Tag Archives: baggage

What do you think? Airlines Might Weigh Passengers…

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Subject: Aircraft Weight and Balance Control

Airlines could soon require some passengers to step on the digital weigh scale or provide their weight before boarding the airplane.

The initiative, which was described in a recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory, attempts to provide new data on average passenger weights as the current numbers allegedly don’t reflect today’s higher obesity rates in the US. By adding this requirement, this would help aircrafts not exceed their allowable weight limit. Essentially, the FAA wants to determine how much heavier Americans have gotten over the past decade. 

If this becomes the new standard, the new mandates would require airlines to take surveys to establish average passenger weights for crew members, airline baggage and passengers.

Once they’ve chosen a traveler, an operator may determine the actual weight of passengers by having them step on a scale before boarding the aircraft. However, if that’s not an option, they’re urged to ask each passenger their weight, while making sure to add 10 pounds to account for clothing.

Of course when it comes weighing people in a public setting… privacy needs to be considered, which is why the FAA also provided guidelines on conducting the procedure in a way that protects passenger privacy.

They stipulate that the scale readout should remain hidden from public view while an operator should ensure that any passenger weight data collected remains confidential. Travelers have the option of declining to participate in any passenger or bag weight survey, per the guidelines.  You can read much more on this subject by viewing the original article

What do you think about this subject?  I guess it makes sense as long as the airlines do a good job with privacy and being discreet.  However, what happens if you total up all the passenger and baggage weight and it’s too much?  Are certain people asked to leave?  Well, whatever you need regarding this subject, we can provide you.  Bench Scales to weigh airplane passengers, Airplane Baggage Scales and more…   

 

Signs that it’s Time to Update Your Airport Baggage Scale

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Baggage scales are a vital part of an airport. If your scale(s) is not performing as it should, whether it’s inaccurate, not functioning as quickly as it should, or malfunctioning in some other way, it can cause serious problems and complaints for the airport.

People are already dealing with stress while trying to efficiently get to their gate. Many airport employees are likely experiencing a fair amount stress as well, especially during particularly busy times as they try to stay on schedule.

An accurate, well performing baggage scale is vital in order to keep everything moving forward and avoid customer dissatisfaction. It might be time to update your baggage scale if it’s older and parts are outdated.

pennsylvania airline baggage scales

The scale takes a while to provide results

If you notice the display taking a bit of time to show results when weighing baggage, it could indicate a part needs to be replaced or that it’s time to invest in a new scale. Efficiency is so important in airports and you do not want to waste precious minutes or seconds with a slow scale. That time adds up and can cause significant delays, particularly during busy seasons like the holidays when many people are rushing to get somewhere.

Readings are inaccurate

You might start to realize that the readings your scale is taking are slightly off. If you have multiple travelers telling you that they weighed their luggage before coming to the airport and that the reading on your scale is significantly different, it may be time to re-calibrate. While a few pounds is to be expected between an at-home luggage scale and an industry scale that’s actually used in the airport, this problem frequently occurring or a significant difference with multiple travelers is a red flag.

Equipment is simply outdated

Your airport baggage scales might simply be old; maybe you haven’t noticed any significant issues, but are concerned that they’re outdated and it will soon be time to replace them. Get ahead of any issues and look into new Pennsylvania Scale Company baggage scales or simply update vital parts, such as new digital readouts, that can lead to greater efficiency and accuracy.

Why accuracy is so important

Making decisions for the airport without an accurate scale can be risky. You may be over- or undercharging passengers, which can lead to unhappy customers and complaints. It’s also important to get accurate data on the weight of the luggage so that estimates on the amount of weight the plane is carrying can be as close to correct as possible.

If you’re interested in investing in a new airport baggage scale or think some parts need to be updated, please contact the sales department at (919) 776-7737.

The Latest Pennsylvania Scale Update

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We just recently received this update below from Pennsylvania Scale. So we figured that we’d share the update in a simple top 10 list kind of like you might see on late night tv.

Number ten is LOAD CELLS. We sell a lot of load cells. Due to that volume, we can offer attractive pricing for cells such as TANK MOUNTS, S-TYPES, ALTERNATIVE CAPACITIES, TENSION MOUNT KITS, etc. If you are shopping for load cells for your customers,  service facilities, or special projects, please contact us a quotation!

