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BA to charge £240 for checking in more than one bag
Last updated at 10:07am on 09.02.07
British Airways will add £240 to the cost of a long-haul return flight if a passenger puts two bags in the hold
British Airways is to charge economy fliers as much as £240 extra for checking in two or more bags.
From Tuesday most passengers will be able to stow only one item weighing no more than 23kg in the aircraft's hold.
Will BA lose customers by introducing these charges? Tell us below in reader comments
In some cases it will be cheaper to buy an extra seat - and the baggage allowance that goes with it - than to pay the surcharge.
The £240 fee applies to those checking in extra bags or exceeding the weight limit on long-haul economy flights. The levy for European flights is £120 and for UK routes £60.
Critics accused the airline of cashing in by stealth because most customers would become aware of the new rules only at the check-in desk.
A BA spokesman said the system would be simpler and that most passengers would gain.
"In the vast majority of instances, the new policy will be cheaper or comparable for customers who wish to fly with excess baggage on top of their free allowances," he added.
A passenger with too much baggage can avoid the excess charge only by passing items to a fellow traveller or taking them on board as hand luggage.
The main effect of the change is to restrict the amount of bags that can be checked in for economy class.
The 23kg weight allowance is unchanged for economy fliers except for domestic routes where it has been cut from 32kg.
Passengers with first class, club class or world traveller plus tickets will generally see their weight restrictions raised but their bag check in one bag for an infant plus a collapsible buggy and a car seat free of charge in all classes on all routes.
Passengers will be able to carry one piece of sporting equipment on to the plane as well stowing one bag in the hold.
Experts say travellers might be able to bypass the rules by putting their excess luggage in a golf bag.
The rule change does not apply to flights to the U.S., Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico. Passengers will still be able to check in two bags weighing 23kg each.
Those in first or club world will be able to check in three bags.
Charities attacked the charges yesterday. A Help the Aged spokesman said: "This raises serious issues for older travellers.
"For many older people it is important that they can travel independently-But many will not be able to manage one bag."
A BA spokesman said: "Where it is clear that a passenger cannot manage one bag, we will let them check in an additional bag, or more, provided the total weight is within the 23kg limit."
He said the airline's allowances were among the most generous in the aviation industry.
Sales staff were told not to volunteer the information to customers booking tickets unless they were specifically asked about baggage policy.
To give passengers time to get used to the changes, the 32kg limit will remain in place until September 30.
Reader views (14)
It is not so expensive after all. If you compare this with the rates of KLM.
We flew with a group of 4 (3 adults and 1 baby) on an economy ticket on our return flight from Duesseldorf via Amsterdam to Shanghai. In total we had one excess suit case of 20KG (44lbs) over the nominal allowance of 3x20 +10= 70Kg (154lbs). KLM charged me 30.00EURO per Kilo(US$20.45/lbs), 600EURO (~890US$) in total for the excess bagage. This is more then I would have paid for an additional passenger (whatever the weight) including food, service and another 20Kg of baggage and almost 10 times as much as ordinary airfreight would have cost with all the administrational service included. These extortionist practices remind me of street robbery.
- Wolfgang Shih, Hangzhou, China
I certainly would not fly on an airline that charges these outrageous prices for more than one bag.
- Beverley Dawson, TX, USA
This is ridiculous. When did the "world's favourite airline" become something akin to Ryanair? We stood by BA when they had no food to serve. We stood by them through various other strikes. But after the new air tax already weighing heavy on our minds (what will it be spent on? I want to control my own carbon balancing and not leave it Tony Blair and his cohorts) now this ridiculous new money making scam. I have always flown BA many times a year. NO more. I will not be happy to pay £240 on top of already expensive fare. (I fly long haul at least once a year). Passengers should just leave BA alone now. They are no longer the "world's favourite airline". Not by a long shot. I will most certainly forget about my mileage and just go with airlines who still show some respect for the customer such as Virgin, Lufthansa, JAL, ANA, Singapore Airlines and basically most other non UK based carriers. So the trip will not be direct. Not a big deal in comparison to being forced to pay and pay and pay to satisfy BA's ever growing greed. How exactly will this make the experience of the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow more pleasant to anyone except BA's highly paid directors? All this shows is the gradual descent of a once wonderful airline that all of Britain was proud of to the third rate company toward which they seem to have spent so much effort in the past few years with the gradual decline of service.
