Published on : Monday, December 10, 2018
The Australian airlines are cracking down on domestic passengers who exceed carry-on baggage limits, with new rules this week forcing all bags to be weighed before boarding.
The Virgin Australia will now induce domestic passengers to weigh carry-on bags at the check-in desk and at the boarding gate to comply with the airline’s seven-kilogram carry-on limit.
Paul Woosnam, General Manager of ground operations at Virgin Australia, said passengers were trying to bring everything but the “kitchen sink” on domestic flights which was causing flight delays.
Mr Woosnam said that they are seeing injuries to our cabin crews caused by closing overhead lockers full of heavy baggage. The restrictions come a week after Qantas announced it would tighten its carry-on luggage rules for domestic passengers, and also police weight limits.
Qantas Airlines limits carry-on baggage to two pieces, neither of which can weigh more than seven kilograms. The bags that are found to be oversized have to go in to planes’ cargo holds, with other checked luggage.
A Qantas spokesman told that the airline was “renewing its focus” on cabin baggage within the allowances to ensure passengers had their fair share of space onboard. He said ensuring allowances were being followed would also help reduce delays during boarding and ensure on-time departures. Cabin bins that are too full or bags that are too heavy can cause a safety risk for both customers and crew. Low-cost carriers Jetstar and Tigerair Australia already use scales to ensure carry-on luggage doesn’t exceed weight limits. A Jetstar spokesman said the company’s airport teams regularly monitored and kept a close check on carry-on luggage to ensure customers complied with the seven kilogram limit.
A Tigerair Australia spokesman said the airline was continuing to trial a program of tagging carry-on bags to show they have been weighed and cleared before boarding. The airline also has a seven kilogram cabin baggage limit, with an optional upgrade to 12 kilograms available for a fee. Professor Ann Williamson, aviation safety expert at UNSW Sydney, said additional weight posed serious safety risks for airlines.
Tags: Australian airlines, baggage rules