You’ve got 15 days…
Emirates has established a mystical halo around its brand as the ultimate in luxury, sophistication and amenity. For many reasons, the moniker is pretty well deserved. The airline boasts some of the very best first class suites, offers on board bars in A380 business class and brings a great modern cabin feel to economy, with top notch entertainment. But at the end of the day it’s an airline, and at some point all airlines must make real money. That sobering need appears to be hitting Emirates, and the airline has announced reductions for checked baggage allowance…
Effective February 4th, 2019 Emirates is slashing checked baggage allowances on its two most popular “cheap” economy fares “Special” and “Saver”. To Emirates credit, they’re not removing a free checked baggage allowance entirely which keeps the airline in very rarified air amongst the competition. For markets which don’t go by weight but rather by the number of pieces you may bring, such as the Americas or departing Africa, the lowest “special” fares will only include one complimentary checked bag, as opposed to the two at present. Here’s how to pack your carry on properly, to help the situation…
For anyone traveling on any Emirates route outside the Americas or Africa, the changes are very simple: you now receive a 15kg checked baggage allowance instead of 20kg on “Special” fares and 25kg instead of 30 on “Saver” fares. Amusingly, you can check in as many bags as you wish in both cases, as long as the total weight is under 15kg. Go on and check that beer can in. Any ticket purchased prior to February 4th, 2019 will enjoy the previous weight limit. Any after February 4th, 2019 won’t. Business and first class remains unchanged at 40kg and 50kg respectively.
15KG is an extremely difficult weight limit to work with, but at the same time – it’s better than no limit. For comparison sake, most airlines allow 23kg, but few airlines still offer a complimentary checked bag on their lowest fares. This new policy from Emirates is a hybrid, which makes it very difficult to check a bag, but at least still free. For example, even the lightest full sized checked bags weigh at least 5kg and the average pair of shoes weighs at least 1.3kg. It’s always tough to see an airline cut weight limits, but it’s great to see that all fares still allow at least one full sized bag to be checked.
HT: Live From A Lounge.
Featured image courtesy of Away.
Interesting to see that Emirates is “mortal” too, so to speak. The airline industry is a tough one.
I’m disappointed that emirates have changed their baggage allowance as it now feels like an economy airline 15 kg just isn’t enough when your used to 25 kg and 30 kg . I have travelled with emirates for the last 7 years and love travelling with them but I just don’t get the 15 kg very disappointed
Emirates should change their buggage system…..
Very very bad, strange decusuon, we will not book with emirates
I have used emirates all the time and I am a regular customer.The weight drop is a big dissapointment. They need to bring it back to what it was before. 40 kilos check and 7 kilos in hand.
Wao!it sounds very unfair,why reduce now, we are used to burbage weight you have been offering of 23@×2 with 7kg carry on,please look very carefully to this matter and reconsider and re address it.
What of skywards members,are they going to be treated the same?