Erroneously charged for second checked luggage - who to contact?

Old Aug 13, 2015, 2:26 pm
  #16  
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Originally Posted by brunos
That is conflicting with views of irisguy28.
We are specifically discussing the rules of AF Mini fares. Irishguy28 version is that if you travel on a Mini fare (0 bag free) then you can credit your status for the first bag (free) and you must pay for the second bag, at the high rate for second bag. Everyone agrees that the OP should be paying only for one extra bag when checking two bags as FBG.
You (and Irishguy28) are correct. This is indeed the rule.
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Old Aug 14, 2015, 6:51 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by brunos
That is conflicting with views of irisguy28.
We are specifically discussing the rules of AF Mini fares. Irishguy28 version is that if you travel on a Mini fare (0 bag free) then you can credit your status for the first bag (free) and you must pay for the second bag, at the high rate for second bag. Everyone agrees that the OP should be paying only for one extra bag when checking two bags as FBG. The question is whether the rate charged should be that of a first extra bag or that of a second extra bag, which is much higher.
In the case of the OP, I suspect that she did not show a printed copy of the extra bag receipt, so was not even credited for the 15 paid. Am I wrong?

Could someone knowledgeable about the Mini/Hop rules confirm?
And I would not contest the charge with the cc company. She clearly signed the credit card receipt, so your contest is with AF.
Originally Posted by Goldorak
You (and Irishguy28) are correct. This is indeed the rule.
Didn't know irisguy28 was referring specifically to the Mini Fares but now understood the point. In that case, yes, the rules are that if you have the first bag for free, the second one is paid at the normal price of a second checked bag.
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Old Aug 14, 2015, 7:36 am
  #18  
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No - I wasn't referring specifically to MiNi fares. (KLM also has no luggage allowance for many European flights, too).

The price per bag goes up, the more pieces you have. And rather start counting from the first bag that needs payment, they actually start counting from all the bags that you used up in your free baggage allowance (if any).

Your free baggage allowance (whether as part of your ticket, or as part of your status perks) has the effect of "waiving" the fees that would normally be chargeable for those bags [if any, on longhaul the first bag always goes free]. Which means that your "first" payable bag will often come in at the more expensive rate, because it's not a first/second bag (which get a cheaper rate, for those who cannot benefit from the "waiver" discussed above).


So, an economy flyer without a baggage allowance on shorthaul in Europe pays €20/30 [advance/airport] for this first checked bag.

The same flyer would get that fee "waived" if they had status - but, if they check a second bag, the fee has now risen to €45/70, because this is no longer a "first" bag, but a second (and hence, more expensive) bag.


This affects everyone. Even someone travelling in La Premire. If they go over their 3*32kg allowance (4*32kg allowance for status holders), and they wish to check an additional bag (which can only be 23kg!!), they get hit with a fourth/fifth bag fee, rather than the cheaper "first" bag fee. (Well, of course, there is no fee for a "first" bag on longhaul, because everyone gets at least 1*23kg allowance. But, an economy flyer on the same flight,wishing to check in a second 23kg bag, gets a cheaper rate of €80/100. For everyone else - each additional bag is at the higher rate of €160/200

Last edited by irishguy28; Aug 14, 2015 at 7:41 am
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Old Aug 14, 2015, 7:43 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by B7e7US
The free elite allowance is an extra piece, not the first bag, so if your allowance is 2 bags, as an elite, you can check the third one.
No, this is not the case. The free elite allowance is not an "extra" piece. It merely waives the charge that would have been levied on that bag otherwise. And if there are further bags, they will start higher up on the charge scale....because the number of "free" bags are still counted in determining which number bag this is for charging purposes.
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Old Aug 14, 2015, 9:00 am
  #20  
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This is a routine issue across carriers. It stems from the fact that while there is ordinarily no difference between an "allowance" and a "waiver", it does come into play when there is excess baggage.

Traveling with one bag, there is no difference between a one bag allowance and a one bag waiver. In both instances, the passenger pays nothing. But, add a second bag, and the fee for the second bag is the second bag fee. Moreover, allowances and waivers are not cumulative. Thus, unless expressly stated, one would not have allowances/waivers for class of service, fare basis and status, all add up.

Put in this light, the "mini" issue is no different than many threads of the same ilk across carriers.
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Old Aug 17, 2015, 2:52 am
  #21  
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Thanks all for your help. It's quite telling that even on FT there's no consensus on AF's checked luggage rules. To make this even more confusing, I can only repeat what I already hinted at earlier, namely that on another HOP flight with a Mini ticket I didn't have to pay anything upon check-in (the way it should be IMO). I had purchased a 1 bag luggage allowance online for 30 euros and combined with my Flying Blue Gold status this was sufficient to check 2 pieces of luggage.

By the way, how do you pay for a second piece of luggage if the first one is free (due to elite status)?
As far as I remember, there's only one drop down menu on the AF site that lets you buy either 1 or 2 (or more) checked pieces of luggage, but you can't select if the piece you're paying for is the first or the second.
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Old Aug 17, 2015, 3:13 am
  #22  
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Originally Posted by JohnRain
By the way, how do you pay for a second piece of luggage if the first one is free (due to elite status)?
That is a very good question.

Given that you apparently paid the "first bag" fee online, it seems to suggest that the FB Gold number was either not associated with the booking, or that the FB Gold free baggage allowance was not correctly recognised.

The system should be intelligent enough to recognise the status allowance and thereby charge the correct fee. But it seems that, in your case, and for whatever reason, it didn't.

Can you verify:
- if the FB Gold card number was in the booking (right from the start? Or when was it added)
- if so, was it correctly recognised?
- never having paid a baggage fee in my life, what does the interface prompt you to do? Just pay for 1 bag and determine the fee for you? Does it ask any questions, such as whether there is a frequent flyer number (with status) to be added to benefit from potential discounts?
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Old Aug 17, 2015, 8:53 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by brunos
In the case of the OP, I suspect that she did not show a printed copy of the extra bag receipt, so was not even credited for the 15 paid. Am I wrong?
That is correct.


Originally Posted by irishguy28
That is a very good question.

Given that you apparently paid the "first bag" fee online, it seems to suggest that the FB Gold number was either not associated with the booking, or that the FB Gold free baggage allowance was not correctly recognised.

The system should be intelligent enough to recognise the status allowance and thereby charge the correct fee. But it seems that, in your case, and for whatever reason, it didn't.

Can you verify:
- if the FB Gold card number was in the booking (right from the start? Or when was it added)
- if so, was it correctly recognised?
- never having paid a baggage fee in my life, what does the interface prompt you to do? Just pay for 1 bag and determine the fee for you? Does it ask any questions, such as whether there is a frequent flyer number (with status) to be added to benefit from potential discounts?
This was back in May, so I unfortunately don't remember the details. What I do remember though is that when I showed the lady at check-in my baggage receipt, she accepted the 2 checked pieces of luggage without arguing, although I had only paid for one (30 euros) due to my status.
The baggage fee web interface gave me no other option than to choose between 1 or 2 or more pieces of luggage, no questions asked.
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Old Sep 16, 2015, 2:38 am
  #24  
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Update: I successfully disputed the charge with Amex and have been credited with the full amount (70 euros). This was so much easier than dealing with an AF call center.
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