Qantas announce changes to baggage rules: Surfers lose
On Wednesday the 1st of June Qantas made changes to their baggage allowances which will affect anyone carrying surfboards on their domestic flights. Their baggage allowance system has changed from a weight allowance system to a piece allowance system.
In short, surfers flying economy are allowed one piece of baggage weighing up to 23 kgs. This means your boardbag is all you are allowed to check-in and it cannot weigh over 23kg. If it does weigh over 23kgs excess baggage will be charged up to 32kgs. No pieces of baggage, including boardbags, weighing more than 32kgs will be accepted.
There are slight modifications for Qantas Club members. All the changes can be viewed here.
Qantas has said that there are no plans to implement similar changes on their international routes.
Comments
They're all doing it. Just returned from a week of fun mal-able waves on Waikiki's assorted reefs, flying Hawaiian Airlines. Free transport of 8' 6" Robert August to Honolulu from Sydney ... nice waves and a good vibe in the water, super cheap shopping, too much to eat and drink ... but the hit came flying home when HA charged $100 U.S. to carry the board. Made the same trip on the same airline a year before and the board was free both ways. Apparently, the new charge was buried deep in the small print of the flight contract and allowances which, of course. I hadn't bothered to read. Ain't modern air travel grand!
One piece @ 23kgs, what a joke. Every sports person who wants to take equipment with them will be not be flying with QF.
How dumb is this airline? Their Pilots/Engineers/Cabin staff and now customers are being screwed.
Wake up QF.
It's a joke.
One surfer - 75 kgs, fit healthy, plus 23kgs of luggage.
Same fare as 150 kgs obese monster, plus 23 kgs of luggage.
If weight is the issue, and it is, then why do fatties fly at the same cost as skinnies?
It's discrimination against the skinny, the fit, the healthy, paying freight charges at twice the cost of the fatties.
An airline that charges you according to your total body and luggage weight. Now that I'd like to see.
Brilliant summation of the situation batfink and karate.
Could not agree more.
I wonder if the same policy applies to the fat corporates who rock up with their golf bags.
I haven't flown Qantas for over 10 years now, mostly because of all the bullshit with them. My way of making a (pretty lame) stand. Problem is they are all pretty much the same to varied degrees. Some slightly better than others.
I'm of to Indo tomorrow and had to go over the fine print again as it has changed since last year. Board bag came in smack on 23kg and the rest I'll take as carry on. When I rang to enquire about excess charges, $15/kg over !!
I think its just their way of covering their excessive overheads instead of raising airfares. Either way there is fuck all we can do about it if you want to travel.
Lesson here people!pack light do you really need all that shit that just sits in your bag anyway?boards and the clothes on your back....
Half the amount of clothes, twice the amount of money. That's my credo for packing.
Sure - packing for Indo isn't a problem in this regard. But how about flying Qantas domestically? I travel interstate more than I do overseas. And interstate locations are often cold, requiring wetsuits - which also need to be packed.
Last year Qantas was free and had been in my experience free both domestically and internationally as long as I could remember. This is just gouging because their routes are locked up and there's not much you you can do about it. I think BA have reversed their no-boards policy now, I'm not sure.
Am returning home in September by EVA air (newish Taiwanese carrier) and was quoted 36,000yen (AUD$420). Unbelievable!! And that's business class with 30kg allowance.
Suffice to say, I'm not bringing a board, I'll get one shaped and have it waiting for me when I get in and I'll go back to good old Singapore airlines. Boards are free, service rocks and they are what an airline should aspire to be.
I once got charged $220 Euros for my boards on a flight from Spain to the UK with Iberia on a flight that only cost $38 !!!! I could have put 6 of me on for that price! Mental.
At least they are still taking boards unlike British Airways.... wankas almost wrecked my trip to Mexico.
zenagain - BA have slightly relaxed their surfboard rules, but it's only a minor improvement - boards need to be under 2m in length. Great if you're heading to Florida or Dubai, useless if you're going anywhere else in the world.
Just send an email to corporate comms at Qantas, i just did. They're never going to take note of your bitchy comments if they only sit on this forum.
If they were going to use the extra money for a new for old surfboard insurance policy , then maybe.............but it's just a money grab. Use the board friendly airlines and e-mail the others as to why they can go and F*%#k themselves.
I travel to the Sunshine Coast every year so now leave a board up there with a mate. Any of my friends who go up there have been using it too... Great if you travel to the same area by plane frequently.. Avoids damage too..