VA cracking down on carry on 7kg limit

[wrcmad]

JQ domestic out of Gold Coast yesterday afternoon, and they were checking EVERY carry-on (incl. personal item) as passengers were scanned at the boarding gate - no escaping. Plenty of cranky travellers being pointed to the check-in counter, or given the option of coughing up via CC for the excess - not sure why they were cranky, as it is clearly stated on their ticket .

One bloke attempted the 'ole unpack-reweigh to obtain tag-repack trick, but wasn't discreet enough, and got busted. The following pic was the embarrassing result, with the JQ staff binding up his carry-on with enough orange tape to keep Lectar Hannibal immobilised.

 

[Denali]

Poor man, now he has to wear those sandals.

 

[DC3]

Yes. Doing the walk of shame.

 

[Spacetravel]

JQ domestic out of Gold Coast yesterday afternoon, and they were checking EVERY carry-on (incl. personal item) as passengers were scanned at the boarding gate - no escaping.

Haha yeah I was at OOL last week and saw the same thing, staff pushing around scales on a trolley weighing everyone's bags made me think of this thread. To keep it relevant to the thread, not that I was over the limit but my carry on wasn't checked by VA at all while at OOL.

 

[hydrabyss]

Poor man, now he has to wear those sandals.

This is one reason I stick to Virgin as the chance of encountering those is less likely.

 

[pauly7]

Haha yeah I was at OOL last week and saw the same thing, staff pushing around scales on a trolley weighing everyone's bags made me think of this thread. To keep it relevant to the thread, not that I was over the limit but my carry on wasn't checked by VA at all while at OOL.

Actually I haven’t been weighed at OOL by VA either. Up to Syd, Mel, BNE and Lst from memory.

 

[JohnK]

That’s actually the point isn’t it.

Getting away with it is breaking the rules which, as per another thread, is inappropriate.

That’s quite different to whether the rules themselves are appropriate or not. (... and I agree that 10kg would be better)

I don't agree. I may not have travelled as much as you but I've done a lot of travelling over the years in economy on a lot of carriers and it has never been a strict xx.0kg policy.

e.g. if 20kg baggage limit then 20.9kg has been ok, if 23kg baggage limit then 23.9kg has been ok.

I remember one time with HQ the carry on bag was 8.5kg and I got it down to 7.9kg and it was ok.

And I admit that I stretch the limits almost everytime even with the 40kg limit on QF/EK but so far it has been ok. I may need to rethink my strategy if I ever get burned but as I'll be paying for daughters airfare soon that's another 40kgs my wife and I can share.

 

[clipped_wings]

Poor man, now he has to wear those sandals.

I was going to say the pants. But the sandals will do. Honey, you were busted before you left the house.

 

[pauly7]

Another data point for BNE - weighed yesterday but not in MEL. Seems to be sporadic.

 

[Pleb Status]

Another data point for BNE - weighed yesterday but not in MEL. Seems to be sporadic.

All VA need to do is get the word out and pax will self police for a short period of time....

 

[pauly7]

All VA need to do is get the word out and pax will self police for a short period of time....

Agreed - basically they just need to randomly keep hitting people in a sporadic ongoing basis and it will scare enough of them to not do it again, starting with their frequent culprits, sorry - flyers

 

[deebens]

Went LST-SYD & SYD-MEL-LST last week, no sign of any crack down on carry on. Honking great wheelie cases everywhere onboard. Would be shocked if any were under 7kg. Was in the exit row and had a small satchel so couldn't slide under seat, of course no room overhead near me due to flogs and their wheelies.

 

[Cryptarcadian]

Elites get 10 kilos, Clampetts get 5 or 7 - how hard is that to sort out there?

Yeah, or like the way NZ handle it with *A Gold, giving elites travelling in Y +1 carry-on bag. As far as I know that's not a common arrangement though...

It does really make things tricky when VA don't even differentiate the Y and J allowances domestically, leading to a different allowance between international J and domestic J.