When preparing for a 2 week vacation to Sicily last year, I knew that I would need a substantial amount of clothing but was determined to have no more than one checked bag and one carry on.  Nothing unusual there –only the rare passenger flies overseas without carrying at least one piece of carry-on baggage, and many have to check one or more pieces of luggage as well.  Additional baggage may cost you extra.

Savvy travelers know that you should check the baggage restrictions for the specific airline you will be traveling on—which I did.  What I failed to do was to check baggage requirements for our connecting airline, Alitalia.  You were allowed to check one bag only and the weight allowed was less then we had packed for Continental leaving the US.  So at the Alitalia check in counter in
Rome, I found myself pulling random items out of my suitcase and stuffing them into my carry- on or my husband’s bag to meet the lower weight restriction.  This involved a series of reweighs until I met the allowed weight.  Needless to say, the airline clerk was not too happy with me.  Thank goodness that I was able to pull this off—you do not have the option to pay for additional weight on Alitalia.  Meet the weight requirement or leave it behind.

This all could have been avoided if I had planned better and purchased an EatSmart Voyager Luggage Scale to comply with all weight restrictions, for all flights, both coming and going!  Did I not mention all the beautiful, handmade Italian dinnerware that I wanted to buy and bring home with me.  Again, having already packed to the max, this was not going to work.   By using the luggage scale I would have purposefully left some room in my checked bag (who needs all those shoes) to carry home all clothing, etc. originally packed for the trip.  My carry-on would be free to carry my gorgeous, breakable souvenirs safely home –life long mementos of a wonderful trip.

On all trips that followed my Sicily adventure, I have used the Precision Voyager Luggage Scale and eliminated these luggage issues. It definitely makes for a smoother journey and enhances the travel experience.  For peace of mind, bring it with you on your travels—it only weighs a few ounces.

Story by: Maria Geronimo, Public Relations Director at EatSmart Products

Have you had a similar experience?  Did you have to leave your souvenirs behind?