carry on and Luftsana

We flew LAX to Munich on Lufthansa. They were very picky about bags (although it seemed mostly security and x-ray etc).

I think I've made five round trips on Lufthansa and had my bag weighed once (at check-in in Denver). Although, to be truthful, two of those trips started with US airlines to the east. No one checked when I boarded there (in fact they didn't even have scales at the gate).

Our experience, four trips, is that Luftsana is more concerned about size than weight. Have seen a lot of bags forced to be checked because of size and only a few weighed. My bag is often over 18 lb but it looks small so it has never been weighed.

Hi Catherine, We have flown Lufthansa a number of times the last few years (NY/NJ to Munich/Frankfurt). Never had a carry on weighed. We have the appropriate size bags, but the 18 pound weight... never been checked. That doesn't mean the don't check any, just not in our experiences. How much over weight do you think you'll be? Paul

It will depend on the agent at the ticket counter. If you appear to be struggling with your "carry on", they will probably weigh it. If you're close to the limit (e.g. 20 pounds), you can always transfer some things to your personal carry on if they weigh the bag. If you're not going to be that close to 18 pounds, you can risk it but be prepared to check the bag (but consider carefully: do you really need everything you're packing?) Last time I flew Lufthansa from the US, the ticket counter staff were so amazed I was going to Italy for three weeks with one small bag, they didn't even consider weighing it.

They were weighing every carry on with an intra Europe flight last week. I think you can have up to 25lbs, so you should be ok.

Also keep in mind they don't weigh you. If you are close, wear cargo pants and windbreaker with lots and lots of pockets (maybe even get a scottievest). Stick heavy things in your pocket.... see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luUndflUCpQ&feature=player_embedded

I always make sure I'm within their rules. Ed's idea is a good one. If they say they want to weigh your bag, you can say, "One second," and put some heavy stuff in your pockets. I flew SAS last year. They have the same rules as Lufthansa. At the gate (I always check in electronically and head straight for the gate) they did inspect 1/3 to 1/2 of the carry-on bags in the area. The one's they checked though were filled to the brim and roll-ons that obviously couldn't meet weight and/or size limits. The guy looked at our bags but didn't stop to weigh or measure them.

Can't speak for LAX but the Lufthansa staff at Seattle are seriously persnickety about baggage, especially for full flights. But I've never seen them weigh anybody's 'personal item,' so that's where I keep my computer and other heavy stuff. They've given me the stink eye when I check in with no checked baggage, but since I use a non-wheeled carry-on, I'm always within the limits. You'll probably be okay if your bag really is within the sizer limits (which means the whole bag, including wheels and handles), but just to be sure, have a plan about what stuff positively, absolutely has to be in the personal item in case you have to check your main bag. You don't want to be frantically repacking on the fly in front of the check in desk, or worse yet, at the gate by the jetway. A little advance planning on necessary carry-on items will help you take things in stride in the unlikely event that you have to check the bag.

Just as an aside, airlines aren't being just mean when they weigh your carry-on. There are guidelines for how much weight can be in the cabin of the plane. Don't know exactly how they figure it, they must have an "average weight" per person and an "average weight" for a carry-on. But, anyhoo, we have gotten bumped from a flight not because the plane was full, but because there was too much weight in the cabin.