British Airways

British Airways - Baggage

Customers will benefit from a 20 per cent discount if they pay excess baggage charges online at ba.com.
 
Revised online excess baggage rates will be:

1. UK domestic flights £16 one-way (previously £21)
2. All other short haul £24 one-way (previously £42)
3. Long haul £60 one-way (previously £84)

Customers paying excess baggage charges at the airport will pay:

1. UK domestic £20 one-way (previously £30)
2. All other shorthaul £30 one-way (previously £60)
3. Long haul £75 one-way (previously £120)

Continued flexibility for customers who are unable to carry one bag, provided they remain within the 23kgs weight limit.

Customers who wish to check in bags within their piece allowance but that exceed 23kgs will pay a flat-rate of £25, with effect from November, 2008. British Airways will not accept bags heavier than 32kgs. Until this charge is implemented, British Airways will continue to accept a single piece of baggage weighing up to 32kgs free of charge. Customers will continue to be able to take their sporting equipment such as golf bags and skis for free in addition to their normal personal baggage allowance.

The airline has redefined the list of sporting equipment to make it easier for customers to understand what they can and cannot check in. It also takes into account limitations of airport baggage systems and size and weight restrictions in the aircraft hold.

With effect from November 6, passengers' personal baggage allowance will be:

One bag weighing no more than 23kgs for Euro/World Traveller economy passengers with the exception of some longhaul routes including, the USA and Canada, Argentina, Brazil, the Caribbean, Mexico, Bermuda, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria.

Customers travelling in World Traveller (economy) to and from these destinations will be able to take two bags, each weighing no more than 23kgs.

Two bags, each weighing no more than 23kgs for Club Europe and World Traveller Plus passengers.

Three bags, each weighing no more than 23kgs for Club World and First passengers.

Sporting equipment such as golf bags and skis can be taken free of charge in addition to a passenger's personal baggage allowance.

Where it is clear that a passenger cannot manage one bag of 23kgs, they will be able to check in an additional bag free of charge, as long as both bags are within 23kgs.

Infants' personal allowance is one bag, weighing no more than 23kgs.

Pushchairs, car seats and wheelchairs can be taken in addition to the baggage allowance.

British Airways customers can carry the following as hand baggage from all worldwide destinations and from Heathrow, GATWICK, London City, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Nooocastle:

One bag no bigger than 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm (22 inches x 17.5 inches x 9.85 inches) (including wheels, pockets and handles)

In addition, one briefcase or laptop-sized bag

A maximum hand baggage weight of 23Kg applies and customers must able to lift the bag into the overhead lockers in the aircraft cabin unaided.
Restrictions on the quantity of liquids allowed through airport security search remain in place.
Customers must ensure that all liquid containers do not exceed 100ml and are carried in a clear, re-sealable plastic bag no bigger than 20 cm x 20 cm that can be easily closed.

The one bag restriction will apply to all customers departing or transferring through the following airports:

Jersey
Newquay

BA/ VS Fuel Surcharges Get Your Money Back!

Following the little debacle about fuel surcharges, it has now been decided that you can claim back from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic between £4 and £20 a return (there-and-back) ticket and a bit less on a single. This applies for the period starting on the 11th August 2004 and the 23rd March 2006 - more or less a two year period.

You will, however, have to work for it - or get your travel agent to work for it. You will need to establish all the long haul trips you made in this period. Long haul means either a) Across the Pond (either way) or b) anything not within Europe ("short haul") Short haul would be say, London to Munich or London to Bucharest.  All Virgin Atlantic flights are, de facto, long haul. Note that these MUST be on Virgin or British Airways "metal" (the nasty, smelly noisy thing) with BA or VS "paper" the name of the carrier on the paper ticket - or eticket. This means all tickets claimable will start EITHER 125 (and a long number) or 932 (and a long number) if your ticket starts with anything else, don't bother - in other words not a QANTAS flight pretending to be BA or a Continental flight pretending to be Virgin. You can usually also tell these so-called "code-share" flights usually have a for digit flight number.

Next up, you will need to show you took the flights. Now, you sure as anything have not kept all you ticket stubs, but there are other ways - your frequent flyer records, your credit card records or travel agency invoices. With invoices, you may also need proof of payment. The airlines may try and make heavy weather of this but given how one can tell these days when you last went to the toilet or had a word with Aunty Flo about your cat's boil, any such jerrymandering will be more fluff than substance.

If you get your travel agent to do the legwork, you will get a charge. Firstly, it will take a good while to get all the info together and if one travel regularly long haul across the pond - well, there's no such thing as a free lunch. I for one have no intention of spending a few days gathering together a load of data for no reward - would you?

When you have assembled everything then call 0800 043 0343 or write to Air Passenger Settlement, c/o Epiq Systems, PO Box 62677, London, EC2P 2UB. There is a website, www.airpassengerrefund.co.uk

I suggest that you use the Summer break to get this done. In theory, you have up to 2012 but getting this all together is better done sooner rather than later - especially if you are a company as there may be a lot of dusty records to go through - and the info is not always kept together as well as it should be. Once you have claimed, the you do give up further rights to sue. If you choose not to give up the right to sue, then you must exclude yourself in writing to the address mentioned, along with a valid reason why you must have taken leave of your senses. Queries must be refrerred to the administrator, not the airlines involved.