British Airways has risked outraging passengers by charging up to £240 for allowing a second checked-in bag on flights, despite chief executive Willie Walsh apologising again for “testing the loyalty” of customers this week.
From Tuesday, economy passengers checking in a second bag will be charged £30 one way on domestic flights, £60 on European flights and £120 on most long-haul flights.
An economy passenger flying from Glasgow to Sydney via Heathrow with more than one bag would face a total charge of £300.
Until now passengers have been able to check in a second bag without charge provided they did not exceed weight restrictions.
To add insult to injury, BA has cut the baggage allowance on domestic services from 32kg to 23kg.
Long-haul passengers to the US, Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico will still be able to check in two items because of local regulations.
No bags weighing more than 23kg will be accepted from the end of September, but premium passengers will enjoy enhanced allowances. First and Club World long-haul passengers will be allowed 69kg and World Traveller 46kg. Club Europe clients will also be allowed 46kg.
BA said the move was intended “to simplify the charges” and would only apply to 2% of its passengers – about 720,000 a year.
It said those “who cannot comfortably carry a 23kg bag” will be allowed to check in a second item.
Referring to the recent spate of disruptions to services, including baggage-handling problems, BA boss Walsh said this week: “We recognise the loyalty of our customers has been tested and want to apologise.”