My turn to whinge about excess baggage

[StevePER]

Yesterday I flew PER-MEL with my family. As we were using two free American Express flights from the Platinum credit card, we had to be on three separate bookings. Our baggage allowance was 3x23kg. We had two bags which were 19kg and 29kg. On checking in we were told we couldn't combine our baggage allowance so we would have to pay for excess. After some shuffling we got the bags to 23kg and 25kg, so had to pay $30.

Why I think this is unreasonable:

• Our combined allowance was 69kg, we took 48kg.
• Having to repack bags at the checkin counter is embarrasing and uncomfortable; while I'm doing this my wife has to manage the two kids on her own. The same weight of luggage is still going on the plane so it achieves nothing.
• Having to take extra bags when travelling with young kids adds significantly to the level of difficulty. It would have been impossible to fit another case in the car. Virgin are trying to market themselves as family friendly but this is the opposite.
• This seems like exactly the sort of situation where perhaps a little bit of flexibility could be shown for Velocity Silver. I don't think I'm asking a lot here.

:evil:

I've had better luck travelling with 2kg extra on Ryanair.

 

[straitman]

Yesterday I flew PER-MEL with my family. As we were using two free American Express flights from the Platinum credit card, we had to be on three separate bookings. Our baggage allowance was 3x23kg. We had two bags which were 19kg and 29kg. On checking in we were told we couldn't combine our baggage allowance so we would have to pay for excess. After some shuffling we got the bags to 23kg and 25kg, so had to pay $30.

Why I think this is unreasonable:

• Our combined allowance was 69kg, we took 48kg.
• Having to repack bags at the checkin counter is embarrasing and uncomfortable; while I'm doing this my wife has to manage the two kids on her own. The same weight of luggage is still going on the plane so it achieves nothing.
• Having to take extra bags when travelling with young kids adds significantly to the level of difficulty. It would have been impossible to fit another case in the car. Virgin are trying to market themselves as family friendly but this is the opposite.
• This seems like exactly the sort of situation where perhaps a little bit of flexibility could be shown for Velocity Silver. I don't think I'm asking a lot here.

:evil:

I've had better luck travelling with 2kg extra on Ryanair.

I believe the 23Kg limit is related to OH&S limits.

Having got the bag down to 25Kg I would have thought you could have got the bag down to 23Kg by wearing (or carrying) an extra piece of clothing.

.... or maybe you just got a tired, grumpy or officious checkin person.

 

[mannej]

I believe the 23Kg limit is related to OH&S limits.

Having got the bag down to 25Kg I would have thought you could have got the bag down to 23Kg by wearing (or carrying) an extra piece of clothing.

.... or maybe you just got a tired, grumpy or officious checkin person.

32kg is the OH&S max from memory.

 

[straitman]

32kg is the OH&S max from memory.

23Kg i.e. 50lb is a trigger point of some sort though I cannot remember the specifics.

 

[JohnM]

I can only speak from my experience with QF and OW partners but the bag piece limit weights are all very clearly stated on ticket information (as you alluded to). 23 kg (50 lbs) is the limit per piece; from there you may be entitled to two pieces depending on the fare type or status.

There is never any entitlement to combine piece weight, even if it is less than the sum of the allowance.

No bag may exceed 30 (or maybe it's 32 kg) absolute maximum​ - but that doesn't mean that you can run from 23 kg up to 30/32 kg with no excess payment required.

Sorry, I can't support you and I can't understand why you didn't simply use three bags at moderate to low weight to begin with.

I think if you had fronted up with, say at maximum, three bags 23, 23 and 25 kg even the most officious checkin person would cut you some slack but 29 kg is over the top and I think that probably triggered a 'do it to the rules' reaction even after your re-packing. They have to draw the line somewhere on the accuracy of your bathroom scales.

 

[medhead]

In terms of OHS, it has actually recently changed to WHS as I get in trouble at work for saying OHS, there are a few cut offs. The first kicks in around 15 kg. 20/23kg would be the cut off fora 2 person lift, hence 30 kg requires 2 persons to carry. Then there are separate limits if lifting to shoulder height and above. So it is very complex overall and hard to be definitive about this stuff. But having said all that it is hard to believe that total weight shouldn't be the determining factor. Of course, my kids have their own bags when travelling, it is a complete pain but saves this type of hassle.

 

[milehighclub]

I think the reason you couldn't combine was because you were on 3 separate tickets.

