VA cracking down on carry on 7kg limit

[trooper]

What does it matter what is "safe" or (in your opinion) "reasonable"? Each airline publishes some sort of size and/or weight limits for carry on. If you want AF's/whoevers 18kg/unlimited carry on weight, then fly AF/whoever, OR..lobby "your" airline to change the rules.

Just whining about being made to check a bag that is heavier or larger than the published limits is childish. Complaining that OTHER people (appear to have, bet there's no proof) exceeded the limits that 'we" were just pinged on is the same as coughing about being booked for speeding...when everyone else was too..... it is simply not relevant.

Damn... I'm in a crabby mood. Sorry for the tone...but its not as if airlines DON'T tell you what is/isn't allowed..... (I think I'll have a drink now....)

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes, agree. If airlines consistently enforced their limits we'd know where we stood. But they turn a blind eye time after time after time, people take their cues from the airline.

 

[serfty]

Is that a carry on bag + laptop for a total of 7kg on VA ?

7kg + "personal" item.

https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/baggage/carry-on-baggage/

 

[Oneworldplus2]

7kg + personal item.

https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/plan/baggage/carry-on-baggage/

Great. Thank you.


My total carry on bag usually comes in around 6.8kg (including MacBook Air). Just want to be sure if the scales are out sometimes and l can take it out and still have room to play with.

 

[Austman]

What does it matter what is "safe" or (in your opinion) "reasonable"? Each airline publishes some sort of size and/or weight limits for carry on. If you want AF's/whoevers 18kg/unlimited carry on weight, then fly AF/whoever, OR..lobby "your" airline to change the rules.

For me it's that the airlines are dishonest about it. They claim it's for safety reasons when it's really for money reasons (one way or another).

Personally I think a 7kg limit is too low but I think I'd be OK with a single bag 10kg limit (like JQ had). It's simply for practical reasons. The bag alone can weigh several kg. It can be darned hard to get it down to 7kg.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

For me it's that the airlines are dishonest about it. They claim it's for safety reasons when it's really for money reasons (one way or another).

Personally I think a 7kg limit is too low but I think I'd be OK with a single bag 10kg limit (like JQ had). It's simply for practical reasons. The bag alone can weigh several kg. It can be darned hard to get it down to 7kg.

+1

Spot on Austman

If it was genuinely safety - they would all have the same weight limit (consistency).

 

[CPMaverick]

What does it matter what is "safe" or (in your opinion) "reasonable"? Each airline publishes some sort of size and/or weight limits for carry on. If you want AF's/whoevers 18kg/unlimited carry on weight, then fly AF/whoever, OR..lobby "your" airline to change the rules.

Just whining about being made to check a bag that is heavier or larger than the published limits is childish. Complaining that OTHER people (appear to have, bet there's no proof) exceeded the limits that 'we" were just pinged on is the same as coughing about being booked for speeding...when everyone else was too..... it is simply not relevant.

Damn... I'm in a crabby mood. Sorry for the tone...but its not as if airlines DON'T tell you what is/isn't allowed..... (I think I'll have a drink now....)

You are crabby.

I follow the rules. I even said I am happy they are enforcing the rules. The discussion about why the limit is 7 kg, and if that is sensible, is not to justify ignoring the rules. It's simply a related dicussion, 'why does this rule exist anyway'?

It's a forum, lots of things are discussed here that never have an actual real-world impact.

It's pretty apparent that many here didn't realize other airlines are much more lenient in their rules, that alone was probably worth the discussion. I doubt your rant helped anyone learn anything! Complaining about complainers, the ultimate irony.

 

[Cryptarcadian]

I agree with all the sentiments that enforcing a stated limit is fair enough, but the weight limit in this case seems arbitrary and unreasonable (as opposed the size limit, which is reasonable).

The concern is certainly not about total weight load, given there is a free check-in allowance, and highly unlikely to yield profit except in rare cases. So why does VA not have the same limit as QF at the very least, if the aim is to be competitive?

Incidentally, what happens when you have connecting international-domestic flights on a single VA ticket, e.g. HKG-MEL-SYD in J? VA's international J allowance is 2× 7kg, while it's 1× 7kg domestic. Would the international allowance be honoured?

I was in this situation and asked at check-in the other day, and the agent said yes the international allowance should be honoured, but didn't sound confident. More to the point, because my domestic and international flights were not on the same day, my already-flown international leg didn't show up anyway — I ended up just checking in one of my carry-ons.

 

[shuuy]

This is such a silly rule, especially when inconsistently applied. ie I can put two bottles of wine into my suit jacket pocket and board... but not if my carryon is 8.1kg before taking the wine out.

Lack of common sense I think causes the frustration

I just hope they don’t enforce this at international ports in the next week given a tight connection

 

[flying_duck]

The overhead bins are only rated for a certain weight (in total) and some pax would find a way to pack 20kg+ into a bag with the current dimensions.

I can easily pack 15+ kilos into my carry on roller (when I check it in). Rig is 14 kilos alone, plus change of clothes, toiletries, shoes, whatever else.

