$The_Real_G$

Hey whassup, I'm a 19-year-old from Vancouver. I'll be flying British Airways in 5 days (can't wait!!) and I have been told that I can have 2 check-in luggages but the weight of each cannot exceed 70 lbs. Is this true?
Does this mean anything over 70 lbs would require you to pay some sort of fine?

Also, am I allowed to carry a camera and an mp3 player on board?

timthorn

Welcome to FT! You won't be able to check in luggage that weighs over 70lbs on BA - it's a safety rule to protect the baggage handlers. There are some exceptions:
The camera & mp3 player won't be a problem.

$The_Real_G$

Thanx.
Also, will I be seeing lots of hot chicks on the plane? Time flies when they're present.

Gizmos

BA will probably serve you a hot chick in your lap, though this will be in the form of the in-flight meal with chicken

$The_Real_G$

God bless BA!!

SchmeckFlyer

Hot chicks with a lot of wit!

Incidentally, I thought BA has been or will be (very soon) cracking down on overweight hold baggage? I ask because my mother showed up at AMS today with about 38kg of luggage after a short flight from London, and she said the check-in agents barely seemed to notice... (The ticket was a seperate booking, although she will be flying on to South America later on.)

bealine

From July certain routes (rumoured LGW-IAH and LGW-ATL) will be reduced to 2 pieces at under 50lb (23kg) each to trial the new baggage system incorporated into our check-in computer system.

From October, this will roll-out across the network and checked-in baggage allowances will change:

Transatlantic - 2 pieces of not more than 23kg each (50lbs)

European and Domestic - 1 piece of not more than 20kgs (40lbs)

Another vital change is that these allowances are per person - we will no longer be allowed to "pool" an allowance (ie a couple turning up with one 30kg bag going to Europe will be charged excess, because the bag must be allocated to one person only!)

Because the computer system will record the number of bag tags printed and the precise weight automatically, there will be no discretion from the check-in staff - if you have more than you are allowed, you will be charged. However, if you know the weight in advance, and you are over, you will be able to purchase the excess baggage voucher in advance on the internet at a discount.

Mr MCO

It was just a matter of time as every one else have reduced their baggage allowances. A friend mention it to me a while back. I wonder if they will do like Virgin. Virgin Atlantic reduced the baggage allowances to Economy ticket holders only and not to premium economy, upper class and first.

SchmeckFlyer

Thanks for the explaination... will have to warn my mother.

But I have ever understood why airlines are sometimes so picky about pooling, especially when in the end it makes no difference to the weight of the aircraft anyway (which I assume is the major point of concern when limiting baggage allowances). My uncle recently came from JFK (with KLM) and they made a big fuss over an extra 2kg, forced him to repack despite his colleagues both being underweight. The agent was even going to make a fuss about an extra 200g, but the manager intervened. In the end, the result was 1) frustrated and angry passengers, 2) irritated passengers forced to wait in line longer (their irritation aimed at the airline apparently), and 3) no net decrease in the weight the aircraft ultimately carried despite the efforts of all concerned.

Other problem with pay-before-you-go system is what happens when a passenger shows up with slightly more or else than what they paid for?

I foresee many frustrated passengers and powerless (or unwilling?) staff.

PUCCI GALORE

How right you are! No tray, no container - and ever so hot.

clubman

Stupid stupid decision
I can just see the masses of couples having to open their suitcases and re pack moving stuff from one case to the other while others are waiting to check in.
Crazy.

SLF

Moronic decision actually. So in the case of a family of four, normally travelling with two suitcases, we're going to be encouraged to bring three or four suitcases so that we don't exceed a single person limit? Moronic.

Moronic decision. Competing against the LCCs are we (by focusing on the needs of the customer instead of the airline)? Or becoming one (by copying LCC policies)? Moronic.

Dave_C

So at the moment, I have a booking for November in First, where MMB proudly states that I have a 40kg per person allowance. If I turn up at the F desk with 39kg's, they're going to start charging?

This could get very unhappy for a lot of people.

SLF

I've already printed out the MMB screen & http://www.ba.com/baggage for future bookings. It would be somewhat harsh to enforce new limits on existing bookings.

Dave_C

I've done the same too. How much use it's going to be though is debateable.