Corporate Retreats and Luxury Business Travel

There are winners and losers in British Airways' new baggage policies which will start next month....

Economy

Under the new rules (which will be phased in on July 5 for cabin baggage and on October 11 for checked baggage) economy class travellers checking in their luggage will be limited to one piece weighing a maximum of 23 kilos on most BA routes (the exceptions are BA flights bound for North America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Mexico or Nigeria, where the limit is 23 kilos in a total of two pieces of checked baggage). In the past this 23 kilo limit could be spread over one or more pieces.

Business

Those who lose out under the new rules are high fare premium ticket customers. Their allowance for each bag has been reduced from a maximum of 32 kilos down to 23 kilos. In addition, where before the allowances were 30 in business and 40 in first class, with those weights able to be spread over several bags, now the weight has been reduced to 23 kilos, rather than 32 kilos at present and the number of bags restricted to just two pieces for those travelling first, business class or World Traveller Plus (BA's superior economy class).