Virgin Australia joins Qantas in carry-on bag crackdown
Virtually all domestic passengers in Australia will now have to careful how much they cram into their carry-on bags or face checking their bags into the cargo hold.
Virgin Australia is joining Qantas in cracking down on oversized carry-on baggage starting this week.
Passengers’ carry-on luggage will now be weighed either at check-in or at the gate to ensure everyone is adhering to the strict limits.
"This is preventable if all passengers adhered to the baggage limits and guidelines, and from the customers we’ve spoken to, we know they’re in favour of our renewed focus on cabin baggage," said Paul Woosnam, Virgin’s general manager of ground operations.
Woosnam says it is a reaction to increasing numbers of fliers attempting to cram ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ into their carry-ons.
However Virgin and Qantas will not charge extra to check in bags at the gate.
Qantas offers a 14 kg allowance for two bags, while Virgin Australia gives 7kg as well as an additional laptop bag or handbag.
Qantas’ stricter enforcement of carry-on weights is to allow everyone ‘fair share’ of overhead cabin space.
"We know customers like the convenience of not having to check in luggage but we’re getting feedback from regular flyers who say all customers need to be reminded about how much luggage they can take onboard," said Stephen Moynihan, Qantas’ senior manager of corporate communications.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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