Save Yourself the Headache of Repacking Your Suitcase at the Airport

Save yourself the headache of having to repack your suitcase at the airport, or worse – paying additional baggage fees.

When I read the title of this article to my husband, he slyly grinned at me and made this “heh, heh, heh” laugh and then we both started laughing together. We can laugh now but we weren’t laughing at the time. Well, we laughed a little then too but we were more annoyed and embarrassed than anything.

Allow me to explain. Recently, (ok, not so recently) you may have heard that airlines are charging fees for baggage. They charge for the number of checked bags with additional fees for bags that weigh over a certain amount. My husband and I are in denial about these baggage changes. We have chosen to ignore this rule in hopes that miraculously when we arrive at the airport, it will no longer matter how many bags we have or how much they weigh. The airline staff will simply smile and wave us through and all will be well. Then our fairy god-mother will come and change our plane into a pumpkin and we’ll ride in luxury to our magic kingdom. Sadly, our fairytale is short-lived and it ends when we get to the check-in counter.

That’s when they examine our luggage, weigh it, and give us the bad news. In our case, it usually turns out that one of our suitcases is underweight while the other is overweight so off we go to the side of the check-in counter or to the back of the airport to begin repacking our luggage. When we think we’ve rearranged enough, we go back to the counter, weigh our bags, and repeat these steps until we get it right. Now, I hear what you’re thinking – Carry on luggage! But in at least 2 of these cases (and I’m embarrassed to say it has happened to us more than twice), we were carrying our luggage on the airplane. We were traveling internationally and the airlines we flew with not only measured luggage size but also luggage weight. Ouch! The other option of course would be to pay the additional baggage fees but we try our best to avoid doing so mostly for budget reasons.

So we’ve finally discovered the luggage scale. We’ve learned from our experiences and I’m sharing them so that you don’t let this happen to you. Even if you decide not to display your underwear to onlookers, you could be hit with extra baggage fees. The solution? Don’t over pack? – No. Well, yes (but that’s for another topic) – get a luggage scale so that you can weigh your luggage before you arrive at the airport. Be prepared and know ahead of time what you’re getting into. Avoid the headache of dealing with baggage size and weight woes at the airport.

Below is a chart detailing just three types of luggage scales you can find online at Magellan’s, Amazon, or eBags. There are many sizes, shapes, and styles of both mechanical and digital scales available so do your homework and get one that works best for you.

Product comparison:

Name	Easy-Grip Luggage Scale	Travelite Luggage Scale	Luggage Scale
Image
My Personal Rank	#1	#2	#3
Weighing Capacity	Weighs up to 100lbs/44kg	Weighs up to 100lbs/44kg	Weighs up to 75lbs/34kg
Digital/Analog Reading	Digital reading with audio beep to alert luggage weight has been calculated	Digital reading with red and green LED to indicate if luggage is under or over 50lbs	Anaglog reading
Size and Weight	6¼ x 2½ x 1″; 8 oz	5½” long; 1¼” diameter; 7 oz	4 x 3 x 1½”; 8 oz
More Info	Product Features: Easy to use – ergonomic design for the most natural way to lift your luggage Gives exact weight of luggage so overweight charges can be avoided Displays weight in both pounds and kilograms – up to 100 lbs and 44kg Display “saves” weight Compact size for easy carrying and packing Lift the luggage, wait for the beep, set it down, read the weight Strong webbed strap secures the luggage to the scale – no hooks Large easy-to-read digital display Uses two AAA batteries (included)	Product Features: Compact way to ensure luggage meets airline weight guidelines T-bar design makes it easier to lift heavy luggage Just thread the sturdy nylon strap through your luggage handle, secure with the quick-release buckle, and lift Digital read-out window is right on the handle where you can read it at a glance A red LED indicates that your bag weighs more than 50 lbs A green LED indicates that your bag weighs less than 50 lbs Weighs luggage up to 100lb/44kg Ergonomic grip Includes a 6-LED flashlight Uses AAA batteries (included)	Product Features: For luggage weighing up to 75 lbs. Weight can be shown in pounds (lbs) or kilograms (KGS) Compact and portable Includes tape measure top check overall dimensions of luggage Cushion grip handle Stop and lock feature so weight is remembered
Price (prices may vary)	$24.85 – Magellans.com $20.99 – Amazon.com $25.99 – eBags.com	$24.85 – Magellans.com $22.85 – Amazon.com	$10.85 – Magellans.com
Buy Now	Buy Now @ Magellans.com Buy Now @ Amazon.com Buy Now @ eBags.com	Buy Now @ Magellans.com Buy Now @ Amazon.com	Buy Now @ Magellans.com
Product Summary	While this scale is bigger and slightly heavier than the Travelite Luggage Scale, it has a nice ergonomic handle for easy lifting. It’s sturdy and will pack well and I especially like the audio beep that indicates it has completed registering the luggage weight.	This is my second choice for a luggage scale. It is lightweight and easy to pack. I also like that it doubles as a flashlight when it’s not in use as a luggage scale. Some drawbacks are that the T-handle is designed in a way that can make it difficult to lift the luggage with two hands (for those of us that need to use two hands.) Another drawback is that if it’s not packed properly, the light can turn on while in your bag and drain the battery. Though, removing the batteries while traveling can resolve this problem.	This is a very simple scale with no frills but it will do the trick. It has a comfortable handle for easy lifting and comes with a tape measure to check luggage dimensions. It doesn’t have the digital readout so it won’t provide the exact decimal reading but on the other hand, you never have to worry about batteries.

ThriveOnTravel.com
Sima Kimble