It seems like it was only a few short years ago that the most inconvenient piece of equipment that any of us had to deal with in an airport was the metal detector at the security gate.
While shedding your shoes, your watch and your wallet are still a major part of the drill, many are finding that there is way more frustration in store for them at the check-in counter in the form of the luggage scales that are found there.
With most airports imposing restrictive limits on the number and weight of pieces of luggage that can be checked to be brought aboard a plane, this once relatively ignored piece of equipment has now moved into the limelight.
Most airline check-in counters have been equipped with luggage scales for decades.
When passengers go to check in for their flight, they place any bags that they wish to check upon the scale and never really think too much more about it.
At least they didn't until now.
Many airlines have lowered the weight limit for checked luggage, meaning that many people are finding that a simple bag, packed with just the basics is setting them over into pay by the kilo territory.
This has launched some suspicion and speculation about the accuracy of these scales.
Some independent luggage scale studies estimate that nearly 20% of all airline luggage scales are inaccurate.
This would mean that roughly 1 out of every 5 passengers being charged extra to check their luggage might actually being paying too much.
For many travellers, hearing at the gate that their bag exceeds the weight limit is a shock and they are caught very unawares and unprepared when it comes time to pay the fee.
Of course being at the check in counter of an airport leaves you very few options when it comes to reducing the weight of your bags, so must passengers are forced to just take it.
One way to avoid having to "just take it" is to get proactive about your luggage weight and to invest in a personal, portable luggage scale.
Personal luggage scales are small, powerful gadgets that allow the savvy traveller to easily weigh their own bags, proving that the poundage displayed by the airline scales is inaccurate.
Costing less than 20 pounds, there are versions of this device that are small, portable and digital.
Using a scale like this can help you avoid any nasty surprises at the check in counter from now on!
While shedding your shoes, your watch and your wallet are still a major part of the drill, many are finding that there is way more frustration in store for them at the check-in counter in the form of the luggage scales that are found there.
With most airports imposing restrictive limits on the number and weight of pieces of luggage that can be checked to be brought aboard a plane, this once relatively ignored piece of equipment has now moved into the limelight.
Most airline check-in counters have been equipped with luggage scales for decades.
When passengers go to check in for their flight, they place any bags that they wish to check upon the scale and never really think too much more about it.
At least they didn't until now.
Many airlines have lowered the weight limit for checked luggage, meaning that many people are finding that a simple bag, packed with just the basics is setting them over into pay by the kilo territory.
This has launched some suspicion and speculation about the accuracy of these scales.
Some independent luggage scale studies estimate that nearly 20% of all airline luggage scales are inaccurate.
This would mean that roughly 1 out of every 5 passengers being charged extra to check their luggage might actually being paying too much.
For many travellers, hearing at the gate that their bag exceeds the weight limit is a shock and they are caught very unawares and unprepared when it comes time to pay the fee.
Of course being at the check in counter of an airport leaves you very few options when it comes to reducing the weight of your bags, so must passengers are forced to just take it.
One way to avoid having to "just take it" is to get proactive about your luggage weight and to invest in a personal, portable luggage scale.
Personal luggage scales are small, powerful gadgets that allow the savvy traveller to easily weigh their own bags, proving that the poundage displayed by the airline scales is inaccurate.
Costing less than 20 pounds, there are versions of this device that are small, portable and digital.
Using a scale like this can help you avoid any nasty surprises at the check in counter from now on!