[Stowage222]

Flightlevel, am I correct in assuming that the batteries are only a hazard during use and/or recharging? If they are not being used are they not benign, therefore harmless?

Can anyone shed light on this as it could be, as Flighlevel says, dangerous.

[Biggless]

I agree with a lot of the posts but it is a very complex problem and “simple” solutions could just be unfair. For example, you are flying business class long haul and need to connect from a regional airport. Paying a lot for business class I certainly expect the business class rules to apply on my connecting flight even if it’s only economy. You can hardly check in a bag for the economy leg and then retrieve it to take on your business class leg. My vote would be to make all baggage (carry on + hold) subject to charge by weight. That seems to me the most fair option. So the ticket price is to transport you alone. As a frequent traveller who never checks in bags (and follows the carry on rules applicable to my booked cabin class), why should I subsidise people who put in loads in hold baggage ? Much fairer if everyone pays per kg for baggage ? And to put the cat amongst the pigeons what about paying per kg for your own travel after all fuel consumption is closely linked to weight !!!

[Flightlevel]

Reference to Stowage222,
I believe two aircraft (both freighters?) have already been destroyed by dormant Lithium batteries in their cargo. In hand luggage they are quickly seen as a hazard, may be extinguished, & the aircraft has some more time to divert than if a fire ignites unseen in the hold, & for those reasons they are banned in cargo or checked in luggage on pax aircraft.

[MartynSinclair]

@Biggles… will never happen…charging baggage by weight.. as has been mentioned on other threads.. the scales at check in appear to give different results.. the arguments will be incredible once passengers realise which check in desk has the most favourable scales..

[handbag]

Flightlevel – 03/10/2015 07:57 BST

Safety of Hand Baggage offloaded to the Hold at the gate:
Correspondents here no doubt know Lithium batteries are not allowed in the checked in luggage on pax aircraft. ICAO is currently looking into how to carry such batteries safely.

BA for some time it has been a standard question that when a bag is removed and placed in the hold, that the pax should be asked if there is any Lithium batteries inside.

p.s. just read the thread quickly, so this may have been covered somewhere else.

[Alexthegreat]

This last weekend, I did 4 flights on BA – 2 in Club and 2 in Economy. On each flight, there were large amounts of carry-on and I didnt see one passenger being challenged about the amount they had. On one of the flights there were some BA staff (I guess positioning for a flight as they were in uniform) who boarded the flight with a large wheelie bag, another large bag attached (piggyback) plus their other hand baggage – seated with us in Economy – which doesnt exactly set a good example!

[SwissExPat]

@ LuganoP

Glad u got back ok…I wanted to point out that since your initial post back in June, LX and BA now have a very similar baggage policy regarding hand baggage only fares. LX have followed suit and now have Hand baggage only fares on European routes so expect that similar problems will bedevil LX also.

[LuganoPirate]

I’ve seen that and experienced it SwissExPat. And being Senator does not allow you to take a checked bag on hand baggage fares. I really feel if Swiss wants to be as claimed, a full service airline, then these ridiculous fares should go.

As to handbaggage, the 8kg limit is useless. At least EY let you take much more so I don’t see why Swiss can’t either. I have written a letter to the CEO but I’m not holding my breath for a reply.

[SwissExPat]

Yes, the new handbaggage fares don’t confer a benefit for FTL and higher statuses… Only benefits are that if you buy a bag then you get a second free….

Note that on some routes, a second checked bag with SWISS and you get hit for CHF 140 Each way in Y even when booked online! So being SEN etc will save you in this instance.

I actually had to double check this CHF 140 as it seems incredible! But it is true.

[TMCWoking]

@LuganoPirate – re your first posting on this matter back in June, you’d need to make two separate bookings. One as an HBO fare and the second at a fare which allows hold luggage. If you book an HBO fare though, bear in mind you cannot pre-assign your preferred seat until OLCI opens.

[PeterCoultas]

As TMCW says: make 2 separate bookings – at least this is possible with these Swiss fares – try doing that with most airlines mixing economy and business one way fares & discover how massive a rip-off that is!

[Author]

Posts