NEW BA BAGGAGE POLICY

[FloridaCandle]

Wondering what crew, especially BA, think of the new BA baggage policy. :mad:
Checked allowance for all pax, including First and Club, of 23kg a bag, instead of the old 32kg. On some routes, Economy only allowed one free checked bag. No extras for premium pax in luggage allowance. Once over the 23kg per bag, they'll be charged excess of £70 per bag. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when these footballers wives turn up with their heavy stuff. Know they can afford the excess, but the arguments should be fun (unfortunately not for ground staff)
And killer of all, pax will now be able to carry any weight on board the aircraft, albeit size restricted, provided it can fit in overhead and pax themselves lift it up. Yeah right! :eek: := :*
I should think crew must be steaming over this. I can just see the confusion now with 400 pax boarding full 747 to Florida with 3 pieces of hand luggage each, weighing an unrestricted amount, in all cabins. I'm ready to take bets on how many times the crew will asked to be lift these weighty items into already full overheads. Bad enough boarding 747 at best of times, with this new policy I dread to think of the result.
Policy starts on 11th October - dread to see BA's on time performance stats for that day. Needless to say, muggins here is flying to the US on that day - I've already ordered my dinner at Heathrow in preparation for the delay to an early morning flight!! :{
What do you think guys? Think this has the potential to be an absolute nightmare for all. :uhoh: :ouch:

[I Just Want To Fly]

It seems to be something to do with the US. The official BA allowance has always been 23kg for EH/TS/AF tickets. The IATA standard is 20kg. For travel to or via Nth or Sth America, somehow the yanks seem to have negotiated the PC (Piece) system. I would be keen to find out why... It looks like all that is happening is that airlines are slowly removing this PC system. For example for UA L/H flights to or from USA it used to be 2 bags @32kg now it is 2 @ 23kg. Just seems like BA is following suit...

One system for all carriers would be ideal, that was no one would say things like... "But United lets me have two bags!"

Good luck to all the ground crew out there.. Happy Handling!

[OzzieO]

As a purser at BA its not a problem to me at all.

I have always followed the advice BA have given me about not lifting heavy passenger baggage.

Just say NO!

[ezybus]

Floridacandle - The no wieght restriction policy has been in force at Easyjet for a couple of years now, and it works perfectly well. The pax are aware that they have to lift it in unaided, and don't have a problem. So if it works with us, why not with you????

[Eddy]

As a purser at BA its not a problem to me at all.
I have always followed the advice BA have given me about not lifting heavy passenger baggage.
Just say NO!
Indeed. I've often helped out, but that ends the day the new rules come in to place. I've got a card issued by the company clearly stating that passengers must lift their bags UNAIDED in to the lockers.

[FloridaCandle]

Hi Ezybus - short haul on EasyJet is a bit different to long haul on BA. Difficult for us women to take 3 weeks worth of clothes in one small bag!! You know how true that is! When I'm visiting friends in US where I used to live, I stay within 32kg rule, but not as low as 23kg. This is major inconvenience. :mad:
Also, although still in travel I no longer get concessions. I've paid lot more to travel in Club to MIA. Sure you'll appreciate that's a lot more than any ticket on EasyJet. Have no problem with EZ but they are - great - budget carrier. BA is one of world's major airlines. There's a bit of difference! Also many BA aircraft hold around 400 pax, more time consuming boarding, etc.

[girtbar]

ezybus who you kidding????

The unlimited weight restriction has been a nightmare in some bases and on several routes inparticular.

A/C where being delayed left right and centre as pax bags were being off loaded into the hold, so much so the crew bags were made smaller to get a little more room in the bins. Things are calming down now but i think thats from check-in finally being sensible about whats let on esp when the flight is booked full.

Personally i cant believe the CAA allow this amount of hand luggage onto the plane anyway. I can almost guarantee that overhead lockers are being crammed past the designed weight limit.

