Because I couldn't get my bags back to fall within the allowances.

Now I am possibly prepared to put this one down to naivity with airside transfers from one baggage policy to another but I've defended BA far too many times before to do so again.

Imagine turning up at check in with more bags than the allowance, then they tag up the bags, send them down the conveyer belt and THEN tell you that you are over the allowance and that you need to pay excess baggage but that you can't get your bags back because they are now on the tarmac.

It was the first time ever that at 'check-in' I was told I cannot have access to my bags to fit within either a piece or weight allowance.