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Source: Scotsman

ALASTAIR DALTON

HEAVY suitcases have been banned from Edinburgh airport, with
passengers being forced to repack their contents into smaller bags.

From yesterday, baggage weighing more than 70lb (32kg) each has been
barred to protect staff from injuring themselves during handling.

The move follows a similar limit being introduced at Heathrow
airport earlier this year.

It will later be extended to Glasgow, Aberdeen and several major
English airports.

A 70lb case weighs as much as a six-year-old child or 32 bags of
sugar.

BAA Scotland, which runs Edinburgh airport, said the restriction on
such bags had been introduced simply to enforce an existing weight
limit.

A spokeswoman explained: "In the past, it had been at the individual
airline’s discretion as to whether they allowed the bag to go
through.

"However, technology has now been installed at the check-in desks to
prevent a bag heavier than 70lb from being processed. This has been
done by BAA on behalf of the airlines."

BAA is providing additional bags for passengers whose cases exceed
70lb. The maximum weight limit applies to single pieces of luggage.

It has no effect on passengers’ overall baggage allowances or excess
baggage charges which are set by individual airlines.

Many airlines have a 44lb (20kg) total baggage allowance - or less.

Richard Jeffrey, the managing director of Edinburgh airport, said
the change was intended to protect its 300 baggagehandling staff.

About 40 per cent of all airport injuries reported to the Health and
Safety Executive are "manual handling injuries", mostly to airport
staff handling heavy bags.

Mr Jeffrey said: "We are committed to working with the airlines and
handling agents to implement safe working practices airport-wide to
help lessen manual handling injuries."
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