Air NZ Baggage limit

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David321

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#3273862 20-Aug-2024 13:15

Scott3:

Note that the travel in OP's post is going from Doha to Auckland.

Yeah, there is some risk with the domestic flight on a separate booking, but with having the much cheaper domestic flight at the end, this is a risk that somebody could reasonably carry. Also flexi domestic tickets exist.

Opposite would apply if the domestic flight is at the start of the trip. In that case if the domestic flight is delayed, they could miss the very expensive (non flexi) international flight.

Yup, Doha - Auckland - Christchurch worked out a lot more expensive than Doha - Auckland + Christchurch on separate ticket.

Just surprised out flagship carrier has no flexibility on checked baggage when their biggest competitor (a budget Australian airline) has a range of paid options to increase checked baggage weight.

_David_

jarledb

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#3273864 20-Aug-2024 13:22

David321:

Just surprised out flagship carrier has no flexibility on checked baggage when their biggest competitor (a budget Australian airline) has a range of paid options to increase checked baggage weight.

I am confused. How don't they have flexibility on checked in baggage? They charge $40 if you go over 23 kg, no matter if the item is 24 or 32 kg.

Jetstar actually charges $20 per kg in certain instances. See: https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/help/articles/excess-baggage-charges-at-the-airport

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nztim

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#3273872 20-Aug-2024 13:46

jarledb:

I am confused. How don't they have flexibility on checked in baggage? They charge $40 if you go over 23 kg, no matter if the item is 24 or 32 kg.

Jetstar actually charges $20 per kg in certain instances. See: https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/help/articles/excess-baggage-charges-at-the-airport

Assume they let you carry it - I know of people who have got to the airport and had their bags rejected

you can pre purchase up to 40KG with Jetstar of which no bag can be more than 32KG

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nova

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#3273873 20-Aug-2024 13:48

jarledb:

How don't they have flexibility on checked in baggage? They charge $40 if you go over 23 kg, no matter if the item is 24 or 32 kg.

Exactly this. If you had two 25kg bags from international, you could worst case pay $80 at the airport, or more preferably transfer 2kg from one to the other and have a 23kg bag and a 27kg one, and pay $40 which is cheaper than adding a third bag at $45 extra.

If you buying a separate ticket I would strongly recommend getting at least flexi-change, as this allows you to transfer for free to any other flight on the day of travel. So you could book with a big gap, and if the incoming flight was early then you could change to an earlier flight (assuming space was available). You have to wait until the day of travel for the change to be completely free, but you can do it anytime by paying fare difference. Inbound customs at Auckland used to be extremely slow but I think it may have gotten a little better lately, but I would probably still aim for a three gap between flights.

David321

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#3273874 20-Aug-2024 14:08

nztim:

jarledb:

I am confused. How don't they have flexibility on checked in baggage? They charge $40 if you go over 23 kg, no matter if the item is 24 or 32 kg.

Jetstar actually charges $20 per kg in certain instances. See: https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/help/articles/excess-baggage-charges-at-the-airport

Assume they let you carry it - I know of people who have got to the airport and had their bags rejected

you can pre purchase up to 40KG with Jetstar of which no bag can be more than 32KG

Exactly, Jetstar lets you pre purchase extra weight for your checked baggage in advance, Air NZ are strictly 23kg max which is on the low side, especially for those coming from overseas and have air NZ tickets booked which aren't linked to airlines that allow reasonable weights for checked baggage.

The best Air NZ offer is the ability to purchase another check in bag, that means people coming from overseas would have to bring two bags to bring the extra few kgs that decent airlines flying into NZ let them bring.

Jetstar letting customers pay for the weight of their bags in advance is the far superior option.

_David_

SpartanVXL

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#3273930 20-Aug-2024 16:06

Yea not great especially when you go overseas and compare, domestic in Japan with JAL for example is 440y/$5nzd per extra kg over 23 up to 32kg per item.

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pdh

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#3273933 20-Aug-2024 16:08

> And because travel insurance does not cover for missed connections caused by airlines,

Well - this is not as cut & dried as I thought it was.

Some of the confusion stems from websites that conflate missed flights resulting from (a) your screw-ups and (b) events beyond your control (be they mechanical, weather or over-booking).

But there does seem to some scope for significant pain...

Overseas, companies like Travelex boast that they cover this exact issue in all their policies.
Which implies (to me) that not all companies' policies do...
So I had a look at 6 local providers:

1) NZ's AA policy wording unequivocally covers you (Sect 1d. Missed Connection).

2) NZ Tower policy also covers you (also Sect 1d. Missed Connection).

3) NZ AMI policy covers you (Section 10. Missed Connection) if you've allowed :
"Sufficient time for transferring... is the minimum connection time as stated by the port or airport between connections."
I would see this as (a) your screw-up - and potentially a pitfall with any insurer.

4) NZ State policy is a duplicate of AMI's.

5) AirNZ policy wording is disconcertingly mealy-mouthed, you're not covered for airline delays resulting from anything other than mechanical or strike (Sect 2.9 sub 4). Which leaves big holes - crew issues, airport issues, overbooking... I don't understand why AirNZ would do this - a deal-breaker for me.

6) I usually use SCTI - so I've asked them to clarify what I've always interpreted as their cover for 'missed connection' events 'beyond my control'. It doesn't seem as clear as it should be. I'll report back.

