Hand Luggage - How Strict??

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Nick

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Jun 11, 2003
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Just returned from a 3 week trip to London, in which I flew SYD-SIN-LHR-SIN-SYD. While checking in for QF 10 at LHR at the British Airways check-in desk, I had two suitcases ... one big one and a smaller one to take onto the flight with me, which was well within the size restrictions.

After checking in my main suitcase, my boarding passes were printed and were just about to be handed to me when the lady wanted to weigh my hand luggage. Apparently, the maximum weight is 6kg and my carry-on bag was 11kg (had a mask I purchased from Venice in it) so she rudely told me that it had to be checked in. :x

I accept that my bag was over the limit and the safety concerns associated with this, but never had a problem taking it on the SYD/SIN/LHR flights, and consequently never had a problem on the SIN/SYD flight home. The annoying this was that many people had hand luggage much bigger than my bag on the flight, which I am sure, were well above the weight restrictions.

So just wondering whether anyone else has had this problem with British Airways at LHR before?? From what I have seen, Qantas seem to disregard the issue ...
 
I've had a few problems with the BA staff in the UK too Nick, but not on carry-on luggage. Some don't seem to know the rules re: reciprocal rights with QC and priority check-in and I've had to be a bit firm (but polite) with them and not sink to their levels sometimes.

Qantas don't seem to care, after all, you are looking at the person, who, as a non-FF carried on 25 kilos of oz beer for a mate in HK for his birthday (and it was discount economy class)
 
Have IATA lowered the bag limit as the last time I checked it was 7KG for carry-on?
One of my first posts to this forum was about the check-in naz_ in BNE who made my life a sweating hell while I tried to transfer luggage back and forth between the two small bags I had with me.
My solution - never travel INT out of BNE again & carry a bag that doesn't look heavy.
 
Hmm

Reporting a recent good experience at BNE qantas checkin (international)

Flight to europe
My grandmother had her main bag 22kg,
she also had a carryon that was 10kg, as well as a handbag.

The guy let us put her 10kg carryon as checked in lugage :)

So thats 32 kg of checked in lugage for ecconomy to europe :) not too bad since she has no statas (she should have silver but i stuffed that up)

lots of treats from australia for teh grandkids :)
 
That's good news :) Maybe a QF lurker read the post and put some customer service back into the people there.
 
Well he wasn't to happy about it

but there was still 200+ people waiting and the flight was only 50 mins away
 
But it has to be better than the gentleman opposite me on QF 679 MEL-ADL in 7D (16/3/04) who had his foot ran over by the drinks trolley while he was asleep.

Boy, did HE wake up fast. :shock:
 
check in weights

Hi, as still a new boy on the block, can I give you an idea from the other side of the fence? eg check in.

I worked for Ansett in the late 90's at BNE airport, got out before the end came. AN also handled many international Flts out of BNE. The worst was the then MH flt BNE-ALK at 6:30 AM, check in opened at 3:30 am so a 3:00 am start was part of the shift.

Many Au and NZ people used it, as at the time it was about $50.00 less than QF or NZ. So there were a large number of people flying with tooo much carry on and or checked bagage. After being OK with the odd 22-27 kg's of check in a guy tryed to check in a 36 kg bag plus 15 kg's of carry on. No way was I letting this on due to WH&S laws as well as having enough of it. :shock:

It was then a huge battle, a 747-400 full flt to be checked in and a bloke with a problem with why I would not let him on with 15kg's of hand and 36kg's of checked. To cut a long story short he did not have any funds to pay the execess, delayed my counter for 20 mins while he made interesting use of verbs, nouns and adjectives while he cut down his check in to 20 kg's and 7 carry on to repack.

So, to get on with the check in staff and then to get on your flt with over the amount of Kg's check in early ! 8)
 
toetoes, welcome to the board.

Funnily enough, my QF10 flight was due to depart Heathrow at 10.00pm and I arrived at check-in at 6.30pm ... my flight wasn't even on the monitors when I got there :wink: So I guess that in my case, checking in early didn't help at all but as you say, it can have it merits.

I was just incredibly disappointed with the whole sharing arrangement Qantas has with British Airways in London ... Luckily, the British Airways lounge at Heathrow got a few brownie points :D
 
QF ain't immune. Not too long ago I was on an international sector SYD-MEL flight, with an international size carry on. They saw it, weighed it (it was 10kg) and made me check it. This was on a half full 747! Yet I've also taken the same carry-on, with the same or more weight on a domestic 767. Go figure!
 
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BA is certainly the strictest airline I've come across with regards to carry-ons. Most other airlines appear to judge suitability on physical size, while BA sometimes (but not always) weighs hand luggage.

It's one of those on-going problems which will never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. The 7 kg allowance is usually plenty, but there are times when a couple of extra kilos are needed (fragile presents, etc.).

The one thing which really should be avoided however is the ridiculous amount of carry-ons which airlines in the US allow. Like most other aspects of flying in the US, it's a nightmare. It's one of those cases where I would much rather airlines to be too strict rather than too lax.
 
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