My advise: Forget this little airline to be.
- Jt London, London England
The article mentions letting someone else take your extra luggage onto the plane with them? Isn't that a rather stupid comment given heightened security at airports. Also what will be the next step in trying to fleece customers? Charge by the size AND weight of baggage, a bit like the post office does for postage?
- Dan, Manchester
This is just another example of the flying public being chiseled to death by an air carrier. DHS/TSA already have their hands in everyone's pocket with their outlandish security fees. BA will wake up when we all vote with our feet. I suggest using Virgin Alantic. The service is great and the fares are reasonable.
- John J, Dothan, USA
I have already emailed the BA Chief Exec to complain. I can't manage one bag of 23KG, but I do not look disabled. I should not have to prove my inability to carry a heavy bag. I would be far more impressed if they were to enforce the rules around cabin baggage, which in my experience are flouted by many, causing loading problems and inconvenience. BA to and from Australia is uncomfortable and not the cheapest so I for one will not use BA/Qantas anymore.
- Bob.Smith, London, UK
I have just booked a flight to Australia this week. I was not told about baggage allowance for long haul flights. I have waited over 30 years for this holiday, as I could not go until I retired from work, and I am going for 3 months. I always fly with BA to other places, but I think I will be looking for alternative airlines in the future. My husband is registered disabled, and cannot carry anything too heavy. The cases we have are the hard cased ones, which weigh a bit before even putting anything in them. I cannot believe that this is coming into force in September and we are flying in October. Just our luck.
- Jackie Cable, Essex, UK
Dave Davies says he doesn't use Ryanair becuase they charge for checked in baggage but at least you pay a maximum of £28 for 2 pieces of baggage on a return flight with Ryanair. Compare that with a maximum of £120 with BA within Europe. If the price of my flight is going to be doubled I will have to take my business elsewhere.
I am less impressed every time I fly with them and their Executive card is a waste of plastic - I don't think I'll ever save enough points for a free flight.
It will be interesting to see whether this improves their ability to efficient handle baggage as it comes of flights though. Long waits at the baggage carousel at Heathrow T1 and lost baggage have been two other good reasons for not flying BA recently.
- Rebecca Howe, London
I've never liked BA anyway. I've always made it a point of avoiding them as much as possible. Dreadful airline.
- Mel Barrows, Tenerife. Canary islands
I booked tickets with BA just two weeks ago and wasn't told about this. I'm flying out tomorrow to Delhi (before the rules come into effect) and back after they do. I don't actually own a large suitcase and have already packed two small ones (total 15 kilos). I called their oh-so-unhelpful customer services who could only say that I "might" be able to travel out at least with two bags - I'd have to negotiate at the airport. What am I supposed to do? Take time out of a business trip to shop for a bigger bag and abandon my small luggage in India? I just don't see why i should be penalised for choosing to travel with two bags - certainly not to the tune of £120 one way - and not telling customers before they purchase flights is disgraceful. I am a BA executive club frequent flyer - or at least I was. I'll not be flying with them again after this, and if they charge me this time, I'll be cutting up my card and posting it to the chief exec.
- Imogen, London, UK
Well, this is just down right, daylight robbery. The taxes have already been raised and now they want to charge for something that has been the norm for many years. The whole thing is disgraceful and should not be allowed. This will certainly send customers to other airlines and it will serve them right if they do lose custom. I shall send my baggae down beforehand by Ship (Barrel) which works out a lot cheaper that paying them the extra for my baggage.
They will be the losers not the customer.
- Angela Connolly, Bromley
To save any of you waiting for 15 minutes on hold while you call the ever-so-friendly (not!) customer service to check - the above info is apparently not correct.
It is 1 bag max 23 kilos they tell me.
Yours sincerely
One less BA customer
- Ged, London
Feel free to impose the charges BA, but be prepared to watch your passenger numbers dwindle. I don't use Ryanair for the same reasons.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
So let me get this straight...
Not only will BA charge you for checking in that extra bag, all customers leaving from Heathrow will also have to only have ONE carry on bag, as enforced by Herr Blair, all in the name of "security"
So tell me people in charge, what does a professional photographer who travels with his camera and a carry on bag do? Check it into the hold where the insurance isn't valid?
And they wonder why BA is struggling financially!
- Daniel, Frequent Flyer, The World
