Virgin Australia changes to carry on baggage allowance effective 2 Feb 2026

[blackcat20]

Prams are useless onboard and take up space tbh. They can check it in for free.

We always took our pram onboard, its helpful to have them, particularly getting off the other end (and in some cases we have wheeled the kids onboard).

 

[twinaisle]

We shall see....not convinced on that. Especially when you look at airlines that allow more to be brought on board. But as I say we shall see the stats in due course.

I work on the damn metal tube, I've seen it with my own eyes, my colleagues have also have had the same issues but yes, we're not convinced it's due to passengers bringing more bags with less space resulting in baggage offload which takes up more of everyone's time.

 

[kamchatsky]

Brotha I work on the damn metal tube, I've seen it with my own eyes, my colleagues have also have had the same issues.

My guess the root cause of the issue is that passengers buy Lite fares and then try to bring everything including the kitchen sink as carry-on, when they should have paid for Choice fare with 1 checked-in bag instead.

 

[simmomelb]

Prams are useless onboard and take up space tbh. They can check it in for free.

Yep, I was thinking the same, that's a LOT of room to take up in the cabin. Best to check it in.

 

[PERLHR]

My guess the root cause of the issue is that passengers buy Lite fares and then try to bring everything including the kitchen sink as carry-on, when they should have paid for Choice fare with 1 checked-in bag instead.

Or just a fare with checked bags included. Some other airline in Australia has that ...

 

[PERLHR]

I work on the damn metal tube, I've seen it with my own eyes, my colleagues have also have had the same issues but yes, we're not convinced it's due to passengers bringing more bags with less space resulting in baggage offload which takes up more of everyone's time.

Well we have seen it yes.....no matter where you fly in the world ...however airlines sometimes bring it on themselves with their "let's increase seating capacity" approach, let's contract with poor baggage handling agents", not forgetting the good old standard delays of .....let's see ..."gate not available", "push back Tug lost", ATC delays, crew failing to turn up for allocated flight.....yes we all can be in the metal tubes and hear the same turned out events. It's a balance. I'm not a bit convinced that this is the correct balance ..
Why for example not allow 10kg? As Platinum are we expected to be "grateful" for the increase from a crazy 7 to a whopping 8 while status is desimated and costs escalate? Happy flying ....

 

[kamchatsky]

Or just a fare with checked bags included. Some other airline in Australia has that ...

True, then it does not give options/choices for passengers who genuinely travel with carry-on only, especially VA is mostly a domestic airline. Also not to mention about competition with another airline which also has carry-on only fares.

 

[dajop]

At least they haven’t gone down the European LCC route. 1 small backpack or handbag free, pay for a wheelaboard - with prices for the wheelaboard fluctuating according to demand, just like the airfares do. That would be something to be upset about.

 

[PERLHR]

At least they haven’t gone down the European LCC route. 1 small backpack or handbag free, pay for a wheelaboard - with prices for the wheelaboard fluctuating according to demand, just like the airfares do. That would be something to be upset about.

Not sure where you get that from at least not all LCC in Europe. easyJet one of the biggest in the world, 15kg carry on. . And if you mean Ryanair well paying often 40 dollars return for a flight quite happy to accept and deal with their "rules and regulations".

 

[SeaWolf]

easyJet one of the biggest in the world, 15kg carry on

As long as it's small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.

https://www.easyjet.com/en/help/baggage/cabin-bags

 

[dajop]

Not sure where you get that from at least not all LCC in Europe. easyJet one of the biggest in the world, 15kg carry on. .

But it has other limits "It can be a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20 cm (including any handles and wheels) and must be kept under the seat in front of you." Most wheelaboards are bigger than that. You can however buy wheelaboards that are marketed as "easyjet underseat" luggage that are these exact dimensions, although I think a backpack is a better option.

 

[eastwest101]

I work on the damn metal tube, I've seen it with my own eyes, my colleagues have also have had the same issues but yes, we're not convinced it's due to passengers bringing more bags with less space resulting in baggage offload which takes up more of everyone's time.

