Jetstar passenger's 900 gram mistake results in 'steep' $75 charge
Monique McCreanor was travelling back to Sydney from Melbourne when she was hit with the charge at the boarding gate.
An Australian traveller has warned people of Jetstar's excess carry-on baggage charges after she was hit with a $75 fee for being "900 grams" over the seven-kilogram limit.
Monique McCreanor was travelling back to Sydney from Melbourne after a fitness competition. As a winner, Monique had to stay back to accept her prizes so changed her flight to a last-minute Jetstar one, rushing to the airport straight from the podium ceremony with her one carry-on bag in tow.
Getting to the gate, Jetstar staff weighed Monique's bag which is when she found out it was just under a kilogram over the limit due to the added prizes she was now lugging around. "I have no issue paying extra, but $75 is very steep for something that is not even 1kg over," she told Yahoo News Australia.
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Jetstar explains why they have carry-on restrictions
Jetstar told Yahoo their carry-on restrictions are in place to "ensure a smooth boarding process, enough room to safely and comfortably stow all carry-on items and the correct weight and balance for take-off".
"Being a proudly low-cost airline, we offer customers incredibly low fares which all include carry-on baggage allowance of seven kilograms across two items, and the option to ask about pre-purchasing up to 14 kilograms," they said.
Jetstar did not reveal why the price is set at $75. However, the earlier you purchase extra weight the less you pay due to it being less likely to cause the airline disruptions to their operations.
Jetstar states online if you arrive at the boarding gate with more than the carry-on baggage allowance, there are two options.
A person must pay the excess carry-on baggage fee and your bag will be checked in, which is $80 for domestic flights, or purchase "+7kg Extra Carry-On Baggage" to take up to 14kg as carry-on, which costs $75 for domestic flights — this latter option can sell out and therefore may not be available.
If a person were to realise their carry-on was too heavy before, or at, check-in, the domestic cost to add an extra seven kilos is $60.
Mixed response to traveller's warning
Monique said if she had known the "immense charges" before, she would have booked checked baggage for a cheaper rate. However, some who saw her original video about the charge — which Monique has since removed — were less than sympathetic.
"No sorry, it clearly gives weight allowance. You went over, you pay," one said. "Seriously it doesn't matter who you are with, you will have to pay any way, they are the rules," another added.
Some shared their own experiences of being lumped with hefty charges for extra baggage. "They did this to me on my honeymoon… I was p**sed," shared one.
"Once they tried to do that to me so I went and bought a prepaid satchel and mailed it home," said a second.
Others asked Monique why she didn't try to wear some of the clothes instead of copping the charge. "My rug rats pyjamas?" she responded.
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