South Africa: ACSA to enforce hand luggage regulations!
Feb 3, 2015, 2:35 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
The stupidity of the SA government (agencies) never ceases to amaze me.
Among all the airport-related problems (lazy staff, staff discriminating against white people, aggressive "orange coat" workers, frequent issues with checked baggage being stolen) they choose to harass pax with slightly overweight / oversized baggage. Why not leave the responsibility with the airlines? (which have an incentive to enforce the rules so they can collect additional baggage fees).
I certainly have very little interest in ever checking baggage to /through a SA airport and have travelled to SA a half dozen times with hand baggage only.
Based on SA's economic performance one would assume they would look for ways to make the pax experience more pleasant.
Among all the airport-related problems (lazy staff, staff discriminating against white people, aggressive "orange coat" workers, frequent issues with checked baggage being stolen) they choose to harass pax with slightly overweight / oversized baggage. Why not leave the responsibility with the airlines? (which have an incentive to enforce the rules so they can collect additional baggage fees).
I certainly have very little interest in ever checking baggage to /through a SA airport and have travelled to SA a half dozen times with hand baggage only.
Based on SA's economic performance one would assume they would look for ways to make the pax experience more pleasant.
Feb 3, 2015, 2:40 am
#17
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Slightly to the left of center
Posts: 3,475
The stupidity of the SA government (agencies) never ceases to amaze me.
Among all the airport-related problems (lazy staff, staff discriminating against white people, aggressive "orange coat" workers, frequent issues with checked baggage being stolen) they choose to harass pax with slightly overweight / oversized baggage. Why not leave the responsibility with the airlines? (which have an incentive to enforce the rules so they can collect additional baggage fees).
I certainly have very little interest in ever checking baggage to /through a SA airport and have travelled to SA a half dozen times with hand baggage only.
Based on SA's economic performance one would assume they would look for ways to make the pax experience more pleasant.
Among all the airport-related problems (lazy staff, staff discriminating against white people, aggressive "orange coat" workers, frequent issues with checked baggage being stolen) they choose to harass pax with slightly overweight / oversized baggage. Why not leave the responsibility with the airlines? (which have an incentive to enforce the rules so they can collect additional baggage fees).
I certainly have very little interest in ever checking baggage to /through a SA airport and have travelled to SA a half dozen times with hand baggage only.
Based on SA's economic performance one would assume they would look for ways to make the pax experience more pleasant.
Feb 3, 2015, 8:34 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Feb 6, 2015, 1:21 am
#19
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
This was in the latest Swiss newsletter:
Oddly no mention of 2 bags for J pax.
As from 2 February 2015, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) will assist airlines with re-enforcing a stricter hand baggage policy of one piece at 7kg and a *slim line laptop bag or a small hand bag.
In effect, only two items are allowed. The dimensions for the 7kg bag should be: 56cm (L) x 36cm (B) x 23 cm (H); total dimensions 115cm including handles and wheels.
Travellers who don’t meet these requirements will be sent back by ACSA security to the relevant airline’s check-in counters.
* A slim line laptop bag is specifically designed to fit a laptop and a charger, not clothing and documents.
In effect, only two items are allowed. The dimensions for the 7kg bag should be: 56cm (L) x 36cm (B) x 23 cm (H); total dimensions 115cm including handles and wheels.
Travellers who don’t meet these requirements will be sent back by ACSA security to the relevant airline’s check-in counters.
* A slim line laptop bag is specifically designed to fit a laptop and a charger, not clothing and documents.
Feb 6, 2015, 10:42 am
#20
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: UK - the nearest airport is named after a motorway !
Posts: 4,229
any experiences yet? and are they weighing or just sizing?
We're a few days post 2/2, so has anyone experienced the new regime? And are they weighing all bags, or just checking vs the sizers? I go regularly through JNB with only carry-on, but I use a small (enough) roller combined with a small (enough, I hope) laptop bag... but who can get a roller under 7kg??
Feb 7, 2015, 5:18 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London, Sth Africa or LAS
Programs: VS Silver, BA Blue - finally; but hotels.com Gold :)
Posts: 1,858
I'll watch how this unfolds. The 7kg limit is too restrictive (why I never flew VS for years).
I suspect workarounds will develop for those of us with bags within the dimension limits ... such as wearing a coat with big pockets for stuffing with books / big lens if asked to weigh-in
It really is getting very hard for me and the wife to actually travel to (and in) SA now. And if ever our ex-SA flight goes tech and is delayed overnight she overstays the new visa limits.
