Checking carry-on luggage at gate

[Oneworldplus2]

samiam, is that in Y or J?
I am doing transcon (QF J) and wanted to max out the 2 x 7kg limit (laptop and clothes/toiletries).

Just to clarify (and as inferred by the OP), that's 7kg x 2 pieces of up to 105cm size.

If you have a 115cm piece then no additional piece is permitted by the rules.

Yep, understand Serfty. Cheers.
Bag 1 - Laptop/cables/accessories - High Sierra Laptop bag
Bag 2 - Clothes/toiletries - Country Road soft shoulder/sling bag

I was more interested in the weight restrictions as I have used both bags independently on flights before and never had a problem (they easily fit in the bag check in front front of gates).

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Flew ADL-MEL this morning and noticed something I've never seen before on a QF flight.

One FA scanning BPs, one other staff member (looked like ground staff member due to uniform and she wasn't on the flight) standing at the start of the boarding line looking at peoples' bags and selecting passengers to weigh their bags and place them in the "guide" thing to ensure they meet the size requirements.

Common in the US - However last year flying from ASP to DEN passengers were asked to pick up their overweight/size bags that had been previously
removed from them to be stored in the baggage hold and take into the cabin as the hold was full. This flight was packed no spare seats overheads full and bags under every seat etc.
Waited for 30 mins at the holding point as the pilot announced he was waiting for the "correct" headwind to take off.
Couldn't help think about the "weight and balance" of this flight !!

 

[JohnK]

I had this happen to me recently in Sydney. Was one of the last to board and the FA at the boarding gate said to me the CSM has lost the plot and is checking all carry-on luggage. Asked me to check the size of the bag and it fit in the basket but took a while to get it back out. It is well within the limits but I had some things in the pockets that made it bigger.

Got on board and CSM was waiting. Questioned me about carry-on and I said FA had already checked. Saw my heavy sticker with 14kg written on it and started having a go at me. The sticker had been there for a while and the bag was nowhere near 14 kilos. He ripped the sticker off my bag and let me board.

 

[serfty]

...
Got on board and CSM was waiting. Questioned me about carry-on and I said FA had already checked. Saw my heavy sticker with 14kg written on it and started having a go at me. The sticker had been there for a while and the bag was nowhere near 14 kilos. He ripped the sticker off my bag and let me board.

:shock::shock:

Why on earth would one leave a 14Kg sticker on a bag on was intending to use for carry-on?

That's just asking for problems ... :-|

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Flew ADL-MEL this morning and noticed something I've never seen before on a QF flight.

One FA scanning BPs, one other staff member (looked like ground staff member due to uniform and she wasn't on the flight) standing at the start of the boarding line looking at peoples' bags and selecting passengers to weigh their bags and place them in the "guide" thing to ensure they meet the size requirements.

I wasn't checked, but as I boarded I heard a couple in front of me being told:
"I can't let you take it on at that weight, it's the right size but you'll have to put some items in your wife's bag"
"If it's over 7kg you are liable if it falls"

Is this a sign of things to come?

FWIW the FA scanning BPs and watching the debacle had a WTF look on her face the whole time. Just like everyone else in the line. I mean something ridiculous like a huge surfboard wouldn't fit in any of the overhead compartments but most of the bags being inspected were obviously within the size requirements. I hope this is not some QF powertrooping gone bad.

It may have been a result of an F/A recently being badly injured when an item of 'carryon' from the overhead locker fell on her. Not sure if she was trying to remove it or whether she was just in the way. Staff weighed the bag which was found to weigh 37 kilos!

I have been on a flight BNE/DRW where a pax in an aisle seat had an item of carry-on fall out of the locker onto her head . She collapsed in the aerobridge after stepping off the aircraft. Not sure how heavy the item was on that occasion.

 

[samiam]

samiam, is that in Y or J?
I am doing transcon (QF J) and wanted to max out the 2 x 7kg limit (laptop and clothes/toiletries).

That's Y. Haven't had the same problem in J.