Why you need to carry so much into the cabin anyway is beyond me, if it looks like a suitcase it should be in the hold. Hand/shoulder bags and laptops should be the limit.

Will it take a death of a pax due to bags falling out in turbulence or yet more pax dying during a crash as bags hurtling out of the lockers killing them?

It just seems to fly in the face of saftey. But thats my opinon.

Ozzie you have seen first hand the state of a cabin after a crash, now add all the extra baggage people bring onboard today, would the situation not have been worse?

[SkySista]

I was just thinking the same as Girtbar... how can you have no weight limit on hand luggage? Surely you need to know what's going into the o/h lockers so as to not overload them?? Safety issue too.... Say the pax is a big beefy rugby player, can lift a ton... does that mean if he can lift his 40kg (albeit small) bag then it can go in the o/h??/ That's Insane!!!! :ugh:

Here in Aus CASA have just clamped down on hand luggage as it's supposed to be no heavier than 7kg, as well as fit size limits.... some smaller airline have 4kg, and the amount of crap people try to take onboard is mental...

My most used line?? "Madam, I hardly think you will need your hairdryer, you tennis raquet AND all of your clothes on a 2 hour flight" :\ :} :E

[ezybus]

skysista - how can you calculate the weight of a plane of passengers when you don't weigh each individual????? your point is not valid in this case. There is a size restriction, and there is only so much weight you can get into a bag of this size.

Even when you have a weight restriction of 5 or 7 kilos, do you think the extra weight you add to your handbaggage in duty free is also added in??? 4 bottles of booze = 10 kilos!!

[flyyy]

that is going to be interesting.
i am working at the gate for BA and even if we really try hard to avoid big bags to go into the cabin, it is a total mess when flights are fully booked. most passengers have bags that are the right size (we have those things where they have to put them in to check the size), but if every passenger has one of those there is not enough space in the cabin.

we have the advise that luggage over a certain weight is not allowed due to savety. so even if business pax are allowed to have 18kg in total (handluggage) it has to be split into 2 bags of 9kg. so why is it suddenly ok to have heavier bags in the overhead lockers?

[SuperBoy]

Unlimited hand baggage - I'd love to see the capt or f/o get the trim right for take off. :):):):)

[Final 3 Greens]

'scuse a dumb question from a pax, but what do you do if a small person can lift the hand baggage themselves, but can't reach the bin?

I saw this the other week and a CC member did it, but seems like many here would not (no criticism implied.)

What would happen?

[swashbuckler]

As an EasyJet cabin crew, I can confirm you that the unlimited weight restriction policy is dreadful, specially in wintertime when passengers take off their coats and stow them in the compartments...Huge delays, a great deal of bags being offloaded to the hold which create a lot of tension b/ pax & crew.
I refuse to lift pax luggage, i'm not covered by the company's insurance...Yet, I sometimes have to do it if the passenger is frail, disabled, old or simply dwarfy...

[The Moo]

On eurofleet at lhr we already have daily fight with pax as we cannot accom all the hand baggage we routinley fill wardrobes to the ceiling we throw 4/5 bags in the flight deck (unsecured) just to make on time departures.

IMHO ezy pax are very different to lhr biz men who carry a trolley and a laptop often these trolleys will only fit lenght ways ie. 2 take up an entire locker.

The baggage gagues !!!! what a joke haven't we seen all this before they become door stops and no ground staff enforce them. The bag should fit within the constraints of the whole cage no just dunk it in and out so it could be 6ft tall but only 24in wide and they let it on.

Sorry rant over

[SkySista]

Ezybus,

your point is not valid in this case

Tell me that when you get lobbed on the head by a 12kg bag!!! :E

As for 'adding' 5kg worth of duty free - some people may do it, but I stick to the weight limits- they're there for a reason, not to piss me off.

