Aussie travellers weigh in on Jetstar’s new baggage rules: ‘Silly, unfair, unnecessary’

Jetstar’s massive overhaul of its baggage policy to axe the free 7kg carry-on allowance has already divided travellers.

From February 2 next year, the airline’s standard fares will include only one small bag that fits under the seat, weighing up to 10kg.

Passengers who want overhead locker space on the plane will have to pay a ‘Priority Carry-on’ fee, which starts from $25 on domestic flights and from $39 on international flights.

Those who pay for ‘Priority Carry-on’ will also be able to board early.

Daily Mail Australia spoke to travellers at Sydney Airport just hours after Wednesday’s announcement, which sparked a mixed reaction.

While many passengers expressed frustration over the budget airline’s controversial change, others were on board and accepted the decision as a sign of the times. 

Outrage 

Mark was travelling with his wife when they were taken aback by the news on Wednesday morning.

‘It’s crooked, to be honest with you. You pay enough for flights as it is, especially domestic flights, and to have to pay extra for overhead space is silly,’ he said.

‘They are telling you to put your bags under the seat in front of you, but then where are you meant to put your feet?’

Jack, a free diver who regularly travels for training and competitions, slammed the changes as unfair. 

‘I do a lot of travel and it’s very important for me to travel on a budget. I guess it means I’ll have to save a bit more,’ he said.

While the changes may put him off flying with Jetstar, he said it was ultimately unavoidable.

‘Sometimes it’s the only option you have.’

Suella and Craig were travelling to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast to visit their grandchildren. 

‘It’s unfair on pensioners who are already tight for money. It may be a big deal for them to fly,’ Suella said.

‘It’s unnecessary. They make enough money anyway.

 A family of four said the new rules would put extra pressure on parents travelling with children.

‘For an individual it is much easier, but for a family of four that is a hundred dollars one way. We would rather drive,’ they said.

Passenger Poppy said she believed carry-on baggage should remain included in the ticket price.

‘I think that is silly. I like the rule that you can take that as part of the ticket,’ she said.

Sign of the times

Others said that the budget airline was simply following a trend already happening overseas.

‘We will see other airlines doing the same, just like in Europe,’ one passenger said.

Bryony will still consider flying with Jetstar if it remains cheaper than its competitors.

‘If it came down to being cheaper than another airline, then I would still fly,’ she said.

 US tourist Conor said passengers ultimately get what they pay for.

‘It’s a cheap airline anyway, so you make a decision based on your budget versus other airlines,’ he said.

‘It is price gouging, but European airlines are already doing it. They are just hiding the costs somewhere else, so you add the costs up and make a decision based on that,’ he added. 

Another passenger said she would not necessarily avoid Jetstar, saying it would ‘depend on the service.’

Jetstar will continue to enforce its 10kg carry-on limit. If staff believe a bag exceeds the limit, it will be weighed and additional fees may apply.

The airline will also replace its gate scales with bag-sizing frames, with bags only being weighed if they appear to be over the 10kg limit.

What is the problem?

Much to the disappointment of travellers, former pilot Natasha Heap said excessive carry-on baggage can be both a safety risk and a major cause of boarding delays. She spoke to the Conversation earlier this year. 

‘Each aircraft has a maximum take-off weight, which can’t be exceeded to ensure it’s a safe flight. That total includes the weight of the plane, plus fuel, food and drink supplies in the galley, any cargo, the weight of the pilots and cabin crew, and the weight of the passengers and baggage.’

Jetstar chief executive Steph Tully expects the change to make boarding and disembarking faster.

‘We know that weighing carry-on bags at the gate can be frustrating for our customers and for our crew,’ she said.

‘To make packing easier, we’ve decided to remove the 7kg weight limit, so from February, the main thing customers will need to think about is the size of their carry-on.

‘By giving customers an under-seat bag with the option to add Priority Carry-on, we can make better use of overhead locker space, streamline boarding and help more flights depart on time.’

‘Our new carry-on baggage model provides more choice to customers while helping to keep our fares low.

‘You only pay for what you need – travelling with less means paying less, and you can always add more if you need.’