Overweight luggage scam at Sharm airport

by **Christabel** on Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:55 am

My friends have just come back from Sharm and were charged �35 as their luggage was supposedly overweight. They were under 20kg each when they left the UK and did not add to their luggage when they returned. They reluctantly paid up and immediately they landed back in the UK they had their luggage weighed at Birmingham airport and it was found NOT to be overweight. Has anyone else experienced this please?

by **kazl** on Sun Feb 24, 2008 14:08 pm

I have seen this on other holiday sites. Sharm airport seems to be one of the worse for this. It also seems like quite a profitable scam! I have been to a few places in egypt including Sharm and have never had this happen to me.
If you are stopped my advice would be to take your suitcase off the belt ,make sure the counter goes back to zero then place your suitcase back on. Make sure the person behind the desk doesn't have a leg or other body part (!!) placed on the belt.

by **Honey Bunny** on Sun Feb 24, 2008 14:15 pm

I have heard about this too somewhere in another post, it seems to be happening on return flights only , which unless you have bought loads of clothes and souveniers on holiday doesnt make any sense, as the heavy things like suncreams and toiletries which now have to go in the hold luggage have been used up or left behind.
I think it was John who said if you can try and find an empty check in desk and weigh it yourself first and if when you get to the check in clerk it doesnt say 0 on the scales then tell them to reset it.
Mind you that is easy enough in a uk airport going out which are usually understaffed, than at a foreign crowded full airport.
Sounds like a scam!

by **Christabel** on Sun Feb 24, 2008 17:54 pm

Thanks both for your views. I will certainly be watching to see that the scales are set at zero.

by **HW iaintwoeyes** on Sun Feb 24, 2008 18:00 pm

Usually the scales at check-in desks are not switched off and therefore I always weigh my cases at an empty check-in desk prior to checking in!

by **Honey Bunny** on Sun Feb 24, 2008 22:07 pm

Sorry Ian I guess it was you who said it then!

by **kazzapop** on Sun Feb 24, 2008 22:39 pm

This is a very profitable scam for this airport!!! We were supposedly "over the limit" on our return home. Strangely enough they only took cash!!!!
Beware this fraud, but corruption is rife there.

by **HW John** on Mon Feb 25, 2008 07:20 am

Take a look at my information post in Flights airlines and airports called 'Excess luggage'. You may pick up a few tips for next time.

by **Pooh_Bore** on Mon Mar 03, 2008 21:15 pm

Other passengers on our flight had this and when the check in guy was challenged and asked to get a supervisor they immediately backed down and said it was ok.

by **Honey Bunny** on Tue Mar 04, 2008 13:00 pm

Thats shocking, he was obviously trying to pull a fast one then!
Mind you they might all have been told to do try it, unless people complain you never know