Tougher luggage restrictions and heavier excess luggage fees await Australian travellers

As Australian travellers prepare for one of the busiest holiday periods of the year, many are unaware of the new restrictions and heavier penalties they face when checking in their luggage at the airport.

This is as a result of an increasing number of airlines around the world who are now vigorously enforcing stricter luggage policies and heavier excess luggage fees, as pressure mounts on already stretched airlines and airports.

A number of Low Cost Carriers have now followed British Airways lead, who this year restricted economy class passengers to one bag only at 23 kilos per bag and charges $280+ each for any extra bags on long haul flights and Qantas who charge $48 per excess kilo.

Bookings for travel from 1st October 2007 with EasyJet in Europe will cost an extra $5+ per bag for luggage checked-in online in advance, or $12+ per bag if checking in at the airport. This follows other airlines such as Ryanair and Spirit Airlines, whilst other premium airlines such as Air Canada are now offering a discount to passengers travelling with hand luggage only.

“With a number of new budget carriers set to enter the Australian market alongside Jetstar and Virgin Blue, it is inevitable that Australia will follow the US and UK trend in introducing new and stricter baggage policies”, said James Garrod, Co-Founder and Group Marketing Director of Personal Porter™, an Australian online global door-to-door luggage delivery service.

“Segregating passengers and their luggage is the direction in which the US and UK airline industries are heading and this will impact on Australia.” said James Garrod, adding, “It will will assist enormously in improving the operational performance and security of airlines and airports.”

“By using the Personal Porter™ service to pick up luggage from a passengers home or office and delivering it to their final destination passengers are safe in the knowledge that their luggage will be at their destination when they arrive” said James, “Whereas the payment of on-the- spot airline excess baggage fees does not mean that the luggage will end up at the same airport at the same time as the passenger.”

New security measures means increased pressure on airport and airline operations, which then translates into more mishandled luggage, with more than 50 million bags* in transit globally in any given week and over 30 million bags* mishandled globally annually.

For more information on Personal Porter™, please visit www.personalporter.com.au.

Personal Porter™ is an online and seamless global door-to-door luggage delivery service, providing travellers the ability to bypass traditional check-in by picking up their luggage at their home or office and delivering it to their final destination.

The company offers flexible luggage options, time preferred pick- up windows, pro-active luggage management and provides an unrivalled global customer service and support.

*Statistics were researched and published by SITA in January 2006. SITA are a service provider of IT Business Solutions and communications services to the air transport community.

Report by The Mole