Virgin Blue announce new baggage prices

[oz_mark]

Yes and limited to 7kgs although I have not seen anyone with scales weighing hand luggage. How long before they strictly enforce this as well?

They may be strict. They recently added this (not sure exactly when, but it didn't use to be there), to the carry-on section of the website

Note: If your carry-on baggage is greater than this allowance and you try to bring it onboard, you will be advised at the gate that the bag is too large for the cabin and it will need to be treated as checked baggage. In this case the following process will apply:
Virgin Blue domestic flights
Your bag will be tagged at the gate, processed accordingly and checked in the hold, and on arrival, it will be available for collection at the Baggage Blues counter. Here you will be charged a $20 fee for up to 23kg (if you are travelling on a Blue saver or GO! Fare), plus any applicable excess baggage charges.

Pacific Blue domestic flights
Your bag will be tagged at the gate and you will be charged a $20 fee for up to 23kg (if you are travelling on a Blue Saver or GO! Fare), plus any applicable excess baggage charges. Your bag will be checked in the hold, and on arrival, it will be available for collection at the baggage carousel.

OTOH, as far as I can see Laptops are in addition to the 7kg!

 

[v8Statesman]

I dispute this. It depends on route. One reason why I prefer CBR-MEL on DJ is that I have never had a problem finding o/h locker space, yet on QF at same time of day, I often have to sit my computer on the floor on front of my because of all the "kitchen sinks" packed in the o/h lockers. I do suspect that this will change with the new DJ charges

You may find it the other way, as people start to fly QF for the free luggage check. People are odd. They will pay $50 more for a fare that includes free luggage vs an exta $8 for the abbility to check luggage.

 

[pauly7]

I dispute this. It depends on route. One reason why I prefer CBR-MEL on DJ is that I have never had a problem finding o/h locker space, yet on QF at same time of day, I often have to sit my computer on the floor on front of my because of all the "kitchen sinks" packed in the o/h lockers. I do suspect that this will change with the new DJ charges

Fair enough, haven't flown that route with DJ. I fly the heavy business routes and times with both carriers and both carriers 737's are chockas in the overhead department.

Hence why I always try to engineer my business travel with QF and their larger aircraft.

 

[dajop]

Hence why I always try to engineer my business travel with QF and their larger aircraft.

Or you can go the other way and travel on QF Link and their smaller aircraft O/H locker space not too bad as the bigger stuff gets tagged upon boarding ...

 

[Dalmien76]

Sure I will take into consideration the extra $8 when looking at DJ airfares. The point I was trying to make is at this point in time there is very little difference between QF airfares and DJ airfares. This new charge is going to bring the airfares much closer, if not actually tip the DJ airfare higher than the QF airfare, and for that miniscule difference I would choose QF everytime....

John K, Have you even looked at the fare levels to get a comparison to validate your claim? I looked at a fare from BNE-SYD and the DJ GO Fare was $79, plus $8 if you want the baggage allowance comes to $87. The cheapest QF fare I found for the same day was $107.

I hope that your meal that you get (or lack there of now with QF) and the service is worth the extra $20 difference there are in fares.

Of course some days QF maybe cheaper than DJ and vice versa. Depends on how full the flights are. It is the way the airlines are going. And don't think that with Alan Joyce coming in as Geoff Dixon's replacement that changes won't happen. Remember, he was the CEO of their low-cost airline Jetstar, so look forward to some interesting changes.

Oh, and I found more $79 fares available across all flights that day than I did with the QF $107 fares. 24 flights with DJ at $79 as opposed to 7 with QF, and mind you, this was dated 3rd Mar 09......The next cheapest fare after that is $131......

 

[straitman]

Dalmien76,

I think you need to look a bit further.deeper.

JohnK commutes weekly between SYD and BNE and looking ahead at the times he travels the QF fare is (almost always) equal or the cheaper option than the DJ fare. As you correctly point out

Of course some days QF maybe cheaper than DJ and vice versa. Depends on how full the flights are. It is the way the airlines are going.

 

[Dalmien76]

Dalmien76,

I think you need to look a bit further.deeper.

JohnK commutes weekly between SYD and BNE and looking ahead at the times he travels the QF fare is (almost always) equal or the cheaper option than the DJ fare. As you correctly point out

Ok, Interesting that I looked just now for BNE-SYD for next tue and found 9 fares cheaper than QF for that day.

I like how you mentioned that QF fare is almost always equal to or the cheaper option than DJ. I think you need to look a little further and deeper.

 

[straitman]

Ok, Interesting that I looked just now for BNE-SYD for next tue and found 9 fares cheaper than QF for that day.

I like how you mentioned that QF fare is almost always equal to or the cheaper option than DJ. I think you need to look a little further and deeper.

Dalmien76,

I believe you missed my point which was at the times that JohnK travels the QF fare is almost always equal or the cheaper option than DJ. (I only extrapolated out approx 3 months)

The rest of the time DJ is sometimes cheaper and QF is sometimes cheaper.

 

[Saab34]

What about JQ?

