Airport bag weight limit imposed

Weight restrictions come into effect at Edinburgh Airport

A Scottish airport is to impose a weight limit on passengers' luggage in an attempt to reduce injuries among baggage-handling staff.

From Thursday, people travelling through Edinburgh Airport will only be able to check in bags weighing 32kg (70 pounds) or less.

A similar weight limit on individual pieces of luggage was introduced at London Heathrow in June.

Edinburgh is the first Scottish airport to follow suit.

Safe working

The maximum weight limit applies to single pieces of luggage and has no effect on passengers' overall baggage allowances and excess baggage charges which are set by individual airlines.

Passengers whose bags exceed the weight limit will be asked to repack their luggage into smaller units and bags will be available for those who need to repack.

Edinburgh Airport managing director Richard Jeffrey said the change was intended to protect the airport's 300 baggage-handling staff.

Some 40% of all airport injuries reported to the Health and Safety Executive were "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."