I used my Qantas points to book flights for my latest trip to Manila. I was thrilled to have a 30kg limit for my check-in baggage since I usually only have 20kg when travelling on budget flights. Seems the carry-on baggage weight limit is usually 7kg for economy and goes up only if you are flying First Class. Needless to say, I was working with 7kg after I packed everything else in my luggage.
Before leaving for the airport on my return flight, I did a cursory baggage weight check using the small scale I bring when I travel. I had to reshuffle things between my luggage and hand-carry bags to keep within the allowable limits.
I had left the house early to be at the airport 3 hours ahead of the 8:35PM flight. When I got to the airport, the total weight of my check-in luggage was approximately 30kg. I was just happy that I did not get charged for the reported excess of 0.2 kg. They did not ask to weigh my handcarry so I did not offer. They handed me my ticket, I went on my merry way.
I headed towards the boarding gate soon after I got through security screening and emigration. I was so early that the people boarding the flight to Dubai were still waiting at our assigned boarding gate. In my mind, once these people board their plane, it would be our turn.
I still had a lot of time to kill. There were restaurants and kiosks near the boarding gate. I expected dinner would be served during the flight so I was not looking to get dinner. Although if there was a Jollibee at the departure area, I would have reconsidered. Sadly, there was no Jollibee in sight.
I decided to check out the stores. I wanted to find extra stuff to bring home. There were a lot of interesting things available but I refused to buy anything that was super overpriced which is quite common at the airport. The pulvoron was overpriced. The dried mangoes were overpriced. Then I spotted a big bag of Boy Bawang Cornick. I hadn't checked the price of Boy Bawang at the Philippine groceries but figured it would be cheaper than getting this big boy in Australia. That was a good option however I knew that I was already at my 7kg hand-carry limit.
I sent out a query to the family group chat:
Mom : Are things you buy at Duty Free subject to total cabin baggage weight limit?
Son#2 : After you get to duty free they don't weigh again, right?
Mom: Any requests?
I expected my next step would be to board the plane and since the feedback I got was encouraging, I decided to go for the Boy Bawang. I tucked my latest purchase in my duffle bag and returned to my seat at the boarding gate.
I did not mention this acquisition in the family group chat. I wanted it to be a surprise. It would be a big surprise. I was quite excited.
However, my excitement was short-lived. Soon after I sat down, the airport team started moving seats around. They lined up several chairs beside me to essentially close off the whole section of our assigned boarding gate. They rearranged the remaining rows of chairs into sections then they started herding people out of the boarding area. When the area was emptied, they put up numbers beside the chairs to indicate the boarding group assignments to match what was found in the boarding pass.
500g, it said. That is HALF A KILO!
As I moved out of the boarding area to line up with the other passengers, I started to worry. I kept thinking, 500g!!
The line was getting longer because they hadn't started to let people in. I wondered what they were waiting for. The answer came a few minutes later. I relayed the news to our group chat : Don't look now but they set up a weighing scale at the boarding gate!!
I looked through my bags and started taking out clothes I could wear and things I could stuff in my pockets. I was still thinking, 500 grams!
The line started to move. I wondered what would happen if they weighed my stuff and it was over by 500 grams.
My thought bubbles were saying, thank goodness I did not tell the family about the Boy Bawang. They would have been disappointed if I told them about it and I ended up coming home without it.
I knew that I could find Boy Bawang back in Australia if I REALLY wanted some but I didn't want to have to buy a replacement, especially since I literally had one in the bag.
Anyway, I had tried my best to reduce my baggage weight. The song in my head was now, "Que sera sera. Whatever will be, will be."
My turn eventually came and my bags were opened but not weighed.
Whew! Our Boy Bawang was safe.
At that point I was not sure if it was sheer luck or the silent prayers that allowed me to go through that extra security check. What I do know is that this time around, I did not have the usual smuggler as my carry-on, and all the bags that went through the weighing scale were rectangular suitcase-like luggage with wheels. If I had brought the smuggler, the chances of that getting weighed would have been quite high.
For this particular trip, I had brought the green duffle bag which belonged to MacGyver's dad. It was a much lighter bag which I had never used for an international trip in the past. It is entirely possible that even from the great beyond, Daddy is watching over us, allowing the extra pasalubong to travel across the seas.
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