I'm following this. Heading to Singapore, Cambodia, and Thailand in a few weeks. Most of the time in Thailand.
@Brett. We have international size carry on luggage but are worried by the weight restrictions on Asia air and Thai smile airlines... 7kg is pretty tight and still have a spare pair of shoes.
So here is what we do....
We always aim for 7KG but we are usually slightly over. DW more so.
There is usually some overage allowed. I would count on .5 - 1kilo. If we are not sure...We wear our heavier shoes, carry our ipads, book in our hands.
We might put on our nylon shells. Then place heavier items in the pockets. For me it might be my electric razor, some rechargers, etc. You get the gist.
In some areas, Kuala Lumper and some Philippine airports Air Asia have people walking around the check in area suggested that you should check the bag. You can IGNORE them. IF you are flying through KL and taking an Air Asia flight be aware that they occasionally have a crew set up with a scale just before you enter the security issue. Not everyone gets weighed either. Not ashamed to say that more than once we have kind of 'skirted' around them when their focus was on others!
In six years of a fair amount of regional air we have always been OK. Air Asia, NOK, Tiger, Lion, Jetstar, Viet, Scoot, Smile, HK Air....never had an issue.
The most diligent we have seen is with Jetstar Australia in Brisbane where they checked weights at check-in and again at the gate. The clerk at the gate had a scale....and a hand held credit/debit terminal!
One wonderful thing in SE Asia vs NA is this restriction on carry on size and weight. Planes get loaded and unloaded so much more quickly and without the usual hassles that we see in NA! IF only NA carriers would have the same regs and any level of enforcement.
One other observation...they seem to check those whose carry on bags are bulging at the seams. Tie the insides down well so that your bag does not resemble a two week late pregnant woman.
Don't sweat this. Just go and have a fabulous time! If you are taking any mini busses, ferry boats or water taxis you will be so very thankful that you only have carry on!