First time excess :(

[Jama]

Flew back from Melbourne last night with an extra bag and was 5kg over my Gold limit. Had hoped they might let it slide on this occassion. $40 later...

 

[Justchecking]

Well they did cut you a break on the rate, excess is normally $15kg, looks like they only charged you $8. This has to happen. You can't expect the airline to invest so much in swish lounges, new FF program and J class without also paying more attention to the details. The bigger the investment the more conscious they have to be of a good return on it. The character of Virgin will change with this transition and not all the changes will be especially liked by everyone, particularly the rule enforcing changes. But as I said they have to become a lot more profitable in order to keep investing in the good stuff everyone likes, and I suspect letting 5kgs slide on luggage x 10\20\50...? bags per flight isn't very smart if you should be charging for it.

 

[samh004]

Flew back from Melbourne last night with an extra bag and was 5kg over my Gold limit. Had hoped they might let it slide on this occassion. $40 later...

You should never plan on not being charged, but rather, be happy when you’re not. Being angry because they enforced the rules everyone else has to adhere to is a little silly

 

[Jama]

$15kg. Seriously. I wouldn't know I am not a serial offender. Point taken though. I don't disagree. The main disappointment is I could have added a bag online for $20. But when it came to light it was needed I had already checked in and I couldn't make any additions.

 

[MarkD]

I think the lesson here is to let it slide, if people get their backs up when they have to pay it, every now and again, then the many many times it slides will be canned, and we all get penalised. Personally, if I knew I had over the limit, I would have my CC out ready to pay, and if it didn't happen, great, but if I had to pay so be it.
In respect to the OP, I dont think he/she was really having an angry moment, but appears to have had excess luggage through FOC before, and is a bit confused. To which your point is spot on Samh004, we should never expect it, but enjoy it when we get it.
Cant really think of any other carriers that would let it slide either

 

[Jama]

Before anyone else assumes I am upset, the OP wasn't meant that way. I wasn't upset nor angry I simply paid the charge. It will be paid by work to cover the unexpected tools that needed to be included in my bags at the last minute. It was simply an observation as I was interested how it would be handled once my bags went on the scales and I saw the weight. It has only ever happened to me once quite a number of years back when I had no status, generally I travel light, so I wasn't sure whether I would be requested to cover it or not.

 

[serfty]

If you are Velocity Gold then you should have a 32Kg baggage allowance.

Did you have 37kg?

If not that much, what gives???

 

[JohnK]

....The main disappointment is I could have added a bag online for $20. But when it came to light it was needed I had already checked in and I couldn't make any additions.

Too late now and you probably did not have time at the airport but you can call the call centre and they will uncheck you from the flight.

Happened to me once where I checked in online and then tried to add a bag to the airfare and was not allowed as I was already checked in. Called Virgin and they unchecked me from the flight and I could add baggage and check in online again.

 

[lazybones1987]

Too late now and you probably did not have time at the airport but you can call the call centre and they will uncheck you from the flight.

Happened to me once where I checked in online and then tried to add a bag to the airfare and was not allowed as I was already checked in. Called Virgin and they unchecked me from the flight and I could add baggage and check in online again.

Can you purchase baggage even if you are a gold member?

 

[Bangkok]

I was on a LAX - BNE flight last week and when checking in at LAX was asked to put my carryon bag on the scale. It was 1kg over the limit so they asked me to remove 1kg. My one checkedin suitcase was about 15kg, so I grovelled around at checkin opening my suitcase and moving stuff around. BTW I was over the limit on my carryon as I was carrying 2 laptops. I had to put one in my suitcase. Lucky it didn't get stolen on the way home.

I was traveling business class and am a Virgin Platinum (a real one) and there was no mercy shown...I think there might have been an edict to the troops to strictly enforce weight limits.

 

[Jama]

Too late now and you probably did not have time at the airport but you can call the call centre and they will uncheck you from the flight.

Happened to me once where I checked in online and then tried to add a bag to the airfare and was not allowed as I was already checked in. Called Virgin and they unchecked me from the flight and I could add baggage and check in online again.

Thats good to know.

 

[Jama]

If you are Velocity Gold then you should have a 32Kg baggage allowance.

Did you have 37kg?

If not that much, what gives???

Good one Serfty. You would have to notice. Delusions of Platinum.

 

[casanovawa]

Flying airlines like that which charge so much for extra baggage it is always wise to have stuff in your bag such as clothes etc that you can just pull some out and put on a couple of extra layers if they catch u over the limit and want to make a big deal of it, or a coat with some decent sized pockets that you can stuff heavy momentos, books or tools or other stuff in, sheesh you only need to make it past the scales... if you have a coat and an extra lap top just hide it under the back of the coat till your past the scales and pop it back out... As long as it doesn't involve liquids must be a bunch of places to ferret stuff to avoid the fee...

I was often heavy travelling around Europe a few times and boarding Ryan Air or EasyJet flights, you just have to have a plan b for how strict the airline employees will be...

 

[JohnK]

Can you purchase baggage even if you are a gold member?

I am not sure as baggage would be complimentary but you may be able to purchase additional baggage to avoid excess charges.

My situation was in July when I did not have any status.