British Airways passengers will be forced to pay £240 for checking in two bags
on return trips to many long-haul destinations from Tuesday.
Passengers travelling to the Continent will pay £120 and those on domestic
flights will pay £60.
BA said yesterday that it would not impose the charges on people who would
have difficulty lifting one heavy case and needed to split their weight
allowance into two bags.
The airline was embarrassed into making the concession after Help the Aged and
other charities accused it of failing to consider the elderly and disabled.
There is suspicion in the travel industry that the new policy is the first
step in a process that will result in BA, like Ryanair, charging
economy-class passengers for all checked-in luggage.
BA’s new fees for a second bag are many times more expensive than those of
Ryanair, which charges £3.50 for each bag if booked online, or £7 at the
airport.
Many passengers may learn of the new charges only when they check in at
airports next week.
Passengers travelling to America, Canada, the Caribbean, Nigeria, Brazil and
Mexico will continue to be allowed to check in two bags.
When BA announced the changes last year, it failed to make clear that economy
passengers on most routes would be allowed just one free checked bag.
It claimed in a press release that the changes were “comparable to or more
generous than our current policies”, and were designed to make the process
easier for passengers.
Under the changes, most customers will be able to put baggage weighing up to
32kg in the hold - but only in a single item of luggage.
This allowance will be cut to 23kg after September 30.
Anyone who spreads the weight over more than one bag will be hit by the extra
charge. The fee will apply even if the combined weight of the two bags is
below the limit. Passengers may be able to escape paying extra by packing
items in bags designed for sports equipment, such as those for golf clubs,
skis and surfboards. BA will still make no charge for checking in one item
of sports equipment on top of the baggage allowance.
A BA spokesman said: “British Airways has absolutely no intention of
discriminating against passengers who cannot comfortably carry a 23kg bag.
Where it is clear that a passenger cannot manage one bag, we will let them
check in an additional bag, or more, provided the total weight is within the
23kg limit.”
Until September 30, passengers will receive a discount if they pay in advance
online. The extra charge per bag will be £168, £84 and £42 for return
long-haul, short-haul and domestic flights respectively.
However, paying in advance - through BA’s website - is not available on
certain routes, and some credit cards cannot be used as payment methods.
Passengers flying First and Club Class on long-haul flights can check in up to
three bags. Those flying Club Class to Europe can check in two bags.
Infants will be allowed one free checked-in bag, plus a collapsible baby buggy
and a car seat.
There is no weight limit on the single piece of hand luggage allowed in all
classes, as long as it complies with the dimensions set by the Department
for Transport.
Weight limits
VIRGIN ATLANTIC
North America, Nigeria and Carribean: two bags weighing 23kg each.
South Africa, Asia, Australia, Dubai: 23kg split into any number of bags
BMI
20kg split into any number of bags
easyJet
20kg split into any number of bags
RYANAIR
no free checked baggage; £3.50 per bag if booked online; £7 at airport. Extra
charges if total checked baggage weighs more than 15kg
CATHAY
40kg in first class, 20kg in economy class. No maximum number of bags
QANTAS 40kg in first class, 20kg in economy class. Two bags in first
class, one in economy
Source: Association of European Airlines
sounds like a dream marketing scenario for purveyors of kevlar sacks able to hold two or more bags who could dispense their wares to those in line at check-in or atm.
dr venables preller, Warminster, UK
The BA bosses are totally out of touch with reality...or maybe not and they would like to have the same bonuses like managers from London City offices.
BA will loose customers from central europe for whom London is very important hub-why? First because of new tax and now because of this extra charges on luggage.
Grzesiek, Warsaw, Poland
BA are on the road to oblivion - poor employee relations (and resulting hostlile treatment to customers), a home airport that is hell on earth (Heathrow), a lousy frequent flyer programme (have you tried redeeming air-miles?) and now this insane baggage policy. What next - outsourcing to India? - don't laugh!
Alan Tee, Southampton, Hants
Dear Daughter
Please notice the highway robbery the airlines are trying to pull off
Karen Lay, Maldon, Essex, UK
Is this fair? Compare if you like a lady of 49Kg with 2 bags of a combined weight of 24kg (73kg total) with a portly gentleman of 110kg and a single bag with 23kg (133kg total). The weight difference being 60 kg in the gentleman’s favour ....Post 30 September the airlines want to charge the lady an extra 240 pounds to carry 60kgs less......how fair is that?
Perhaps the airlines should consider a formula linked to ones BMI (conceivably even having a factor for "big boned" people). And before anybody says some people can't help being fat , that they are a victim of their glands blah blah blah, these people are few and far between. Most people are a victim of sloth or gluttony and usually both. If some wish to be “proud to be stout” then of course that is up to them, however why should the skinnies have to pay for the kangarilla-moonpigs you quite often see spilling over into their neighbouring seats, particularly on a long haul economy flight. Perhaps if those that are built for comfort rather than speed, started pulling their weight (literally) and losing more of it, then we would see a number of benefits including reduced fuel use on flights and less strain on the NHS.
Nigel McGonigle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I just wondered whether BA will be giving a rebate to those customers who only wish to travel with hand luggage.
Perhaps to be completely fair the air ticket should be based on the weight of passanger and luggage.
Stephen Wood, Stone Cross, UK
At least BA can only lose the one bag in future rather than two!
Darcius Latham, East Bedfont, UK
Is this fair? Compare if you like a lady of 49Kg with 2 bags of a combined weight of 24kg (73kg total) with a portly gentleman of 110kg and a single bag with 23kg (133kg total). The weight difference being 60 kg in the gentleman’s favour ....Post 30 September the airlines want to charge the lady an extra 240 pounds to carry 60kgs less......how fair is that?
Perhaps the airlines should consider pricing fares using a formula linked to peoples BMI (conceivably even having a factor for "big boned" people). And before anybody says some people can't help being fat , that they are a victim of their glands blah blah blah these people are few and far between. Most people are a victim of sloth or gluttony and usually both. If some wish to be “proud to be stout” then of course that is up to them, however why should the skinnies have to pay for the kangarilla-moonpigs you quite often see spilling over into their neighbouring seats, particularly on a long haul economy flight. Perhaps if those that are built for comfort rather than speed, started pulling their weight (literally) and losing more of it, then we would see a number of benefits including reduced fuel use on flights and less strain on the NHS
Nigel McGonigle, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Another reason to chose another airline when flying. Hello? I'm alreadt paying for the flight.
Won't baggage handlers prefer smaller, lighter bags to handle? The general public certainly do, which is why two small bags weighing less than 12kg each are preferred to a monter weighing 23kg!
Wake up, and actually serve your customers, BA, instead of fobbing us off with bad service on the ground, and in the air.
GS Rikhraj, Kuala Lumpur,