New BA checked and excess baggage policy effective from 13 February 2007

[norm2002]

I fly out to Hong Kong on 9 February so does not affect my next journey.

 

New simpler baggage policy - major changes announced

 

Our vision for London Heathrow Terminal 5 is to create the best possible airport experience before you fly. With this in mind we have announced a new simpler checked and excess baggage policy, which will come into effect on 13 February 2007.

 

The new policies will bring changes to checked and excess baggage allowances and will take effect across the airline’s global network.

 

Free checked baggage allowances

 

A single allowance system based on the number of bags that can be checked in will be introduced for travel from 13 February 2007.

 

FIRST and Club World

Customers will be able to check three bags into the aircraft hold free of charge.

 

Club Europe and World Traveller Plus

Customers will be able to check two bags into the aircraft hold free of charge.

 

World Traveller*, Euro Traveller, BA Connect & UK Domestic

Customers will be able to check one bag into the aircraft hold free of charge.

 

*World Traveller customers travelling to or from the US, Canada, Caribbean, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico will continue to be allowed two checked bags in line with the local government regulations.

• Infants will be allowed to check one bag, plus a collapsible baby buggy, into the aircraft hold free of charge in all classes on all routes.
  
• For any connecting journey on British Airways, the most generous allowance will apply.
  
• Customers will be able to carry one piece of sporting equipment free of charge in addition to their checked baggage allowance.
  
• A maximum bag weight of 23kg (50lbs) will apply to all bags.

Maximum size and weight

 

We will not accept any item of baggage that weighs more than 23kg (50lbs) or oversized items exceeding 2.5m x 1.00m x 0.80m (98in x 39in x 31in).

 

For exceptional items that weigh between 23kg - 45kg (50 - 99lbs) and which cannot be repacked e.g. musical instruments, electrical wheelchairs, some sporting items, TV news cameras, commercial spares, please notify us at time of booking or at a minimum of 24 hours before departure.

 

Excess Baggage

 

Excess baggage charges will be standardised across the network from 13 February 2007.

 

All baggage in excess of free checked baggage allowances will be charged at a fixed fee depending on the length of the journey.

 

From February 2007 customers on most routes can pre-pay online for their excess baggage and receive a 20% discount on airport charges.

 

For customers transferring flights, a single charge based on the longest flight will apply.

 

Excess baggage will be charged at a fixed fee per bag. The fixed fee is set according to whether the customer is travelling on a domestic (£30), shorthaul (£60) or longhaul (£120) flight.

 

 

Baggage Policy may vary on Franchise airlines. Please contact your local BA office for details.

[blackbird71]

ROFL,,, I am glad they came out with "simpler" rules.... You only need two lawyers to read and understand the NEW rules.... :D:D

[xplrcrzn]

One checked bag in Economy? Unless dress codes change drastically Seabournites will need to book Biz or First in the future (but many do so already).

[CruisinMatt]

Using Seabourn's Valet service is a great way to ease the frustrations of airline luggage restrictions.

[PeaSea8ch]

One checked bag in Economy? Unless dress codes change drastically Seabournites will need to book Biz or First in the future (but many do so already).

...Or use the Seabourn Valet Luggage Service. Since I will be flying home on BA the same day the Pride arrives in Lisbon after her March 2007 crossing, I will be using the Seabourn luggage service because: a) I used it for my Legend Nov. crossing and found it a wonderful way to travel. Now I factor that into the cost of the cruise; b) BA last week changed the departure time of my flight from LIS to LHR from 11:40 am to 10:55 am and checking bags and going through security while making the flight is questionable. My two bags will not weigh more than 23 kg (50 lbs) each.

 

With only my carry on, I just go to the boarding pass only kiosk and get my boarding pass and since flying business class I will be able to utilize the VIP security line to make it to my departure gate in time for my flight.

[Seabourn-nail]

Provided we arrive in time this time Paul! Last year we were a bit late.

Happy holidays!

[CruisinMatt]

I just go to the boarding pass only kiosk and get my boarding pass and since flying business class

 

Is that really possible in Lisbon? I seem to recall the kiosks being there, but if you are continuing on to the states via London, since it's an International flight don't you still have to check in the old-fashioned way regardless of having baggage? I also don't recall any VIP security lines in Lisbon for business class passengers, but I did it once on BA and once on TAP both with plenty of time to spare. In any event you should be fine, as you probably already know as long as you know where you're going at the LIS airport, it's a breeze.

