Advance Warning - British Airways - Maximum Permitted Baggage Weight
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Advance Warning - British Airways - Maximum Permitted Baggage Weight
Due to Health and Safety concerns (we lose a number of Baggage Handlers each year through injury at work), British Airways will not be able to accept any bag as Checked Passenger Baggage weighing over 32Kg from 1st January 2003.
(This is regardless of your willingness to pay excess baggage)
You will be offered the opportunity to purchase a second bag and divide the contents between the two bags, or you have the opportunity to contact our World Cargo division in advance to make arrangements for it to be shipped as "Freight".
There are some exceptions including musical instruments (we couldn't really expect you to chop a double bass in two!) but I would ask for your sympathy in this regard - Loading and unloading bags is not a pleasant job (that's why Bealine doesn't do it!) - especially crouching in tight corners trying to manhandle heavy awkward shaped objects into position!
Thank you for your consideration of my colleagues and your cooperation
(This is regardless of your willingness to pay excess baggage)
You will be offered the opportunity to purchase a second bag and divide the contents between the two bags, or you have the opportunity to contact our World Cargo division in advance to make arrangements for it to be shipped as "Freight".
There are some exceptions including musical instruments (we couldn't really expect you to chop a double bass in two!) but I would ask for your sympathy in this regard - Loading and unloading bags is not a pleasant job (that's why Bealine doesn't do it!) - especially crouching in tight corners trying to manhandle heavy awkward shaped objects into position!
Thank you for your consideration of my colleagues and your cooperation
Too mean to buy a long personal title
Quite right too, although I have a number of colleagues who will have to find a bit of alternative legal work to replace the injury claims when they've reduced in number ...
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'bout time too. Think even 32 kg (70lb) is too heavy. Try lifting tons of them through a day. I've seen pax at check-in with enormous baggage weighing far more than that waiting for a shift change so they can try the next agent - one who might not charge an over-weight charge for four or six 100 lb suitcases per family. I guarantee they were never successful and several missed their flights. To all the pax out there... forget about moving house in your luggage. Take a boat instead.
Once upon a time (prehistoric) I used to unload 100 lb sacks of chemicals from boxcars, manually, in 30 below temps.
Once upon a time (prehistoric) I used to unload 100 lb sacks of chemicals from boxcars, manually, in 30 below temps.
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FINALLY!!!
We have been suggesting this to Management the past year.
I always weight everybodys baggage angainst their bagge allowances and also weigh Hand Luggage making sure its not ver 7KGS
Plus anything really over 25KS can cause the belts to go down and causing inconnvienience to our customers at check in.
Flights to New York, Montego Bay and Tel Aviv seems to go over 32KGS a lot.
So please don't come to Check In and say "Nobody told us"
Thanks
We have been suggesting this to Management the past year.
I always weight everybodys baggage angainst their bagge allowances and also weigh Hand Luggage making sure its not ver 7KGS
Plus anything really over 25KS can cause the belts to go down and causing inconnvienience to our customers at check in.
Flights to New York, Montego Bay and Tel Aviv seems to go over 32KGS a lot.
So please don't come to Check In and say "Nobody told us"
Thanks
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Really for ostensible reason - cabin baggage
I have always felt that if the cabin baggage weight limit (which I have only ever seen BA and EZY try to enforce) was actually for the ostensible reason, then:
1) It would be the same in all classes.
2) It would not apply to bags that clearly fit under the seat in front.
A pilot case with just a notebook PC in it is very close to the limit, but it's still practically empty.
Momo
1) It would be the same in all classes.
2) It would not apply to bags that clearly fit under the seat in front.
A pilot case with just a notebook PC in it is very close to the limit, but it's still practically empty.
Momo
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atco-matic - I'm surprised at your attack on my LHR colleague!
Cabin Baggage (or CBBG as it's lnown in our circles) will always cause problems both for you the passenger, and us the Ground Staff!
We tried to be lenient a few nights ago with a Leeds/Bradford service and what happened?..........32 minutes delay while the despatcher raced across the airfield in the car for 12 baggage tags because they couldn't physically be accommodated in the cabin.
6 kg is the maximum you're permitted in one bag in the economy cabin (plus a laptop if you've got one - That is a Laptop Only, not one of those bags that contains laptop and overnight clothes!!!) Even if you're travelling Club or First Class, the additional allowance is supposed to be split into bags of no more than 6kg!
