Is it all downhill for BA passengers?

I’ve said before that British Airways (BA) is one of my favourite airlines, (a couple of free, unsolicited upgrades helped), but I can’t be the only one noticing a worrying trend in the way BA operates.

Lately, what worries me, is BA’s new baggage policy, which comes into effect on 13 February 2007. The main changes in the policy are:

• The number of bags that you’ll be allowed to check in free of charge, depends on the length of your flight and the class of your ticket.
• One single bag may not weigh more than 23kg (51lbs).
• You’ll be charged a fixed fee per excess bag based on the length of your flight.

The local media has criticized BA for what they call an underhanded introduction of a money spinner. BA has fought back, saying that the new policy was announced as early as June 2006 and is being introduced to simplify their baggage policy.

What sticks in my throat, is not the way BA has introduced the new policy. If they announced the policy in June, then that is plenty of warning in my opinion.

I have no problem with the fact that they want to charge for excess baggage, either. Excess baggage fees have been in place for as long as I have flown, and I don’t see, how else airlines can fairly distribute the plane’s maximum baggage capacity.

But here is what does bother me:

1. The new fees are not fair
2. The introduced-to-simplify policy is as clear as mud and open for interpretation.

Unjust fees

With the introduction of the new baggage policy, these are the fixed excess baggage fees:

• On longhaul flights - £120 per bag.
• On shorthaul flights - £60 per bag.
• On UK domestic flights - £30 per bag.

I would like BA to show us their cost figures for handling one extra bag, in terms of manpower, etc. Because I seriously doubt, it comes anywhere near £120 per bag.

Now, I can see that BA might be worried about their ability to handle the extra luggage people might want to bring, if the excess fees were fairer. But if that is the case, surely an excess bagage booking system run on a first come, first serve basis would be a fairer system for everyone involved.

It also perplexes me that it needs to cost 4 times as much to bring an extra bag on a longhaul flight compared with a UK domestic flight. Given that you’re more likely to be away for longer when taking a longhaul flight, and therefore are more likely to bring more luggage, it most definitely looks like BA’s brilliant idea of a profit booster.

Clear as mud

If only then the policy really did make it simpler, as promised, for BA’s passengers to know how much luggage they can check in free of charge, then at least some good would come of it for travellers.

Let’s look at just how clear it is to figure out, how much you can bring:

From 13 February 2007, the new basic BA rule is that you can check in 1 bag with a maximum weight of 23kg. Now that is easy to remember, but it is not that simple. Because if you are flying First or Club World, you’re allowed three bags. If you’re flying Club Europe or World Traveller Plus, you’re allowed two bags. But if you’re stuck in World Traveller, Euro Traveller, BA Connect or UK Domestic like me, then you’re only allowed the one bag.

Confused yet? Well don’t be, because it gets better.

If you’re flying World Traveller class to or from the US, Canada, Caribbean, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico, then you’re one of the privileged few, who are allowed to check in two bags. Why these passengers should need a higher allowance than say an Asian-bound passenger, I don’t know, but apparently it has got to do with local government regulations.

But lets not dwell there, because we’re not through the jungle yet.

If you’re travelling with your baby, then you’re in luck, because infants are allowed to check one bag + a collapsible baby buggy and a car seat. So you may be able to stuff a few of your own extra kilos of clothes into your baby’s bag. Unless of course BA plans to introduce a new no-adult-clothes-in-baby-luggage policy.

Likewise, each passenger is allowed to carry one piece of sporting equipment. Is it a matter of time before passengers will start filling golf-bags with clothes?

Finally, if you cannot comfortably carry a 23kg bag, BA will, if it is clear to them that you cannot manage one bag, let you “check in an additional bag (or more) provided the total weight is within the 23kg limit” (source: British Airways’ website).

All downhill?

So is it all downhill for BA passengers from now on? Well, they are slowly moving from my “favourite airlines” list to my “watch out” list. I envisage being stuck in the check-in queue behind a passenger, who is trying to convince BA staff that the cast on her arm is real, and she really cannot carry a 23kg bag.

I really hope, BA realizes that the reason why, dispite all BA’s recent problems, many of their passengers are still choosing BA over the budget airlines, is because BA provides a better, friendlier service. Anymore moves like this new baggage policy, and we might not be so forgiving.

Note

Please note that the above allowances are sourced from BA’s website at the time of writing. This article will not be updated to reflect any policy changes that BA may make. You should check BA’s website for their up-to-date official policies.

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