I expect that the Lite fares and then people trying to take more aboard, plus the volume issue with 6 or 12 more seats in the B738 fleet and no extra overhead bin space, is starting to show up on Virgin's on-time performance statistics, as well as some workplace sprain and strain injuries from cabin crew. If Virgin fares start coming down to be close to Jetstar fares, then that is going to exacerbate the problem as Virgin have built in a reputation for being a bit more "forgiving" about carry-on luggage allowances compared to the ruthless reputation that Jetstar has.

I do take the point though that this is actually just a clarification and re-iteration of their carry-on baggage policy but its encouraging to see the attention moving more towards volume rather than weight, and will be interesting to see how good they are at enforcement, probably easy at the big airports but maybe some of the smaller understaffed ports with only a few flights a day they may not have the resources to do enforcement at check-in or at the gate?

It's the usual story about the people in an organisation, laser-focused on monetisation, e.g. seat densification of the cabin and Lite HLO fares, are never the people who are responsible for the unintended consequences of their "business improvement" ideas - in the aircraft turnaround stats, baggage tetris delays/missing a departure slot, cost of enforcement and cabin crew injuries. I would suggest that missing one departure slot at Sydney for instance, would blow up any potential revenue that is gained by seat densification or ancillary revenue from baggage for the entire aircraft for that day.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Funnily enough, the email from VA today emphasised the checked baggage allowances too, and listed Platinum Plus as 5 x 23kg, whereas the website (and earlier marketing) for Platinum Plus lists 5 x 32kg.

I know today's update is really just to the cabin baggage allowances, but when an airline is updating its baggage allowance policies and can't get its own policy right, travellers are going to get confused.

 

[n7of9]

I totally misread the email and came to this thread to raaaaaage about them removing checked bags

 

[Saab34]

Funnily enough, the email from VA today emphasised the checked baggage allowances too, and listed Platinum Plus as 5 x 23kg, whereas the website (and earlier marketing) for Platinum Plus lists 5 x 32kg.

Unless someone is moving house via Virgin those allowances are just stupid.

Why on earth would someone need 160kg?

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Unless someone is moving house via Virgin those allowances are just stupid.

Why on earth would someone need 160kg?

Musicians, national tours, (serious) shopping trips, or where a Plat Plus is flying with a group where the others are all on Lite fares but the same flight, just a few thoughts. Sure, not likely to be used by many or used often, but it's there if people need it.

 

[henrus]

Unless someone is moving house via Virgin those allowances are just stupid.

As a WP on VA I've checked an Ikea bed. I was flying anyway and the bed came in 3x boxes all under 23kg. Yes it was oversized but VA have no oversized fees which made much less than the $300 fee Ikea wanted for delivery to Central Queensland.

 

[flyingfan]

The second round of emails have gone out...

We're sorry - our previous email contained incorrect complimentary checked baggage allowance information. The correct allowances are below.

Silver, Gold & Forever Gold: 2 x 23kg
Platinum: 3 x 23kg
Platinum Plus: 5 x 32kg

 

[anat0l]

Unless someone is moving house via Virgin those allowances are just stupid.

Why on earth would someone need 160kg?

I remember the old days that the standard QF domestic J allowance was 3 bags of 32 kg. As a Platinum, you were entitled to 2 more bags, so a Platinum in J could carry your ridiculous 160 kg.

I've definitely heard a couple that used it to move across the country. People carrying a lot of collateral for conventions or the like end up using quite a bit of that allowance (probably more as pieces than the weight). Large families or family reunions (because it'd be rare for every single family member to be a Platinum).

Sure, when you don't use it and can't see yourself using it, you'd think this is a dumb idea. You might not even be phased at all if the allowance was reduced (e.g. to 3 bags), unless you're one of those people who complain just for the sake of something being lost. And I'm sure VA might be gnashing their teeth if all of the sudden every Platinum Plus regularly carried 160 kg of stuff, but of course they're relying on the mostly correct idea that that doesn't happen.

 

[anat0l]

The second round of emails have gone out...

So according to your email, Platinums (not Pluses) will get a downgrade as currently they can carry 32 kg bags regardless of class of service (now it will be 23 kg bags in Economy)? Or have they messed the bed again?