BA Revises its Baggage Policy ... Again

News from BA today describes the baggage policy from February:

- maximum weight 23kg in all classes
- three x 23kg bags in First, 2 x 23kg bags in CW and WT+ and 1 x 23kg bag in WT/econ
- £96 per bag if over and paid online, £120 if paid at the airport
- hand baggage continues to be restricted to the current system for all

What I love most about the news is that they call it "FREE checked baggage" - oh, so what else is free, perhaps food and wine, films, oxygen ... before they become non-free!!!

[fozzyo]

Why does someone in First require three times as much luggage as someone in Econ?

NO WAY! I have two flights coming up with BA (Jan and September) both in Club. I don't think I can get away with 23k as my case weighs a lot empty!

As to answer Fozzyo's question about 3 times the luggage. They may not need it but wouldn't you want 3 times the luggage allowance having paid maybe 10 times the amount for your seat?

Paul

So are we looking for other carriers to follow suit? [:w]

Originally posted by p17blo
NO WAY! I have two flights coming up with BA (Jan and September) both in Club. I don't think I can get away with 23k as my case weighs a lot empty!

Well if you're in club you'll get 2*23 and as for September - I wouldn't worry they'll probably change again by then.

I was more interested to see BA's new policy for reserving seats on line and wondered whether VS might think of following suit.

Phil FM

It's just such a pain having to take 2 cases when everything will fit in 1. 23kgs per piece is a crap limit[n]BA seem to be really kicking it's premium cutomers in the nuts what with this and the new bloody seating policy[V]

At first, I was thinking hand luggage, but now I realise it's luggage for the hold (what's the name?[:I]) - how can they expect anyone to fit everything into 23Kg.[:0] This should at least be exclusive of empty case weight[:0][:0][:0][:0]

VS.

And VS allows 3 pieces of 32kg for UC... booked an UV flight last week - (and for all you seasoned travellers who fly UC all the time, I have to say what a pleasure it was to be speaking to the premier team - that's how customer service should always be! Matt (expunge that name if it's not permitted) not only sorted the flights, he told me about the luggage allowance and CH treatments). Who can manage to take that amount of stuff away though? We usually manage only one case each and those are way under the allowance..... what are we doing wrong?[}:)]

Who can manage to take that amount of stuff away though? We usually manage only one case each and those are way under the allowance..... what are we doing wrong?[}:)]

You should meet the no. 1 - after a splurge at the Desert Hills mall south of LA he can fill four 32kg suitcases [:0] (yes really, and don't ask ... everything bar the kitchen sink!).

Even better about VS, is this has happened a couple of times and we've been waved through with no excess. VS really can be great!

Originally posted by FamilyMan
I was more interested to see BA's new policy for reserving seats on line and wondered whether VS might think of following suit.

Phil FM

What did I miss about the online reserving of seating?

Paul

Hi,

If you do not have any status and not on a full fare and not travelling with infants ( even in Club)- no seat choice for you until OLCI at T-24 ie for good seats you will need to find a pc pdq close to T-24.

There have been numerous complaints about top tiers being omved out of seats and being unable to get them back.

Regards

TBS

Originally posted by catsilversword
We usually manage only one case each and those are way under the allowance..... what are we doing wrong?[}:)]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong!

My main bag (RedOxx Air Boss) weighs just over 1.75 kilos empty w' TSA locks. I usually top it out at 16 kilos (preferably much less, except in winter) with everything I need for at least two weeks, even a month. That includes the cabin bag (RedOxx Gator or their Padded Briefcase) which weighs less than a kilo empty, and I don't let it get over 5 kilos full (my back won't let me). I strip the cabin bag out when I check in. I could avoid checking the larger bag if I wanted (on many flights it's under the weight limit, and it's under the size limit as well), I just don't want to haul it about. I use a separate 1 1/2 kilo luggage cart, because my bags don't have wheels. That's why they're so light!

(For those who want to know who makes lighter bags: RedOxx)
Lifetime guarantee if any damage happens to the bags. Fixed or replaced for free. They even pay for the return shipping. Excellent, top-notch customer service and fast shipping.

I am always amazed at those with mountains of baggage - what's in those cases, anyway? Remember, folks, the first 3 letters in 'luggage' are 'lug.' Rhymes with 'ugh.'

Baggage-challenged? You might try reading this site + bookmarking it: Doug Dyment's site

Great book for travelers: Smart Packing for Today's Traveler, by Susan Foster. Amazon has it if your local shop doesn't want to order it in for you. Updated 2003. ISBN:0-9702196-6-0 At $19.95 it's cheaper than a chiropractor. Much cheaper than excess baggage fees!

From Anne McAlpin's Pack it Up: if you want to get away from it all, why take it all with you?

Holiday or Hauliday, it's up to you...

Can anyone tell me what the BA allowances on connecting flights will be, ie fly back into LGW with VS in upper and then a shuttle back to EDI.

thanks

David.

Being fair to a fault, I don't think anyone has yet posted a link in this thread to the actual announcement as such - which, crucially, states with an asterisk that "World Traveller customers travelling to or from the US, Canada, Caribbean, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico will continue to be allowed two checked bags in line with the local government regulations". Phew. Still wouldn't fancy only being able to take one bag to - say - Asia, though. (Oh, and Club World gets three bags though Club Europe only gets two.)

I quite like British Airways; based on admittedly limited and highly Y-restricted experience, it's my second favourite transatlantic airline. (What's my favourite? It's a dead heat between all the rest. No, I jest. I'd go VS, BA, DL, then I'd have to scrabble around to remember journeys taken over AA and AC many years ago, then FI.)

VS in preference to BA any day of the week, though
Chris