Fast bag
 

Hey guys

is fast bag back in action yet? I recall reading that airnz used COVID as a reason to suspend it.

I hope it’s back, was one of the best perks

It seems dead and not coming back. Have also heard it helps ontime performance, as not have to weight and balance calcs, etc once everyone on board. And also on arrival they now work on a the stairs, etc rather than offloading the fast bags before letting anyone off.

Talking to DUD lounge agent the other day about it. Even the Ground Staff are not actually sure what is happening with it. Apparently it is still in review. I highly doubt we will see it back. It is a double edged sword. It makes for a very quick deplane, but God I miss it!!! Certainly the Lounge Agent said they have been heralding some complaints about it!

I’ve found overhead space to be allot less of an issue to recently, with the lack of overseas travellers.

It seems the average carry-on bag of New Zealanders, are smaller than an certain country that we used to have an lot of visitors from.

I’ve found travelling I the ATR/Q300 with an soft Citta overnight bag to be an ok experience (long gave up on roll-a-boards.

Ok thanks for the replies everyone. It’s a pity it’s gone. A fairly simple, cheap but highly valued thing !

Agree that it's a double edged sword. It's really good for being able to pack a full size carry on and not have to find space for it or check a bag in. But not having it makes deplaning just that much faster - very noticeable on all my recent regional flights. I've adjusted now and just pack a soft duffel type bag as well and maybe a backpack if staying more than a couple nights away (to stuff under the seat) and haven't had any space issues on board.

I'm still amazed at the size of some of the rollaboards that people bring on turboprops...and they usually somehow make them fit too. Maybe helped by the low numbers of pax at the moment. I can't see how they can possibly be under the 7 kg limit unless they're full of helium balloons or something.

i think that 7kgs limit (and the size limit) is flouted frequently

Until they fly JQ that one time, and learn there lesion.

Think it’s around $60 on JQ if you get caught at the gate with more than 7kg, and you haven’t pre purchased additional carry-on.

Cant think of when NZ last checked my carry on weight, I know that tend to more sit around 10kg. The joys of only have an Economy and Economy to fly in at the moment.

Gold status gives a carry-on allowance of 2 bags totaling 14 kg, with a maximum of 10 kg for 1 of them: https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/carry-on-baggage

Star Alliance Gold status enjoys this as well.

However, Koru Club Membership does not give this benefit.

Turning up to a Dash 8 with the theoretical maximum gold allowance seems like a bit of a DYKWIA move.

I had a Q400 flight in Europe a couple of years ago where an American couple boarded right behind me with 2 x US sized rollaboards as they were clearly taking their kitchen sinks away with them. Watching them try to fit them in the overhead locker (yeah nah) and then under their seat (yeah nah) followed by somehow deciding the row behind them was empty and leaving them there (yeah nah the passengers turned up) was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

Oh you forget how fun it was to take an early morning domestic flight ex AKL, with all the USA connections on board. It was almost better than the onboard quiz on the a320s.

The best one I can remember was taking an Friday Night, MEL-AKL on an a320. That left with roll-a boards in bathrooms for take off / landing as they was so many connecting passengers onboard.

If they're entitled, what's the issue? If there's a space related issue on that flight but the bags meet the criteria, then the FA can always ask them politely if they'd mind putting them in the hold. No problem.

It would seem that it's becoming socially unacceptable to actually use the services that are offered.