 

[JohnK]

:shock::shock:

Why on earth would one leave a 14Kg sticker on a bag on was intending to use for carry-on?

That's just asking for problems ... :-|

I didn't think too much about it and I had no idea someone was going to be paying that much attention to a sticker on my carry on.

 

[VHOEJ]

Good on them for doing it - they should be doing it for obvious ones, there are some bags that might be slightly over the 7kgs but you can't tell.

I am still surprised Jetstar don't do it for every flight considering they can make money out of it. They are the worse offenders.

 

[bigjobs]

The more the FA's etc check people's carry on is within the limits the better. They are too slack IMHO in this area. they should be like the Gestapo on it.

 

[The Rok]

I know Virgin Atlantic used to weigh carry on luggage at check in (Heathrow) and put a weight sticker on it. Once inside the boarding gate area they would go round and check for stickers. Don't know if they still do it. I think from memory the sticker used to say "Hand Luggage" "Checked"

Etihad have weight my carry on luggage before too. As have Garuda.

 

[rowdy]

Does anyone know where the 7kg 'limit' originated from? If it is a safety requirement how is it that Jetstar allow 10kg?

 

[Mh4k]

BA allow a whopping 23KG on the proviso that the passenger must be able to lift it above their head unassisted.

 

[flyingfan]

I was about to fly TSV-BNE on a 737 (during what was partly a JASA status run thanks to markis10 during the double status credits promotion ) when the FA doing the boarding at the gate looked at my roller suitcase, said it was "too big for domestic" and started gesturing to the bag testing unit. My bag was a Samsonite roller wheel type measuring 115 linear cm – which is within the allowance and this was the first time I'd been pulled up about it.

I also had a thin laptop bag and I’d called QF beforehand to confirm I could carry that in addition to my 115 cm bag (as I recall the website used to specifically talk about an additional ‘personal item’ like laptops and small cameras, but not anymore) and was assured that was okay. The FA wasn’t concerned with my computer though, just the suitcase. For a while she had me doubting myself and I was fearing having to check it in.

Then she looked at my boarding pass again and said “Sorry I didn’t see where you were sitting” and let me through. I was not happy seeing my bag was within limits and does fit within the test unit (and isn’t overweight). That I was flying in J was irrelevant as the allowances are the same had I been in Y. To be singled out at the front of a long line of boarding passengers was not nice. I sent in some grumpy feedback, quoting their own website back at them, and received this response a few days later:

apologies

Thank you for your email.

Please accept our apologies that you were incorrectly challenged at the gate. You are correct, the linear dimensions of cabin baggage permitted in the aircraft is 115cm.

I have bought this to the attention of our Cabin Crew management who will follow up directly with our staff member.

Thank you for the kind words your offer for the other crew members and I will also make sure this is passed on.

We do appreciate your loyalty and thank you for choosing to fly Qantas. I hope we have the opportunity to welcome you onboard soon.

Kind regards

Executive Relations

I am all for enforcing limits and can understand needing to be stricter on 737s but FAs having a go when wrong is not on.


Off-topic: my complaint while trying to identify the FA in question mentioned other FAs who were weren’t a problem at all and doing their job marvelously hence the above comment.
Still off-topic: a few days later on another TSV-BNE flight in J (fortunately I did not run into the first FA again), the CSM was outstanding, could not have asked for better. I know expectations are higher of a CSM but still, credit where credit is due. A totally different experience. I sent in some more strong feedback and got:

thank you

Thank you very much for contacting us with your positive comments. We are always thrilled when we get feedback like this.

Our industry is all about the service customers receive and so when we get praise it genuinely makes it all worthwhile. I’ll make sure I pass on your great feedback to those involved. I’m sure they will be really pleased to read what you have to say.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us. I hope we have the opportunity to welcome you aboard Qantas again in the near future.

 

[dfcatch]

I was about to fly TSV-BNE on a 737 (during what was partly a JASA status run thanks to markis10 during the double status credits promotion ) when the FA doing the boarding at the gate looked at my roller suitcase, said it was "too big for domestic" and started gesturing to the bag testing unit. My bag was a Samsonite roller wheel type measuring 115 linear cm – which is within the allowance and this was the first time I'd been pulled up about it.