Airline crew really should know better!!! :rolleyes:

[ezybus]

So SKYSIATA are you saying that you never buy duty free after you have checked in???????:confused:

SWASHBUCKLER - Where do you work??? There are very FEW delays due to the amount of handbaggage. I also work for ezy and have never had to delaya flight due to no baggage. If the bag is too big offload it at the start - not when the pax is halfway down the cabin and you have already boarded. You still have the reponsibility to check for handbaggage size

[flybywire]

skysista - how can you calculate the weight of a plane of passengers when you don't weigh each individual????? your point is not valid in this case. There is a size restriction, and there is only so much weight you can get into a bag of this size.

EZYBUS I see what you're saying but I have to correct you in this. If you have a look at any loadsheet for any of your flights - or if you ask any of your skippers - you'll see that each person is given an assigned weight. There's a set weight for each female pax, male pax, child and infant. It might be that on one flight the calculation is slightly over and on another slightly below the real combined weight of pax, but most likely (and amazingly) it's quite accurate.

[girtbar]

Well i must be one of those unfortunate crews that are mistaken for the removal van, as im delayed at least once twice a week if not more due to baggage ( the Grand Pianos, Oil Paintings and the usual) being offloaded.

Thats not my main concern though. As SkySista points out its the potential for that grand piano falling out of the locker and onto my head, babys head etc.....

:eek:

[SLF3]

So are they taking all the weight limit stickers out of the overhead lockers then?

We have just had a flyer from BA on new luggage limits from the 5th July. It appears to say the carry on allowance is the same in every class. Is this true?

I have not checked in a bag long haul for years, and don't really want to start now.

[SkySista]

Ezybus, actually, no, I don't usually. Because I know that buying 3 bottles of grog is going to put me way over the carry-on weight limit so I don't buy it. If I just have a tiny handbag with me to carry on then I might buy something, but I'm not going to go over the weight limit just because I want to buy grog a bit cheaper than at home...

Is it really so hard for people to see how having 'unlimited' weights in hand luggage is a problem?!

[FloridaCandle]

An interesting point remains on BA's website in relation to hand baggage and clearance through Security checkpoints.
Customers booked to travel should arrive at the airport two hours before the scheduled departure time, as normal. However, we advise customers to minimise the amount of hand baggage they carry with them and allow sufficient time to clear central security searches.
Seems like the left hand doesn't know what the right's doing at BA. Their new luggage policy COMPLETELY contradicts this. := :O
Just a thought Ezybus - you say there's only so much you can get in a suitcase of a certain size, remember some things weigh heavy - the bullion in the Italian Job springs to mind!! I personally wouldn't like something like that on my head, though I'd sure as hell keep it (if I lived)!

[galanjal]

this is going to be a nightmare! I work for BMED and we already have problems with big bags in the cabin. most of our pax connect onto our aircraft from transatlantic flights with MASSIVE bags that might just fit into 747 lockers but certainly not our little 321's!! routinely I offload 20 bags + on some routes!

[dustybin]

OMG, i'am panicking now as i'am going away next year to get married and travelling with BA. I will never get all my clothes for 2 weeks and my wedding stuff into 23kg.:eek: I work for a LCC and we have the same problem with increased handbaggage, it's a nightmare. I do not lift anyones bags inless they are old, have children etc but i refuse to carry grown mens suitcases.

[Eddy]

However, we advise customers to minimise the amount of hand baggage they carry with them and allow sufficient time to clear central security searches.

Seems like the left hand doesn't know what the right's doing at BA. Their new luggage policy COMPLETELY contradicts this. := :O

Not entirely sure that it does.

The left hand is advising people to travel with as little luggage as possible BUT the right hand is telling people that they have a greater allowance should they wish to use it.

Poorly worded perhaps, but not entirely a contradiction.

As for the question earlier about what happens if someone can't lift their own bag to the locker which wasn't answered (or atleast, I didn't notice a direct answer), the answer to that would really be one of two things.

