I just completed the final leg AKL-SYD of a *A Circle Asia Y fare this morning. (thanks Al B for your previous guidance in helping me to plan this! ^ )

As a heads up NZ were quite militant in the enforcement of baggage restrictions (especially carry-ons) at check-in. All bags were being weighed for all passengers it seemed. My carry-on weighed 8 kg and I had to take out something to bring it down to 7kg. I took out a book and some notes and put them in my laptop bag which I managed to get away with them not re-weighing.

My checked bag was 17kg, but I also had a med suitcase sized box with an electronic sample in, that was 12kg. They wanted me to pay 12kg X $10 = $120 excess fee.

I complained that I had travelled on 6 other *A flights in the last 2 weeks (including NZ86 from HKG the previous evening) with the same luggage and had not encountered any problems, and that I believed I was entitled to 2 @ 20kg. "Definitely not" and "you just were lucky on the other flights" was the response!

I countered with comments about the policy being inconsistently applied and at that point there was an agreement between us, and the attendant reluctantly agreed not to charge me "this time". However they insisted on noting details of my Visa card - "just in case someone else noticed the excess baggage and they had to charge me"????

The entire process took close to 15 min as the supervisor got involved, and the passengers at the adjacent check-in windows were having similar problem "discussions".

I am assuming that this was largely due to the recent CASA crackdown on baggage, but for anyone coming in from North America with 2 pieces and stopping over in AKL, this could present a problem (as per the guy at the window next to me!).