"They should cease Premium Hand Luggage," QFLink Pilot

[Taezar]

Yesterday during my teeny status run, while refueling, the pilot and first officer came out and was chatting with us at the front of the dash8 and the cabin crew.
The pilot was stating his case for the cessation of all Premium Hand Luggage. His point was that, especially on the FIFO routes, the amount of PHL was becoming so bad that freight was having to be offloaded (which he explained was a major source of revenue for some routes). He told us about a recent flight to Weipa where, on top of quite a full plane and checked luggage, there were a further 28 pieces of PHL: causing the removal of freight due to space and weight restrictions.
The absolutely delightful cabin crew member said that all that would happen was that more ppl would try and bring too much onboard, leading to further delays when luggage they had to be checked, which still would mean that you wouldn't know weight (and get stuck w paying extra bag fees I was thinking).
They came up w a consensus that at checkin or immediately upon arrival, pax should declare PHL so it could be factored in immediately, especially on freight centric routes.
While this mightn't seem much of an issue in places like BNE where they weigh your bag and give you a tag before you queue to board, in many locations you just get a tag at the gate.

I would be interested in your thoughts.

Even w OLCI or NGCI, there could be an option to statute of you are intending PHL, then weigh at the airport I guess,

Looking forward to read what you have to say.

Taez.

 

[munitalP]

I remember somewhere - maybe Perth used to have a gauge at the front of the X-Ray machine. If the luggage didn't fit through the gauge, it wasn't boarding with you. For $79 for a sheet of plywood, 5 minutes with a jigsaw and a few minutes being creative with some cable ties and duct tape, the oversize carry on could be easily sorted out.

PHL for me is when you have a carry on slightly too big for the hold - I don't think it should be allowed for anything obviously too large

 

[Mal]

It is in the Qantas T&Cs that oversized luggage / too many pieces may end up on a later flight. Perhaps this needs to be enforced.

Or is the real issue Qantas is using the wrong planes for these destinations and conveniently blames passenger luggage for the issues?

 

[jetlagger]

Interesting comments & especially from the pilot.. But well validated.
I admit I hand carry usually up to the limit.. around 7.0 kgs, laptop, Ipad, cameras, books & weight of bag. It is a compact bag usually not infringing on space &/or weight restrictions. What really irks me is the size & weight that some people bring on board.. It is truly at times to the point of ridiculous.. & it is not class related. The hand carry on board requirement limitation should be policed more frequently at the gate to prevent this from reoccurring.. It is not any particularly any single airline related either.. I see it happening well across the board in many ports on all types of aircraft.
I know this thread has been done before.. though it is good to hear present other comments on this common situation

 

[drron]

it doesn't apply to all routes using the Dash 8s.To/from DPO it is usually only 2-3 items of PHC.I usually have one of them.

 

[Taezar]

I think Mal has it in one. The planes in some routes are too small or not frequent enough given the traffic and freight contracts.
It is one thing to be trying to break the regs w overweight or oversized luggage and as such left behind, but if I checked my bag and then had my PHL refused to load because of capacity issues I would be pissed.
I can see the captain's point though. Imagine the space required on a dash8 for 28 pieces of carryon luggage!

 

[nufnuf]

Perhaps they should restrict PHL to their higher level FFers (SG/WP). Departing from DBO to SYD it seems that nearly every passenger has PHL to avoid waiting at the baggage caracal when arriving. There have been occasions where they have offloaded the Australian Air Express cargo onto the REX flight.

 

[N860CR]

The latest Q400's (LQB onwards) have the newer interior that should fit anything cabin sized. The problem with the remaining 200's, the 300's and the QO* 400's is the smaller cabin bins that won't fit a standard cabin sized bag. I'd agree, from a passenger point of view, that if the airline choses to run aeroplanes that don't fit official cabin sized bags then they need to provide an alternative (PHL in this case). There shouldn't be a need for it with the new 400's though as anything that won't fit should be checked anyway (I haven't tried this in practise, however it's what Bombardier claim is correct).

