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I heard a rumour today from a BA staff member that they’re going to start charging for large cabin bags soon. Anyone else heard this?
The EU wants to introduce standardisation for cabin bags, with a free allowance. Would apply to all flights to and from EU.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20250627-the-big-change-affecting-european-travel
It can only be a good thing if BA starts to charge for the ludicrous quantity and size of bags people bring on board which is highly anti social and selfish as it clogs up security, creates unnecessary risks on escalators and greatly delays boarding.
And are you seriously saying that BA should charge for cabin bags due to elevator safety? 😀
I’m not sure bigger cabin bags clog up security either cos the people leaving the 500ml bottles in the big bags will just leave them in the small bags instead 🙂
No particular restrictions on cabin bags is pretty much the only meaningful advantage that BA has over the low costs, if they get rid of that what are you actually getting on BA for 2/3/4 times the price of ryanair?
It can only be a good thing if BA starts to charge for the ludicrous quantity and size of bags people bring on board which is highly anti social and selfish as it clogs up security, creates unnecessary risks on escalators and greatly delays boarding.
And are you seriously saying that BA should charge for cabin bags due to elevator safety? 😀
I’m not sure bigger cabin bags clog up security either cos the people leaving the 500ml bottles in the big bags will just leave them in the small bags instead 🙂
No particular restrictions on cabin bags is pretty much the only meaningful advantage that BA has over the low costs, if they get rid of that what are you actually getting on BA for 2/3/4 times the price of ryanair?
A tiny bottle of water and a teeny tiny cake from what I can remember last time I was in ET, which really won’t cut it for most people, who will probably then flood to LCC’s I guess.
I also don’t really see what BA charging for cabin bags or not has to do with people who can’t cope with their bags on the elevators – puzzled face.
@slidey – nothing to do with liquids, but security is slowed down by people pushing their luck taking too much hand luggage through screening which either might get confiscated (which should have been done upstream and charged if appropriate than than free + priority boarding at gate as a reward for being selfish) but if not confiscated will likely delay boarding. It’s often the ‘small’ bag that’s the issue. You see people struggling in the airport and in short haul aisles with more luggage than they can properly manage, plus too much baggage on the escalator is highly dangerous and causes daily incidents.
As for BA vs LCCs, they are BA’s real competition on short-haul which is a real problem for BA so they will look and behave more and more like them to survive. The preference for many to use Heathrow, avoidance of LCC scrums, the name and products like Club will continue to make BA a more attractive option.
@Misty – the escalator issue and security issue which precedes boarding delays is part of the same problem that needs to be addressed upstream, at checkin or just before security. It would simplify procedures at the gate, speed up security and boarding as well as creating a safer environment for the selfish passengers and everyone else. We wouldn’t have those people struggling to get their bags down the aisle and those who travel in the expectation that someone will help with their excessive clobber if only to stop the blocking of the aisle.
It would of course be much better if people were less self-centred, more compliant/responsible as they often are in other jurisdictions, but unfortunately it’s a problem and those taking advantage have given BA a prime opportunity to monetise that problem. Bravo.
As for BA vs LCCs, they are BA’s real competition on short-haul which is a real problem for BA so they will look and behave more and more like them to survive.
It’s notes such as this that just want me to share a calvados & a pear crumble with you and pick your brain. I’m truly interested in what you think the legacy carrier (+non-legacy airlines acquired along the way) short-haul market will look like 10-15 years from now.
Non-so offtopic: Currently in the ramp at HAM, KL flight (already delayed incoming to AMS from BCN) knowing the majority of UK Cityhopper connections will not make it. The excess baggage and lack of proper ground crew enforcement of the rules adds an extra +20min to this mess.
@slidey – nothing to do with liquids, but security is slowed down by people pushing their luck taking too much hand luggage through screening which either might get confiscated (which should have been done upstream and charged if appropriate than than free + priority boarding at gate as a reward for being selfish) but if not confiscated will likely delay boarding. It’s often the ‘small’ bag that’s the issue. You see people struggling in the airport and in short haul aisles with more luggage than they can properly manage, plus too much baggage on the escalator is highly dangerous and causes daily incidents.
As for BA vs LCCs, they are BA’s real competition on short-haul which is a real problem for BA so they will look and behave more and more like them to survive. The preference for many to use Heathrow, avoidance of LCC scrums, the name and products like Club will continue to make BA a more attractive option.
Referring to the last sentence… the irony clearly not being lost on anyone here of the major troubles Heathrow seem to constantly be having with timely baggage delivery, particularly at T5 (I.e. BA’s “home”).
Hardly an incentive to check in any baggage with BA upstream. Yes you can blame the other party, but at the end of the day the average Joe will conflate the two parties and not want to stand around for 2 hours at the carousel as I have done twice in the past 3 months.
I really don’t think there is a preference to use Heathrow. There just isn’t much of a choice when flying BA to most countries in Europe.
As soon as BA get rid of free hand baggage, I really don’t see who would be incentivised to fly ET unless it is purely down to price.
A few references to the coat hooks on BA. They can be devilish difficult to pull out , but we manage. Don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else using them. Cabin crew don’t tell passengers about them and I’m sure most don’t know about them.
On a recent EasyJet trip ( both o/b and I/b)no one was allowed to pass into the gate area until cabin bags were sized in the gauge.
How about BA return to offering everyone hold luggage as standard and return from the race to the bottom with budget airlines. The scrum on boarding in short haul has been akin to the likes of Easyjet and Ryanair for some years now and makes BA much less attractive.
If I’m going on a short haul weekend break then the last thing I want to do is waste time at the baggage carousel, particularly at busy airports.
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