Number nine is SHIPMENTS. The factory just upgraded and added UPS new service for larger-than-parcel but smaller-than-LTL freight packages. This service is ideal for 6400’s and M64’s which are pushing 100 lbs. So if you order a Pennsylvania Scale item, please mention “the new BEST WAY shipping”, and we will automatically upgrade the shipment to the most efficient cost-effective way, including UPS HUNDREDWEIGHT or the new service.

Number eight is FREIGHT DISCOUNTS. The factory in Lancaster PA has some amazing outbound freight rates from popular carriers. Unlike some of the competition Pennsylvania does pass along the outbound volume discount for PREPAY & ADD shipments. You may be very surprised!

Number seven is BAGGAGE SCALE ELECTRONIC KITS are once again hot items as government and aviation spending is finally coming back. 1-4 displays. Keep the existing platform and do both your customers and yourself a huge favor and upgrade to more reliable and serviceable M64 electronics.

Number six is PANEL MOUNT OPTIONS for scale indicators. We have a new design that allows retrofitting of panel-mounted indicators fitting the cut-outs for both the former UMC-600 and UMC700 models as well as the smaller openings for the original UMC-555 models, making exact field replacement easy and efficient. Contact factory for details.

Alright we’re half way home. Number five is HIGH RESOLUTION WEIGHING, many distributors are replacing overcomplicated and hard-to-use “foreign” indicators with Pennsylvania 7600 series indicators in high resolution applications. You can easily ‘push’ resolution on Pennsylvania scales and meters due, in a large part, to the premium A-D converter they use… If you need to add utility and simplify life for your maintenance technicians as well as your employees, try using 7600+ or 7600E units.

Number four is non-standard resolutions and weight units can be easily handled at the factory—including ‘pushed’ resolution (non-NTEP), double/triple ranging, special units of measure (PRIMARY/SECONDARY units—specify with order, n/c). Like a certain fast food burger chain likes to say, special orders don’t upset us – all we ask is that you let us build it your way!

Ok, number three is FAST SHIPPING AND STOCK SHIPMENTS. The factory has added staff and efficiency in Lancaster. Most standard products ship from STOCK or 1-2 day delivery. IF YOU need equipment right away, please ask, we can often get scales and spare parts quickly. Continue reading →

Ways To Avoid Airline Baggage Fees

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These days everyone is looking to cut costs and find ways to raise additional revenue. One way the airlines can do this is by charging customers an additional fee if their bags weigh more than a certain weight. Unfortunately, many passengers have no real accurate way to measure the weight of their bag until they get to the airport. However, a standard bathroom scale can usually give you a pretty good idea if your bag is going to be close to the maximum weight. The link provides additional information on this story.

During the last inspection in March, Butler’s team check almost 100 scales. Thirteen failed inspection – one was 2 whole pounds off. The previous year, Butler said, ten scales had problems.

With overweight baggage fees topping out around $200, a scale’s accuracy could mean the difference between a hassle-free flight and a costly mess-up.

Butler said Burke has the right idea by weighing her luggage at home. He said anyone who believes their bag is underweight should ask to use a second scale if the bag comes up over.

“Just ask them. There are two scales side by side. If you’re over 50 pounds on that scale, ask them, ‘Do you mind checking on another scale?'” he said. “It’s your right to know because it’s big money. It’s big money.”

A couple of points that were made in this video are worth repeating. As a passenger, make sure when you place your luggage onto the weighing platform that the scale display shows 0.00 and if you are facing an overweight charge be sure to ask if you can place your bag on a different scale. Typically the baggage scales that are placed at airports are very accurate and reliable scales that are designed to meet certain standards, like NTEP approval. However, they can get out of calibration sometimes for various reasons and that is why it is a good idea for airlines to check the scales on a regular basis and have companies like ours calibrate the scales with certified test weights.

Happy Easter

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We sincerely hope you and your families enjoyed peace and happiness as we celebrate Passover and Easter.

In an era of sea change for weighing equipment and its distribution, certain important brand attributes remain the same for Pennsylvania brand scales.  Consistent, flexible treatment; Made in USA quality; long Warranties; 15-20 year service life (in a world of throwaway equipment); Technician-friendly products; and a commitment to our customers.  Continue reading →