 

[samh004]

I've just started getting into this whole PHL thing. I've recently bought a roll aboard that fits within the requirements for hand luggage (as well as my backpack come computer bag) for hand luggage on jets. It's a nice bag I'd prefer not to be subject to the behind the counter process and have kept it with me and used PHL (with two pieces of carryon technically). No issues so far, but I understand this is not within the rules.

What I have noticed is that there are no rules on the Qantas site, or anywhere else for that matter. They need to be clearer, but I think expanded would also be good. I'd like to see what I do as being allowed, but also things like being a slight bit over, such as maximum of 10kg and it goes into the back.

I'm only using it for overnights where I take a few more things than my backpack can fit, but don't want my bag handled in a rough way. If my bag is within the size limits for a jet (105cm), and I know it won't fit in the overhead lockers or under seat in front in a Dash-8, I shouldn't be penalised to have to farewell it down a tunnel out of my sight.

I hope I've got my point across, I only have limited usage of it anyway, and if I was checking in 23 kilos each trip instead of two under 7-kilo hand carry pieces, Qantas would have less space for cargo anyway.

As for post above dealing with PHL resulting in offloading of mail, had all those bags been checked-in from the start then mail wouldn't have been on anyway, so that's hardly the issue. Qantas uses our luggage space to make extra money on the side, if we use what we're entitled to then they can't. I'm not advocating that, but PHL isn't robbing them.


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[drron]

The latest Q400's (LQB onwards) have the newer interior that should fit anything cabin sized. The problem with the remaining 200's, the 300's and the QO* 400's is the smaller cabin bins that won't fit a standard cabin sized bag. I'd agree, from a passenger point of view, that if the airline choses to run aeroplanes that don't fit official cabin sized bags then they need to provide an alternative (PHL in this case). There shouldn't be a need for it with the new 400's though as anything that won't fit should be checked anyway (I haven't tried this in practise, however it's what Bombardier claim is correct).

Can confirm the new 400s do take normal carryons in the bins.sometimes get these on last flight out of DPO on friday and last flight in on sunday as these are very popular with Taswegians wanting to spend the weekend in MEL.

 

[Mal]

What I have noticed is that there are no rules on the Qantas site, or anywhere else for that matter. They need to be clearer, but I think expanded would also be good. I'd like to see what I do as being allowed, but also things like being a slight bit over, such as maximum of 10kg and it goes into the back.

There's a bit under carry-on baggage: Qantas Baggage | Carry on baggage

 

[rowdy]

Wasn't the limit for a dash 8 service 4kg for carry on? When did this change?

 

[Fruitcake]

Perhaps they should restrict PHL to their higher level FFers (SG/WP). Departing from DBO to SYD it seems that nearly every passenger has PHL to avoid waiting at the baggage caracal when arriving. There have been occasions where they have offloaded the Australian Air Express cargo onto the REX flight.

Rather than having to wait for it upon arrival, perhaps they should move the baggage caracal to DBO? Anyone with an oversize carryon receives special security screening from the baggage caracal.

Not sure how many flights a day DBO gets but the caracal could probably moonlight at the zoo between its shifts at the airport.

 

[samh004]

There's a bit under carry-on baggage: Qantas Baggage | Carry on baggage

There is one match for the word premium on that page and it doesn't have anything to do with Dash-8 services. I realise there's a blurb about what you can bring into the cabin, but that was never in dispute.

Considering they give you a special tag for your bag, specially printed and all, you'd think there'd be information on what the service actually is. To just assume is silly, when you don't assume aout anything else, it's all very clearly spelled out.


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[ajp001]

It is in the Qantas T&Cs that oversized luggage / too many pieces may end up on a later flight. Perhaps this needs to be enforced.

Or is the real issue Qantas is using the wrong planes for these destinations and conveniently blames passenger luggage for the issues?

The latter is my case with filghts I take (pun not indended but it'll pay anyway)

I use a dash8 service once a week and always have the same piece of cabin luggage that fits into the required measurenments and typically weighs 5-6 kilos.

Almost every flight leaving Sydney, at the gate I am told that my cabin bag is too large, I tell them it fits easily overhead. they tell me it is too big and never once have compared it with the scale and measurer (Which I know it fits inside) I then get given a PHL tag which depending on my mood is either remains on the bag which goes on as PHL or the tag stays at the bottom of the stairs and I fit my within-size within-weight bag in the overhead locker.

