Oversized and excess items

[ian2]

1. Oversized and excess items must be checked and are subject to fees.
2. Customers who have already checked in online at united.com are invited to check bags here.

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In the following two sentences, do you think the word CHECK has the same meaning? In sentence 1, CHECK, to me, just means to inspect to find out something, but in sentence 2, it seems CHECK means to check in, as you do before you get on the airplane, or to leave the bag so that you can get on the plane.

Also oversized and excess? Does this means that the two adjectives refer to the same items, that is, they are using two adjectives to mean the same thing, as we always say in legal texts, such as “rent or lease”? Without any context, this could mean both oversized and excess, two different items. In other words, this is different from oversized or excess.

By the way, without any context, could excess items mean: 1) an item that is larger in number than is allowed or an additional item, 2) an item that is larger in weight than is allowed, or 3) an item that is larger in size than is allowed?

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

Ian2

[Tdol]

1 It's unclear, but I would imagine it refers to excess weight.
Check seems to have different meaning, and I agree with your interpretation.
I think it is oversized and/or excess, so an item could be very big and very light, or very small and heavy, but both would have to be paid for.

[ian2]

Originally Posted by Tdol

1 It's unclear, but I would imagine it refers to excess weight.
Check seems to have different meaning, and I agree with your interpretation.
I think it is oversized and/or excess, so an item could be very big and very light, or very small and heavy, but both would have to be paid for.

The interesting thing is the two lines are from United Airline's signs.

[Tdol]

I don't know if they have a specific limit on the number of bags someone can carry, but would assume it referred to weight without checking the information on the ticket.

[ian2]

Originally Posted by Tdol

I don't know if they have a specific limit on the number of bags someone can carry, but would assume it referred to weight without checking the information on the ticket.

Hi, Tdol. It's just totally to my surprise when I got a reply from United Airline. They say by "oversized", they mean overweighted (they even gave me an example, say, 50 pounds or 100 pounds) and by "excess items" they mean more pieces than allowed, which was my original guess. But Oversized cannot mean overweighted, at least to me. Or am I too narrowed minded?

[Mordant]

I think UA have set their standard allowance limits as to maximum number of bags and maximum total weight. I believe they say Oversize as the size relates to the total weight allowance, i.e the size of the load, and excess means number of bags in excess of the permitted allowance.
I think they need to explain this a lot more clearly.

[ian2]

Originally Posted by Mordant

I think UA have set their standard allowance limits as to maximum number of bags and maximum total weight. I believe they say Oversize as the size relates to the total weight allowance, i.e the size of the load, and excess means number of bags in excess of the permitted allowance.
I think they need to explain this a lot more clearly.

I agree. In fact, they have a sign in which there is a picture showing the size limits (9"X22"). In other words, they show us the size, but mean weight instead. I am not sure whether the reply from UA is authoritative enough.

[curmudgeon]

I think they don't need to mention weight as this is already covered on your ticket.