Unite’s 'pack less' campaign is calling on airlines to introduce
a maximum individual bag weight of 23kg, a call backed by the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Aviation Industry Committee and
the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The current
limit is 32kg per bag.
Unite has had some success in getting airline industry to
introduce the new lighter weight. Thompsons, the UK’s largest
holiday charter company, has recently introduced a 23kg maximum bag
weight for all their customers. Other airlines have also made moves
to address the issue, often by charging passengers additional fees
when checking in heavy bags, but the union believes more needs to
be done with a consistently applied and enforceable industry
standard adopted.