Platinum caught out with VA baggage ex CBR

[servicerequired]

Just a new data point which I learnt today ...

CBR - MEL

Platinum

Normally I fly J - but in Y (choice) on this occasion ... 2 x bags ... 1 x 14 kg and 1 x 27 kg

Denied ability to check in the 27 kg bag - asked to reshuffle my bags - I kindly asked the polite attendant whether she could please check with her manager, I was certain that the Platinum baggage allowance was higher - either way, if I'm being asked to move 4 kg from one bag to another, you would think there would be some discretion provided to the attendant.

Attendant returned and I was advised that I could check in my 27 kg bag - but with the addition of a $60 excess baggage fee.

I happily pulled out my Qantas MasterCard and paid the fee.

We discussed the disappointment - overall, I cannot fault her politeness - however, I would have thought that there would be some common sense discretion, particularly when it is simply the 'excess baggage' fee that was charged.

What is others' experience of this scenario?

I am now clear - the rules are clear - 3 x 23 kg bags for Platinum members in Economy - with no discretion provided for lighter or heavier items - individual bags must not exceed the 23 kg limit, otherwise the excess baggage fee of $60 applies.

 

[astrosly]

Remember there are humans that lift your checked bags and expect <23kg unless marked that it is some kgs heavier. I don't believe discretion comes into it at all, it is a WHS issue. You had a bag heavier than what was allowed (even for platinum). You should have it marked as excess weighted baggage and pay appropriately.

 

[MarkD]

Baggage limits clearly state here.

Checked baggage

Your guide to Virgin Australia's checked baggage allowance based on your selected fare. Find information on size, weights and extras.

www.virginaustralia.com

I always thought it was WHS issue for weights, but clearly not. never really check bags and lucky last week coming back from Vanuatu, wifes bag 24KG (Platinum also) and no questions asked... I know how can she possibly have 24kg for Vanuatu....

 

[Dmac59]

I am now clear - the rules are clear - 3 x 23 kg bags for Platinum members in Economy - with no discretion provided for lighter or heavier items - individual bags must not exceed the 23 kg limit, otherwise the excess baggage fee of $60 applies.

Disappointing - whereas another Carrier would have allowed 2 x 32kg

 

[henrus]

I don't believe discretion comes into it at all, it is a WHS issue.

WHS isn't the issue here as a Plat in Business could have checked 3x32kg bags.

Yes a very long time ago when it was DJ and then early days of VA a status holder in Economy did get a 32kg allowance but when business class was introduced in 2011/2012 this is when it changed.

I kind of agree that they should be able to waive it if you've only got a single piece between 23-32kg (and not using the other allowance) but I guess rules are rules.

Disappointing - whereas another Carrier would have allowed 2 x 32kg

To be fair you actually get more kg's on VA.

VA Plat travelling in Economy (on a fare except lite) is 3x23kgs for a total of 69kg whereas a QF Plat travelling in Economy is 2x32kgs for a total of 64kg.

For what it's worth the QF allowance for non QF status holders (OWS and OWE) is only 2x23kgs bags on Australian domestic and I've once seem someone arguing about checking in a single 27kg bag after being told to move it around.

 

[TheInsider]

FWIW the allowance is 23kg, not 24, not even 25. It's 23kg

Odd that they asked you to shuffle the bags around first, rather than just say what the charge was for the get go and then see if you wanted to move items around.

 

[Happy Dude]

@servicerequired I had the same experience a few weeks ago, also at CBR, but for just 1kg in each of the two bags I was checking.

I'm WP too and knew the rules, and they weighed at 23kgs each at home (which I doubt is a particularly accurate measure). To make the bags acceptable weight and avoid the fee, I took up to kilo out of each bag and carried it, which would have made my cabin bag about 12kg or so I'm guessing.

Weirdly, the same bags at QF check-in in CNS weighed 22kg plus change, meaning the QF scales were about a kilo short of VA.