1) Have another passenger lift it at the first customer's request
2) Have the bag offloaded

I commute to ABZ from LHR and was told the other day at LHR that I will need to buy a NEW wheelie as my current one (the same Samsonite used by the majority of crew) is to big for the new gauges. I'm yet to see one of the new gauges but I'll be damned if I'm spending another £140.00 on a new Samsonite (and I won't use anything else due to the wear and tear these bags endure).

[Eddy]

this is going to be a nightmare! I work for BMED and we already have problems with big bags in the cabin. most of our pax connect onto our aircraft from transatlantic flights with MASSIVE bags that might just fit into 747 lockers but certainly not our little 321's!! routinely I offload 20 bags + on some routes!

Hi matey. If anything, this new rule SHOULD help you. The airport authorities (ground staff and, in London atleast, Securicor/BAA) and cabin crew will be more strictly monitoring hand luggage - it's already started to an extent at Heathrow where they are getting VERY strict on size/weight of hand luggage. If anything, you should begin to notice FEWER large bags coming in to the cabin, it just happens that the smaller bags you see will weigh more than two of the bigger ones put together :mad:

Good luck

[galanjal]

Hi matey. If anything, this new rule SHOULD help you. The airport authorities (ground staff and, in London atleast, Securicor/BAA) and cabin crew will be more strictly monitoring hand luggage - it's already started to an extent at Heathrow where they are getting VERY strict on size/weight of hand luggage. If anything, you should begin to notice FEWER large bags coming in to the cabin, it just happens that the smaller bags you see will weigh more than two of the bigger ones put together :mad:

Good luck
thanks for the positive thoughts and I really do hope that happens although I wont hold my breath! but the real problem for us will be at the outstations where any BA policy is totally disregarded. it really is a big problem. recently did a trip and had 8 people unpacking their MASSIVE wheelies into our duty free bags, there literally was no room for them. my crew hate me I'm sure because I let on as many bags as I can, I really do want to accomodate our pax. I've had toilets packed almost to the ceilings with toiletry packs and blanket bags to make more room in the lockers but when there is no room, there really is no room! surely it can only get worse?

[luoto]

OF course many passengers do get annoyed when stuff is stored in overhead lockers in those "crew use only" ones, often in row 1/2 of the smaller jungle jets. And that is before fellow crew move house as well with everything in the overhead (if the wardrobes are not fitted :)

But hey,flight crew must have some perks.

[flyyy]

Hi matey. If anything, this new rule SHOULD help you. The airport authorities (ground staff and, in London atleast, Securicor/BAA) and cabin crew will be more strictly monitoring hand luggage - it's already started to an extent at Heathrow where they are getting VERY strict on size/weight of hand luggage. If anything, you should begin to notice FEWER large bags coming in to the cabin, it just happens that the smaller bags you see will weigh more than two of the bigger ones put together

i don't think so. up to now bags that were the right size had to be checked in because they were too heavy. and if the flights were very full check-in agents made sure every bag that is over the 6kg (economy class) goes to the hold. now that argument does not work anymore, and on flights were there are lots of business passengers (well, business men flying economy class) every single one of them will have a trolley, right size of course. there is going to be much more handluggage than there is space for overhead.

well... we will see, i am sure it is going to be interesting

[Shack37]

Where can I read this new baggage policy in full?
What routes are affected (if not all of them that is)?
Looks like baggage will cost more than the fare in many cases.
No pun intended.

S37

[FloridaCandle]

Hi Shack 37
You can find the full details on http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagpolicy/public/en_gb
happy reading.:mad:

[derekvader]

I work for a LCC and we have the same problem with increased handbaggage, it's a nightmare. I do not lift anyones bags inless they are old, have children etc but i refuse to carry grown mens suitcases.

That's a rather inconsiderate view. It's quite possible for a "grown man" to have sciatica (trapped nerve) for a few months or years, amongst other reasons, and be under doctor's orders not to lift anything at all, but this condition would be invisible to you. You should do better to lift bags based on whether the person asks you nicely, whoever they are, or not lift bags at all for anyone, than to make assumptions based on their appearance.