How strictly do airlines enforce weight limits for carryon and personal item? US to Copenhagen

I’m flying on American Airlines - likely on travel partners British Airways or Finnair.

It’s not uncommon for luggage to get weighed. You can buy a luggage scale for cheap. It’s basically a handle with a strap. There’s a digital screen in the handle. Just strap to luggage, lift, and read the screen.
Better safe than sorry.

You will need to be sure of what airline's metal you're flying on, not who you
bought the ticket from (e.g., codeshare).

If you buy the ticket from AA, but it's BA's plane, there will most likely be BA
agents at the gate, and the rules they will enforce (and how they enforce them)
are BA's, not AA's.

Having said that, if you look the part, don't appear to have a elephant-sized
carryon bag, and you are not in the last boarding group, most likely no one will
give you a second glance.

You never know. We sat in the waiting area for our Swiss Air flight in San Francisco and watched a gate agent walk around the room weighing carryons. Other times, nothing. It’s best to find out what the limits are for the airline you are actually flying with and abide by their rules, easy peasy.

Margie, that also happened to us with Swiss Airlines at SFO. Thankfully, we were fine.

This is a pet peeve of mine. If you do not want a problem, follow the rules. I am frustrated with people who “travel light” but insist upon clearly abuse the carryon rules. It means we often cannot put our bags near us. I wish the airlines would strictly enforce the rules, make those who abuse them pay and perhaps those who follow the rules would not be forced to accommodate the people who not follow the rules.

We check a bag, never having lost one, wait for a few minutes and depart the airport a few minutes later. We don t worry about the few minutes lost.

We also do not worry about our carryon back being checked.

I have been traveling for business (USA) and pleasure (Europe) for 20+ years. In all that time, here is my assessment to your question.

From the USA....never had my carryon or personal item weighed or measured. On the rare trips when I check bags (family VAC) the bags are always weighed. Going to Europe from USA on American based airlines, same thing...never had carryon or personal items weighed but if flying a BA or Lufthansa or KLM operated flight from USA to Europe, they tend to look more closely.

From Europe back to USA....carryon and personal items are more closely scrutinized, and several times have been forced to place into the contraption at the gate to see if it "fits" with one time being forced to have it checked. There seems to be no consistency with the same size bags being completely OK with some airlines and the same bags being weighed and measured on others.

Net-Net....you might get your bag to Europe, but it's not a guarantee you can get it back without checking it so I try to be safe and do my research on each airline to make sure it fits if it is checked.

Checked luggage will be weighed. Carryons are not always weighed in the U.S., but for intra-European flights, it’s my experience that they get weighed as well.
The “ Personal Item” only gets weighed if it looks like there’s an elephant stuffed into that laptop case!

I've flown all of those airlines numerous times. AA and BA are fairly lenient but it depends on the gate agent and the number of passengers.

Finnair has a combined weight (carry on and personal item) of 8 kg. Whether they check or not depends on the gate agent. I've seen them check as passengers are boarding.

If you are flying British Airways metal, the weight limits for carry on bag and personal item are VERY liberal: up to 23 KG (51 pounds) for each. I doubt you will exceed that. I don’t know about FinnAir.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-essentials

What is more important is the size limit—up to 56 cm for the cabin bag, which is again more liberal than most.

Please do observe the stated limits. We had a BA flight in 2022 from Italy to London that was seriously delayed by people trying to bring oversize bags onto the plane. The delay caused us to lose our landing slot at Heathrow and it was another hour before we could take off. It did not bother us too much, as we were going to overnight in London, but many others on the plane who were connecting to a flight to the US or Canada had to be rebooked. Most to the next day. All because of people trying to get away with oversize luggage as cabin bags.

How strictly weight limits for carry-on are enforced is dependent on what airline one is flying.

US airlines American, United, Delta, and JetBlue do not have weight limits for carry-on.

BA has a 23kg weight limit. Finnair has a limit of 8kg or 12kg depending on class one is flying and that's total weight for carry-on and personal item together.

On code share flights, it's usually the baggage rules of the airline operating the flight. Personally I alway plan on & prepare for the rules to be enforced.