I can only remember one trip when I couldn't plan or book all flights on one booking - and I don't do cruises - so it's not really been an issue for me. But it's disappointing that (even within NZ policies) you could get burnt, even though you might expect to be covered. Sigh... read the fine print, i guess.

nztim

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#3273934 20-Aug-2024 16:14

Think you have answered your question then, book Jetstar with the amount of baggage required (noting the max 32kg per bag limit)

Beats been disappointed at the airport if for whatever reason you can't pay extra for the overweight bag (bearing in mind it is subject to availability and they can refuse it at the airport)

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KiwiSurfer

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#3273957 20-Aug-2024 18:13

nztim:

From https://www.comparetravelinsurance.co.nz/travel-insurance-tips/travel-insurance-missed-flights

However, if you are booked on two different airlines, and you miss your connecting flight, Housten, you could have a problem! The second airline does not have the responsibility to put you on another flight just because of the first carriers’ delay. And because travel insurance does not cover for missed connections caused by airlines, you might not be covered for the cost to buy a new airline ticket.

That is not correct.

If you have flights booked on the same ticket, then you are always protected regardless of the carriers involved. If one flight is delayed/cancelled the airline will arrange for rerouting onto alternate flights -- including flights on other airlines and/or via other ports.

It is only when you have flights booked on separate tickets (even if both are on the same airline) that the onward carrier (whether or not it is the same carrier as the preceding flight) is under no obligation to reaccomodate you on alternate services.

However occassionaly if you have two separate tickets with the same airline, they may (and I emphasise may) help you out but that is voluntary on the airline's part and may not happen. I had a separate booking once Blenheim-Wellington (booked myself) and Wellington-Auckland (booked by an organisation I was working for). Bad weather saw WLG airport closed. Air NZ originally refused to rebook me onto the direct BHE-AKL flight. It was only when they eventually cancelled the BHE-WLG and WLG-AKL sectors that they saw the logic in rebooking me onto the direct BHE-AKL to save having to pay for my accomodation in BHE. But they would have been well within their rights to do so.

It's nothing to do with the airlines involved and everything to do with whether you've booked all your travel on one ticket. The fact airlines may voluntary help out every now and then doesn't change they have no olbigation at all to do so.

In short: if you want to ensure you will get to your destination, book on one ticket. All airlines involved in your itinenary will be obliged to get you to your final destination.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3273960 20-Aug-2024 18:26

I suspect airlines also have more power to fit you onto the next available flight whereas travel insurance is something of a middleman. The airlines will look after their customers first, and are probably obliged to clear that backlog before selling new tickets to third parties like insurance.

nova

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#3273971 20-Aug-2024 19:42

KiwiSurfer:

Bad weather saw WLG airport closed. Air NZ originally refused to rebook me onto the direct BHE-AKL flight. It was only when they eventually cancelled the BHE-WLG and WLG-AKL sectors that they saw the logic in rebooking me onto the direct BHE-AKL to save having to pay for my accomodation in BHE.

I don't think they have to pay for your accommodation in this circumstance, as the cancellation was caused by weather. Airlines will re-book you in this circumstance, and get you to where you have to go, but don't always provide accommodation even if you have to overnight somewhere. This is what travel insurance is for. Air NZ call this out pretty clearly on their website: https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/domestic-passenger-rights

AirNZ terms

We will not have any liability to you under the CAA for delays or cancellations outside of our control. These include events such as weather, air traffic control events, certain strikes and epidemic/pandemic.

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KiwiSurfer

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#3274005 20-Aug-2024 21:23

nova:

KiwiSurfer:

Bad weather saw WLG airport closed. Air NZ originally refused to rebook me onto the direct BHE-AKL flight. It was only when they eventually cancelled the BHE-WLG and WLG-AKL sectors that they saw the logic in rebooking me onto the direct BHE-AKL to save having to pay for my accomodation in BHE.

I don't think they have to pay for your accommodation in this circumstance, as the cancellation was caused by weather. Airlines will re-book you in this circumstance, and get you to where you have to go, but don't always provide accommodation even if you have to overnight somewhere. This is what travel insurance is for. Air NZ call this out pretty clearly on their website: https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/domestic-passenger-rights

AirNZ terms

We will not have any liability to you under the CAA for delays or cancellations outside of our control. These include events such as weather, air traffic control events, certain strikes and epidemic/pandemic.

I stand corrected, thanks.

nztim

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#3274091 21-Aug-2024 11:17

KiwiSurfer:

If you have flights booked on the same ticket, then you are always protected regardless of the carriers involved. If one flight is delayed/cancelled the airline will arrange for rerouting onto alternate flights -- including flights on other airlines and/or via other ports.

It is only when you have flights booked on separate tickets (even if both are on the same airline) that the onward carrier (whether or not it is the same carrier as the preceding flight) is under no obligation to reaccomodate you on alternate services.

That is exactly what I was referring to, if both flights were purchased with the 1 Carrer (regardless of who the operating carrier you are fine)

If you book with two different carriers on two different tickets, you are SOL

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

Jaxson

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#3274515 22-Aug-2024 15:41

Side note but Jetstar were really cool for us recently and let us check a carryon bag as well because combined they were less than the weight allowance. They were really cool about it.

nztim

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#3274516 22-Aug-2024 15:44

Jaxson:

Side note but Jetstar were really cool for us recently and let us check a carryon bag as well because combined they were less than the weight allowance. They were really cool about it.

Correct

As your total weight is before the allowance, it's not a per piece system which is a lot nicer than AirNZ

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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