To avoid conflict, we often let bags go on board up to 7 or 7.5 kg.
For your information, this is NOT jobsworth attitude - ask the many injured passengers on the GB Airways aircraft a couple of weeks ago. When it hit turbulence, ALL the injuries were caused by heavy CBBG!
Unfortunately, we're often slated because US carriers allow heavier bags on board - I saw a 21 kg monster boarded on to a US domestic flight recently (YYZ-EWR). One of the Boarding Gate team was going to check it, but another whispered in her ear "He is in Business First!) - so on it went!!! What the FAA decide is their own affair, we just know European airline standards are 500% safer from that point of view!
The fact is atco-matic, I have often let things go which, in reality, I shouldn't! The result is that you're pleased with me and cross with Heathrow 09L. In reality, Heathrow 09L is probably doing a better job than me - in protecting you from harm!
Cabin Baggage (or CBBG as it's lnown in our circles) will always cause problems both for you the passenger, and us the Ground Staff!
We tried to be lenient a few nights ago with a Leeds/Bradford service and what happened?..........32 minutes delay while the despatcher raced across the airfield in the car for 12 baggage tags because they couldn't physically be accommodated in the cabin.
6 kg is the maximum you're permitted in one bag in the economy cabin (plus a laptop if you've got one - That is a Laptop Only, not one of those bags that contains laptop and overnight clothes!!!) Even if you're travelling Club or First Class, the additional allowance is supposed to be split into bags of no more than 6kg!
To avoid conflict, we often let bags go on board up to 7 or 7.5 kg.
For your information, this is NOT jobsworth attitude - ask the many injured passengers on the GB Airways aircraft a couple of weeks ago. When it hit turbulence, ALL the injuries were caused by heavy CBBG!
Unfortunately, we're often slated because US carriers allow heavier bags on board - I saw a 21 kg monster boarded on to a US domestic flight recently (YYZ-EWR). One of the Boarding Gate team was going to check it, but another whispered in her ear "He is in Business First!) - so on it went!!! What the FAA decide is their own affair, we just know European airline standards are 500% safer from that point of view!
The fact is atco-matic, I have often let things go which, in reality, I shouldn't! The result is that you're pleased with me and cross with Heathrow 09L. In reality, Heathrow 09L is probably doing a better job than me - in protecting you from harm!
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Cheers Bealine
Its many things I like about BA and one is support from your colleagues.
Its worse when you are at gates and got abot 90 odd customers behind you waiting to hand their boarding cards and passports to you but when person xxxx has a massive carry on you have to spend ages dealing with it and results in holding people up.
Obviously common sense should be used. Plus if you are on check in or gates vice versa then it is frustrating for the gate staff to deal with heavy hand luggage and then when that flight has gone they look at the passengers name and near it shows the agent reference who checked them in and it all comes back to us on check in, surely people can appreciate we have to cover ourselves. Plus if I've pointed out about h/lugge I always either gate or standard comment it.
Its many things I like about BA and one is support from your colleagues.
Its worse when you are at gates and got abot 90 odd customers behind you waiting to hand their boarding cards and passports to you but when person xxxx has a massive carry on you have to spend ages dealing with it and results in holding people up.
Obviously common sense should be used. Plus if you are on check in or gates vice versa then it is frustrating for the gate staff to deal with heavy hand luggage and then when that flight has gone they look at the passengers name and near it shows the agent reference who checked them in and it all comes back to us on check in, surely people can appreciate we have to cover ourselves. Plus if I've pointed out about h/lugge I always either gate or standard comment it.
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Here's the input from Essex Stansted ... I mean London Stansted.
The only airline I constantly have problems with heavy bags is Kibris Turkish. In the summer of 2000 we had a limit whereby we would not accept any single bag over 35kgs, passengers had to split it. However after a couple of months this was cancelled and again it was a free for all.
We now accept any weight bags (anything over 20kgs gets a Heavy Sticker), and in fact received a memo from management last week advising that the baggage belts can accept anything upto 60kgs - so we no longer need to send heavy nags to the Out Of Gauge/Fragile belt.
The only airline I constantly have problems with heavy bags is Kibris Turkish. In the summer of 2000 we had a limit whereby we would not accept any single bag over 35kgs, passengers had to split it. However after a couple of months this was cancelled and again it was a free for all.
