Baggage allowance - QF business class

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vaccav

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Sep 26, 2004
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Can anyone help me out in determining my baggage allowance on the following:

Edinburgh - BA - London (4 nights) - BA - Chicago (transit only) - American - Los Angeles (2 nights) - QF - Sydney
(I have already done Syd - Sing - London - Edinburgh)

My reading of the website and of the itinerary suggests I get 2x32kg on Qantas flights "to and from" the US. So my questions are:

1. Do I get 2x32kg or is it less on the Ed - London leg because that's not "to and from" the US ? In which case, I'm screwed.
2. Do i get 2x32kg or am I declined this on the BA and American flights .. .. .. maybe you only get that on QF metal flights ?

I have read the website but it doesn't seem to fully cover this - so I'd be grateful for any help. I don't want to get screwed by being ok from ed-london and then the witches at heathrow refuse to let me take the bags i've already brought from edinburgh. As i'm staying in London for a few days, I can't check them right through.

many thanks in anticipation,

vaccav
 
If its all booked on the one ticket, then you should get 2 x 32kg for the entire journey. This is also the case for RTW fares such as OneWorld Explorer and Global Explorer.
 
Thanks NM.

The ticket goes reound the world and cost 256,000 points to go business class. I think that makes it a RTW OneWorld Explorer but I'm not 100% sure.

best,

vaccav
 
If your ticket includes travel to a a region where the piece based system applies, then the piece base applies to the whole itinery

On the itinery given, the allowance is 2 pieces for the whole trip

Dave
 
So its an award RTW and not a One World Explorer (paid only).

On the ticket there should be 2PC in a column on towards the right hand side. That means you get the piece allowance - 2 pieces at 32kg each for the whole trip. If it doesnt say 2PC it would say 30KG or similar - ie a weight allowance.
 
vaccav said:
The ticket goes reound the world and cost 256,000 points to go business class. I think that makes it a RTW OneWorld Explorer but I'm not 100% sure.
It really makes no difference whether it is a paid or an award ticket. The OneWorld Award maintains the same baggage conditions as Dave Noble mentions, and since you are travelling through the USA where the piece system is applied, that system applies for the entire itinerary.

But any additional ticket that may be purchased (either with money of points on a different ticket) will have its own baggage conditions applied per the rules for that route.

Note that the OneWorld Explorer fare is a paid fare, not an award fare. The 4 continent version costs over $10,000 for business class travel. There are some major differences in the routing rules for OneWorld Explorer and the Qantas OneWorld Award:
  • OneWorld Award is limited by miles flown, OneWorld Explorer is limited by segments within each continent
  • OneWorld Award is limited to a maximum of 16 sectors, OneWorld Explorer is limited to a max of 20 sectors
  • OneWorld Award cannot make any changes to the routing, dates, flights etc once travel has commence, OneWorld Explorer can make unlimited date/time changes for free and can make routing changes according to the re-issue charges
  • OneWorld Award must use 2 non-Qantas OneWorld airlines; OneWorld Explorer can be done with just airlines including Qantas if you so desire
  • OneWorld Award does not need to be RTW; OneWorld Explorer must cross both Pacific and Atlantic oceans (once only for each) and hence must be RTW
There are lots of other differences. The only similarities are that they use OneWorld Airlines.
 
Watch out with AA in the US - even though the ticket says the allowance is 2 x 32kg, in practice they will charge excess baggage if any single piece of checked baggage is heavier than 23kg, even if your total baggage weight is within the limit.
 
Anna said:
Watch out with AA in the US - even though the ticket says the allowance is 2 x 32kg, in practice they will charge excess baggage if any single piece of checked baggage is heavier than 23kg, even if your total baggage weight is within the limit.

That is due to AAs 50Lb bag limit that they have themself. The policy is that if the travel includes overwater sector with an airline other than AA, then the domestic AA allowance is that of the other airline's allowance, so if they do try to charge extra, send them to check the policy document

Dave
 
I was told by BA last year at LHR (T1) that there is now a 23Kg limit for all passengers, regardless of whether they are travelling to the US or not.

The reason is that T5 has a max limit of 23Kg per bag, and once that opens it will be enforced.

As for baggage allowances on Qantas - I have never ever had to pay an excess and sometimes I've travelled with 4 or 5 pieces weighing up to 100Kg total. As long as each piece is under 32Kg, they're happy.
 
justinbrett said:
I was told by BA last year at LHR (T1) that there is now a 23Kg limit for all passengers, regardless of whether they are travelling to the US or not.

The reason is that T5 has a max limit of 23Kg per bag, and once that opens it will be enforced.

As for baggage allowances on Qantas - I have never ever had to pay an excess and sometimes I've travelled with 4 or 5 pieces weighing up to 100Kg total. As long as each piece is under 32Kg, they're happy.

BA has simplified their luggage allowances and , for a while now, it has been 2 pieces for UK-US, 1 piece economy other destinations, 2 pieces for WT+ and 3 pieces for J/F

The limit per piece is 23Kg, though they have been allowing 32kg without charge; maybe with opening of T5 they will start enforcing the 23Kg

They do have a consistent application to excess baggage and charge for each piece over the limit and do offer a discount if the excess baggage is prepaid online before travel

As far as QF goes, I believe that they have been tightening up on overlimit baggage on international services

Dave
 
justinbrett said:
I was told by BA last year at LHR (T1) that there is now a 23Kg limit for all passengers, regardless of whether they are travelling to the US or not.

