A very disappointing experience with Czech Airlines (OK)

[N_Architect]

Was flying with them today, going to northern Europe, ex-ATH, via Prague. Had tried them before once, three months ago, in C class and they were fine.

This morning, again flying C, was heading to my new work location destination in northern Europe via Prague. As the container with my belongings from South Korea hasn't arrived in Europe yet, I had to take with me clothes, etc. that would be able to cover me for all kinds of obligations at work and private life up in the new place.

Total weight of checked in items was 38 kg. C class official limit was 30 kg. Had the option of flying via LH or TK, but passed it as the upgrade to C class was more expensive in them (company pays for Y travel only). [and did not think that much about the +10kg I have as *G]

Long story short, OK agents in ATH (all of Greek origin) made me pay 23 Eur / kg (). No discount, no flexilbility, no nothing. They told me that OK is so strict that they usually weight in Prague any checked-in luggage that goes to a second destination (i.e. any luggage that uses Prague as a connection point.) Once they find discrepancy in the weight reported by the original destination and the actual weight measured, they charge (!) the extra kilos to the agents in the original destination that the luggage was checked in...

Told them that I am *G and that I fly OK now in order to try them, so if they are good I'll switch to SkyTeam, told them that they could at least apply some discount, told them everything I could in a polite way, but nothing.

As a result I paid Eur 184 extra in excess baggage charges for two flights of approx. 2 hrs each, with a connection time in Pargue of 5 hrs...

Enter the plane in ATH, C class has load 2/8, Y is around 75% full if I'm not wrong (took a picture, though.) So in other words, you have a plane not so full, oil at aroung 70 usd per bbl at the moment, a customer that flies for business and can give you much more business in the future, so what do you do? Charge him Eur 23/kg mercilessly. Well done, Czech Airlines.

ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. I wil obviously file a complaint with their 'customer service' department in the days to come or whatever else that dept. may be called. But overall a very unpleasant experience, and naturally will NEVER fly with them again unless they do something about it.

This is certainly NOT the way to win new customers, I can tell you that.

[Lobster]

Sorry I just don'tget what you are so worked up about. You had excess luggage you know there is a charge for excess luggage and you were charged it. Yes it would have been nice if they had let you off but I don't see why you would never fly with an airline again because they charged you for something that was very clearly chargable upfront.

[KeithMEL]

I too got stung with excess baggage charges when I flew OK. I was waayyyy over the limit however (I'm talking a lot more than 8kg). Just got a little carried away with shopping whilst in Milan - just a little. At least they were nice enough to assist me with lifting my bags on to the belt as they noticed I'd injured my back.

But with all due respect, N_Architect, I think if an airline has clearly published its free baggage allowance and charges for excess baggage, they are well within their rights to charge for anything over the published allowance. I have gotten away with excess baggage in the past with several airlines but I see such a waiver as a goodwill gesture rather than an expectation.

EUR23/kg sounds a little excessive however. I don't remember paying that much but this was quite a few months back.

[N_Architect]

True I am quite worked up about it, but I just expected in one way or another to be let off, especially as the plane was not full. I know the rules very well, and according to the published numbers, anything in excess of 30 kg in European C is normally to be charged. And yes, it would be a good will gesture and not a 'standard' practice thing to have let me off.

But, again, I believe that if and when possible, flexibility should precede and rules are meant to be broken. This is what I believe in.

I am certainly not flying with them again, apart from the fact that they will get a letter of complaint soon for their inflexibility, their reluctance to give me at least a small discount (in the number of excess kg to be charged) and the absolutely excessive $ they charged per kg.

Yes, technically they have done nothing wrong, but they have lost me and any future business I was going to give them. This may not be much to them, but it means a lot to me.

[jhm]

anything in excess of 30 kg in European C

I think 30kg is pretty standard for all C ? I just looked and it seems that the same for SQ.

I never realised until yesterday how low this limit seems to be. I have a tix to be booked which has BA on the longhaul (in J, 3 bags of 32kg each (increased from 23kg due to BA status), i.e. 96kg) but this will be preceded by JL and CX, both of which have a 30kg total limit (and unlike *, no increase in OW due to status).

[N_Architect]

I think 30kg is pretty standard for all C ? I just looked and it seems that the same for SQ.

True, it is not only for inter-E.U. destinations only. It is not for North American destinations, though as that the piece concept applies there.

And yes, it can be (obnoxiously) low sometimes. I guess it depends on where you're heading and what you're carrying.

[up and away]

I suppose you couldn't just have stuffed everything into your hand luggage? Because often in my experience the agents don't even take a look at my ridiculously overfilled bagpack if the normal luggage is in the clear

[N_Architect]

I suppose you couldn't just have stuffed everything into your hand luggage?

I had, actually. Agents initially thought I had only one carry-on item, but I had two and quite heavy ones which they accepted without weighing. Anyway, I should have ticketed it as a seaman's fare in Y (40 kg allowance), get a letter from my company (or from a friend who has another co. and could provide me easily with such a letter) and be done.

But there was a 5 hr layover in Prague and I wanted to go to the lounge, have more comfortable flights, etc.

In any case, I thought they would do the 'good will' gesture as Keith said; however that was not guaranteed, and as it turned out, did not occur. Furthermore, their charge per kg was very high, and at least they could give a discount in the number of excess kg charged.

This is why they'll get a nice letter and I won't be flying with them again.

[Kiwi]

I also struggle to see the problem.

If you want a bigger allowance stick to airlines which have a bigger allowance, or use fares that provide bigger allowance (ie those that include North America), or simply carry less.

[zhoux]

got a 28 kg in Y with Emirates from Milan sometimes ago and 40 kg allowance with Garuda in C recently

[N_Architect]

Keith, Kiwi, Lobster and the others are typically right, you know... What can I say? But I was pretty angry, didn't expect to be charged mercilessly for all of the extra weight.

Anyway, they got the letter (it won't make a difference, of course, but at a moment in time when everyone else is eliminating fuel surcharges, reducing prices, reducing or even cancelling routes in order to deal with the empty C or J cabins flying around, we had OK charging 23 Eur/kg for the extra baggage from ATH to PRG! No way again, brother!)