energydj

Thanks everyone!

littlegreenman

I do about three to four domestic flights a week on pretty much the whole domestic network and my carry on has never been weighed in the last four years. I always have a trolley and large garment bag and not once have I had a complaint, despite both bags being QF luggage.

Metropolitan Airlines

I suppose if you go too far they might need a check.

I understand people don't want to wait at the coursel. But if you fly to Asia or Europe regularly in a year, consider getting yourself Velocity Gold (Can be done easily), then next time your luggage will come first - Priority luggage matters.

energydj

I have been travelling so much over the years I can generally manage 7-10 days with hand luggage only. Waiting around for bags is my biggest bug bear. In and out, thanks very much. Its my only economy flight. Biz with Qatar to Perth so I want the trip to SYD to be as quick and painless as possible.

arthurhs

I flew VA in Sept with a large 65L backpack and didn't have any issues.

Pinehurstgolfer

We flew VA in business (LAX-BNE and return). On both flights (9 and 31 October) those entering via economy had to pass agents with a scale who weighed randomly checked bags. A number were forced to check the bag. No one entering business had any of their bags weighed.

BHammy

I've had my bags weighed at both VA domestic transfer desk in international and at the VA lounge in domestic (external entrance). Only more recently than in years past.

Both times I've gotten by with an overweight backpack or attache case because they asked if there was a laptop in there. In both cases, there was (and will always be )

My 'attache' case is a hard sided Pelican roller case that with two server grade laptops and power bricks: weighs about 16-17kgs.

RTWFF

I finally saw the policy enforced on a MEL-SYD flight one Thursday afternoon. Interestingly they only tried it on passengers who were NOT clearly lined up in the Platinum/Gold lane. Quite a few passengers were approached in the waiting/holding pen, their luggage weighed and then checked in.

However the worst offenders are always among the Platinum/Gold pax who routinely struggle on board with two or three pieces of hand luggage (as a Plat myself I see it all the time). The worst are those women who struggle with trying to put a way-too-heavy case in the bin and then ask a man to help them. That's just outrageous IMHO

energydj

Sorry folks I completely to come back to this thread. Took PER-SYD-PER on the 330. No issues with luggage with a carry on and tote bag.

docbert

I was forced to check my ~12kg rollerboard a few weeks ago on MEL-BNE (connecting off UA LAX-MEL). Same bag that's done over 200k miles this year along on other airlines without problems...

They made me weight it, said it was too heavy to carry on. I pointed out that there were a number of lithium ion batteries (4-5 promotional cell phone chargers, including some larger ones), partially in the hope they would decide it was too hard and just let me carry it on, partially because if they didn't I knew I had to remove the batteries. Check-in agent went to a supervisor, who told both me and the check-in agent that it had to be checked, and that the batteries would have to be removed.

Next thing I know it's tagged and on it's way down the belt, batteries and all...

jchock1

We were in Australia last year and on 2 different flights, SYD-MEL and MEL-SYD (one flight on jetstar, forget the other airline) there was an agent at the gate weighing suspect baggage and forcing customers to check overweight bags. We successfully used various tactics to avoid having ours (~10kg) weighed.

We are flying SYD-BKK next Feb. on a United award ticket, and need to take the first flight out of MEL to SYD with just one carry-on bag. There's both a Virgin Australia and a Qantas flight leaving at 6am and a jetstar at 6:20.

Hoping someone who takes these MEL-SYD flights often might have recent insight as to what the weight checking situation is for carry-on bags at the gate in MEL.

THanks!

Mwenenzi

off topic for VA carry on

It would be much safer to fly MEL SYD the night before. You will no protection if late for the SYD BKK flight (TG 10:00?).
Expect to have the ticket rules complied with for MEL SYD flight.

As post 7 above, QF permit 2 x 7kg 42" carry-ons with their domestic Jet services. QF link http://www.qantas.com/travel/airline...age-allowances
If you are a QF customer on the day, you may be able to use the QF SYD airside inter terminal transfer.

If you are a VA customer on the day, you may be able to use the VA SYD land side inter terminal transfer.

Do not consider using JQ, even if the price is $1

You need to consider the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ocean...nnections.html, if you are late or need to check MEL SYD luggage or need to make your own way to T1 from T2/T3.

Go to SYD the night before.

RTWFF

Unlikely to be checked for weight. It seems that VA will allow you to use their domestic-to-international transfer service https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/e...al-connections ("If you are not holding a boarding pass, you need to proceed to the check in counter of the airline operating your international flight") whereas I think Qantas insist on you flying with them or a OneWorld partner. There's always the train - $6 as I recall and runs every 10 - 15 minutes depending whether it's a weekday or a weekend. Not sure about the frequency of the VA or QF shuttles - I remember waiting 45 minutes once for a QF transfer, so I'd be looking to take the train anyway. The likelihood that you'll miss the transfer because of flight delays is conceivable but unlikely on the first flight of the day (weather permitting). You'll arrive around 0730 and get to the International terminal maybe 45 minutes later. Plenty of time in my experience (yes, I have done it). Oh, and you can check in for TG online 24 hours before; all you then do is line up at the (much shorter) Internet check-in queue for your boarding pass

As for Jetstar ...

jchock1

Thanks so much for the advice about spending the night in Sydney! I overlooked the 2 bags at 7kg per bag on QF so think that's what we'll do.

Mwenenzi

There are many long haul flights arriving early morning in SYD
In the morning there are 100's of people coming off QF & other international flight for QF T3. QF airside bus are frequent.
Similar for VA, but will not have as many international passengers.