[CruisinMatt]

Provided we arrive in time this time Paul! Last year we were a bit late.

Happy holidays!

 

Yes, you kept me waiting. :rolleyes:

[PeaSea8ch]

Marja: I am well aware of what happened to the Pride White Castle last year! That is what travel insurance with trip interruption coverage is for. Until I am a gent of leisure, my travel plans are somewhat constrained so I have to do this this cruise. CruisinMatt, shame on you last March for blaming sweet Marja for sometihing that King Neptune was directly responsible for! :p

 

Matt: According to BA-s website there has been significant improvements to the Kiosk system and I can get bording passes for my entire BA journey home at the kiosk in LIS and bypass the counter entirely. I suspect that I will have to show my boarding pass and passport at least twice before I board my flight, so I do not believe that checking in the old fashioned way is required. BA states in LIS, the kiosk is located to the right of BA check-in counters 55 to 59. I will, of course, confirm that on March 31 before disembarking with my last internet access minutes. I may be incorrect about the VIP security lines, but provided there is not an "incident," I should be ok as I will request to be in the first disembarkation group off the Pride.

 

Best holiday wishes to you both and your families!

[Seabourn-nail]

To Paul and Matt.

I suppose my English failed me again and I made a fool of myself! The only thing I can say is: Why don´t you try it in Dutch for a change! Would make this board a lot easier and mind you: My Dutch is perfect!

[PeaSea8ch]

Marja: Ik ben me goed bewust van wat vorig jaar aan het Witte Kasteel van de Trots gebeurde! Dat is wat de reis verzekering met de dekking van de reisonderbreking voor is. Tot ik een gent van vrije tijd ben, zijn mijn reisplannen enigszins beperkt zodat moet ik deze cruise doen. CruisinMatt, schande op u laatste Maart voor het beschuldigen van zoete Marja van iets dat de Koning Neptunus voor direct verantwoordelijk was!

 

Matt: Volgens ba-s- website zijn er significante verbeteringen aan het systeem geweest van de Kiosk en ik kan instapkaarten voor mijn volledige reis van ba bij de kiosk in LIS naar huis worden en de teller volledig mijden. Ik verdenk dat ik mijn instapkaart en paspoort zal moeten tweemaal tonen bij de minst alvorens ik mijn vlucht inscheep, zodat geloof ik niet dat het controleren op de ouderwetse manier wordt vereist. De staten van ba in LIS, wordt de kiosk gevestigd aan het recht van de controletellers van ba 55 tot 59. Ik, natuurlijk, zal dat op 31 Maart alvorens met mijn laatste Internet toegangsnotulen bevestigen te ontschepen. Ik kan over de VIP veiligheidslijnen onjuist zijn, maar op voorwaarde dat er geen „ incident is,“ ik zou o.k. moeten zijn aangezien ik om in de eerste ontschepingsgroep van de Trots zal verzoeken te zijn.

Beste vakantie wensen aan u allebei en uw families!

Back to English. How did I do Marja? Actually I used Microsoft Word's text translator. Happy Monday (or is it Tuesday in Holland?) to you and Rene! :)

[CruisinMatt]

To Paul and Matt.

I suppose my English failed me again and I made a fool of myself! The only thing I can say is: Why don´t you try it in Dutch for a change! Would make this board a lot easier and mind you: My Dutch is perfect!

 

I understood, I was only joking :D What a shock it was to arrive at the port and the Pride was not there yet!! Considering the circumstances, you could have been a lot later than you were. Then again you had the Unsinkable Martita Brown with you! :D :rolleyes: ;)

[Seabourn-nail]

To Matt

 

I was also joking! But I must admit at first I didn´t understand that you were waiting for us to arrive in Lisbon!

 

To Paul

 

I was joking about the Dutch! But I really appreciate the effort you took and the time you must have spent in translating the whole post into Dutch! When I first started to read, I wasn´t really noticing that I was reading Dutch, because normally I can read English just as well as Dutch. And then a few lines later I thought, he, what is this? A lovely surprise and thank you for your good wishes in our language. I even called René to read it and he was surprised as well. As a joke he said: I´m not going to lose you to an internet lover, am I?