In regards to the weight of the bags, had you been able to combine the weight, you wouldn't of had any problems.

Any bag over 20kg needs a heavy tag attached. Any bag with a heavy tag should have a second person to help lift it. 32kg is the industry maximum for a checked in bag over the counter.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I would have thought a little latitude from the check-in staffer would have been justified. The original weight of the two cases were within single piece maximums and the OPs family did have a combined allowance of considerably more than what they carried.

My take on this, is that if check-in allowed the three separate bookings to check-in together (an obvious family), then the luggage allowance should have combined.

I've had officous check-in staff before and "latteral thinking" staff as well, so I personally place this in the category of "hope for, ask for, but never expect it". In a nutshell, the check-in did follow the written T&Cs, even though they could have been more understanding without risking airline policy, airline safety or baggage handlers health and well being.

 

[Justchecking]

As we were using two free American Express flights

had to pay $30.

Why I think this is unreasonable:

I've had better luck travelling with Ryanair.

Just some snapshot observations here....

You were on free tickets but are complaining about spending $30 for luggage which no-one forced you to pack on the way you did.

FYI everyone thinks the rules are unreasonable when they actually apply them.

You were relying on 'luck' to not be charged. Well luck can be a fickle friend and you're always much better off to rely on the T&Cs of the actual ticket.

I've noticed a trend here, everyone was so in love with DJ when they were handing out the freebies and very upset when they are suddenly not. It seems DJ had made some fair-weather friends.

 

[stomplad]

. We had two bags which were 19kg and 29kg. On checking in we were told we couldn't combine our baggage allowance so we would have to pay for excess. After some shuffling we got the bags to 23kg and 25kg, so had to pay $30.

:evil:

I've had better luck travelling with 2kg extra on Ryanair.

I think once the bags were repacked that they could have let you off 2kg. Did you have a bit of a huff? because I think that might have had an effect on the end result.
I travel with groups all the time, and I have had this situation with QF & NZ where they allow us to combine our luggage but all bags have to be 23kg Max. They are not as flexible with bag weights any more. Always find that being calm and pleasant yields the best outcomes, but sometimes u get an inflexible dragon regardless how nice you are.

 

[simongr]

I am sorry but you got bitten by the rules. I actually agree with you that travelling with kid(s) makes life harder and a piece limit actually for me makes it harder still - I prefer lots of small bags rather than a couple of huge bags - that's why I complained about the changes to the QF WP allowances that give m more weight available but limit my bags available.

The thing is where do they draw the line? I know my job is a lot about adherence to rules so I am biased but I would rather they strictly apply the rules rather than making it dependent on the staff on the day, the weather or how short someone's skirt is... This makes it fair and clear for everyone.

 

[oz_mark]

The thing is where do they draw the line? I know my job is a lot about adherence to rules so I am biased but I would rather they strictly apply the rules rather than making it dependent on the staff on the day, the weather or how short someone's skirt is... This makes it fair and clear for everyone.

Indeed, one claim often made is the inconsistent application of rules! I don't know the details of how Virgin approach baggage, but some airlines are removing the discretion of the front-line staff, making it harder to override the computer and so on. Makes for more consistent application of the rules, but sometimes there are some unexpected consequences.

In this particular instance StevePER was caught out by the need to have the bookings on separate PNR's. Had they all been on one, then probably no issue.

A bit of a cautionary tale to others to watch out for rules that might jump out and bite you at some point!

 

[Justinf]

I would be 'whinging' (your word not mine) about the credit card rule that meant you had to fly on three different bookings. Once you start doing that (or are forced to do that) then you really open yourself up to the mercy of the rules.
I do have sympathy with you though, and once you'd repacked your bags, I think 2kg could have been waived.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I would also have been caught out with the separate PNR's. When my family travels with me, luggage capacity in taxis and people movers etc. means that we usually take 3 large spinners between the 6 of us. Weights of 20-28kg depending on what the shopaholics have bought.
Never had any problem combining luggage allowances even on JQ.
Once bitten twice shy?

 

[StevePER]

I can only speak from my experience with QF and OW partners but the bag piece limit weights are all very clearly stated on ticket information (as you alluded to). 23 kg (50 lbs) is the limit per piece; from there you may be entitled to two pieces depending on the fare type or status.

There is never any entitlement to combine piece weight, even if it is less than the sum of the allowance.