We now accept any weight bags (anything over 20kgs gets a Heavy Sticker), and in fact received a memo from management last week advising that the baggage belts can accept anything upto 60kgs - so we no longer need to send heavy nags to the Out Of Gauge/Fragile belt.
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Bealine,
The US airline that allowed a Business First passenger to take a 21kg bag in to the cabin have cabin crew who put their own full size suitcases in the overhead lockers on their 777s.
And yes two lockers did burst open on landing, fortunately the contents did not fall out.
The US airline that allowed a Business First passenger to take a 21kg bag in to the cabin have cabin crew who put their own full size suitcases in the overhead lockers on their 777s.
And yes two lockers did burst open on landing, fortunately the contents did not fall out.
What is the best way for those with expensive camera equipment that I for one would be very reluctant to put in the hold? for fear of damage/theft. I had, until recently, a metal camera box with all my gear in and it was of such a size to fit under the seat of even the smallest airliner (managed to get it on a SA Metro)
However on a few flights it was suggested I put in the hold - once it was explained that it contained 'valuables' it was not a problem to have it in the cabin.
I did not meet an airline official who insisted on it going in the hold - if i had my answer would have been to take out all the valuables and let my empty case go in the hold.
However on a few flights it was suggested I put in the hold - once it was explained that it contained 'valuables' it was not a problem to have it in the cabin.
I did not meet an airline official who insisted on it going in the hold - if i had my answer would have been to take out all the valuables and let my empty case go in the hold.
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Someone in the post chain has made the point that infuriates me.
I always ask for a back row seat .
I've got a Travelpro crew 4 rollieboard. 80% of the time - put that in the hold sir it's too bloody big. OK no worries. 20% of the time - into overhead.
BUT when I get down the back what do I find . Crewmembers with their rollieboards in the overhead bins.
I always ask for a back row seat .
I've got a Travelpro crew 4 rollieboard. 80% of the time - put that in the hold sir it's too bloody big. OK no worries. 20% of the time - into overhead.
BUT when I get down the back what do I find . Crewmembers with their rollieboards in the overhead bins.
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Hi Distant Rumble - nice to see you on the Forum again!
I'm hoping a member of Cabin Crew (any airline will do) will respond as to why they have the need to take their own large trolley bags on board. I believe that their contents may well be essential for them to have in the cabin because on BA routes (and I can only talk about my own employer) the Cabin Crew will also have a large Samsonite or Delsey suitcase in the hold! As you yourself will appreciate, if you've a bag in the hold, there's no advantage in taking your trolley in the cabin as you've still go to wait at the baggage carousel at your destinatioin.
As I've said, the cabin bag issue will always be charged with emotion - as Ground staff, we can't do right for doing wrong, or so it would appear! Certainly, I try to take into consideration aircraft type, passenger load and where the customer is seated when I decide whether to check your trolley bag into the hold or not. (You will appreciate, between Row 7 and 12 on those Bae 146's of Aer Lingus, there's absolutely no stowage space in the bins except for small, squashable items.)
The One-World alliance marketing guff (sorry, literature!) attempted to standardise cabin baggage policy. THe only problem being that if you've come from the USA in First class with your whopping 18kg allowance and then hopping on to Aer Lingus to pop "across to the banks of the Liffey", there's no way that kind of baggage could be accommodated unless we took the toilet out of service!
I think Virgin probably got it right by insisting any bag with wheels was checked in if the traveller was in Economy. The policy is respected by their travellers - after all, I agree that it's infuriating to be forced to check your trolley bag in only to see half a dozen larger ones wheeled on at the boarding gate.
Distant Rumble - check in with me or with Heathrow09L and we'll always treat you fairly, taking all factors into account!
Enjoy your R & R and please keep spending your money in that Gold Circle of yours! It keeps us working!
I'm hoping a member of Cabin Crew (any airline will do) will respond as to why they have the need to take their own large trolley bags on board. I believe that their contents may well be essential for them to have in the cabin because on BA routes (and I can only talk about my own employer) the Cabin Crew will also have a large Samsonite or Delsey suitcase in the hold! As you yourself will appreciate, if you've a bag in the hold, there's no advantage in taking your trolley in the cabin as you've still go to wait at the baggage carousel at your destinatioin.
As I've said, the cabin bag issue will always be charged with emotion - as Ground staff, we can't do right for doing wrong, or so it would appear! Certainly, I try to take into consideration aircraft type, passenger load and where the customer is seated when I decide whether to check your trolley bag into the hold or not. (You will appreciate, between Row 7 and 12 on those Bae 146's of Aer Lingus, there's absolutely no stowage space in the bins except for small, squashable items.)
