Last week I returned with 3 friends from ZNZ to London via Nairobi. The first leg with Kenya Airways and the NBO-LHR leg with BA. They were separate tickets with non-connecting PNRs.

Between the 4 of us we had checked 5 bags in ZNZ through to NBO. Upon arrival in NBO we were directed to the transfer desk (the Kenya Airways one) where they said we could have our ZNZ-NBO bag tags replaced with ones to continue to LHR and upon receiving receipts for the bags we could then go to check-in with BA at another gate (all of this was airside).

We got the bag receipts, then proceeded to check in with BA at a different transfer desk (with logos from virtually every airline known to man except a BA logo). When we handed over our new baggage receipts the lady behind the desk insisted we had to be charged excess baggage for the 5th bag (£120). Since 2 of the bags being checked were tiny we could easily fit one of the checked bags into another and reduce to 4. We offered to do this but were told that they could not get our bags back as they were not accessible and were on the 'tarmac' (their words).
The lady said she could not issue our boarding cards until we paid the excess baggage fee, despite my protests that since this was effectively check-in I should still have the option of accessing the bags so we could place one inside another.

In the end we had no choice to pay (and they wouldn't accept credit card either, only cash).

I accept the BA policy, but what I don't accept is being told I cannot access the bags at check-in to reduce them to be within the allowance.

I am reluctant to take this up with BA CS as I really can't see them doing anything. I am deciding whether as a shareholder I should just write to Waterside or just go straight to a claim against them for wrongful charging.

Has similar occured to anyone else?