Have you ever paid over $100 for 14kg a carry-on bag? TigerAir did to me twice.
Aug 14, 2014, 12:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
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Have you ever paid over $100 for 14kg a carry-on bag? TigerAir did to me twice.
The story is like this.
My wife and I took Tiger Air, flying from Sydney to Cairns this morning. It was supposed to be one of the most exciting segments of our RTW this year.
We checked in online the night before, but we didn’t select the check-in luggage option online, thought we can always do that in the airport if we really want to, which later proved we were too naive.
Without worrying too much, we arrived at the check-in counter. The agent was pretty friendly in the beginning, perfunctory smiles and whatnot at least, before we showed her our Chinese Passports, scornful impatience appeared on her face immediately - “I need to weight you bag, Sir!”
“Okay, sure.” My bag weighted 14 kg and 3 kg of my backpack, 17 kg total.
“You have to check in the carry-on bag, because you can only have 10 kg carry on.”
“Okay…sure. Let’s check the bag in then.”
“That’s $90AUD for per bag, and $97.5 AUD if you want to use your credit card. Because you didn’t select the check-in luggage option online when you checked in last night. You would only have to pay $20 per bag online. But it’s too late now, you have to do this 4 hours before the flight" Notcing my wife pulling off her cellphone, she interrupted "You can’t do it now!"
“WHAT? Are you serious? $90 per bag?”
“Yes sir. The gate is closing in 3 min (we had waited 10 min in the line, we still had 50 min before boarding). You have to pay now.”
My wife and I were both stunned. But we had no choice.
When we about to pay, she continued “How about the other bag?” pointing at my wife’s carry-on bag, “I have to weight that too, with everything she has.”
Guess what? It turned out over 10kg too... (but the carry-on bag itself was only about approximately 7kg)
“Sir you have to pay $90 for her bag as well. $97.5 if you use credit cards. You have to pay it now”
Because we didn’t have that much cash on us, in the end we paid $196 AUD for two carry-on bags total weight was probably less than 17 Kg. What a price gouging! The worst part was we felt we were discriminate, as she treated us like second class citizens, turning a blind eye on other passengers. She did everything she could to rip us off.
Cairns is our last stop for our RTW this year, so far we’ve traveled with 1 carry-on bag + 1 backpack each person to everywhere: New York (Air Canada, Cairo (Egypt Air), Johannesburg ( Egypt Air), Cape Town(Kulula),Singapore (Singapore Air), Sydney(Singapore Air) without any issue at all. We can certainly tell Tigerair was the worst airline we ever used, old aircraft, narrow seat, bad customer service, (but probably the most profitable, ‘surprise!’…), Kulula was surprisingly good actually.(brand new 737-800 nice crew, well trained).
We just called TigerAir customer support, asking if they have a transparent price list for luggage. Guess what? It’s only $85 for bags over 15 Kg for flight longer than 1:45 hours, but we had one 14kg and one 7kg bag. Another surprise. LOL http://www.tigerair.com/au/en/fees2.php
Anyway I’m going to file a complaint, let’s hear what they have to say.
Here are the carryon bags we have, just regular, nothing over-sized.
My wife and I took Tiger Air, flying from Sydney to Cairns this morning. It was supposed to be one of the most exciting segments of our RTW this year.
We checked in online the night before, but we didn’t select the check-in luggage option online, thought we can always do that in the airport if we really want to, which later proved we were too naive.
Without worrying too much, we arrived at the check-in counter. The agent was pretty friendly in the beginning, perfunctory smiles and whatnot at least, before we showed her our Chinese Passports, scornful impatience appeared on her face immediately - “I need to weight you bag, Sir!”
“Okay, sure.” My bag weighted 14 kg and 3 kg of my backpack, 17 kg total.
“You have to check in the carry-on bag, because you can only have 10 kg carry on.”
“Okay…sure. Let’s check the bag in then.”
“That’s $90AUD for per bag, and $97.5 AUD if you want to use your credit card. Because you didn’t select the check-in luggage option online when you checked in last night. You would only have to pay $20 per bag online. But it’s too late now, you have to do this 4 hours before the flight" Notcing my wife pulling off her cellphone, she interrupted "You can’t do it now!"
“WHAT? Are you serious? $90 per bag?”
“Yes sir. The gate is closing in 3 min (we had waited 10 min in the line, we still had 50 min before boarding). You have to pay now.”
My wife and I were both stunned. But we had no choice.
When we about to pay, she continued “How about the other bag?” pointing at my wife’s carry-on bag, “I have to weight that too, with everything she has.”
Guess what? It turned out over 10kg too... (but the carry-on bag itself was only about approximately 7kg)
“Sir you have to pay $90 for her bag as well. $97.5 if you use credit cards. You have to pay it now”
Because we didn’t have that much cash on us, in the end we paid $196 AUD for two carry-on bags total weight was probably less than 17 Kg. What a price gouging! The worst part was we felt we were discriminate, as she treated us like second class citizens, turning a blind eye on other passengers. She did everything she could to rip us off.
Cairns is our last stop for our RTW this year, so far we’ve traveled with 1 carry-on bag + 1 backpack each person to everywhere: New York (Air Canada, Cairo (Egypt Air), Johannesburg ( Egypt Air), Cape Town(Kulula),Singapore (Singapore Air), Sydney(Singapore Air) without any issue at all. We can certainly tell Tigerair was the worst airline we ever used, old aircraft, narrow seat, bad customer service, (but probably the most profitable, ‘surprise!’…), Kulula was surprisingly good actually.(brand new 737-800 nice crew, well trained).