Perhaps they would not have as much PHL if they just trained the staff at the gate to use the scales etc and insisted on the stated limits.

 

[JohnK]

Interesting thread and I have to say as usual people try and bring way too much onboard.

If I remember correctly the limit is supposed to be 4kg hand luggage and 20kg checked luggage. It is not that hard to plan for a trip knowing you are on a Dash-8.

Yes we should schedule more 737s on routes where the Dash-8-300 or even 200 are lightly loaded. People just keep on expecting more and more.

FWIW I struggle to get my laptop bag into the overheads on a Dash-8 Q400.

 

[Mal]

There is one match for the word premium on that page and it doesn't have anything to do with Dash-8 services. I realise there's a blurb about what you can bring into the cabin, but that was never in dispute.

Considering they give you a special tag for your bag, specially printed and all, you'd think there'd be information on what the service actually is. To just assume is silly, when you don't assume aout anything else, it's all very clearly spelled out.

Well, it's "hand luggage". So regardless of the pretty tag (Which tells baggage handlers that it can be offloaded and not sent off with normal baggage to the belt/trolley), it would have to fit the size/weight regulations of the Dash-8 requirements. Now bags that are larger than the small overheads get the pretty tag, and are treated as a pseduo checked/carryon combination.

Luggage can only be "checked" or "carry on" really. So if it's > 7Kg or above the size limits - checked, if < 7kg and below the size limits, carry on. Just "carry-on" may actually mean a special tag and storage in the baggage area.

Maybe they need some more words around it, maybe they don't.

 

[bigjobs]

Rather than having to wait for it upon arrival, perhaps they should move the baggage caracal to DBO? Anyone with an oversize carryon receives special security screening from the baggage caracal.

Not sure how many flights a day DBO gets but the caracal could probably moonlight at the zoo between its shifts at the airport.

lol ... i like this post.

caracal ... sheesh.

 

[anat0l]

Reminds me of a flight from OAG to SYD on ZL in a little Saab (noisy little thing, it is).

We were fully booked and the limits were 15 kg for the checked bag and 7 kg on the carry-on, which was all strictly enforced, or at least with a heavy checked bag (or extras), the threat was made that it may not follow with the flight.

Somehow when our flight finally arrived and was being loaded, an announcement was made that we were about 70 kg too heavy on the aircraft, and that people would need to volunteer to give up their checked bag on this flight (deal was loaded on next flight - viz. first flight the next day - and couriered out) or we weren't going anywhere. Took two rounds of requests before we had offloaded enough to get on and fly to SYD.

Now I'm not sure whether ZL do any mail or freight runs to OAG or not......


I guess most of you are thinking that if a Q400 isn't big enough then the only solution is a 717. 737s... most places in question would need a better airport for a start, right? 'Cos most of them are not much better than a shack or a portable office with a paved area on the side. If it's a popular FIFO area then that's probably a no-brainer, but for non-FIFO fed destinations, that's a rock and hard place affair....

Perhaps QF just need to enforce the limits much more strongly, period. Of course, leniency is probably what everyone's been used to on QantasLink for a while, so a sudden evaporation of discretion will not be met nicely, particularly by the folks in the back of Bourke. Surprisingly, I'd thought Qantas would've kept the freight on and prioritised it above customer baggage or PHL.... given the profit-centricity, isn't that what everyone would've thought would happen first (and be mad about as a consequence)?

 

[fjc]

Collecting PHL on the DBO-SYD via Qantas must have changed very recently. Having flown that route many times over the past 10 years, everyone carried their PHL to the plane,dropped it at the foot of the stairs, then collected it at the other end, again at the foot of the stairs. Never went near the carousel or "down the long tunnel". In DBO, I collected the tag at check in, and in SYD as I went through the boarding process.

In my nearly 10 years of flying the route, never saw any more than 3-4 pieces (and that was always at peak times eg 5.30pm flight Friday afternoon).

Never flew Rex, so can't comment on that. However, flew TMW-SYD last Nov and same procedure.