Originally Posted by
Dover2Golf
If you've bought a HBO fare then the European airlines do not give a *G a free check in bag. It's just how it is. There's a whole long thread about it on the Lufthansa forum. Croatia while not a member of the LH Group uses M&M as a FFP and adheres to LH policies and standards. You can reduce the cost by paying for the bag in advance, it's €30/bag if you do that.
New "Light" Flight Class means ZERO bags for star alliance gold members
The T2 staff are very clear about the policies, earlier this week I saw someone protest about a bag fee and he was told to take a seat while he was off loaded. Of course he immediately paid up. Please remember it's not the staff who wrote these policies it was *A collectively and it has been ever thus since T2 at LHR opened. On a plus they have the best on time dispatch of any LHR terminal.
Oh, brother. I see that this is another stupid problem created by the weakness of the global airline alliance structure. Basically, airlines come up with new ways to generate ancillary revenue that nobody thought of when the alliances were created, and then some airlines try to pass along these fees to elites even when they obviously shouldn't. Like coach seat assignments. I can fly as a Star Alliance Gold, get priority baggage handling, a special check in counter, extra luggage allowance, access to a lounge, but I can't get an advance seat assignment for free back then because nobody thought to include this benefit a decade ago (because every traveler got this "benefit" for free).
Croatia Airlines web page states the following:
As a Gold Status holder you can choose not to travel light. We allow an additional 20 kg (44 pounds) where the weight concept applies, or one additional piece of luggage where the piece concept applies.
There's nothing that excludes Basic Economy fares (if you even know you're travelling under one) from this benefit. If I am charged an extra fee, I will dispute it with my credit card company.
BTW, do they also weigh your "personal item" at T2? If not, I guess I can put heavier items, like a book and my computer, into that.