(Mr. Daitch didn't even incur an overweight bag fee).
Sarah Anthony, a Continental Airlines spokeswoman, said, "If it takes a wheelbarrow to push it out the door, chances are it's going to register as an overweight bag".
Budget airlines can charge £7.50 for every kilo over the weight limit - and long-haul carriers can charge up to £75 for an overweight bag.
For an oversized, overweight bag on a domestic flight, you can pay up to $400 extra.
There could even be questions about the reliability of the scales used to determine excess weight - which can cost £75 for a single overweight bag. Bruce Treloar, Trading Standards Institute's lead officer on travel, has already highlighted a complaint he received about excess weight charges made by a traveller who flew from the UK to Spain before Christmas.
Every time I've brought a slightly overweight bag to the airport, airline staff have either let it through or given me a few moments to rearrange my luggage, by, for example, stashing a heavy book in a carry-on instead.
He also avoids checking the demonstration kit he takes to client meetings, opting to ship it rather than dealing with the airport inconvenience and airline fees — which can be $100 or more extra for an oversize or overweight bag.
According to an investigation by USA Today, the highest single baggage fee ($450 per bag) is charged by American Airlines for checking an overweight checked bag on certain international flights.
First, I had to pay an extra 35 euros for my overweight bag, now laden with 10 pounds of in-flight magazines, then the plane almost left without me.
To the Editor: Regarding "Overweight Bag? Have Your Wallet Ready," (Practical Traveler, June 5): This old fogey, who remembers china plates in coach and stewardesses offering Chiclets in baskets, has been dying to know what is inside the giant suitcases of American travelers dressed like slobs -- more sneakers, T-shirts, and jeans?
You pay that rate whether the bag is 55 pounds or 69 pounds, so if you have a bag that's only slightly heavier, unpack a few heavy items, such as shoes, or bring a second bag because it can be cheaper to check two bags within the limits than one overweight bag.
