Qantas is increasing the maximum weight limit for hand luggage carried onto its flights. From Monday 25 March 2019, Qantas passengers in all classes of travel will be allowed to take carry-on bags weighing up to 10kg onto domestic flights. This is up from the previous maximum of 7kg per piece of hand luggage.
Qantas will retain its limit of two carry-on bags, plus one small personal item, per passenger. The combined total weight of the two carry-on bags must still not exceed 14kg. So, if a passenger has one carry-on bag weighing 10kg, the second bag cannot weigh more than 4kg.
The changes do not apply to Qantas international flights, nor Bombardier Dash 8 flights operated by QantasLink, which will retain the current weight limits. There are also no changes to carry-on baggage size limits on Qantas flights.
The new Qantas carry-on limit comes just months after Qantas started cracking down on oversized carry-on luggage by randomly weighing passengers’ bags as they boarded the aircraft. Many frequent flyers complained that the 7kg weight limit was too restrictive and impractical. Given that most carry-on-size suitcases already weigh around 3kg when empty, that doesn’t leave much room for business travellers that don’t wish to check in a bag. It seems Qantas has now listened to feedback from many unhappy passengers that were forced to check in a bag weighing between 7kg and 10kg.
Qantas previously claimed that its carry-on weight limit of 7kg per piece was for safety reasons. But other airlines including Jetstar – which is owned by Qantas – already allow passengers the option to bring 10kg of hand luggage on board for a fee.
AFF members support the enhancement, describing the change as “sensible”.
Sensible. Eveyone should be able to work within 10kgs.
Good of QF to take on feedback, but makes the weight/safety argument run to date look a bit odd.
Virgin Australia still imposes a carry-on weight limit of 7kg per piece on domestic flights. In addition, Virgin only allows passengers to bring one item of hand luggage and one personal item on board. Business class passengers, as well as Velocity Gold and Platinum members, can bring on a second carry-on bag but this too must not weigh more than 7kg. We’ll have to wait and see whether Virgin will follow Qantas and too relax its carry-on weight restrictions. If it doesn’t, Virgin’s policy will soon be rather uncompetitive in the Australian domestic market.
Tigerair, which is a fully-owned subsidiary of Virgin Australia, also limits carry-on bags to 7kg per item. However, Tigerair offers customers the option to purchase an additional 5kg of cabin baggage – for a total of 12kg worth of carry-on luggage – for an additional fee.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Qantas changing Domestic carryon – 2pc with 1 no more than 10kg, 14kg max
