Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle has a reputation for unpredictable carry-on checks, and Air France sits at the center of most of the stories. Some travelers breeze through, others get stopped for a single extra pound. Here’s what people keep reporting.

1. Single metal box

There’s a one-piece device at Air France checkpoints in CDG Terminal 2. You drop your carry-on into the box that checks size, and the base works as a scale.

Staff often ask you to place your cabin bag and your personal item on it. Wheels and handles count. Smaller handbags count. Camera bags count.

Medical device bags sometimes count too, which causes tension because some passengers expect an exemption.

2. Enforcement is inconsistent (even same day)

Some flights see strict checks. Others see nothing. One person reports a full checkpoint where bag after bag is overweight and people are scrambling to repack. Another person, same week, says nobody looks at anything.

It varies by security line, staffing mood, how full the flight is, and how your bag looks at first glance.

3. Strictest enforcement on CDG departure side

Travelers say departure checks in Paris are where the real problems show up. Departing from the U.S. rarely triggers weighing.

Coming home from Paris is where people get caught. Even frequent transatlantic travelers who never see checks in JFK or LAX say CDG is a different story.

4. Tightest rules for economy passengers

Reports line up around one point: economy gets the toughest checks. Premium Economy sees mixed enforcement. Business and La Première see almost none.

Some travelers say their carry-ons have never been measured in business class, even with heavy bags. The rules technically apply but just aren’t enforced.

5. Air France adds carry-on + personal item weight

The rule isn’t “carry-on only”, it’s the total of everything you bring into the cabin. In Economy and Premium Economy, that’s 12 kg. In Business and La Première, it’s 18 kg.

Staff sometimes weigh the personal item alone, sometimes together, sometimes not at all. This explains why people often think they’re under the limit but still get flagged.

6. Tolerance varies

Regular AF flyers say there’s usually a small cushion. Some estimate roughly a kilogram of flexibility, as long as you don’t tip into the next full number on the scale.

Others insist the tolerance is tighter – some staff push for 0.5 kg. It often depends on the agent.

7. People do get hit with big fees

Many travelers mention “hefty” charges when the bag is overweight, e.g. a $270 fee after exceeding limits and already checking several bags. Some travelers under by less than a pound are still forced to check a bag anyway.

Air France’s check-in lines can be long and you might be sent back to wait again.

8. Visual checks drive many decisions

Travelers notice how staff judge bags by sight before sending anyone to the scale. Slim rollers, standard backpacks, and anything that looks “light” often pass without a second glance.

Overstuffed cabin bags, bulky camera gear, or anything that gives the impression of weight tend to get pulled aside.

This might explains why two passengers with the same allowance experience completely different treatment.

9. The line you pick affects enforcement

SkyPriority passengers say they rarely face checks, while people in the general line report more frequent weigh-ins.

Others point out that the screening point sometimes sits before the split between priority and regular queues, so everything depends on the layout that morning.

Terminal 2E is often mentioned: some days the check sits right in front of the main security funnel, and everyone must pass it.

10. Strict rules also apply to checked bags

Travelers note that Air France enforces the 23 kg limit per checked bag very closely. Even when someone pays for extra checked weight or multiple bags, staff still insist that each suitcase individually stay under 23 kg.

You may have to shift a single kilogram from one bag to another to clear the requirement.

The pattern mirrors the carry-on situation: rules exist, and on certain days staff follow them to the letter.

11. Passengers try creative workarounds

Some travelers adjust clothing on the spot e.g. move heavy items from their carry-on onto their body, layering up until they pass the scale.

You may sometimes avoid weigh-ins by answering staff as if you’re flying a different carrier until you pass into the main security area.

12. Staff flexibility exists but is rare

A traveler with a fragile, overweight camera bag refuses to check it and tries to upgrade to business class for the higher allowance. Business is sold out. An agent reprints their boarding pass with SkyPriority access while keeping them in economy, giving them the carry-on weight rules of a premium cabin without changing the seat.

Of course, this depends entirely on finding a sympathetic agent during a calm moment at the desk.

Takeaways

Air France’s carry-on checks at CDG are unpredictable. Some days are calm. Other days turn into a luggage triage zone with repacking, long queues, and surprise fees.

The best approach is simple: stay under the 12 kg limit if flying economy, keep your bags looking compact, and expect the rules to be enforced on the Paris side even if they weren’t at home.