How weight strict is Alaska?

[DianeH]

We are flying to Mazatlan from Vancouver next month. The Alaska site states 50lbs max for checked luggage. Do they allow a pound or two extra?

Also, do they consider a medical device which Mark must carry on, a carry-on and count that as well?

And lastly, the dreaded golf clubs.....

Diane

 

[rlblack]

Where I live, all the jet service we have is Alaska Airlines- so have lots of experince with this issue- The weight restriction is on "check in luggage"- you can have 2 bags- each- not over 50 lb- and they weigh them at check in- some employees don't worry about 5 lb.- some care about 1 lb- We normally weigh before we leave home- try to keep them under 50 lb.- and have a couple of things on top- that we can remove and carry in our overnight bag if necessary, and don't have anything that can not be taken into security- We have also packed a small duffle- especially if we don't have the max. amount of bags- to distribute weight if necessary and check in at the counter.

Have a great trip

Ruth

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

The policy is not consitently enforced. Most of the time when I fly Alaska (in the lower 48 states - not in the State of Alaska) they don't bother to weigh the bags. But every now and then they do weight them. There have been a couple of times at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas where I had to move some stuff between bags and transfer some items from checked bags to carryon.

 

[Keitht]

Regarding the "medical device" you should check direct with the airline to ensure that he is allowed to take it with him. Not all airlines work in the same way. For example some airlines allow small oxygen bottles, others have an absolute ban on them.

 

[hotmike98]

I carry my cpap (air pressure machine for sleep apnea) in a small backpack (usually a book and one or two other small items) separate from a carry on tote. The backpack is then a medical device and is allowable in addition to the carry on. Last trip we took on Alaska they were checking weight on all bags. The penalty is pretty expensive for being over the 50 lb. per bag limit.

 

[tjs1970]

I found found over 4 flights in the last 6 weeks that they are pretty strict. One our trip to Mexico, they made my girlfriend take out a bunch of bathroom stuff and put it in a see through plastic bag because they had already checked the other two bags of ours and she looked quite dumb carrying that on board............now we make sure they weigh them before we let them put on the conveyer belt.........

twice i just made it by one pound