One funny thing I want to mention. You translated "counter" by "teller". Guess what: a "counter" is "counter" in "good Dutch", because a "teller" is somebody who counts!

I know I must make these mistakes as well in my English, translating Dutch directly into English and sometimes the most crazy words must come out of that.

I would like to finish with the usual saying for happy holidays in Dutch, which still is: PRETTIGE KERSTDAGEN!

[blackbird71]

Yipes hope nobody is flying out of London on today 12/21

 

Tens of Thousands Stranded in England Fog

http://home.bellsouth.net/s/editorial.dll?pnum=1&bfromind=2214&eeid=5099944&_sitecat=1505&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=3&ck=&ch=ne&rg=blsadstrgt

Published: 12/21/06, 10:46 AM EDT

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER

 

[ LONDON (AP) - Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded Thursday after a thick blanket of freezing fog forced hundreds of flights to be canceled at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport.

Heated tents, sleeping mats and food stalls were set up for anxious travelers as flights were canceled into the holiday weekend.

"It's bedlam," said Nicholas Velez, 23, of Washington. "The whole terminal is so packed you can barely walk."

[blackbird71]

Looks like they upped the rate already.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6341129.stm

BA to charge £240 for extra bag

British Airways is planning to add up to £240 to the cost of a return long-haul flight if passengers want to check in an extra bag. Travellers on shorter international trips will face a bill of £120 and those on domestic journeys, £60.

Analysts said the tactic was a way for the airline to cover costs - and possibly to ease its move to Heathrow's Terminal 5 next year.

But some said it could damage BA's image as a full-service carrier.

 

 

 

..more at link......

 

 

 

For $ 471.21 US You probably could Seabourn Valet it :)

[PeaSea8ch]

For $ 471.21 US You probably could Seabourn Valet it :)

In 2007, the Seabourn Valet will ship from Europe to the USA a 30 lbs. maximum bag for $300; a 50 lbs. maximum bag for $420; a 60 lbs. maximum bag for $450; and, if you are a fashion plate, a 70 lbs. maximum bag for $500.

 

Something to consider if you exceed BA's maximum allowed checked bag count or don't want the hassle of schlepping your bags around no matter what airline you fly on ...

[PeaSea8ch]

Today while accessing my British Airways reservation online to verify my seat assignments were still intact, I learned two things quite by accident. First, if you pay for your excess baggage online and in advance, you get a 30 percent discount to the airport charges when travel is complete by 30 September, 2007. The prepay feature is only available from the "Manage My booking" portal on BA's website.

 

Second, BA requires passport and contact information prior to flying. This information can be provided at the airport upon check-in but to check-in online it has to be provided to BA's website anytime before the online check-in process begins.

 

The best news was that I can check in for my LIS to LHR and LHR to LAX BA flights home and get boarding passes up to 24 hours before flight time while still on the ship! :D If you have checked bags, the website says you just go to the Quick Bag Drop-off point and, after the agent verifies your identity and boarding pass, tags your bags and sends them on their merry way!

[JaneBP]

Reported Today

 

>"LONDON (AP) — British Airways lost more luggage than any other major European airline last year, according to statistics released Wednesday.

Britain's Air Transport Users Council said that for every 1,000 passengers on the British carrier, 23 bags went astray — the worst performance among 24 airlines who are members of the Association of European Airlines.

 

Across all the airlines, around 5.6 million bags went missing in 2006, an average of 15.7 bags per 1,000 passengers.

 

Among those airlines which had worse-than-average figures were Germany's Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and Alitalia.

 

About 85% of the bags were returned to passengers within 48 hours, the council said, but it added that some "never get returned at all."

[CruisinMatt]

Thanks Jane for the info. This is yet another reason to use Seabourn's wonderful valet luggage service! :)

[PeaSea8ch]

Thanks for the info Jane! I was surprised at the airlines named with poor luggage delivery performance. :( I just flew home on BA from the Pride and used the Seabourn Valet luggage service. Matt, I checked on the shipment status of my two bags on DHL's website and was surprised that DHL had already attempted delivery to my home (because I was at work)! :D I called my local DHL office and told them to hold the shipment there and I will pick the bags up tomorrow on the way home from work. I did not expect them to be delivered until the end of the week.

I just love this luggage service and will be calling Miss Anita again in October for the reverse crossing itinerary (Lisbon to fort Lauderdale) on the Legend this November!