Ryanair named 'worst short-haul airline'
To expand the thread a little, not sure if this is common in Europe but here's the latest Loco development in these parts.
Jetstar is the loco arm of Qantas. They now have a scheme where they weigh all cabin baggage at the gate. It's a beautiful 2 person routine. Person 1 goes with mobile scales along the boarding line and weighs cabin baggage. Anything over 7kgs the passenger is told - "go see the gate agent over there, you'll need to check that bag in" Then the passenger wanders nonchalantly to the gate agent who writes out a baggage tag and then says, that will be 60 dollars please - about 30 quid. Here's where the fun starts as dismay creeps in across the passenger's face. "But I checked a bag in already" - "Too bad - you should have put all of your excess stuff in there" Last person I saw this week said it was nothing short of daylight robbery to which the gate agent suggested he should find another airline to fly with.
I get why this is done and in many ways support it. I've been dismayed at the growing number of passengers who bring on board a 20 kgs wheelie bag, plus a computer case, plus a massive handbag overflowing with all kinds of stuff. But the way it's been done with this airline leaves a bit to be desired. Yes the website says limit your cabin bag to 7kgs, if you buy checked in baggage at the airport it will cost you big time - but for a long time it was never enforced or policed. It's the change which has caught people on the hop and I wonder how many people will vote with their feet. If not already, how long before the legacy carriers emulate this revenue earning scheme ??
Jetstar is the loco arm of Qantas. They now have a scheme where they weigh all cabin baggage at the gate. It's a beautiful 2 person routine. Person 1 goes with mobile scales along the boarding line and weighs cabin baggage. Anything over 7kgs the passenger is told - "go see the gate agent over there, you'll need to check that bag in" Then the passenger wanders nonchalantly to the gate agent who writes out a baggage tag and then says, that will be 60 dollars please - about 30 quid. Here's where the fun starts as dismay creeps in across the passenger's face. "But I checked a bag in already" - "Too bad - you should have put all of your excess stuff in there" Last person I saw this week said it was nothing short of daylight robbery to which the gate agent suggested he should find another airline to fly with.
I get why this is done and in many ways support it. I've been dismayed at the growing number of passengers who bring on board a 20 kgs wheelie bag, plus a computer case, plus a massive handbag overflowing with all kinds of stuff. But the way it's been done with this airline leaves a bit to be desired. Yes the website says limit your cabin bag to 7kgs, if you buy checked in baggage at the airport it will cost you big time - but for a long time it was never enforced or policed. It's the change which has caught people on the hop and I wonder how many people will vote with their feet. If not already, how long before the legacy carriers emulate this revenue earning scheme ??
Didn't take any longer to board as gate crew had already gone through the SLF well before the incoming plane had landed. The moving from 1 to 2 bags gave people the idea they could take on loads of additional stuff and they duly did so.
Join Date: Jan 2015
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As a resident of continental Europe I'm amazed a) they didn't get to you earlier b) that there are apparently now places where you can board LoCo airlines without this happening. Admittedly my most recent FR flight dates back a couple of years now, but I flew EasyJet last June and if I recall correctly, they were weighing as well as size checking carry-on luggage.
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