The reason is that T5 has a max limit of 23Kg per bag, and once that opens it will be enforced.

As for baggage allowances on Qantas - I have never ever had to pay an excess and sometimes I've travelled with 4 or 5 pieces weighing up to 100Kg total. As long as each piece is under 32Kg, they're happy.
As Dave mentioned, BA have simplified their policy and they've given their customers plenty of time to adapt. According to the website, BA will continue to accept baggage up to 32kgs until November this year.

They've also been pretty flexible and mention that they'll give you the most flexible allowance if you have connecting flights. So if I'm checking-in in DXB with BA to LHR and then QF to SYD, I'll get 32kgs even after the rules are enforced providing I can show that I have connecting flights.
 
littl_flier said:
As Dave mentioned, BA have simplified their policy and they've given their customers plenty of time to adapt. According to the website, BA will continue to accept baggage up to 32kgs until November this year.

They've also been pretty flexible and mention that they'll give you the most flexible allowance if you have connecting flights. So if I'm checking-in in DXB with BA to LHR and then QF to SYD, I'll get 32kgs even after the rules are enforced providing I can show that I have connecting flights.

After the rules are enforced from November , you will be entitled to n pieces of 23Kg and be required to pay additional for any bags > 23Kg

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
After the rules are enforced from November , you will be entitled to n pieces of 23Kg and be required to pay additional for any bags > 23Kg

Dave
Yep, that's what I said, apart from when you have connecting flights. eg. Qantas and Cathay which still allow 32kgs in Business Class if you're under the piece system.

Connecting flights
  • You will receive the most generous allowance on connecting journeys with British Airways, where you have purchased one ticket your whole journey (a through ticket).
  • Where separate tickets have been purchased for a connection, the individual allowances will apply.
  • When travelling to a destination that involves British Airways and another carrier, the baggage policy and any associated excess baggage charges of the first international carrier will apply. If British Airways is the first carrier, and the subsequent carrier's allowance is more generous, then the most generous allowance will apply.

British Airways - Checked baggage
 
littl_flier said:
Yep, that's what I said, apart from when you have connecting flights. eg. Qantas and Cathay which still allow 32kgs in Business Class if you're under the piece system.


The Piece system only specifies how many pieces are permitted; it does not state that the piece allowance is 32Kg. The weight allowance per piece is determined by the allowance of the carrier at which you are checking in; this is why, currently, if checking in with BA connecting to AA ( for example ) you would be permitted 2 pieces (or 3 in J/F) of 32Kg through to destination in the US whilst travelling back from the US connecting AA to BA, the entitlement would be 2 pieces of 23Kg with excess fees for overweight bags

The QF allowance would still be 2PC and so not a higher allowance and you would be liable for the excess charge

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
The QF allowance would still be 2PC and so not a higher allowance and you would be liable for the excess charge

Dave
Here's where it gets iffy. It says the most generous allowance on connecting flights- both are two pieces, QF is 32kgs per piece, BA is 23kgs. So on a connecting journey, they should get two bags at 32kgs if I'm reading it right because that is the most generous allowance of the two.

But hand luggage is probably an easier option. :D
 
littl_flier said:
Here's where it gets iffy. It says the most generous allowance on connecting flights- both are two pieces, QF is 32kgs per piece, BA is 23kgs. So on a connecting journey, they should get two bags at 32kgs if I'm reading it right because that is the most generous allowance of the two.

But hand luggage is probably an easier option. :D

I read it as the allowances is the number of pieces. 23Kg is a restriction.

For example, Jetstar has an allowance of 20Kg, with a restriction of 32Kg per piece.

From what I orginially heard it was because of the baggage system at T5 in LHR, it's supposed to move bags at ridiculous speeds which is probably why there is a restriction.
 
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littl_flier said:
Here's where it gets iffy. It says the most generous allowance on connecting flights- both are two pieces, QF is 32kgs per piece, BA is 23kgs. So on a connecting journey, they should get two bags at 32kgs if I'm reading it right because that is the most generous allowance of the two.

Nothing iffy at all; the more generous allowance will apply, which for business class travel ( as referred to ) is 3PC on BA

QF allowance is 2PC , the BA J and F allowance is 3PC . 3PC is more generous than 2PC anyway

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
QF allowance is 2PC , the BA J and F allowance is 3PC . 3PC is more generous than 2PC anyway
Here is where the confusion comes is.

3PC is more generous than 2PC if all your pieces are less than 23Kg.

but if you only want to check in two pieces, and one of those pieces is say 28kg, the QF 2PC policy would allow it (1 x 23kg + 1 x 28kg), but the BA policy would apply an excess charge. So in this example, which is more generous for this particular customer? Many people would interpret QF as more generous to this particular customer.

The we get into the debate of what is the allowance and what is the restriction as mentioned above.
 
The risk you run on a multi-sector journey is that the check in staff could interpret the rules one way on segments 1-4 differently on 5-8 and different again on 9 - 17 so packing based on the most generous allowances is a gamble. Always take a copy of the rules/guidance with you!
 
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