How strict are they w/ Star Gold passengers travelling on the Light fare?
Jun 26, 2024, 8:17 am
#16
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On our return flights we saw roving agents in both gate areas at JMK and ATH. We were again forced to precheck bags at the counter, so was not really an issue for us. Of course no trouble bringing the same bags as carry-on the next day on BA and AA.
I can't speak to 23kg, but when I'm taking a week's worth of stuff my 22" carry on can easily top 18kg. My backpack with laptop, ipad, etc is also quite heavy.
I can't speak to 23kg, but when I'm taking a week's worth of stuff my 22" carry on can easily top 18kg. My backpack with laptop, ipad, etc is also quite heavy.
Jun 27, 2024, 11:41 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: Nectar Card
Posts: 1,186
Almost anywhere I fly with A3, I see ground staff combing the gate area for roller bags and weighing them and checking in anything that is with too heavy, too large or in excess of allowence. The only place I've never seen it is in the lounge at SKG from where there is direct boarding for most flights. At LHR it's very thorough and usually so at ATH.
I check a bag and only ever have my laptop bag so it doesn't bother me but if you are nervous, check the bag, it won't cost you anything and unlike many airlines, I find A3 generally get priority bags out first and usually quickly.
I check a bag and only ever have my laptop bag so it doesn't bother me but if you are nervous, check the bag, it won't cost you anything and unlike many airlines, I find A3 generally get priority bags out first and usually quickly.
In addition to having a status tag on, or standing in the priority/business queue as some upthread have suggested, I think keeping it to just two items that are visually small, would help. In other words, not having a third, bulging duty-free bag would assist in not attracting attention, and therefore, OP's goal of slipping by on a Light fare.
Jul 23, 2024, 7:26 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 39
It's pretty much a given that your 23kg checked allowance is supposed to be checked in at the check-in desk rather than at the gate. You cannot reasonably expect to bring a "normal" checked bag through to the gate, and expect to have it accepted at the gate as checked baggage in the manner that you can most definitely expect it to be accepted as such at the landside check-in desks.
And yes, I know that sometimes A3 takes and tags bags at the gate without imposing a fee - just to assist in the boarding and stowing process - and sometimes even requests that people come forward to spontaneously check their bags, but again this cannot be assumed to give anyone the right to obtain their "normal" checked baggage allowance at the gate.
I'm pretty sure that A3 would show a certain amount of discretion towards a Gold, but you certainly cannot expect that your 23kg "normal" checked-baggage allowance is respected and accepted at the gate if you didn't already use it at the landside check-in at your origin. The more your bag exceeds the limits of your carry-on allowance, the less likely any discretion may be extended.
The carry-on limits are there for a reason, and the gate-check fee for non-compliant bags is also there for a reason - it's intended to show you (and others) that pushing the published limits is going to cost you. If an unused checked luggage allowance could instead be traded for/against a gate check fee, then this would carry the wrong incentive; people with an unused checked luggage allowance would have no reason NOT to try chancing a too big/too heavy bag as carry-on, because the worst that could happen is that they are forced to check it for free (their "23kg checked bag allowance") rather than being forced to pay the penalty.
The gate check fee isn't so much a fee to check luggage; it's a fee to try and coax you not to try bringing a non-compliant bag again in the future.
And yes, I know that sometimes A3 takes and tags bags at the gate without imposing a fee - just to assist in the boarding and stowing process - and sometimes even requests that people come forward to spontaneously check their bags, but again this cannot be assumed to give anyone the right to obtain their "normal" checked baggage allowance at the gate.
I'm pretty sure that A3 would show a certain amount of discretion towards a Gold, but you certainly cannot expect that your 23kg "normal" checked-baggage allowance is respected and accepted at the gate if you didn't already use it at the landside check-in at your origin. The more your bag exceeds the limits of your carry-on allowance, the less likely any discretion may be extended.
The carry-on limits are there for a reason, and the gate-check fee for non-compliant bags is also there for a reason - it's intended to show you (and others) that pushing the published limits is going to cost you. If an unused checked luggage allowance could instead be traded for/against a gate check fee, then this would carry the wrong incentive; people with an unused checked luggage allowance would have no reason NOT to try chancing a too big/too heavy bag as carry-on, because the worst that could happen is that they are forced to check it for free (their "23kg checked bag allowance") rather than being forced to pay the penalty.
The gate check fee isn't so much a fee to check luggage; it's a fee to try and coax you not to try bringing a non-compliant bag again in the future.
I did 3 trips on Aegean this summer on Economy Light fare (without any Star Alliance status at all), and I travelled with a small handbag and a cabin luggage (which exceeded their "1 small item OR 1 8 kg hand luggage" limit)
LHR > ATH: all suitcases are weighted at the gate, my suitcase weighted 8.X kg and was fine, but my friend's 12.X kg was forced to gate check at a penalty of ~50 GBP
ATH > JTR (ATR 72 operated by Olympic Air): no weighting nor size checks carried out at the gate (but FYR, they were checked for the ATH > FCO flight departing at the same gate in front of us, which caused ~30 mins delay)
ATH > LHR: my cabin luggage was checked at the gate free-of-charge, not weighted either
Jul 23, 2024, 7:42 am
#19
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,426
The post you quoted was a reply to my question of whether or not a gold tier holder (which grants +1 of up to 23kg of checked luggage) would be forced to pay at the gate, if he came there with an overweight "carry-on" (I have one that fits Aegean's size chart and I've loaded it with 16-18kg several times as a checked bag).
So if your friend with the 12+kg carry-on, who was forced to pay, was also a gold member, then this would have been a very useful piece of info to add.
So if your friend with the 12+kg carry-on, who was forced to pay, was also a gold member, then this would have been a very useful piece of info to add.