I suspect workarounds will develop for those of us with bags within the dimension limits ... such as wearing a coat with big pockets for stuffing with books / big lens if asked to weigh-in
It really is getting very hard for me and the wife to actually travel to (and in) SA now. And if ever our ex-SA flight goes tech and is delayed overnight she overstays the new visa limits.
Feb 7, 2015, 7:36 am
#23
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dublin
Posts: 188
This doesn't sound too bad, although I also deplore the tendency of the SA authorities to regard themselves as particularly special snowflakes.
'One (1) bag plus one slimline laptop bag per economy class passenger
Two (2) bags plus slimline laptop bag per business/first class passenger
No bag should exceed these dimensions: 56cm + 36cm + 23cm (total dimensions of 115cm)
Weight limit per bag: 7kg
Passengers who exceed the hand baggage limits will be subject to the specific airline’s excess baggage rules'
Anyway, the devil's in the implementation; I have a flight CPT - JNB tomorrow, and will report back as to whether my impressions are still so sanguine
'One (1) bag plus one slimline laptop bag per economy class passenger
Two (2) bags plus slimline laptop bag per business/first class passenger
No bag should exceed these dimensions: 56cm + 36cm + 23cm (total dimensions of 115cm)
Weight limit per bag: 7kg
Passengers who exceed the hand baggage limits will be subject to the specific airline’s excess baggage rules'
Anyway, the devil's in the implementation; I have a flight CPT - JNB tomorrow, and will report back as to whether my impressions are still so sanguine
Feb 8, 2015, 1:38 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dublin
Posts: 188
Here's my experience:
It was completely unproblematic. When I checked my bag with SAA, they also weighed my hand luggage and tagged it with date and weight. That's it. No-one else involved; no ACSA drones running around dealing arbitrary carry-on justice. Because your first point of contact is your airline, they will decide what's acceptable.
The only question I would have is: what if you don't check a bag? then who's running the rule over your hand luggage?
Also, for what it's worth, I read an article in the local Sunday Times (not the world's most reliable organ, it should be noted) that claimed that the airlines were collectively behind this clampdown.
It was completely unproblematic. When I checked my bag with SAA, they also weighed my hand luggage and tagged it with date and weight. That's it. No-one else involved; no ACSA drones running around dealing arbitrary carry-on justice. Because your first point of contact is your airline, they will decide what's acceptable.
The only question I would have is: what if you don't check a bag? then who's running the rule over your hand luggage?
Also, for what it's worth, I read an article in the local Sunday Times (not the world's most reliable organ, it should be noted) that claimed that the airlines were collectively behind this clampdown.
Feb 9, 2015, 5:39 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Allentown, PA
Posts: 37
I'm a photographer when in Africa and am carrying lens and camera body equipment worth $20,000 and camera bag will weigh close to 30 pounds. Historically, all I have to do is show equipment. SAA says they can't take that liability in hold and allows me on. If they were to enforce weight, many photographers would be going ballistic as my gear is common for safari. I will be watching to see how this is enforced!
Feb 9, 2015, 5:50 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,659
I'm a photographer when in Africa and am carrying lens and camera body equipment worth $20,000 and camera bag will weigh close to 30 pounds. Historically, all I have to do is show equipment. SAA says they can't take that liability in hold and allows me on. If they were to enforce weight, many photographers would be going ballistic as my gear is common for safari. I will be watching to see how this is enforced!
Feb 11, 2015, 3:30 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dublin
Posts: 188
Second experience, flying Emirates out of JNB: no-one so much as looked at my hand luggage at all at any stage. So it really seems as if it's up to the airlines.
All in all, I wouldn't worry about this, and think all of the concerns expressed in this thread are overblown. Most likely, it's just something to have in place to allow the airlines to reign in some of the more outre excesses: 'look, it's written here...rules is rules....'.
These rules have always existed, but most times more honoured in the breach than the observance. Seems to be just a way to remind people that, look, there are limits, and try to swing the pendulum back from the anything goes mentality.
All in all, I wouldn't worry about this, and think all of the concerns expressed in this thread are overblown. Most likely, it's just something to have in place to allow the airlines to reign in some of the more outre excesses: 'look, it's written here...rules is rules....'.
These rules have always existed, but most times more honoured in the breach than the observance. Seems to be just a way to remind people that, look, there are limits, and try to swing the pendulum back from the anything goes mentality.
