International Air Travel with Weight Limits

[Auster24]

First time poster, long time reader.

I have an international gig that includes traveling on several non-U.S. airlines (they're all European carriers). The weight limit for carry-on luggage on each European airline I'm using is 8kg/18lbs. I'm packing my video equipment in a Think Tank Photo Airport Essentials backpack, which is pretty slim. The bag easily fits under the seat but it will weigh about 30-35lbs with all my gear.

In your experience, is this a problem? I've read that so long as your bag doesn't look stuffed and you're not grunting, you'll get on the flight.

Note - I'm bringing my clothes as a carry-on and checking my tripod and light stands. The idea is that since the backpack fits under the seat, I'm treating it as my personal item.

 

[Mitch Gross]

People do this all the time, but you have to ask yourself, "What happens if there's a problem?" You can't argue it with them, the rules are clearly stated. Packing it into cargo is no good because the backpack is now not adequate protection. So you're scewed.

 

[MichaelA]

You didn't say where you were going... but I'll offer this from personal experience. Air New Zealand and Qantas weigh carry-ons at the gate, and they are strict. I got popped for an overweight bag and they wanted to check it. Instead, they let me put the batteries in my vest and hand carry the camera with the heaviest lens I had stuck on it. That got the bag down to the weight limit, and they fudged me carrying on the camera as a "personal item". Of course, once on the plane I put everything back in the bag and slid it under my seat. I also got pretty good a putting my Think Tank bag on their scales while using one hand to "steady" it while actually supporting quite a bit of it's weight. Got away with that trick a few times.