N.Y. airport scales mostly accurate

NEW YORK - Travelers girding themselves for the Thanksgiving crush at airports in the city can cross one concern off their lists: recent inspections found that scales used to weigh luggage are mostly accurate.

The city Department of Consumer Affairs checked all 810 scales last month at La Guardia and John F. Kennedy International airports to ensure that travelers weren't being overcharged for excess baggage weight. Some carriers have implemented new baggage fees to offset rising fuel costs.

"If airlines are going to start charging travelers left and right for their luggage, their scales better be perfect," department commissioner Jonathan Mintz said. "We're shutting down any airline luggage scale that doesn't get it right."

The agency released the results of their inspections yesterday. It said 87 percent of the scales passed inspection during the first sweep. The remaining 102 scales were taken out of use. The city requires broken scales to be recalibrated within five business days

When inspectors returned to the airports a second time last month to ensure all 102 scales had been calibrated correctly, they found 10 at JFK still had problems.

The department cited American Airlines, which operated the faulty scales. The violation carries a $150 fine, agency spokeswoman Beth Miller said. The airline could face additional fines when it appears at a December hearing for the violation.

American Airlines said it spends tens of thousands of dollars each year having its scales checked for accuracy at all airports including JFK. It said that, typically, inaccurate scales favor the customer.

ASSOCIATED PRESS