Charged EUR 37 for 1kg over at check-in (total 24kg)

[Simo]

I would have argued that the scales where not calibrated properly a I weighed it at home and it was only 22kg.

Bit tough.

Maybe the pax gave staff a bit of a hard time when they said it was overweight.

 

[The Rok]

I am having a bit of a hard time believing the facts of this case. I think the OP's friend might be telling porkies. I suspect it was either their attitude (unlikely for 1 kilo) or more likely they were more than 1KG over the limit. They might of been 4 or 5 KG's over but in the interest of fairness the airline might of only charged them for 1 KG, just to show management that they are charging for excess baggage.

 

[TheInsider]

I would have argued that the scales where not calibrated properly a I weighed it at home and it was only 22kg.
Bit tough.
Maybe the pax gave staff a bit of a hard time when they said it was overweight.

Not directly related, but the scales in Australia are always calibrated and governed by the National Measurement Act, and have these staff check the scales to make sure they are compliant.

 

[The Rok]

I would imagine the scales at all first world airports are inspected and calibrated on a regular basis by some relevant authority, no?

 

[Maca44]

Forget all this stuff about the airline being 'mean' etc or which airline blames which airline. If the baggage allowance is 23kg, then so be it, and if you are over that limit, pay the fees. Quite simple really. I agree with Kooky... if you are not happy, then use a different carrier, and as noted by others some of these other carriers have a limit of a few kilos less. I might emphasise that it all depends on the season of travel and destination, but most pax should be able to travel with much less than 23kg. I am a convert for carry on only, even for several weeks overseas, and am constantly amazed when I see pax walking through an airport with numerous large bags. My father gave me a tip many years ago... whatever you pack you have to carry so less is better.

 

[anat0l]

This thread reminds me of another one which started with an equally vehement post - it was about someone flying QR and "not being told that the limit was 20kg" when they had "expected" the "standard" 23kg...and then QR wanted to charge them a most "unreasonable" $111 per excess kg as per policy.

Geez...discretion comes not for free or as a standard - it's life's way of cutting you a break sometimes - apart from that, is it too much to ask to stick to the rules, roll with the punches or make lemonade out of lemons?

Considering this was ex- a European port and probably contracted services, that's an even bigger reason to be mindful and astute about the limits.



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[Simo]

Not directly related, but the scales in Australia are always calibrated and governed by the National Measurement Act, and have these staff check the scales to make sure they are compliant.

I was travelling with some people and some of us flew QF and some flew jet* and one guy's bag actually gained weight between HBA and MEL check ins.

By app 1KG there was some discussion as they could not explain why.

 

[kooky]

I am having a bit of a hard time believing the facts of this case. I think the OP's friend might be telling porkies. I suspect it was either their attitude (unlikely for 1 kilo) or more likely they were more than 1KG over the limit. They might of been 4 or 5 KG's over but in the interest of fairness the airline might of only charged them for 1 KG, just to show management that they are charging for excess baggage.

Nah, definitely not porkies, definitely not rudeness either, I'm with that person at the moment, typing this out.

Firstly at the check-in counter.
The scales showed 24.2kg.
Was told overweight and that had to pay.
Friend then said "why, last year I was 3kg overweight and I didn't have to pay?"
Then the check-in lady said, "there's new regulations and Qantas are being more strict about it now".
Friend was offered chance to take 1kg out, which was hard to do due for them due to suitcase being packed for 6 months (there were no singular heavy items and could not take out anything really apart from 10-tshirts that may have weighed 1kg, impractical).
Friend went to payment counter, which was BA Ticket desk.
Told guy there had to pay 1kg, he said "oh I'm sure you were more overweight but they're just being nice charging you 1kg".
Friend said, "no, it's really just 1kg"
BA guy was surprised and said "if it's really just 1kg they could have turned a blind eye". BA guy was empathetic to the situation and said he couldn't understand why checkin would send my friend to him and make them pay for 1kg.


I specifically asked my friend about their attidude at checkin and they said they gave no attitude to the checkin lady. Incidentally they were OK about paying the extra 1kg, as they view it "pointless to argue with those people" .. it's ME that's upset about the situation because I recommended them to QF and I feel like I have let them down!

 

[cove]

So what was so heavy to make 24 kgs?

 

[Austman]

Forget all this stuff about the airline being 'mean' etc or which airline blames which airline. If the baggage allowance is 23kg, then so be it, and if you are over that limit, pay the fees. Quite simple really. I agree with Kooky... if you are not happy, then use a different carrier, and as noted by others some of these other carriers have a limit of a few kilos less..

It's when you interline. A 1kg over can be charged by the second carrier to the first. It's all documented - so they can do it. And the first carrier does not want to be the one that picks up the bill! If it's a single carrier, the situation is different.

It's tricky to change the carrier when you interline...

 

[kooky]

So what was so heavy to make 24 kgs?

6 months' worth of clothes.

 

[Heleigh]

Flew HKT to BKK Jan 2011 with Air Asia at checkin two bags total 24kg was going to pay for second bag but checkin lady said just take Kilo out. Did so but it had to be not a gram over the 23kg.

 

[kooky]

It's when you interline. A 1kg over can be charged by the second carrier to the first. It's all documented - so they can do it. And the first carrier does not want to be the one that picks up the bill! If it's a single carrier, the situation is different.

It's tricky to change the carrier when you interline...