I'm with Bob on this one. Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world where they could count on the integrity of the passengers and not have to check? Until then, I like the idea of compensating the gate agents for each non-conforming bag they catch. And they should charge the passenger $100 for Gate checking non conforming bags. Then split the money with the other passengers.

The truth is it’s all up to your gate agent. And if your bag is oversized they can enforce the rules.

As for weight if you can’t lift it in the overhead by yourself it’s overweight and needs to be checked. No, the flight attendants don’t have to assist. No, your fellow passengers don’t have to assist. ( I was on one flight were “Ms entitled” loudly announced “I need help with this” and a Flight Attendant quickly walked up and said “let me help you”. Rolled it to the front and gate checked it).

About 1 in 3 flights I help. Sometimes it about weight vs strength or its about the height of the person, sometimes its about the only place they could find to stow it was behind their seat and rather then them trying to walk against the flow, I pull it out and hand if forward. So far it hasnt cost me anything to do it. And if I had seen that person on your flight, i would have attempted to get the FA to let me put it above for the passenger.

None of that bothers me. What does chap my _____ is the person whith the backpack that turns in circles and hits everyone within 4 feet of them. I dont care how light or heavy it is. Backpacks belong on hiking trails or in your hand.

Mr E--I just had a flight last week that I could not reach the upper bins. I could easily lift my bag as it was only 15 pounds,, but the height was a problem. I was with my daughter who is only 2" taller, but that was all it took and she was able to put my bag in the bin. I somewhat agree on backpacks. I either put it on my front while getting onto the plane or hold it in front of me. I am one that is very aware of not wanting to bump others with it.

I've seen a few instances where attendants have intervened when a passenger's personal bag will not fit under the seat in front of them. They could ask you to put it in the overhead if it's not wedged in enough. Normally they don't take much time verifying that except for the bulkhead seats. Some people are good at disguising that situation - jackets, blankets, pillows, etc. easily slide a little.

This is a pet peeve of mine. If you do not want a problem, follow the rules. I am frustrated with people who “travel light” but insist upon clearly abuse the carryon rules. It means we often cannot put our bags near us.

This. If you want to pack more items than the rules allow, just check a bag. I do that most trips and I've never lost one or had one damaged. And it frees you up at the airport so you're not having to constantly drag your bag around.

Tom Shorewood, which airline are you flying? I am used to Delta who don't weigh, but have booked SAS to Copenhagen next year and they do have a weight limit, so we're going to be mindful of that when we pack. If for whatever reason we're over (maybe on the way back), we'll plan to fill one carryon with heavy stuff and check it.

I almost exclusively fly BA and apart from one occasion at Gibraltar airport I have never witnessed any passenger's carry on luggage weighed or measured. This annoys me greatly because the size limits are often ignored by a high proportion of passengers who bring luggage that should belong in the hold, this invariably means that there is insufficient room for everyone's bags and flights are often delayed as a result. Selfish people who can't be bothered to wait at the baggage carousel so decide to flout the baggage limits and inconvenience everyone else. My BA status gives me priority boarding so I never have to worry about not finding a space for my travel bag (smaller than a briefcase) but the delayed departures are certainly infuriating.

Hi Mary, American Airlines - likely on travel partners British Airways or Finnair.

Tom

I used to help passengers put their junk in the overhead them until I met grandma. grandma was carrying her weight in her very small carry-on (it literally took two of us to get in the bin and I’m surprised we didn’t have neck and back injuries. ) At that point I quit - it’s not worth me throwing out my back or injuring my body because you can’t get your carry-on in the overhead

oh and by the way, grandma pulled that thing out and dropped it on somebody’s foot and did hurt them.

A few months ago, I had to travel with after having surgery on my wrist. I had a carry-on size piece of baggage. I was traveling with coworkers who would have been glad to lift it into the overhead. But guess what I did - because I could not handle it I checked it.

Sorry if you think I’m rude, but why should my vacation be at risk

@Carol I support you. I dont mind helping some people, but it really is rude to expect, even demand, help**. When I do see people help, it's often to get people out of the way, not out of kindness.

** unless they're willing to tip, of course : )

Thank you all for the information. It helped a lot. The rules keep changing.

I have mastered the size limits- I use Rick Steves luggage and daypacks.

Now the weight issue.