 

[JohnK]

John K, Have you even looked at the fare levels to get a comparison to validate your claim? I looked at a fare from BNE-SYD and the DJ GO Fare was $79, plus $8 if you want the baggage allowance comes to $87. The cheapest QF fare I found for the same day was $107.

I have been commuting SYD-BNE weekly for close to 2 months now. I have airfares booked until the end of the yeat and I do extensive research of the fares on both DJ and QF.

I hope that your meal that you get (or lack there of now with QF) and the service is worth the extra $20 difference there are in fares.

I need to factor in more than a meal when I do the bookings. There is very little fare difference between DJ and QF and if there was a fare difference it would need to be a lot more than $20 to sway me to fly DJ. It is simple things like

• Platinum status on QF vs no status on DJ and realistically no chance of attaining Gold status on DJ
• Priority check-in on QF vs waiting in line on DJ
• Get preferred seating choice, plus the occasional upgrade to business class, and I am seated in the first 2 rows of economy on most flights with QF vs I have absolutely no idea where I will be sitting with DJ
• Ability to check in 3 x 32kgs bags, plus carry-on, on QF vs 1 bag x 23kgs, plus carry-on of 7kgs, on DJ. Now this is not a great issue but it is there if I need to bring the kitchen sink with me
• Earn minimum 1,000 QFF points regardless of the airfare paid vs Velocity points at 5 x $value of airfare on DJ
• QF being a member of the Oneworld alliance should not be underestimated vs DJ does not belong to an alliance
• QFF points go a lot further and have more airlines partners vs DJ limited redemption possibilities with fewer airline partners
• On Friday evening I can have up to 3 complimentary beers with QF vs paying $7 per beer with DJ. Yes I know I can stock up on alcohol in the lounge prior to the flight but it is also nice to be able to have a drink inside the aircraft to pass the time away

Ok, Interesting that I looked just now for BNE-SYD for next tue and found 9 fares cheaper than QF for that day.

I like how you mentioned that QF fare is almost always equal to or the cheaper option than DJ. I think you need to look a little further and deeper.

I have little choice on the days or times I can commute. Generally it will be SYD-BNE on Sunday afternoon/evening, to maximise time at home, and BNE-SYD on Friday evening.

The longer I am employed the greater freedom I will have in returning possibly on a Thursday night, and working from home on Friday, or even leaving just after lunch on Friday.

Sometimes I will book flights based on schedule and availability and the other times, as I mentioned earlier, DJ airfares need to be a lot more than $20 cheaper than QF airfares for me to book flights on DJ.

So in summary I have done my research thoroughly and I have implemented a plan that will not cost me too much, give me travelling comfort and allow me to spend as much time as possible at home on the weekend. As is the case with these type of things we are not all the same and to achieve the simple things I listed earlier I am prepared to spend an extra $2,000 a year to fly with QF. As it works out the difference will be a lot less than $2,000 a year taking into consideration travel days, luggage, food and beverages and the rest of the benefits....

 

[v8Statesman]

I nicely written well balanced (IMHO) post JohnK. I think that sums the whole thing up nicely.

I travel PER-BNE often. I get to pick the days and flighs well in advance so I always use Super saver and upgrade to J after doing dummy J award bookings to find U seats. (This is what works for me)

I then use all of my 5 x 32kg allowance. Try doing that on DJ at cheapish fares + a few easily gained points.

 

[JohnK]

Virgin Blue will introduce a new “pay for weight” baggage policy which will apply to Virgin Blue and Pacific Blue domestic flights for fares booked from Monday 18 August on flights departing from Monday 1 September 2008. This policy replaces the current allowance of up to 20kg of free checked baggage.....

Do I get free checked baggage, up to 23kgs, for a SYD-BNE return flight in November considering the booking was made back in July before these changes were announced?

Reading the above paragraph from the Virgin Blue website makes me think that I am exempt from baggage charges.

 

[serfty]

You should be entitled to this. Make sure you have all documentation (showing dates etc) with you when checking in.

 

[Bellthorpe]

Do I get free checked baggage, up to 23kgs, for a SYD-BNE return flight in November considering the booking was made back in July before these changes were announced?

No.

These words are to get around the 'your message was too short' message.

 

[oz_mark]

Do I get free checked baggage, up to 23kgs, for a SYD-BNE return flight in November considering the booking was made back in July before these changes were announced?

Reading the above paragraph from the Virgin Blue website makes me think that I am exempt from baggage charges.

Virgin Blue > Baggage allowance and excess baggage

If you purchased before 18 Aug 2008, for travel on or after Sept 1, 2008, you have a 23 kg allowance.

 

[bdl]

Do I get free checked baggage, up to 23kgs, for a SYD-BNE return flight in November considering the booking was made back in July before these changes were announced?

You will - the way I checked mine was to "manage your booking" on their website and then try and upgrade your baggage - it should kick back a message saying that a baggage allowance has already been purchased (or words to that effect).

bdl

 

[Bellthorpe]

I stand corrected. My recollection of the email sent me from Virgin was faulty.

 

[JohnK]

I guess I read the terms and conditions right. I will make sure I have a copy of the booking and the announcemnet on the website when I check-in.