Yep, maybe so, but how is anyone in continental Europe going to fly QF without interlining if booking at Qantas unless they live near FRA? QF suggests the LHR flights, even goes as far as booking them on a QF flight number. Europeans have the choice of so many other carriers flying to Aus, there must be people getting done left right and centre on 1kg over now that surely they'll never want to fly QF again, and give another carrier a go in future. QF/BA, what an alliance, whatever politics lie behind it, at the end the bread and butter economy people buying tickets in Europe will be left shaking their heads with zero tolerance rules like this.

I really like QF, and over the years I've recommended it to countless Europeans flying to Oz, because it was a premium airline, but slowly so many things have been eroded I don't really know what's left apart from a nice A/V system and good crash ratings. Hmm, what's disappeared: 1. socks on demand only now 2. not even 1kg tolerance on baggage 3. no ability to reserve a seat even on phone without paying 4. no free exit rows 5. reduction in interlining blamed on a friggin volcano 6. broken/missing online check-in when either flying from FRA or having to transit via LHR. Why should I still recommend them in 2012?? I'm just going to get egg on my face doing that. It's all policies at the end, management policies that bring people like me past their tipping point and end up with a whole lotta people moving to new carriers. Customer attrition like that is incredibly expensive to win back.

 

[kooky]

Flew HKT to BKK Jan 2011 with Air Asia at checkin two bags total 24kg was going to pay for second bag but checkin lady said just take Kilo out. Did so but it had to be not a gram over the 23kg.

Yeah but they're a budget carrier right? Is that really comparable to QF international?

 

[docjames]

Happy to be corrected if this isnt correct, but (from previous discussions with CSRs in various locations): my understanding is that many of the systems now will not let the CSR "waive" any amount over (be it 1kg or 10kg) as the computer prompts them. They can be audited on how many times they "waive" the fee (they have to put in an exemption code/reason).

So it's hard and fast. The solution would have been to remove 1kg and carry it on.

FWIW, your recommendation of QF is no less - most other airlines (incl most "full service") would do the same these days.

 

[Austman]

Yep, maybe so, but how is anyone in continental Europe going to fly QF without interlining if booking at Qantas unless they live near FRA? QF suggests the LHR flights, even goes as far as booking them on a QF flight number. Europeans have the choice of so many other carriers flying to Aus, there must be people getting done left right and centre on 1kg over now that surely they'll never want to fly QF again, and give another carrier a go in future. QF/BA, what an alliance, whatever politics lie behind it, at the end the bread and butter economy people buying tickets in Europe will be left shaking their heads with zero tolerance rules like this.

I really like QF, and over the years I've recommended it to countless Europeans flying to Oz, because it was a premium airline, but slowly so many things have been eroded I don't really know what's left apart from a nice A/V system and good crash ratings. Hmm, what's disappeared: 1. socks on demand only now 2. not even 1kg tolerance on baggage 3. no ability to reserve a seat even on phone without paying 4. no free exit rows 5. reduction in interlining blamed on a friggin volcano 6. broken/missing online check-in when either flying from FRA or having to transit via LHR. Why should I still recommend them in 2012?? I'm just going to get egg on my face doing that. It's all policies at the end, management policies that bring people like me past their tipping point and end up with a whole lotta people moving to new carriers. Customer attrition like that is incredibly expensive to win back.

The "strictness" on over check-in limits when interlining has been happening for well over 10 years in my experience (and they always blame the next airline's policy). And it's not just QF, BA ...

 

[medhead]

Yep, maybe so, but how is anyone in continental Europe going to fly QF without interlining if booking at Qantas unless they live near FRA?

I don't know, HAM is a lot closer to FRA than it is to LHR. 4 hours on the ICE.

 

[serfty]

6 months' worth of clothes.

Obviously your friend does not intend to purchase much attire while travelling. It's generally not hard to wear 1 kg extra of clothes when checking in. (Take a plastic bag in you pocket and divest after boarding.)

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Is that really comparable to QF international?

BA checkin staff (and possibly just contract staff) probably do not have the authority to waive fees that might be charged by another airline. If it were just BA, they might see fit to waive the fees. I've had the same issues on other airlines (e.g. the most recent time flying AA and then connecting to QF). I'm 99% certain that QF would have waived the excess (as I'm both WP and travelling in J), but that didn't help with the AA checkin person.

 

[TheInsider]

I really like QF, and over the years I've recommended it to countless Europeans flying to Oz, because it was a premium airline, but slowly so many things have been eroded I don't really know what's left apart from a nice A/V system and good crash ratings. Hmm, what's disappeared: 1. socks on demand only now 2. not even 1kg tolerance on baggage 3. no ability to reserve a seat even on phone without paying 4. no free exit rows 5. reduction in interlining blamed on a friggin volcano 6. broken/missing online check-in when either flying from FRA or having to transit via LHR. Why should I still recommend them in 2012?? I'm just going to get egg on my face doing that. It's all policies at the end, management policies that bring people like me past their tipping point and end up with a whole lotta people moving to new carriers. Customer attrition like that is incredibly expensive to win back.

1. If people didn't use the socks, why keep on supplying them to everyone?
2. Your free baggage allowance is 23kgs, not anything else.
3. Wasn't really able to be done before the fee was implemented anyway, so really it's a new thing that NB's and non-FF members have the choice to do.
4. Well who does offer free exit rows these days for their lower tiered FF'ers? (really unsure)
5. This was also due to alot of passengers travelling on 'budget' and 'full service' airlines who don't have a baggage allowance, automatically getting a free baggage allowance by 'interlining' the baggage. If you want your bags to go through, pay the premium and have it in the one booking, or book within the allicance.
6. What's this broken online checkin? If flying BA on the 1st leg, well isn't that BA's problem?