Excess Baggage Charges

Has anyone else had any problems with excess baggage charges on the non US routes. I was charged an extortionate £150 for 5kg excess baggage on the PVG - LHR route yesterday. My main complaints are :

1. The limit on this route appears to be a miserly 20kg compared to the 2 bags on the US routes. I wasn't aware of this difference as it didn't say so on my e-ticket.
2. The per kg charge is absolutely outrageous.
3. When I got on board, there was a maximum of 40 people on the entire plane. The entire middle section of economy was empty. We could all have had a seat for each of our bags and there would still have been plenty of space!

I guess with such poor loading levels, Virgin feel they have to nickel and dime can to make whatever money they can, but I can't believe a US carrier, for example, would get away with these charges. I've never been asked to pay this on my regular EWR-LHR trips.

Is this common on this route ?

[preiffer]

Hi Cherimoya, and welcome [y].

Unfortunately, not only is it common, it's also pretty clearly documented on their baggage area of the VS website.

Flights to/from South Africa, India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and the UK use the weight system. Excess baggage charges are based on the below percentages of the highest normal direct adult one way Economy Class fare (W class***) irrespective of the fare paid by yourself, and are per kg excess.

Between South Africa, India, China, Hong Kong, Japan and UK - 1.5%
Between Australia and Hong Kong - 1.5%
Between Australia and UK - 1%

Ouch! That does seem extortionate - did they let anything by at all, or was your hold baggage really 25kg in total?

A quick look at BA's website heresuggests their excess charges are of approximately the same order, but I notice their allowance is a slightly more generous 23kg. In any event, at these sort of rates both VS and BA seem intent on deterring people from going even a little over their allowance. Their policy certainly contrasts with that on US routes.

Best wishes

David

Thanks for the info Paul.

I still think that if they are going to enforce such a draconian charge it should be on the ticket not hidden on the web site. I didn't even book these tickets through the web site. Also based on what I was charged, that would put a one way W ticket at £2000. Is that right ?

Anyway, I guess I know now for the future.

David
I was actually about 10kg over. I moved some into my hand luggage and they reduced the excess to 5kg because I moaned so much.

Originally posted by Cherimoya
Also based on what I was charged, that would put a one way W ticket at £2000. Is that right ?

The top one way fare on the route currently is:

W1OW VS W One-Way 1508.00 (GBP)

so it should have been £22.62 per kg. If your receipt shows a higher rate than that, unless there are any local taxes to take into account, perhaps they've overcharged you. It does seem a little vindictive - did you have any sort of bust-up with them?

Best wishes

David

Cherimoya - since our posts keep crossing in the ether, I'll now stop responding so quickly! And let me reiterate Paul's welcome to the site.

Best wishes

David

When I got on board, there was a maximum of 40 people on the entire plane. The entire middle section of economy was empty. We could all have had a seat for each of our bags and there would still have been plenty of space!

It isn't to do with space it's to do with weight. More weight equals more fuel equals more cost.

[mitchja]

Originally posted by Cherimoya
Thanks for the info Paul.

I still think that if they are going to enforce such a draconian charge it should be on the ticket not hidden on the web site. I didn't even book these tickets through the web site. Also based on what I was charged, that would put a one way W ticket at £2000. Is that right ?

Anyway, I guess I know now for the future.

Agreed

VS did used to print this info on their e-tickets but not any more. I've sent several emails to VS asking them to review their e-ticket design which seriously needs looking at.

Regards

[mitchja]

The other thing which is even less clear on the VS web site is what extra baggage allowance Gold card holders are allowed. This info doesn't seem to appear anywhere [?]. The only info I can find is that I'm allowed an extra 20Kg baggage when travelling in any class on Singapore Airlines....what about VS [?]

Regards

Originally posted by G-VOPS

When I got on board, there was a maximum of 40 people on the entire plane. The entire middle section of economy was empty. We could all have had a seat for each of our bags and there would still have been plenty of space!

It isn't to do with space it's to do with weight. More weight equals more fuel equals more cost.

I was waiting for this reply to crop up. On the basis that I way 18 stone (on a good day) and my wife less than 1/2 of this how on earth can you stamp on someone for 5kg over weight on baggage? There will always be a difference in peoples weight. I dred to think this may now spur someone in the airlines to start charging for anything over say 12 stone weight as excess baggage.

And before anyone wonders, yes I carry it well I am 6'3" and do fit comfortably into a standard airline seat (excluding the legroom of course!)

Paul

[Decker]

Welcome aboard!

