"Forced" to check hand-baggage
Feb 7, 2024, 12:44 pm
#121
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Devon, UK
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Feb 7, 2024, 2:00 pm
#122
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
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I wouldn't really disagree, other than that in the moment the captain will want to keep to time and how hard can it be to open a door? But yes, it's totally out of BA usual way of doing things, and I think the captain's immediate sense of humility was clearly on display here. I've never seen or heard anything like this before.
Feb 7, 2024, 2:21 pm
#123
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
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Do you know that he has? I guess perhaps we could wait until the inquiry reads out before we hang him? Stupidity and buffoonery is one thing, a lack of understand of SOPs or a desire not to follow them is quite something else. I realise I have been flamed for saying this in the past - but in a Just Culture, you need to understand the WHY before dishing out the punishment.
Regards
aks120
Regards
aks120
Feb 7, 2024, 2:24 pm
#124
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Devon, UK
Programs: VS Silver; Matmid Silver, BA Bronze; Accor Plat.
Posts: 1,019
Do you know that he has? I guess perhaps we could wait until the inquiry reads out before we hang him? Stupidity and buffoonery is one thing, a lack of understand of SOPs or a desire not to follow them is quite something else. I realise I have been flamed for saying this in the past - but in a Just Culture, you need to understand the WHY before dishing out the punishment.
Regards
aks120
Regards
aks120
Feb 7, 2024, 2:28 pm
#125
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jul 2008
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I am sorry I disappoint you as a mod - but as I was posting as a board member, not a mod (which I make clear when I post in this capacity), I don't find this comment at all relevant. I am allowed (I think) to have an opinion once in a while!
aks120
Feb 7, 2024, 2:45 pm
#126
Join Date: Mar 2023
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Posts: 242
Based on what Sigwx posted earlier, that won't save you. Being Group 1 and politely refusing probably would, though.
"At the short haul departure gate on flights booked over 75%, 15 compliant hand baggage bags (Larger size) are required to be labelled for the hold"
Larger Size being those which aren't tagged as under-seat ones.
"At the short haul departure gate on flights booked over 75%, 15 compliant hand baggage bags (Larger size) are required to be labelled for the hold"
Larger Size being those which aren't tagged as under-seat ones.
Feb 7, 2024, 2:50 pm
#127
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
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Posts: 3,479
I thought one way to deal with staff trying to persuade you to check hand luggage was to ask for their form where you can declare contents of significant monetary value. I understood that the risk and paperwork usually puts them off and they go find another victim. I've never had the opportunity to try this though.
I suspect this problem will only get worse with the new scanners permitting larger liquids so more people will be tempted to go HBO and travel with the toiletries they need.
Feb 8, 2024, 1:03 am
#129
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,310
Do you know that he has? I guess perhaps we could wait until the inquiry reads out before we hang him? Stupidity and buffoonery is one thing, a lack of understand of SOPs or a desire not to follow them is quite something else. I realise I have been flamed for saying this in the past - but in a Just Culture, you need to understand the WHY before dishing out the punishment.
Regards
aks120
Regards
aks120
What I cannot understand is why on earth he went and did what he did as it is so in contrary to training and procedures. Unfortunately, because of the sheer nature of the job, in some jobs you do not get the benefit of a mistake. I would never want anyone to lose their job but when he came off the flight deck he would have seen and heard what his crew where doing. For him not to know how to disarm a door when practically the whole of FT could have done so (as has been said) again beggars belief, What BA do with him I do not know but at least some retraining in basic aircraft evacuation appears indicated. It is drilled into crew about door arming and disarming and even at the moment when the jetty approached or the steps are in place they check again.
Quite amazing,
Feb 8, 2024, 1:05 am
#130
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 3,348
I thought one way to deal with staff trying to persuade you to check hand luggage was to ask for their form where you can declare contents of significant monetary value. I understood that the risk and paperwork usually puts them off and they go find another victim. I've never had the opportunity to try this though.
Likewise with Li-on batts, youll be managed as per the dangerous goods manual and asked to take out the batteries and place them in the compliant/guaranteed bag which will be taken on board. Depending on what you say you you may also require a printed copy of this web page
https://www.britishairways.com/conte...d-restrictions
Non compliance could indeed mean non travel.
We dont mess around with li-on, several North Atlantic turn backs occurred last year on ex USA departures as the messaging about not moving the seat if your phone or device gets lost seems to go unheeded by a few.
