Beware of luggage weight $$$$

[trvlgrlmn]

We just returned from our wonderful cruise on the Sapphire Princess. We left the USA on Dec 31 and returned on Jan 22. Needless to say we were gone for awhile and packed for the trip. We flew Qantas from LAX to Sydney then connected to Cairns. We each had 2 checked bags and one carry on. No problems. After enjoying our 4 nights in Port Douglas we went to the airport for our return flight to Sydney to catch the Sapphire Princess. What a shock when we were told we could only have one checked bag and our carry on was too large. We were told our other checked bag would cost $135 and this did not include the carry on. There were 5 of us, all with the same luggage. We tried to plead our case. We finally spoke to a supervisor who agreed to allow each of us to pay $100 each for our luggage. So we had to pay $100 to get our luggage to Sydney.

 

The rule I have learned is one checked bag, 20 Kg, which is approximatley 40 lbs.

 

A very expensive lesson!

[victravellers]

I think it is bit of hit and miss with Qantas.

In April 2007 we were flying from Melbourne to Sydeny to board the Sapphire for a 29 day cruise to LA.

I of course had 2 rather large bags and DH had 1 large bag and 2 carry on bags.

We were definately over our limits for the domestic flight. When we checked in, I just blurted out about being really excited about our cruise and how much stuff we had, and she just smiled and let us go through.

The flight was not full, so maybe that made a difference.

I would not be happy to have to pay that much excess baggage allowance.

 

Linda

[mochuck]

This is from the Qantas website:

 

Travel to/from USA,

US Territories, Tahiti, South America and Canada^

via the Pacific First: 2 pieces

Total dimensions* of each piece must not exceed 158cm (62in)

Business/Economy/Premium Economy: 2 pieces

Total dimensions* of the 2 pieces must not exceed 270cm (106in) with no 1 piece exceeding 158cm (62in)

32kg (70lb) per piece

 

All other International^

First: 40kg (88lb)

 

Business: 30kg (66lb)

Premium Economy: 20kg (44lb)

Economy: 20kg (44lb)

Infants:+ 10kg (22lb)

 

So, either your luggage was too large or weighed too much. As victraveller said it often depends on how full the flight is. I'm guessing it probably weighed more coming home than it did going over.:)

Is Qantas more restrictive than other international airlines with luggage?

[Globaliser]

Actually, mochuck posted this on another thread, addressing this precise point:-

I just read this on the Qantas website:

If your itinerary includes a flight to/from or via the USA, US Territories, Tahiti, South America or Canada, you are entitled to two pieces (one piece for infants) of checked baggage on all Qantas and QantasLink operated flights within your itinerary,# regardless of whether these flights appear on the same or a separate ticket. You will be required to provide proof of your international ticket at check-in indicating travel to/from or via the USA, US Territories, Tahiti, South America or Canada.

So if ground crew are telling you otherwise they obviously are not familiar with their own regulations. Perhaps all you people from North and South America and US territories who are coming to Australia (with Qantas) should print out this page and keep it with your travel documents.

 

http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/beforeYouTravel/baggageChecked

So I agree with others that Qantas shouldn't have charged.

 

In any case, the charge was too much. For a domestic flight from Port Douglas to Sydney, it should only have been AUD 20 per piece plus GST (ie AUD 22) - see this page.

 

So something has gone seriously wrong here.

[trvlgrlmn]

We only flew Qantas from LAX to Carins and we did not have a problem. We flew Jet Blue from Carins to Sydney and this is when we were charged. Flying Qantas was not a problem at all. We actually flew first class, so we could have had more luggage. The problem was the domestic flight from Carins.

 

Our flight after the cruise we flew from Auckland to Melbourne then overnighted in Melbourne and flew Qantas to LAX. We flew Emeritz from Auckland. Again were were only allowed one checked bag, 20 kg. They were very nice at the counter and said since we bought our ticket in the USA they would let us check 2 bags as long as they were under 20 kg each. We actually sent luggage with friends from the cruise who were flying direct from Auckland to LAX.

[Globaliser]

We only flew Qantas from LAX to Carins and we did not have a problem. We flew Jet Blue from Carins to Sydney and this is when we were charged. ... The problem was the domestic flight from Carins.

Ah, that explains everything. (I think you mean Virgin Blue, though.)

 

This is definitely one of the hidden downsides of mixing and matching airlines. If you stay on the same airline for an entire itinerary, you are more likely to get the benefit either of policies like the one that mochuck found, or of discretion exercised in your favour. The headline price of a ticket doesn't always determine the true cost of flying on that airline, and the cheaper ticket isn't always the best overall deal.

[NANCYR2]

Does anyone have experience with luggage limits with HA?

Are there any recent travelers on HA that anything that they would like to share?

 

Nancy

[mrscruisequeen]

Does anyone have experience with luggage limits with HA?

Are there any recent travelers on HA that anything that they would like to share?

 

Nancy

 

Hi Nancy....I have traveled many times on HA from Sacramento, Ca. to Hawaii, but never Australia.

 

I can only tell you that luggage weight is 50# (I usually go a little under in case their scale weighs "heavy")

 

You can check 2 bags per person and have one carry on plus a laptop.

 

They have always been a great airline, and my flights have always been right on schedule.:D

[kenexx]

We only flew Qantas from LAX to Carins and we did not have a problem. We flew Jet Blue from Carins to Sydney and this is when we were charged. Flying Qantas was not a problem at all. We actually flew first class, so we could have had more luggage. The problem was the domestic flight from Carins.

 

Our flight after the cruise we flew from Auckland to Melbourne then overnighted in Melbourne and flew Qantas to LAX. We flew Emeritz from Auckland. Again were were only allowed one checked bag, 20 kg. They were very nice at the counter and said since we bought our ticket in the USA they would let us check 2 bags as long as they were under 20 kg each. We actually sent luggage with friends from the cruise who were flying direct from Auckland to LAX.

 

Oh well please ignore my advice on the other thread about contacting Qantas to try and claim a refund. It was not quite clear that you flew Virgin Blue out of Cairns. :)