2010 22:00

I LOVE your name and I LOVE your post. It really made me laugh (and I've 2 stones worth of excess baggage)

I spent time with some very boring people today and it's made me very grumpy. You sound a real laugh.

Not many people who can make me laugh.

IFancyKevinELevin · 16/07/2010 22:20

stayingdavidtennantsgirl you will get better sweet heart - especially with your fighting spirit.

Just keep punching yourself out of that black corner....

Now make sure you have a nice soak in the bath and give yourself a pat on the back for all the gym mileage you've done this week.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 16/07/2010 23:58

Thankyou IFancyKevinELevin. One of these fine days I will be
a) able to fit in an airline seat
b) cheerful and with inner peace

and

c) able to buy myself some Boden!

posieparker · 17/07/2010 08:08

My friends recommend, well my sister and husband, that I don't post at all.

roses2 · 17/07/2010 08:57

Why didn't you wear more of your clothes so you didn't have an overweight bag?

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 17/07/2010 12:40

Don't listen to them, posie - I was out of line, not you - and please can we be friends now?

posieparker · 17/07/2010 13:17

We can be friends, always....surprisingly I don't have an abundance!!

seenyertoeslately · 17/07/2010 14:01

So, average size person, big boobs (as my name suggests). If I diet and go to the gym, I become a thin person with the same old big boobs. I think that they probably weigh more than my cabin luggage. I can't do anything about them, so can I apply for a special dispensation?

NotHereThanks · 17/07/2010 14:22

No, you should stop boasting too.

seenyertoeslately · 17/07/2010 14:24

Sorry [folds arms over chest]

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 17/07/2010 17:10

Better folding them over your chest than under, a la Les Dawson.

seenyertoeslately · 17/07/2010 23:32

[Adjusts headscarf and rearranges mouth into a tight line]

mumeeee · 17/07/2010 23:56

YABU.

thelunar66 · 18/07/2010 00:06

1kg is nothing OP. Youshould have opened your case, removed one pair of shoes and dropped them into your hand luggage (which Ive never ever seen weighed), also removed a couple of t-shirts and jumpers and put them on.

Job's a gud'un

tweetymum · 18/07/2010 01:08

Arr, don't fat people already have to pay for 2 seats?

ItsGraceActually · 18/07/2010 03:11

Tweetymum, I was just about to begin my post with "Arr" as well Is it Pirate Day already??

YANBU. I'm with the 'combined weight' -ists on this one. Air travel is one (the only?) business where the operator's costs are directly proportionate to the payload. It costs a heck of a lot more to fly a plane full of big people with big luggage than a plane carrying tiny people with minimal luggage.

Weighing the passenger + luggage, and charging accordingly, would be more logical and less discriminatory.