 

[Austman]

What happens when a pax is made to check their carry-on and:

1. They have already checked one bag. Are they then charged for 2 bags?
2. Their >7kg carry-on combined with their checked bag then exceeds their total checked weight allowance. Are they then charged for 2 bags?

 

[debgow]

Aust man, Used to work for Virgin, and yes you would be charged for a second bag. If your checkin was under the 23 kgs and you could fit you carry on inside your bag ( or do shuffling to ensure carry on was then 7 kgs) you could ask to have your bag retrieved if there was time. Was a nuisance for pit crew boys to go find your bag but was a way around it.

 

[flying_duck]

I don't have an issue with a "crackdown" as such, provided they apply the crackdown evenly across all passengers. They also need to be mindful of the reasons why someone might be carrying on extra luggage.

Some items do not lend themselves well to checked luggage (like my rig, or spare batteries, or laptops, or valuables, or life preservers, BCD's, camera equipment etc) and they can easily contribute to carry on luggage being over 7kg.

I never ask for help moving or lifting my carry on bag, it is of a normal size, I rarely reach my checked baggage allowance.

 

[Jack_OC]

I can easily pack 15+ kilos into my carry on roller. Rig is 14 kilos alone, plus laptop, change of clothes, chargers, batteries.

When you say "Rig is 14 kilos alone", do you mean the empty bag weighs 14 kg?? Or did you mean 1.4 kg? Or apologies if you meant something entirely different!

By the way, does this bag meet VA's size restrictions (48 x 34 x 23cm)? In any case, I would guess that 15 kg in a carry on bag is not at all typical. Even when I pack a much larger case for international travel, it usually only weighs 16-18 kg. My work gear (consisting of laptop, iPad, chargers and diary/notebook) weighs less than 3 kg in total. The empty bag weighs a bit less than 2 kg. I honestly can't figure out how I'd get another 10 kg in there.

EDIT: based on your subsequent post, "rig" means something different. Just to satisfy my curiosity, can you clarify what that is?

 

[flying_duck]

When you say "Rig is 14 kilos alone", do you mean the empty bag weighs 14 kg?? Or did you mean 1.4 kg? Or apologies if you meant something entirely different!

By the way, does this bag meet VA's size restrictions (48 x 34 x 23cm)? In any case, I would guess that 15 kg in a carry on bag is not at all typical. Even when I pack a much larger case for international travel, it usually only weighs 16-18 kg. My work gear (consisting of laptop, iPad, chargers and diary/notebook) weighs less than 3 kg in total. The empty bag weighs a bit less than 2 kg. I honestly can't figure out how I'd get another 10 kg in there.

EDIT: based on your subsequent post, "rig" means something different. Just to satisfy my curiosity, can you clarify what that is?

Parachuting rig. Skydiving equipment. Sorry to be confusing!

Also, I edited my post to clarify I meant when checking in. Fitting the weight into the acceptable size bag is absolutely easily done. Yes it meets required sizes.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Parachuting rig. Skydiving equipment. Sorry to be confusing!

You bring a parachute as carry on?

 

[flying_duck]

I try to. Delta for example requires it. For various reasons, mainly because if any tampering occurs with the reserve which I am not aware of, I could die. Also, only CASA/FAA certified riggers are allowed to touch the reserve. Airline employees don't know this.

Parachutes

Sport parachutes are accepted as carry-on baggage only, provided that none of the items are classified as dangerous goods (Example: pressurized oxygen cylinders).

Special Items | Baggage : Delta Air Lines

Edited to add: It's in a bag. A normal bag. No one even knows it's there. I carry all it's documentation and each airlines documentation to ensure it's all above board.

 

[Jack_OC]

I try to. Delta for example requires it. For various reasons, mainly because if any tampering occurs with the reserve which I am not aware of, I could die. Also, only CASA/FAA certified riggers are allowed to touch the reserve. Airline employees don't know this.

Special Items | Baggage : Delta Air Lines

Edited to add: It's in a bag. A normal bag. No one even knows it's there. I carry all it's documentation and each airlines documentation to ensure it's all above board.

Interesting, thanks for clarifying.

 

[flying_duck]

Point remains, just like baby milk is allowed through security, there are legitimate reasons why someone would want to take something on board that is in excess of a 7kg limit. It could be photography equipment or scuba dive equipment or valuables. Maybe they're taking 10 laptops for an interstate training session.

Rules are fine, but they should be made with some common sense and enforced uniformly.

 

[CPMaverick]

I have a pretty small carry-on, Rimowa Limbo 22", which fits in the sizer with plenty of room to spare. I can pack it to 15 kg without much trouble at all. The hard case bags allow you to really compress items, and it has really strong latches. In the USA, I would go all year with this and never check a bag.

More normally my bag is 8-10kg (I see the weight every time now since I'm always checking it). I think getting down to 7kg is a bit tough unless you are only on a 2-3 day trip to somewhere warm. And I consider myself a light packer! But I'm always carrying my work laptop, charger, etc.