In fairness to VS the last e-ticket I got in November had this fairly near the top :-

"BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE
Free baggage allowances vary between airlines. Extra charges may apply for checked baggage in excess of the permitted allowance. For information about Virgin Atlantic's allowances, please visit http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/passenge ... wances.jsp"

Following the link gives a very clear explanation complete with pictures. It seems with Lagos at certain times of the year they don't accept excess baggage period!

So yes it IS expensive but it does seem to invalidate point 1. Point 2 would just seem to be the commercial rate and G-VOPS has answered 3. That isn't to say I'd just happily get out the credit card but if pleading didn't help I'd eventually just have to cough up.

[mitchja]

Originally posted by p17blo

Originally posted by G-VOPS

When I got on board, there was a maximum of 40 people on the entire plane. The entire middle section of economy was empty. We could all have had a seat for each of our bags and there would still have been plenty of space!

It isn't to do with space it's to do with weight. More weight equals more fuel equals more cost.

I was waiting for this reply to crop up. On the basis that I way 18 stone (on a good day) and my wife less than 1/2 of this how on earth can you stamp on someone for 5kg over weight on baggage? There will always be a difference in peoples weight. I dred to think this may now spur someone in the airlines to start charging for anything over say 12 stone weight as excess baggage.

And before anyone wonders, yes I carry it well I am 6'3" and do fit comfortably into a standard airline seat (excluding the legroom of course!)

Paul

Excellent point Paul...why should a small person pay the same fare as a 'larger' person [?]

The A340-600's (which operate most of the non-trans-Atlantic flights) also have a larger cargo capacity then the B747-400's and are more fuel-efficient as well.

The cynic in me is saying that this could be down to VS reserving most of the cargo space for actual cargo rather than passenger baggage - making themselves more money that way. Cargo makes as much if not more money for airlines than passengers do.

Regards

[mcmbenjamin]

Originally posted by G-VOPS

It isn't to do with space it's to do with weight. More weight equals more fuel equals more cost.

And in turn less cargo, which is does not need watering, etc.

[Decker]

Good point James - I was just speaking to Premier Team about the Au stuff as the site has a paucity of details. They confirmed that AU bags SHOULD be tagged UC regardless of class of travel (take that argumentative EWR lady) and that we still get the extra 32KG on US routes. I forgot to confirm African which is a shame as we've got to do JNB in May.

[mitchja]

I also just spoken to VS. For routes where the weight system is in effect, Au card holders get an extra 20Kg. So for Upper that's 30+20Kg and for Premium and Economy it's 20+20Kg.

All other routes where the piece system is in place, it's 1 extra bag weighing up to 32Kg.

Regards

[Decker]

Thanks for that!

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin


And in turn less cargo, which is does not need watering, etc.

Ah the old SLF:- Self Loading Freight

Originally posted by mitchja
I also just spoken to VS. For routes where the weight system is in effect, Au card holders get an extra 20Kg. So for Upper that's 30+20Kg and for Premium and Economy it's 20+20Kg.

All other routes where the piece system is in place, it's 1 extra bag weighing up to 32Kg.

*cough*
here
*cough*



Cheers

Michael

[Decker]

Welcome back [:>]

Do you get any extra allowance for Silver in UC ?

I might send an email and ask then for some extra allowance in advance, since we're emigrating n'all

Milliemoo

You think thats bad, I travelled UC to HK just before Christmas, i took a load of kit out with me for a conference which came to 82KG. I was hit for £1800 excess baggage - fair enough, i should have just freighted out which would have cost a little less but the timing was all wrong.

The annoying part was that having paid all this money, one of the items was then left on the tarmac and turned up two days later!

I am still waiting for my refund.......

Originally posted by Decker
They confirmed that AU bags SHOULD be tagged UC regardless of class of travel (take that argumentative EWR lady)

Glad you got that confirmed Decker. I had the same arguement at CPT. Eventually she agreed to put the tags on, but only while pulling a face like someone had shoved a lemon in her mouth. [:(!][V]

Markb - £1800 to have your bags left behind. Hurumph! Probably baggage handlings fault though rather than VS. Still enough to make you see red though.

Originally posted by Decker
Welcome back [:>]

:D

Cheers

Michael

Pretty stingy of Virgin over 5kg if I may say so. SQ are very generous indeed when it comes to excess baggage. Called SQ reservations in Australia earlier this week as I wanted to know how much it would cost me to take home an extra 10kg on top of my 20kg allowance (for travelling Y). The nice SQ agent told me, oh, 30kg is fine, no extra charge for you, Sir. He made a note on my booking for the check-in agents. Absolutely no idea why I got this preferential treatment, I'm only bmi Star Silver, but top marks to SQ. Fabulous!

The Strawb