You cannot trust Jetstar domestic to honour International baggage limits
 

On my return to Australia from China last Sunday we had the misfortune to have to fly from Melbourne to Hobart with Jetstar who would NOT honour the 23Kilo bag limit on International flights even though I showed them our used tickets and questioned them when we were presented with a rather large bill for excess baggage which in fact, and luckily was not mine but my friend's luggage, would have been within the acceptable limits for the three of us under International regulations.
Many people over the years have asked whether domestic airlines would honour the International limits and most times the answer was yes but now there has either been a change in Jetstar's policy or the policy of the desk person. Either way I shall avoid Jetstar in future for this very reason.
I have sent a letter to Jetstar for clarification together with one to Qantas CEO seeing he was "kind" enough to send me an email saying that the A380s were going to be back in business. I just thought it might be nice for him to also take into account the little things within the Company and sort this problem out once and for all.
I will report back should I get a reply from anyone.

Well - the CEO of Qantas has taken off in an A380 to San Francisco, immediately (almost) after he sent us that email - but I'm sure he'll reply to you just as soon as he returns!

Thanks for this information.
I just had a look at Jetstar website and it seems they have nothing there about honoring the higher weight limit.
Indeed this is what I could find that seemed a little relevant:

*If you have purchased a connecting fare comprising one Domestic flight and one International flight, you will be charged the international excess baggage rate applicable at your point of departure, per kilo for every kg of baggage carried between 20 and 40kg for your whole journey.

There is nothing that I could find about returning to port of origin - so guess maybe this applies then as well?

I also notice that the Qantas website clearly states there is a 20kg limit on Jetstar for all passengers.

Perhaps this is something that might get sorted between the two airlines?

Well it should be sorted out. You have Qantas which allows 23 kilos allowance internationally and its own low cost airline only allowing 20 kilos for those unfortunate enough to have to travel further than the International arrival city on Jetstar. I would always travel on Qantas if I could but there are times when you cannot.
Anyway the object of the exercise is to inform others that they too could get a heavy excess bill.

I guess it is also a reminder to always check the conditions of carriage really carefully - especially when flying on a low cost airline.

Hopefully this will alert those who need to use this type of combination so they don't get an extra bill in the future.
Or it will remind them to look at the possible Qantas flights that are available from Melbourne to Hobart where the allowance is 23kg.

It is a little harsh to say they cannot be trusted when their website and the Qantas site are really clear about this.

I guess we are all now aware to be careful in the future.

I say " they cannot be trusted" because of the following information given on their website which says: NB cut and pasted

International passengers' baggage allowance
For flights operated by Jetstar (JQ):
If you are travelling between a Qantas international flight and a Jetstar service then Jetstar will honour the international baggage allowance shown on your Qantas ticket (or ETicket receipt).

Excess baggage over and above your international baggage allowance limits will be charged according to Jetstar excess baggage charges.

No single item may weigh over 32 kg.

Passengers cannot check-in for international flights at the Qantas Club.

Further details about baggage transfers and recommended connection times
.......................................
So as I read this Jetstar says that it will allow an international limit of 23 Kilos when you fly Interntionally on Qantas.

Oh dear - sorry - I did not find that little part - so clearly your colleagues are entitled to a refund - and I think they might need to pursue this.

I must say I had to hunt to find that rule - so maybe their staff need to read it too.
As well - it will be useful to try and identify the person who levied this charge - if they have a receipt.
Be interested to hear what happens.

Does anyone know what the domestic Jetstar charge is for baggage over 20 kilos?

http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/travel-...rport.aspx#bag

It's about midway down the baggage section, Sue. Take those 8 things you won't wear anyway out & you won't need to know ;)

I ran into a similar problem using my Virgin Blue airpass. (Posted about it on Flyertalk.)

VB charged me $110 for 11 kg of excess flying from Adelaide to Hobart, and also gave me plenty of grief about my carry- on -- made me unload some of my stuff into a plastic bag, right at the check-in desk. And then I carried it all onto the plane with me. Could this really make sense to anyone? :-(

And even better, coming back from Hobart with exactly the same luggage, our overweight was 1 kg -- so $10 instead of $110. And no grief about the carry-on, either. We were happy to be back on Qantas for our flight to NZ this week.

SB_T, It could if you told us all the facts. What size/weight was your carry on and did it collapse to a smaller size once partially unloaded? Carry on limits vary from country to country and carrier to carrier. It is always worth checking. The overhead lockers are not all the same either.

In fact it is rude to think that the rules which apply at home will apply to you overseas even if you know the company has different limits. Had this in PNG where an American lady held up our flight for some time. Bag was about 350 x 450 x 600 mm and way over the 7 kilo limit as she was flat out carrying it up the stairs.

I think that all carriers are obliged to carry and charge in accordance with the conditions of ticket. A domestic carrier - or any carrier - is under no obligation to carry luggage that they have not contracted to carry. It's as simple as that.

Hi Alan
Feel the need to vindicate myself here! ;-)

My carry on was the smallest regulation size wheelie roll-aboard, like a pilot case, and intentionally a light weight bag. It probably weighed more than 7kg when packed, but I can lift it and put it in the overhead myself. I'm no weightlifter, just a retired Brit-American woman of average size and fitness. What was galling about that bad experience was that we observed more than a few on that flight with much bigger, heavier carry-ons they were busy cramming into the bins.

I'm all for rules of conduct as long as they are fairly and evenly applied, for everyone. I think we had the bad luck to meet a check-in agent who was on a roll for excess weight fees (maybe she has a quota? no, just making that up.) We saw her doing this with a couple of other passengers, too.