Originally Posted by bealine
Let's get something straight here - the short-haul fares nowadays are comparable to EasyJet or Ryanair, with some being even lower than the charterers.
Nobody bats an eyelid when EasyJet or Ryanair charge for every grramme of excess (and their allowances are significantly less than BA's new ones), but somehow you feel BA is being unreasonable when it enforces the allowances.
The US carriers have disallowed bags over 23 kgs for over eighteen months now (AA, CO, US, UA etc) and charge $50 if a bag is over 23 kgs.
BA has chosen to have 23 kgs as the absolute upper limit - our prerogative, end of story! The terms and conditions of carriage are perfectly fair and reasonable and sufficient notice has been given for you to find an alternative carrier if you don't like the new allowances. The vast majority of passengers will notice little or no difference. The "traders" who have made vast profits at the airlines' expense for so long will now have to pay their way - and what's wrong with that?
If you ask for a refund of an existing ticket because the changes to the Terms and Conditions are no longer acceptable to you (ie You use the Trading Standards Terminology, asking to speak to a supervisor in necessary, that the reservation is "Not Fit For the Purpose For Which It Was Sold!") that we will undoubtedly refund your ticket price. British Airways usually acts fairly and reasonably under UK Law.
The aviation industry is undergoing rapid change. As fares are being driven ever downwards, managers are being forced into lateral thinking in order to replace the lost revenue.
My bolding applies
Firstly - BA did
NOT advise me of this planned change at time of booking in April - not made online, but through res office. Had BA advised this was to be the case in October I
WOULD have taken my custom elsewhere. Yes it is your prerogative to change your policies, but I booked in good faith based on your policy at time of booking, not those which nobody bothered to mention until June.
Since April and date of announcement of changes, other plans have been made (both business and personal) which mean I can't change my dates of travel. So I either waste my ticket, or pay even more to bring home what I would've been allowed when I entered a contract with BA.
Secondly, I've asked what the situation is regarding refund, and unfortunately because of my ticket type they won't allow it.
So I'm sorry to say BA are screwing me every which way.
You say it won't affect many people, maybe it won't but the fact it affects those who booked in good faith with you is wrong. What about those people go on specific shopping trips to the US - it'll certainly affect them.
I use my October trip to buy different Christmas pressies for family and friends and have never had a problem in the past. BA have now made sure I will in the future.
I see VS are still keeping their 3 x 32 kg for UC pax and 2 x 32kg for PE pax, and remember their UC is equivalent to BA Club, not even First. Yes, I agree there's time for them to change, but they haven't done yet.
If things remain the same for my next trip in February, I
WILL have a choice then and know which airline I'll use.
Finally, BA are planning to charge £120 a bag (discounted to £96 if pre paid), considerably higher than the US carriers rate of $50 (as you quote above)!