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I've always assumed you pay extra because multiple people have to carry the bag around after you check it, and that's harder/more dangerous at higher weights.
In warehouses, you gotta go get your lift belt and often a partner if something is over a certain weight, and you aren't covered by workman's comp if you just try to do it quickly without those, so it's a serious hassle.
I always assumed it was more about the conveyors and such your bag goes through before even getting to those folks. Heavier bags mean more wear and tear and maintenance on those machines.
Honestly, it's probably a little bit of both along with just deterring some cohort of people from bringing too much stuff because they don't want to pay the fees.
It's weight on the plane that costs more. Takes more fuel.
The extra fuel cost doesn't even remotely compare to the cost of an injured baggage handler and their lost wages.
Using that logic, the extra charge doesn't come close to the cost of an injured baggage handler and their lost wages. If that was the reason, they would reject it outright or split it into multiple bags.
Nooo... They just assign multiple people or use equipment to lift heavy bags.
Do we really expect they do that for baggage handlers? When it's 2 pounds over. Do they mark overweight bags with big hazard signs so the handlers know?
Yes, they do. If you've ever worked a physical job, there are safety procedures and regulations enforced by OSHA and unions. If it's 2 pounds over, you go get a second person for the lift because if you decide to break procedure and then injure yourself, you're not covered by the union and/or workman's comp insurance. In some places it's an automatic firing if you break safety procedure, and any manager forcing people to break procedure will be in deep shit.
Story time: I have a good friend who was a baggage handler and got stuck in a situation where their boss forced them to handle overweight baggage without a second person. She blew out her knee, has had multiple surguries, and has had to testify in court multiple times, including for a law suit that ended up giving her a sizable settlement check.
No no no not other jobs. This one job specifically: airplane baggage handler. And I'm not talking massively overweight bags which sounds like your friend, I'm talking the 1 and 2 pound overweight. Are they marked with massive hazard signs so everyone knows it's 1 pound over.
The limit is the limit. It was set there for a reason. Anything over it should be treated the same. Otherwise where's the line? It's 50lbs but ok we'll let you buy at 52, what about 53? 54? 55? 60? What's a little over?
Yeah, they have a bright yellow stickers they put on your bag that say overweight or heavy.