Baggage sizes

[willymaykett]

Hello All,

Finally doing our trip with FF points, economy.
Going with the following airlines RTW
QF
AA
BA
CX

How strict are the airlines with checked in baggage? Missus has picked up some "decent" sized bags for all the things we will be picking up along the way.

Seems QF has the smallest total dimension size, are they that picky on it?

 

[pshepvic]

Hello All,

Finally doing our trip with FF points, economy.
Going with the following airlines RTW
QF
AA
BA
CX

How strict are the airlines with checked in baggage? Missus has picked up some "decent" sized bags for all the things we will be picking up along the way.

Seems QF has the smallest total dimension size, are they that picky on it?

I've never had QF measure a bag in my life. It's the weight they seem more concerned with.

I actually have 2 large Samsonite duffle cases that were sold to me as being "maximum checked bag size without be oversized", but in actual fact I think they are about 10cm oversized. There has never been a problem checking them in with any airline (including QF, AA, CX, VX, JL).

The only time anything has been measured for dimensions was a box I brought back from the US to Aus via Japan - JAL measured it - it was about 10 inches over, and they still let it on at no cost, but I had to take it to oversized baggage to check as they didn't want to send it down the conveyor belt.

 

[Archphoto]

I've never had luggage measured either - anything that looks "Oversize" is tagged and I've had to take to "Oversize" drop. (Fragile as well.)

As long as it meets weight restrictions you'll be fine; I'd be more concerned with the excess charges and carry-on being weighed at Melbourne international gate than the size of the actual bag you're using.

 

[willymaykett]

Thanks,

Looks like I will have to carry some scales to stop the missus from overloading rather than a tape measure.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks,

Looks like I will have to carry some scales to stop the missus from overloading rather than a tape measure.

Those electronic ones are magical. I always check in with confidence. $30. Well worth the investment.

 

[pshepvic]

Those electronic ones are magical. I always check in with confidence. $30. Well worth the investment.

Damn I got ripped off - I think I paid $35 for a set from the Qantas in flight duty free cart! Still I think they've paid for themselves already!

 

[11sjw]

Anyone think I'll have any trouble on Tuesday with a carry on that totals 108cm (limit is 105cm)? I'm going to risk it, last of the gamblers is I!!

 

[pshepvic]

Anyone think I'll have any trouble on Tuesday with a carry on that totals 108cm (limit is 105cm)? I'm going to risk it, last of the gamblers is I!!

I doubt they'll even notice. I've taken international size carryon (115cm) for domestic before and it's been fine.

 

[serfty]

Since you will be going by the USA you are entitled to two bags each up to 23kg on QF, AA¹, CX and BA.

Check In Baggage, Checked Luggage, Baggage Allowance - Cathay Pacific
British Airways - Checked baggage
Fly - Baggage - Checked Baggage
American Airlines Baggage Allowance On AA.com
American Airlines Checked Baggage Charge Exceptions | AA.com


¹ These should be free on AA due to having an international itinerary, however these have been report this may be restricted to connecting international flights.

 

[pshepvic]

¹ These should be free on AA due to having an international itinerary, however these have been report this may be restricted to connecting international flights.

Yes I can confirm this - I had a nightmare at St Croix airport in the USVI with incompentent AA check in staff. In SFO, SJU, and SXM I had no issues at all with bags between 23-32kg.

But in STX we checked 3 bags between two of us - two were under 23kg and one was 28kg. They argued about it despite me being on an international itinerary that said I could have each bag at 32kg (based on the J class fares).

In the end, I took out a medium case that I had packed inside a large case, moved 5kg of luggage from the 28kg case to the empty one and then said "there you go - I'd now like to check 4 bags between us which are all under 23kg".

They then actually said (this is the most stupid part of all) "well now the total weight is less than it was before, we can check them in" - to which I replied "no it's not, the total weight is exactly the same, it's just spread across 4 bags instead of 3". They didn't even understand this and actually continued to argue that my luggage now weighed less in total and I should have packed it that way in the first place to make it weigh less!

 

[palarey]

I only noticed QANTAS had a smaller than standard check-in luggage size for domestic after I'd booked my flights with them. They quote it as 140cm/54inches (even though 140cm is actually a fraction over 55 inches!). I've had contradictory information from them about this. I phoned them up and the woman I spoke to confirmed the size but said as they didn't measure bags I should be ok (not sure what would happen if they did measure it and I'm stuck on the other side of the world with a suitcase that's too big). I then emailed customer service and was told the limit was there because of the size of aircraft but if I'd flown into Australia on QANTAS (which I'm not) the larger international limit would apply (62 inches I think) so it seems the limit is flexible depending on who you flew into Australia with (so not the aircraft size).

I've been round various shops in the U.K. to try and find a medium sized suitcase that fits the 140cm limit and its very difficult as most of them are slightly over this limit with virtually none under the limit unless you go a size down to almost a carry-on size which isn't big enough for a months holiday. The nearest I could find is an Antler duolite 67cm case which is quoted as 141-143cm which is only a few cm over.

Can anyone confirm is QANTAS really are that picky about check-in bag sizes and will they be waiting for me at check-in with a tape measure? I might be paranoid here but I fly on RyanAir a lot and they really are strict about weight, size and anything else they can get you to cough up more money for!!

 

[TheInsider]

I have never seen QF measure a bag, in Australia, as well as overseas.

 

[Stephen65]

Same here.

The only thing they care about is how much it weighs. I have used the same large sized suitcases on all QF flights domestic and international.

 

[pshepvic]

I've never had any airline measure the size of a bag/case. The only thing measured was a long box by JAL, but that was on only one out of two flights, and it was oversize but they still didn't charge me. They just sent it down to the oversize baggage area to be checked in.

 

[benson69]

Hi All,

Just noticed that Qantas had changed rules re: baggage, yep rather slow! Anyway had question for members:
Now that they only allow 1 piece up to 32kg (Q Club Mem) if I 'attach' my swag onto my pack or in fact attach anything onto my pack i.e even another bag by way of plastic wrap or straps and it weighs under 32kg and is within allowed dimensions do you think Qantas will check it in as one piece of luggage without charging the surcharge? Would be interested in others opinion. G

 

[serfty]

If it can be checked as one piece of luggage then that's what happens.