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Luggage scales at Dublin Airport

  • 28-04-2009 10:58AM
    #1
    Fella
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭


    Last weekend I travelled to Dublin and then onto Cork. Prior to my flight to Dublin I had weighed my case to ensure it was under 15kgs and this was confirmed when I checked-in (it was 14.6kg). So I landed in Dublin, picked up case, walked through arrivals up to departures to check in for my Cork flight. Somewhere between arrivals and departures gravity changed and my case was mysteriously heavier when weighed in for the Cork flight. It was now 16.7kg - just over 2kgs heavier. I was quickly informed I was overweight and would need to pay for the extra weight. Rather than argue the toss with the very pleasant, and helpful check-in staff with her lilting broken English I took some clothes out of the case and put it in my rucksack as I didn't want to hold up everyone and have to re-join a long check-in queue again (or come to think of it pay for extra weight that had magically appeared!) When I reached my destination in Cork I weighed the case again and it showed 14.7kg.

    So I have a few questions that I'm hoping the good people of boards.ie can assist with.

    Is there a gravitational anomaly within Dublin airport that we should be concerned with?

    Who is responsible for the accuracy of the scales at Dublin airport - the DAA or the airline using the scales?

    Who is responsible within Ireland for "weights and measures"?

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    busman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 306 ✭✭busman


    Fella wrote: »
    Who is responsible within Ireland for "weights and measures"?
    Thanks

    Would it not be the Legal Metrology Service of NSAI?

    http://www.nsai.ie/index.cfm/area/page/information/legalmetrologyservice


  • #3
    HarryD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 913 ✭✭✭HarryD


    Same thing happened me in Dublin..
    I'm pretty sure the DAA would be responsible as the airlines just rent the desks from DAA.
    Heavy fines needed for this as countless people have likely coughed up for apparantly overweight baggage..

    OP - Keep us posted on how you get on with nsai if you contact them


  • #4
    murphaph
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,988 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Have you considered the possibility that the scales in Cork read light?

    There might be a problem with the calibration in Cork, or Dublin.


  • #5
    Red Alert
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    I think the legal metrology service should also be sending in 'compliance officers' to check that the scale is being used correctly. A calibration is one thing, having it correctly zeroed is another.


  • #6
    edanto
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    Wow, that's well worth investigating.

    NSAI
    1 Swift Square,
    Northwood,
    Santry
    Dublin 9, Ireland

    Telephone: +353 1 807 3800
    Fax: +353 1 807 3838
    Email: nsai@nsai.ie


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  • #7
    Fella
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Fella


    Thanks guys. I'll contact the NSAI and see what they have to say and let you know. I can only suspect that it's an honest mistake/fault as what would the DAA have to gain? It's the airlines who reap the extra cash and if they have no control over the scales then...


  • #8
    edanto
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,809 ✭✭✭edanto


    Yeah, I wouldn't say it's a problem with all scales, or even done on purpose to raise revenue. But still, one wonky scales so far out of whack might be costing people money every day that they don't have to pay.

    Well done on doing something about it, and will you let us know if anything comes of it?


  • #9
    Gruffalo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 299 ✭✭Gruffalo


    murphaph wrote: »
    Have you considered the possibility that the scales in Cork read light?

    There might be a problem with the calibration in Cork, or Dublin.

    From reading his post, I do not think that the origin of the initial flight was Cork. Therefore, he would have weighed it three times, in three different places with Dublin being the odd one out.


  • #10
    murphaph
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,988 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Oh yeah. Still, he likely didn't check it on a calibrated scales before he brought it for check in on the first flight to Dublin so I imagine there's only 2 calibrated scales involved here, the Dublin one and the one in his originating city.

    Ryanair fleeced me not so long ago (bag was 24kg though) whereas Aer Lingus let the same weight go unpunished God bless 'em. That's why I'll never fly Ryanair ever again if Aer Lingus come close to the fare. It's often a false economy to save a fiver with Ryanair.


  • #11
    Mr. Presentable
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,495 ✭✭✭Mr. Presentable


    Fella wrote: »
    Last weekend I travelled to Dublin and then onto Cork. Prior to my flight to Dublin I had weighed my case to ensure it was under 15kgs and this was confirmed when I checked-in (it was 14.6kg). So I landed in Dublin, picked up case, walked through arrivals up to departures to check in for my Cork flight. Somewhere between arrivals and departures gravity changed and my case was mysteriously heavier when weighed in for the Cork flight. It was now 16.7kg - just over 2kgs heavier. I was quickly informed I was overweight and would need to pay for the extra weight. Rather than argue the toss with the very pleasant, and helpful check-in staff with her lilting broken English I took some clothes out of the case and put it in my rucksack as I didn't want to hold up everyone and have to re-join a long check-in queue again (or come to think of it pay for extra weight that had magically appeared!) When I reached my destination in Cork I weighed the case again and it showed 14.7kg.
    So I have a few questions that I'm hoping the good people of boards.ie can assist with.

    Is there a gravitational anomaly within Dublin airport that we should be concerned with?

    Who is responsible for the accuracy of the scales at Dublin airport - the DAA or the airline using the scales?

    Who is responsible within Ireland for "weights and measures"?

    Thanks

    The extra 2kg was in your hand luggage! You took it out, remember?


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  • #12
    Gruffalo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 299 ✭✭Gruffalo


    murphaph wrote: »
    Oh yeah. Still, he likely didn't check it on a calibrated scales before he brought it for check in on the first flight to Dublin so I imagine there's only 2 calibrated scales involved here, the Dublin one and the one in his originating city.

    Good point

    Ryanair fleeced me not so long ago (bag was 24kg though) whereas Aer Lingus let the same weight go unpunished God bless 'em. That's why I'll never fly Ryanair ever again if Aer Lingus come close to the fare. It's often a false economy to save a fiver with Ryanair.

    Totally agree with you about Ryanair vs Aer lingus. At present only Ryanair serve my route so I am stuck with them but I would always choose Aer Lingus over them if the price was anywhere close.

    On the weight limit, I met a girl in NZ who had travelled around the world with a bag weighing 32 kilos, when her ticket said she was only allowed 20 kilos. Depends on the airline.


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