New Baggage System from June 1 (REMINDER)

[Moopere]

Still don't know what your question is. Economy gets 23kg. If you have QP you get 32kg.

Arrgh. Dyslexia. I saw 32KG in each case. Thanks for clearing that up

 

[markis10]

Shouldn't be too much of an issue, it's been advertised for 6 months and customers should know what they have purchased, and still if you have a 32kg bag for a NB member, ends up being alot cheaper.

News is tending to think its an issue, thats hardly a good benchmark though:

Julia Wylie, 24, a musician from Sydney, said she was disappointed after being charged an extra $30 to check in her guitar, and dumbfounded when Qantas staff told her the onus was on her to find out about the extra fees.
"I can't believe they made me cough up an extra $30 because of my guitar even though my other bag was way under the 23kg weight limit,'' she said. "I usually fly with Qantas because they don't usually charge me for the guitar, but I won't be anymore.''
Qantas said that the baggage changes had been announced last October and were communicated through information posted on qantas.com, via frequent flyer emails and newsletters and on ticket itineraries.
Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said yesterday's problems raised issues about how the changes were communicated and what sort of latitude people should be given when a new system was introduced.

Read more: Fury over Qantas check-in changes | News.com.au

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[ozmille]

News is tending to think its an issue, thats hardly a good benchmark though:


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I love the "Angry Qantas passengers..." line. I think overall it is a better system.

 

[leemin]

News is tending to think its an issue

I do love how people think everyone is responsible for their affairs except them.. :/

 

[mannej]

There is a quote on the article I find funny

Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said yesterday's problems raised issues about how the changes were communicated and what sort of latitude people should be given when a new system was introduced.

What issues? These changes were communicated a long time ago in the scheme of things. In general it bugs me when people (who have ample opportunity to find out information) play the ignorance card. It is not hard (and this is not just applying to airlines)

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Qantas said that the baggage changes had been announced last October and were communicated through information posted on qantas.com, via frequent flyer emails and newsletters and on ticket itineraries.

Read more: Fury over Qantas check-in changes | News.com.au

QF is assuming everyone reads the website, reads their ff emails/newsletters & reads itineraries.

IME I would guess that as little as 5% of people would do any of the above so the end result is poor QF Management decisions result in QF frontline staff at airports copping abuse from passengers who've been impacted by the recent changes.

Despite a pop-up appearing at self serve checkin kiosks saying new baggage rules apply effective 01 June it isn't until a passenger is confronted with paying out the dollars for luggage they previously travelled with for no additional cost does the penny drop.

Eg a freq flyer Gold (SG) who may travel with a 15kg set of golf clubs plus a 15kg suitcase as of yesterday now has to pay $30.00 excess baggage. All well & good for the airline to say it's cheaper if pre-paid online however the majority of pax are not even aware they are going to have to pay extra in the first place.

Virgin must be laughing as what QF is giving their business away to DJ on a platter.

One disgruntled pax I saw at BNE Airport today had 4 smallish pieces that in total were not over 20 kilos but was facing excess baggage charges of $150.00 for the 'extra' 3 pieces (1 @ $30.00 & 2 @ $60.00) said "that's disgusting, I came up on Virgin with exactly the same luggage & didn't have to pay any extra".

It would seem that the losers of the new baggage policy are loyal QF pax still travelling with the same luggage as before but are now penalised due to the nature of the luggage eg golf clubs that cannot be squeezed into one piece.

Many pax are squeezing an array of items into a large QF plastic bag (only meant for up to 15 kilos) but after the journey down the some plastic bags have split open so it's hard to know what belongs to whom.

 

[Robert K]

What do you expect qantas to do? Call every potential customer to inform them of the changes?

I'm sure DJ will implement the same luggage rules once qantas has worked out the kinks and go everyone used to it.

 

[anat0l]

It surprises me that some eons ago, QF had a piece system in place (and yes the limit of each piece was 32 kg and the top dogs got 3 pieces rather than 2, so it is more restrictive now, nevertheless it was a piece system). I didn't hear too many people complain about that piece system, but the complaints did go through the roof when QF decided to move to a total weight system.

And now the complaints are again through the roof now that we're back to an old system that seemingly was the most benign in recent times! You seriously can't cut a break with some people......

As for Choice's Zinn making comments about poor communication and giving people more latitude, I would like to hear what would've been a more effective communication platform or methodology for making this new system known. In addition, you have to draw a line somewhere. Even if QF offered a 'grace period' to transition to the new system, people would abuse the grace period (i.e. treat it as if nothing happened, or nothing will happen) and when it was over people would file the same complaints. Someone who either gets a reduced slap in a 'grace' period will still complain anyway, and those that just get a warning but a fee waive will not notice at all. We've seen it all before....... it won't work, people.

Apart from the loathe which I hold for some people petitioning these complaints, I'd like to see QF be a little bit loose on the policy for particular items which must be carried separately. Either allow them to be combined into the weight allowance, or give reduced excess fees for carriage. Although the categorisation of such items would depend on them, and they must be packed well and in decent condition of carriage, such items can include things like musical instruments (why would you want to check these in...) or golf clubs.

 

[leemin]

QF is assuming everyone reads the website, reads their ff emails/newsletters & reads itineraries... a pop-up appearing at self serve checkin kiosks saying new baggage rules apply effective 01 June it isn't until a passenger is confronted with paying out the dollars for luggage they previously travelled with for no additional cost does the penny drop.

I think these assumptions are perfectly okay on QF's behalf.

While this change doesn't help my opinion, like others, of QF in any way, it is not their fault that people don't pay attention to information they are given. You could put flashing lights around a sign and it would probably still be ignored.