We just called TigerAir customer support, asking if they have a transparent price list for luggage. Guess what? It’s only $85 for bags over 15 Kg for flight longer than 1:45 hours, but we had one 14kg and one 7kg bag. Another surprise. LOL http://www.tigerair.com/au/en/fees2.php
Anyway I’m going to file a complaint, let’s hear what they have to say.
Here are the carryon bags we have, just regular, nothing over-sized.
Aug 14, 2014, 1:09 pm
#2
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The ancillary fees are how these ULCC discount airlines make their money. That and very strict about weight limits. If they overcharged you should get a refund. These airlines are not known for their customer service just the basics
The high fees are very well displayed during the booking process so it shouldn't have been such a shock when you arrived at the airport.
The high fees are very well displayed during the booking process so it shouldn't have been such a shock when you arrived at the airport.
Last edited by CDKing; Aug 14, 2014 at 1:18 pm
Aug 14, 2014, 1:10 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 499
Aug 14, 2014, 1:17 pm
#4
Original Poster
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The ancillary fees are how these ULCC discount airlines make their money. That and very strict about weight limits. If they overcharged you should get a refund.
The high fees are very well displayed during the booking process so it shouldn't have been such a shock whne you arrive.
The high fees are very well displayed during the booking process so it shouldn't have been such a shock whne you arrive.
I should have just booked with Qantas. With the $100 extra charge I paid per person, Qantas was actually cheaper and nicer (probably?).
Aug 14, 2014, 1:21 pm
#5
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Best place to start is the Customer Service portal (page is running slow for me)
http://gethelp.tigerair.com/pages/intro.php
Also note i checked the luggage details page and what you paid for was the 15KG teir (up to 15KG) which appears to be the only weight package you can purchase after t-4 hours. so it was only a slight overcharge. I'm not sure the $8.50 service fee apples or not but that extra fee to use the CC may be correct
http://gethelp.tigerair.com/pages/intro.php
Also note i checked the luggage details page and what you paid for was the 15KG teir (up to 15KG) which appears to be the only weight package you can purchase after t-4 hours. so it was only a slight overcharge. I'm not sure the $8.50 service fee apples or not but that extra fee to use the CC may be correct
Aug 14, 2014, 1:43 pm
#6
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It's not like this in Canada, West Jet and Porter are much better, in terms of price and service.
Very funny video, I can totally relate it with TigerAir^^
Aug 14, 2014, 1:45 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,451
90% to blame on yourself.
You apparently arrived less than 15min before CI deadline, definitely knowing your luggage was over the limit, and allowing too little time to repack etc.
I'm sure they don't make up rules, but that's rather how LCC carriers work.
Not a good experience, but then even "quality" (joke, haha) carriers like Lufthansa will charge their highest class status members when they've 2kg too much in their CI luggage. The world of todays airline industry works this way..
You apparently arrived less than 15min before CI deadline, definitely knowing your luggage was over the limit, and allowing too little time to repack etc.
I'm sure they don't make up rules, but that's rather how LCC carriers work.
Not a good experience, but then even "quality" (joke, haha) carriers like Lufthansa will charge their highest class status members when they've 2kg too much in their CI luggage. The world of todays airline industry works this way..
Aug 14, 2014, 1:53 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE, *A Gold, IHG Plat, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 254
Best place to start is the Customer Service portal (page is running slow for me)
http://gethelp.tigerair.com/pages/intro.php
Also note i checked the luggage details page and what you paid for was the 15KG teir (up to 15KG) which appears to be the only weight package you can purchase after t-4 hours. so it was only a slight overcharge. I'm not sure the $8.50 service fee apples or not but that extra fee to use the CC may be correct
http://gethelp.tigerair.com/pages/intro.php
Also note i checked the luggage details page and what you paid for was the 15KG teir (up to 15KG) which appears to be the only weight package you can purchase after t-4 hours. so it was only a slight overcharge. I'm not sure the $8.50 service fee apples or not but that extra fee to use the CC may be correct
I've already submitted a complaint using the link you provided. Thank you.
I guess not just the over charge part made us angry. It's more from the discrimination part that they are targeting foreigners, especially Chinese passengers. I blame myself for being cheap, as I has other options when I purchased the tickets. Never fly with them again.
Aug 14, 2014, 10:16 pm
#11
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Aug 15, 2014, 8:51 am
#12
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Aug 15, 2014, 10:24 am
#13
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Aug 15, 2014, 11:15 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Posts: 577
I'm shocked that the OP is surprised that Tiger made him check his "carry-on" bags, when it's clearly way above what's allowable... From experience, Tiger (and some other budget airlines I flew) was willing to turn a blind eye if it's just a couple of kgs above. But 17kg total, seriously??? I'll include this one in the FT ridiculous complaints threads collection. 
Aug 15, 2014, 12:19 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 32
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me
Sorry, I know it's too late, but I couldn't stop thinking why didn't the OP take his wife's carry-on so it's 10kg total for him. Or moving some stuffs between
2 backpacks.
And looks like $90 charge was correct.
"A fee of A$5.00 will be charged for any airport baggage added at the Airport by our ground staff. "
2 backpacks.
And looks like $90 charge was correct.
"A fee of A$5.00 will be charged for any airport baggage added at the Airport by our ground staff. "