Originally Posted by
Dave Noble
It is quite simple, your entitlement is the BA ticketed allowance which is 1 x 23 Kg when checking in with BA; for the flight MEL-SIN the allowance should be 30Kg and for SIN back to UK, should be 1x23Kg
The BA Silver allowance is only an entitlement when travelling on BA/AA/IB only ( same as how Qantas's additional allowances for status only apply on Qantas only ) - there is no Sapphire extra luggage allowance benefit in OneWorld
Yours is an example though of how the non DOT rules are not as good since your allowance changes en-route and the excess baggage fees are very different
e.g. if you turn up with 46Kg at Edinbugh over 2 bags would expect to pay £65 at the airport for the extra bags.
If then checking in in Melbourne with the same baggage , then Qantas can apply its allowance of 30Kg and charge $30 a Kg = $480
(I do recall that in your case you are not bringing as much back, but most people do bring luggage back with them)
If the DOT rules applied, if the allowance is 1PC at the start of the journey, that must apply the whole way and if the extra piece charge is £65 , that must also be the charge the whole way
It seems to me, a lot fairer a rule to passengers than IATA's approach and avoids unexpected large charges
But my booking states, clearly, that I am entitled to 2 X 23 KG. Its on the MMB with BA. So while you state it is perfectly clear, its really not as there are more factors at play than just DOT rules.
Now interestingly Qantas have stated that as its a "piece" booking and not a KG booking, then the piece rule is used, even for the MEL->SIN leg, not the KG rule they normally have. And as they have an undocumented allowance for sapphire FF members I am entitled to 2 pieces, not the 30KG. You are right though, I will only be coming back with one checked in about 10kg so don't actually care.
I fully take on board what you are saying which is if you go with the DOT rules (which I thought were MSC but I think you are now saying no to, perhaps) then I am entitled to 1 X 23KG even though my booking says 2 X 23 KG and the BA site says 2 X 32KG. Clear as mud
My point is this, Unless you are an expert in the DOT rules, its VERY easy to get caught out in the confusion of all of this give the MSC, your status on airline one vs on the same booking - both with airline one booking codes, the starting point for that leg and who is the metal Vs the booking code, etc etc etc for each leg can be different and have different rules. A simple "based on your booking / status / travel / metal / booking numbers etc etc you are entitled to X allowance for the entire trip for each leg" printed on your booking, would make life far simpler for the masses....I don't see why that is so hard for airlines to do..