A scam or a simple mistake?

Here’s an interesting thought that’s come to light this morning. Our youngest daughter is flying off to Spain to stay a week with a pal from University who’s studying Spanish. Once aboard a train to get to the airport (I’m not saying which), she started worrying about baggage weight. So at the rail terminus she weighed her suitcase at the appropriate office. It checked in at 13.6 kgs, well within the 15 kgs limit.

Now the suspicious bit; at the baggage desk of a well known budget airline and without anyone opening the suitcase between the railway station and the airport, the bag suddenly weighed 17.3 kgs! Unfortunately for the airline, she made a quick shift around of items into hand luggage, so the £40 extra that was expected as they charge £20 per kg over the allowance, did not materialise.

I have reported the matter to the relevant authority, which is why I’m not naming the airport or the airline. I am extremely concerned that until I know any different, it appears that the scales used at airport check-ins may be rigged in the airlines favour. How often are the scales calibrated and by whom? I’ve often seen folks getting hit with excess charges at airports, but it has never crossed my mind before that these may have been as a result of a criminal deception. I hope I’m wrong on this one and I’ll report back with any developments, but my instinct has a nasty gut feeling.


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