Feb 8, 2024, 5:06 am
#131
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 610
And the thing is, as i have said many times in this forum... they made the HBO fares to compete with the LCCs, but didnt actually reduce the fares so they charge way more (most of the time even WITH the additional cabin bag cost) so you are basically asking BA to put their fares up again.. No thank you. Someone said that they should just make it official that you can check the bag in and i agree. I dont think the majority of people care about checking bags in so i think if you tell people that they can check it in for free into the hold, the majority will.. we are a very small subset of people that are frequent travelers.
I have a condition that lets me pre board now but before (way pre covid), i was stopped once because i had a duty free bag and was told that i had to check the bag in. I told them i would not as i had medication and was told i couldnt take my small duty free bag in, and the GA took my phone hostage. I put everything in my backpack and then got my phone back. More recently, when i was explaining why i need to preboard, the woman asked if i would check my roller bag in (which fits way within the dimensions) and once i told her i had medications that i couldnt be separated from, she left me alone.
Feb 8, 2024, 5:18 am
#132
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, UK
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Posts: 2,503
Id be very wary of claiming items of significant monetary value as youll be asked if youve 1. Notified BA in advance, 2. Attended the cash declarations deal and or HMRC behind zone F in T5. 3. Possibly attract the attention still of the Police and or HMRC at the gate if not sooner.
In my case the valuable items are the case itself and the clothes contained therein, which is the reason why I carry them as hand luggage. The case alone exceeds the 1131 SDR limit so it would be negligent of me not to declare the value. Further, if BA were to insist that my cabin bag must be checked then I would expect them to cover the additional 50 fee for the excess value declaration.
Feb 8, 2024, 5:26 am
#134
Join Date: Jan 2011
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If I am travelling hand bag only, I have made some effort long before I arrive at the airport. Effort to consider how to get my belongings into a suitably sized bag, Effort to leave behind the work tools I cannot take through security. Effort to have toiletries that are small enough and already in a 1 litre bag ready for security. I have compromised the ideal in order to negate the fact that BA consistently have a luggage service that performs awfully. From bags or even whole containers left behind to long waits for bags to arrive at the belt. Not to mention that when they do arrive, thry looking like they were kicked all the way to the destination. In the rain.
So if someone is going to tell me that, having made all the effort to travel hand bag only I have to check my bag in, they'd best be ready for disappointment. Because under no circumstances am I going to relinquish it, If they are going to make the threat of "well you won't be flying then", they'd best be ready to share their details and see that through because this Yorkshireman is as stubborn as they come.
As stated up thread, get rid of the ridiculous HBO fares that cause this problem and the problem goes away. Stop messing around with better / worse / indifferent drinks in F. Instead, sort out the luggage performance. Introduce a priority luggage scheme that works and the problem goes away all on its own. And BA will be a better airline because of it.
So if someone is going to tell me that, having made all the effort to travel hand bag only I have to check my bag in, they'd best be ready for disappointment. Because under no circumstances am I going to relinquish it, If they are going to make the threat of "well you won't be flying then", they'd best be ready to share their details and see that through because this Yorkshireman is as stubborn as they come.
As stated up thread, get rid of the ridiculous HBO fares that cause this problem and the problem goes away. Stop messing around with better / worse / indifferent drinks in F. Instead, sort out the luggage performance. Introduce a priority luggage scheme that works and the problem goes away all on its own. And BA will be a better airline because of it.
Feb 9, 2024, 10:24 am
#135
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 411
I quite like the way Easyjet manage baggage. On their basic fares it only a includes a free bag that is a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20 cm which must be kept under the seat in front. If you want a second or larger cabin bag to go into the overhead locker you either have to pay extra or you can get it free if have an Easyjet Plus card which is their equivalent of status (albeit paid for). I think that those that have an overhead locker bag get to board before those that only have an under seat bag, meaning in theory the last to board won't need to find locker space anyway.
I think Finnair have something similar on their basic superlight fares where you are only allowed an under seat bag (40 x 30 x 15 cm), unless you pay extra for a second larger cabin bag which goes in the overhead locker. If you have Oneworld Status (Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald) you get this second larger cabin bag free of charge.
It would be interesting if an approach similar to Easyjet or Finnair would work for BA, or if there would be too many passengers either with status or who would be willing to pay for an overhead locker bag for it to make a difference.
I think Finnair have something similar on their basic superlight fares where you are only allowed an under seat bag (40 x 30 x 15 cm), unless you pay extra for a second larger cabin bag which goes in the overhead locker. If you have Oneworld Status (Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald) you get this second larger cabin bag free of charge.
It would be interesting if an approach similar to Easyjet or Finnair would work for BA, or if there would be too many passengers either with status or who would be willing to pay for an overhead locker bag for it to make a difference.