The One-World alliance marketing guff (sorry, literature!) attempted to standardise cabin baggage policy. THe only problem being that if you've come from the USA in First class with your whopping 18kg allowance and then hopping on to Aer Lingus to pop "across to the banks of the Liffey", there's no way that kind of baggage could be accommodated unless we took the toilet out of service!
I think Virgin probably got it right by insisting any bag with wheels was checked in if the traveller was in Economy. The policy is respected by their travellers - after all, I agree that it's infuriating to be forced to check your trolley bag in only to see half a dozen larger ones wheeled on at the boarding gate.
Distant Rumble - check in with me or with Heathrow09L and we'll always treat you fairly, taking all factors into account!
Enjoy your R & R and please keep spending your money in that Gold Circle of yours! It keeps us working!
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Paul C - Once again, common-sense will usually prevail. No one wants to prise valuable, fragile items away from our passengers unless there's a valid safety reason for doing so.
I would guess the reason you are usually allowed on board (bearing in mind you've to get past the Check-In Hurdle, through the Security Minefield and negotiate the Boarding Gate Obstacle long before sinking into your aircraft seat!) is because you've taken all reasonable steps to make the photographic case as light as possible and been prepared to divide the contents if need be.
If you make your reservation by phone (becoming rarer these days), you can always ask the reservations agent to put a comment in your booking that you will be carrying photographic kit as cabin baggage so that the message will be displayed to the check-in agent (British Airways DCS/PRS based systems only) as soon as your Passenger Name Record is retrieved.
Hope I have been of some help - Good Luck!
I would guess the reason you are usually allowed on board (bearing in mind you've to get past the Check-In Hurdle, through the Security Minefield and negotiate the Boarding Gate Obstacle long before sinking into your aircraft seat!) is because you've taken all reasonable steps to make the photographic case as light as possible and been prepared to divide the contents if need be.
If you make your reservation by phone (becoming rarer these days), you can always ask the reservations agent to put a comment in your booking that you will be carrying photographic kit as cabin baggage so that the message will be displayed to the check-in agent (British Airways DCS/PRS based systems only) as soon as your Passenger Name Record is retrieved.
Hope I have been of some help - Good Luck!
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re cabin crew and their bags.. when I flew shorthaul the only time I'd take my delsey in the cabin was on those few occasions when I was nightstopping (and that was with the provision that the flight was light enough to accomodate it.)
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Perhaps one of the reasons that crew have their bags in the overhead bins is that we don't use the normal passenger check-in and baggage collection facilities. For example when we nightstop in Amsterdam we leave thru the staff exit without going near the baggage reclaim. Likewise in Heathrow we dont go past luggage reclaim but are collected airside by the crew bus.
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A long overdue decision...however I hope that BA and all those other carriers who adopt this regulation standard make it VERY CLEAR on their tickets...and not hidden away in the small print of the folder...ideally below the 'Fare' box on the e-ticket...
Otherwise I can see all sorts of delays and grief at check-in!
Otherwise I can see all sorts of delays and grief at check-in!
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As Boss Raptor says it is vital that passengers are told of an restriction before they leave for the airport - the problem being that so many people can issue tickets, and each use their own ticket jacket. Any ideas of a way around this?
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Very true and with a lot of passengers holding IATA BSP tickets (the "neutral documents"!) how is this info going to be publicised?
And ofcourse the magic number of 32 KG (no doubt as per Health and Safety demands!) is also certainly influenced by all these transit bags which has to be transferred to/from the various BA aircraft enroute to/from USA from other parts of the world served by BA!
I thought the Brits preferred rounded off numbers and would have preffrred a nice figure of 30 rather than the unwieldy 32! But then I suppose health of all parties (and not just health and safety blokes) have to be considered and some give and take is in ORDER!
And ofcourse the magic number of 32 KG (no doubt as per Health and Safety demands!) is also certainly influenced by all these transit bags which has to be transferred to/from the various BA aircraft enroute to/from USA from other parts of the world served by BA!
I thought the Brits preferred rounded off numbers and would have preffrred a nice figure of 30 rather than the unwieldy 32! But then I suppose health of all parties (and not just health and safety blokes) have to be considered and some give and take is in ORDER!