 

[notzac]

I think these assumptions are perfectly okay on QF's behalf.

While this change doesn't help my opinion, like others, of QF in any way, it is not their fault that people don't pay attention to information they are given. You could put flashing lights around a sign and it would probably still be ignored.

I'm reminded of:

It does state very clearly on the FlyLo website that before you travel you do need to check the FlyLo website.

 

[markis10]

What do you expect qantas to do? Call every potential customer to inform them of the changes?
.

No, but I would expect them to highlight the change when booking and on the ticket, for instance its the third page of the ticket/receipt before its mentioned and its not highlighted as "new".

 

[TheInsider]

Really not many issues from what i've seen and heard from majority of pax and staff.

 

[oz_mark]

It surprises me that some eons ago, QF had a piece system in place (and yes the limit of each piece was 32 kg and the top dogs got 3 pieces rather than 2, so it is more restrictive now, nevertheless it was a piece system). I didn't hear too many people complain about that piece system, but the complaints did go through the roof when QF decided to move to a total weight system.

And now the complaints are again through the roof now that we're back to an old system that seemingly was the most benign in recent times! You seriously can't cut a break with some people......

Well, we haven't really gone back to the old system. The new system is a piece AND weight system. So the standard in economy is actually 1 piece max 23kg in economy, but silver and gold are allowed 32kg. Platinum get 2 pieces of up to 32kg.

May not make much difference to status people but for bronze and not FF members they are restricted to 23kg in economy.

 

[anat0l]

Well, we haven't really gone back to the old system. The new system is a piece AND weight system. So the standard in economy is actually 1 piece max 23kg in economy, but silver and gold are allowed 32kg. Platinum get 2 pieces of up to 32kg.

May not make much difference to status people but for bronze and not FF members they are restricted to 23kg in economy.

The subtle difference is that you can only carry 23 kg per piece (as a non-status person) rather than 32 kg in the old one. Which is fair to 'criticise' as a reduction in weight.

But the majority of the complaints seem very much a criticism of the piece concept rather than the weight of each piece. And saying a piece and weight concept (even QF saying this) is rather stupid - weight will always be an issue irrespective of the concept adopted (i.e. you can't take a very, very, very, very heavy item just because the piece concept seems to imply that only the number of pieces is important). Flights to the US are often touted as being on the piece concept (not a "piece and weight" concept) and have the same rules: Economy & Premium Economy 23kg per piece; Business & First 32kg per piece (although everyone gets two pieces as a base). NZ domestic too have a piece system and of course a weight limit - in their case, of 25 kg per piece. So to say piece and weight concept is ridiculous and redundant. Perhaps that's one thing we can criticise QF for (saying "piece and weight" just confused people).

Moreover, it's more that the media and people seem to treat this change just went down like a tonne of bricks on them, i.e. it happened so quickly, so stealthily. I find this hard to believe. Even Australian Business Traveler went to the extent of describing the changes as "nasty". A bit overblown, I think - New Coke was nasty, this isn't!

 

[anat0l]

Really not many issues from what i've seen and heard from majority of pax and staff.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease... or rather the attention of the media.

Three good wheels on a car isn't much good when the fourth one is broken. We're good at emphasising what's wrong.

 

[Robert K]

I thought the one piece 23kg was standard internationally?

China airlines only allow 20kg for Y if I remember correctly.

 

[anat0l]

I thought the one piece 23kg was standard internationally?

China airlines only allow 20kg for Y if I remember correctly.

Standard schmandard - doesn't mean squat, you still need to check. Some offer 20, 23, 25 or 30 kg, but mostly except for travel to/from Americas it is purely just the weight, not pieces. There are some exceptions to that, too! (For example, British Airways largely mimics the new Qantas domestic baggage weight system).

 

[dajop]

The subtle difference is that you can only carry 23 kg per piece (as a non-status Moreover, it's more that the media and people seem to treat this change just went down like a tonne of bricks on them, i.e. it happened so quickly, so stealthily. I find this hard to believe. Even Australian Business Traveler went to the extent of describing the changes as "nasty". A bit overblown, I think - New Coke was nasty, this isn't!

Calling it nasty is a bit over the top. But really it didn't matter how much warning QF gave they would always get this sort of (over?)reaction. But should also expect this, after all the baggage system is a bit Ryanair-esque which is OK, except when you make statements like, "We are Australia's leading premium airline..."

 

[mannej]

Calling it nasty is a bit over the top. But really it didn't matter how much warning QF gave they would always get this sort of (over?)reaction. But should also expect this, after all the baggage system is a bit Ryanair-esque which is OK, except when you make statements like, "We are Australia's leading premium airline..."

Nothing like FR's policy


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[dajop]

Nothing like FR's policy

I said Ryanair-esque. How do you say it's "Nothing like"? On Ryanair - you pay for 1 bag for 20kg - you want to bring 1 12 kg + 1 8kg bag you need to pay for an extra bag. On Qantas you pay for 1 bag weighing 23kg (which is included in ticket price), but want to bring 1 12 kg + 8kg bag you need to pay for an extra bag. Not the same, but there are similarities. In reality the effect of this policy doesn't hit ordinary pax that much, but whilst SG's can take 32kg ever tried lifting a bag that heavy, it is much easier to split into 20kg + 12kg ...

The good thing is choice though. Golds on VA can take 32kg split across several bags for no extra charge (indeed they say "when you bring between 23kg to 69kg of checked baggage please split the weight over several bags to prevent injury to our Ground Staff"). In fact if you have no status and want to take two smaller bags it is cheaper to do so on VA by paying $12, instead of the $30 mentioned in the original news report.