I am almost certain we have combined baggage allowances on QF before, despite being on separate PNR. I honestly had no idea that DJ wouldn't allow us to do the same and would have packed differently if I thought this would be the case.

Sorry, I can't support you and I can't understand why you didn't simply use three bags at moderate to low weight to begin with.

Because we find it easier to minimise the number of pieces.

I think if you had fronted up with, say at maximum, three bags 23, 23 and 25 kg even the most officious checkin person would cut you some slack but 29 kg is over the top and I think that probably triggered a 'do it to the rules' reaction even after your re-packing. They have to draw the line somewhere on the accuracy of your bathroom scales.

I don't think they would be at all happy with 23 + 23 + 29. It was only the fact that we were on separate PNRs that was our undoing.

Just some snapshot observations here....

You were on free tickets but are complaining about spending $30 for luggage which no-one forced you to pack on the way you did.

FYI everyone thinks the rules are unreasonable when they actually apply them.

You were relying on 'luck' to not be charged. Well luck can be a fickle friend and you're always much better off to rely on the T&Cs of the actual ticket.

Well I think you are being harsh. Yes I am complaining about spending $30 for luggage because it is due to the way the booking was ticketed. So you think it would have been better to have more pieces (and hence more weight and bulk)? You are welcome to that opinion, but I disagree. I don't think I was relying on luck, but on common sense.

I think once the bags were repacked that they could have let you off 2kg. Did you have a bit of a huff? because I think that might have had an effect on the end result.

No, there was no huffery (but it is reasonable of you to think this may have had an effect). I just wanted to get it sorted as quickly and efficiently as possible. All I asked was if we could combine our baggage allocation and whether there was a discount on excess baggage fees for silver.

 

[Justchecking]

Well I think you are being harsh. Yes I am complaining about spending $30 for luggage because it is due to the way the booking was ticketed. So you think it would have been better to have more pieces (and hence more weight and bulk)? You are welcome to that opinion, but I disagree. I don't think I was relying on luck, but on common sense.
)

Sorry Steve but it's not about being harsh, my observations were just that. Which part of them wasn't true? What I actually think is that if I were travelling on a freebie and got slugged $30 for excess I would have said to myself, well, it's still a cheap trip so who cares. Where else can I and my family fly for a grand total of $30? Thats common sense to me.

Yes you are silver and Im sure they want to keep your business. But they already give you published benefits in recognition of that. Combining luggage any way you like, isn't one of them. I don't agree it's unreasonable of them to require you to abide by the terms of your ticket. If you are unhappy enough you can always trY the opposition who probably won't throw you a bone on excess either.

 

[simongr]

Sorry Steve but it's not about being harsh, my observations were just that. Which part of them wasn't true? What I actually think is that if I were travelling on a freebie and got slugged $30 for excess I would have said to myself, well, it's still a cheap trip so who cares. Where else can I and my family fly for a grand total of $30?

Those flights weren't free - they were paid for by the annual membership fee, use of the card frequently and everything else (sale of marketing data etc.)

 

[lovestotravel]

Packing the same weight into different bags is juts a pathetic and bored check-in agent.

The max bag limit is 32kgs

But if you read the rules, they do prefer 23kgs or less

• You can check-in oversized baggage provided each item does not exceed 32 kg in weight. If it is heavier than 32kg, it must be shipped as Freight
• Checked baggage amounts of more than 23kg should be split across several bags to prevent injury to our Ground Staff.

 

[Justchecking]

Those flights weren't free - they were paid for by the annual membership fee, use of the card frequently and everything else (sale of marketing data etc.)

And your point is? Mine was that Steve didn't have to dig change out of his pocket to get on that flight, someone else paid it for him. I tend to not look gift horses in the mouth too often and would have just looked on the positive side of the whole situation. Total cost to me today $30 instead of so many hundreds. Lucky am I! It's a philosophy and outlook that actually really pays off for me in life. :mrgreen:

 

[serfty]

And your point is? Mine was that Steve didn't have to dig change out of his pocket to get on that flight, someone else paid it for him. I tend to not look gift horses in the mouth too often and would have just looked on the positive side of the whole situation. Total cost to me today $30 instead of so many hundreds. Lucky am I! It's a philosophy and outlook that actually really pays off for me in life. :mrgreen:

How much to earn said points?

Unless your point earn comes from an employer or some other benefactor, points are not free! They are a redeemable currency.

As such, expenditure has a cost.