 

[Steven of Mysore]

Remember there are humans that lift your checked bags and expect <23kg unless marked that it is some kgs heavier. I don't believe discretion comes into it at all, it is a WHS issue. You had a bag heavier than what was allowed (even for platinum). You should have it marked as excess weighted baggage and pay appropriately.

That's true but it is entirely inconsistent when Platinum Business can have 3 * 32kg bags.

 

[antycbr]

I'm WP too and knew the rules, and they weighed at 23kgs each at home (which I doubt is a particularly accurate measure). To make the bags acceptable weight and avoid the fee, I took up to kilo out of each bag and carried it, which would have made my cabin bag about 12kg or so I'm guessing.

Ask to inspect their records of calibration of the CBR airport provided scales from a NATA approved testing provider.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Let's be honest, it's for revenue but it's also not hidden and it's very transparent. Happy for transparent rules to be appropriately enforced, personally.

 

[justinbrett]

Curious why you couldn't rearrange?

 

[servicerequired]

Curious why you couldn't rearrange?

The second bag was too small for a contents transfer - I had it jam packed with all my dirty clothes from being away for the last week.

It could have been done, but it wasn't just one item in and another item out - it would have been a full repack from scratch.

 

[servicerequired]

Let's be honest, it's for revenue but it's also not hidden and it's very transparent. Happy for transparent rules to be appropriately enforced, personally.

You are correct, the rules are clear on the website - it was also clear on the sticky note they had stuck on their side of the check-in counters ...

... back to the gist of it though - the lack of any discretion being applied to a fare paying Platinum customer was a bit stiff though ... it wasn't as if the weight of the second bag was also at max or above - and I was well below my total baggage kg allocation, just with a +4kg incorrect weighting on one bag.

Customer service data point.

Sometimes you have a win, sometimes you don't.

 

[servicerequired]

Odd that they asked you to shuffle the bags around first, rather than just say what the charge was for the get go and then see if you wanted to move items around.

That was the source of my frustration - she initially stated that I was *unable* to check in the 27 kg bag (ie, it could not be accepted), and that I had to remove or shuffle contents.

It wasn't until I queried further - after she returned from visiting her manager in the office over to the side, then she suggested that I could check it in after paying a $60 fee - to which my response was an immediate, yes please ... ie, why did you not suggest that initially.

 

[Happy Dude]

Ask to inspect their records of calibration of the CBR airport provided scales from a NATA approved testing provider.

I was able to resolve the matter so didn't think to do that. But QF or Mrs Happy Dude's bathroom scales could also be wrong. Query on that last one comes with some risk!!

 

[RooFlyer]

Remember there are humans that lift your checked bags and expect <23kg unless marked that it is some kgs heavier. I don't believe discretion comes into it at all, it is a WHS issue. You had a bag heavier than what was allowed (even for platinum). You should have it marked as excess weighted baggage and pay appropriately.

Clearly not a WHS issue, as the problem went away with money.

 

[BNEFlyer]

Remember there are humans that lift your checked bags and expect <23kg unless marked that it is some kgs heavier. I don't believe discretion comes into it at all, it is a WHS issue. You had a bag heavier than what was allowed (even for platinum). You should have it marked as excess weighted baggage and pay appropriately.

Bags can be a max of 32kg.

 

[servicerequired]

Clearly not a WHS issue, as the problem went away with money.

You know - in between the banter ... lack of a better word ... our friendly customer service representative mentioned that it was all 'due to OH&S' and the fact that the bag was 'over 23 kg' and that with that in mind, she 'absolutely agreed that it was appropriate that there was a surcharge'.

I am certain that that $60 surcharge is proportionately paid out to Swissport and the said baggage handler ...

 

[Hvr]

I am certain that that $60 surcharge is proportionately paid out to Swissport <snip> ...

Yes I agree.

I am certain that that $60 surcharge is proportionately paid out to Swissport and the said baggage handler ... (my bolding)

I doubt that the baggage handler gets an additional cent for working harder.

 

[Cynicor]

I suspect it was all said sarcastically, HVR.
OH+S is a BS reason. It’s just so there is a differential between Y and J, nothing else.
otherwise there’s less and less incentive for a part to book J