Dave Noble

Seems quite eay to interpret

The actual line is

On international or domestic itineraries using the baggage allowance "piece" system - one additional bag*, weighing up to 23 kgs, up to a maximum of two pieces.

Note the asterisk

The asterisk is the explained with the

* On purely domestic itineraries, using the baggage allowance "piece" system, with no ticketed baggage entitlement - the assurance of at least one piece of checked baggage, weighing up to 23 kgs.


This reads , pretty unambiguously to me, that there is no additional allowance over 1 piece

ermen

This is where it gets very tricky I feel (probably just bad drafting due to the contradictory webpages)

But how you should read it in my opinion is as follows:-

"On international or domestic itineraries using the baggage allowance "piece" system - one additional bag*"

Interpretation: By default you get one extra piece.

However, they put an exception represented by the *
"*On purely domestic itineraries, using the baggage allowance "piece" system, with no ticketed baggage entitlement"

Interpretation: there lies an exception if your itinerary is (i) Purely domestic AND (ii) using piece system AND (iii) no ticketed baggage entitlement



Clearly, OP's ticket did not sit within the exception (because he had a ticketed baggage allowance) - exception should not apply based on his facts

Therefore, the reading of the text should just default to its plain initial reading...

lokijuh

Agree with you. To me it reads as if the exception does not apply ... .if the intent is only to allow an additional one piece on domestic itineraries without a ticketed baggage allowance, it should be worded something like:

In purely domestic itineraries, using the baggage allowance "piece" system, no additional baggage permitted, unless there is no ticketed baggage entitlement, in which case there is the assurance of at least one piece of checked baggage, weighing up to 23 kgs.

CapitanSalami

Thanks guys for your comments.
I came to the conclusion that the rules should be written in a better way at OW website for everyone to understand the same thing. After taking 9 domestic flights in Australia with one checked baggage allowance according to my fare ticket, I had to struggle in every single desk counter to let QF supervisors know about what it was said in OW sapphire website. They were very understanding but in one occasion (Ayers Rock) they obliged me to pay $40. Not the rest of the airports I visited. I must admit there is a whole confusion about this matter throughout QF staff.

Today I received this email from qantas customer service arguing that I was right, OW SAPPHIRE is entitled to have an extra bag even in pure domestic flights. I quote the email for you to check, just in case anyone has to face the same problem.

edy4eva

Adding my view into the mix.
On QF website: https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-...mestic-flights

It says for economy, QFF Gold (assume same for ow Sapphire and Skywards Gold) gets an extra piece (both up to 32kg each). But in business no extra piece.

Am I reading this correctly or is this a typo?! Seems rather unreasonable to allow Y passengers the extra weight/piece and J rather nothing.

From EK side, they state 16kg extra allowance on QF flights (without mention to extra pieces).

Dave Noble

This is quite in line with OW benefits ( and slightly more generous than required ) and is correct.

From https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/extra-baggage-allowance and https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/sapphire-privileges

Sapphire gets 1 extra piece up to a maximum of 2 pieces. Since a sapphire member in business class already gets 2 pieces, there is no more to add

For an Emerald member, there is 1 extra piece regardless and this is reflected in the QF allowances where an Platinum member in business class gets a total of 3 pieces

libertyuk

Bumping this up again. Exactly the same situation happened to my partner. I'm OWE, she is OWS (both with BA), Qantas at MEL check-in refused to recognise her status for an additional piece.

Eventually relented because we were flying to organise her father's funeral at CBR and are in Australia for an extended time as a result (we brought four cases, but flew over on SQ). Still, the check in staff said complain to Qantas Customer Care, because they are fed up with the system not recognising what customers present to them.

It's pathetic really.

Dave Noble

What was the class of travel and what was the number of pieces that was said to be permitted?

libertyuk

Economy, ticket said one each. No question of me getting a second as OWE, but not her as OWS.

konagirl2

Thanks for bringing this to my attention - the wording on the OneWorld site has been changed and clarified (some time between April and July this year). As stated upthread, they used to only 'guarantee' one checked bag. The OW site used to say (as of 29 April 2017):
" As a Sapphire frequent flyer the following special baggage privileges will apply when you fly on oneworld airlines:
... On international itineraries (including domestic sectors flown as part of international itineraries) using the baggage allowance "piece" system, you will receive a second bag, weighing up to 23 kgs, when the ticketed allowance is one bag.
On domestic itineraries only with flights using the baggage allowance "piece" system, you are guaranteed at least one piece of checked baggage, weighing up to 23 kgs, even when the regular ticketed allowance has no free allowance [with caveat for BA hand baggage only fares]"

https://web.archive.org/web/20170209...gage-allowance

It now clearly states that OWS get an additional bag on domestic itineraries using the piece system with 1 standard bag included.

" As a Sapphire frequent flyer, the following special baggage privileges will apply when you fly on oneworld airlines;
... On international or domestic itineraries using the baggage allowance "piece" system - one additional bag*, weighing up to 23 kgs, up to a maximum of two pieces.
On purely domestic itineraries, using the baggage allowance "piece" system, with no ticketed baggage entitlement - the assurance of one piece of checked baggage, weighing up to 23 kgs. "

https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/sapphire-privileges

This is obviously great news for OWS. (Your experience suggests the Qantas system hasn't been updated yet and I suspect other OW airlines will probably be the same).

libertyuk

Qantas has since apologised for the error, so has effectively admitted its system hasn't been updated.

libertyuk

and has today, aggressively, insisted that what I printed out from the OneWorld website "didn't include the exception at the bottom" (which doesn't exist) and said the QF website clearly states OneWorld baggage rules (which it doesn't). I asked to be shown the website and was shown a staff manual, I said this is ridiculous, pointed out what had been printed off, and was told "pay or you don't fly". There were strong insinuations that I was lying and "Qantas Frequent Flyers get a raw deal from other One World airlines", so Qantas was just repeating the same.

So we paid and then in the lounge was told "oh you were right, they shouldn't have charged you".

Utterly absurd.

sualg

Ok, Im, new to this in relation to One world baggage allowances. Im flying as a one world sapphire (BA silver) HKG to SYD with Qantas in economy next week. Ive logged into the manage my booking page on Qantas and it indicates my Sapphire status but only shows an allowance of 30kg.

Am I entitled to an additional 15kg on top of the 30kg? as I'm presuming the flight uses the weight not piece system?

many thanks

Luke

ozflygirl747

Hope when they update the system to reflect the correct OWS allowance ie 2 pieces they also program it to print "priority" on the thermal bag tags in line with the OW rules as currently that doesn't happen.

og

Wishful thinking that that will make a difference to bag handling.