I also had a thin laptop bag and I’d called QF beforehand to confirm I could carry that in addition to my 115 cm bag (as I recall the website used to specifically talk about an additional ‘personal item’ like laptops and small cameras, but not anymore) and was assured that was okay. The FA wasn’t concerned with my computer though, just the suitcase. For a while she had me doubting myself and I was fearing having to check it in.

Then she looked at my boarding pass again and said “Sorry I didn’t see where you were sitting” and let me through. I was not happy seeing my bag was within limits and does fit within the test unit (and isn’t overweight). That I was flying in J was irrelevant as the allowances are the same had I been in Y. To be singled out at the front of a long line of boarding passengers was not nice. I sent in some grumpy feedback, quoting their own website back at them, and received this response a few days later:



I am all for enforcing limits and can understand needing to be stricter on 737s but FAs having a go when wrong is not on.


Off-topic: my complaint while trying to identify the FA in question mentioned other FAs who were weren’t a problem at all and doing their job marvelously hence the above comment.
Still off-topic: a few days later on another TSV-BNE flight in J (fortunately I did not run into the first FA again), the CSM was outstanding, could not have asked for better. I know expectations are higher of a CSM but still, credit where credit is due. A totally different experience. I sent in some more strong feedback and got:

Love that form letter

I get the same one every time I compliment a crew member

 

[oz_mark]

Qantas weighing carryon? That's gonna cause simongr a problem

If they are weighing hand luggage then they won't be an option for me domestically. That I would consider to be LCC.

 

[simongr]

Qantas weighing carryon? That's gonna cause simongr a problem

Oh yeah - looks like I will have to switch to the hi speed train link to MEL.

 

[Valerie Moffat]

I've not seen them weigh items, but certainly check the number of bags and size. I think it is a good thing. Far too often i see people with the kitchen sink packed and then can't get it in the overhead lockers.

I saw a couple in the departure lounge with enough luggage for a long stay overseas.
They brought all of it on board and, with a great deal of effort managed to fill two overhead lockers.
Very glad Qantas is tightening up on this.
Valerie Moffat

 

[RSD]

Looks like I'm going to be in for some more pain too - it's bad enough trying to travel with camera gear now without them checking every last thing. I'm still trying to get some common sense from Qantas after the last debacle a couple of weeks ago travelling MEL - PER. It seems that they are so confused/embarrassed by what happened even they can't explain how the heck their staff made up the nonsense that they were quoting me when they were quizzing me about what was in my checked luggage. Has anyone else ever been asked if their camera lens is pressurised and what the internal volume of the lens is? I didn't know the answer to either question, ended up missing my flight and having to ring Canon Australia for help to reassure them that it wasn't going to explode! Talk about a damn circus.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I saw a couple in the departure lounge with enough luggage for a long stay overseas.
They brought all of it on board and, with a great deal of effort managed to fill two overhead lockers.
Very glad Qantas is tightening up on this.Valerie Moffat

That reminds me of a couple sitting opposite us a couple off years ago on QF74 SFO/SYD. We were seated in 16AB which is upper deck exit row on the 744 & they had 16JK. We boarded reasonably early however they were already onboard & had already claimed what I called 'our' overhead locker above our seats.

In addition to that they of course had filled 'their' locker above 16JK despite having the side storage lockers at their disposal & if that wasn't enough at the end of the flight an F/A brought another one of her carryons which must have been stored in a wardrobe or coat locker somewhere aft on the upper deck near the galley.

I guess the moral of the story is board early as possession is nine tenths of the law.

 

[monoccular]

And may I add too, not before time.

It really pees me off when I can't find a spot for my small backpack when people come on, especially Friday afternoon flights, with a couple of small suitcases and the week's shopping.

I know checking in luggage can be a pain, but the rules are there for a reason.

Congratulations QANTAS - you are doing something right!